Welcome to my first.... and who knows.... possibly only blog. I feel it's important to share this journey I'm on right now.... having been recently diagnosed with Lyme Disease, and seeking true healing. It is appalling how many people take years to get a diagnosis, and spend their life savings in the process of reclaiming their health, once they finally figure out how to do it. This information shouldn't be a secret, and doctors should be trained. Thank God for my naturopath! She gets it..... and my own research..... now I get it, too....

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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Saved By Salt? YES (with a little help from other tools and practices, too)

Greetings, Friends ~

Since we last connected, a month or so ago, I’ve had the good fortune to converse with the author of the Salt/C protocol handbook, titled “Lyme Strategies: Practical Research on Lyme Infection.” I was re-reading the protocol the other night, since I’ve been ramping up on the Salt/C this past week to get down to some serious herxing, since it’s been awhile and I want to keep decreasing the bacterial levels. In the course of reviewing the strategy, some questions came up and so I searched on the internet and found an email address that is connected with the protocol. Here is the response from the author, Marc (don’t have a last name). I was really pleased to hear from him promptly, and the response came with many encouraging words, validating what I was beginning to expect... that I’ve stayed with the protocol long enough to have “broken the back of” the disease… to have gotten a “leg up” on it by not only working to eradicate the bacteria, but to strengthen and reinforce my immune system. My sense has been that my immune system has been getting stronger and is now more able to “handle” the bacterial load and keep it under control.

Based upon Marc’s input, I feel I can now ramp down on the Salt/C and stay at a maintenance dose indefinitely. If I feel a need to, I can always ramp up again and increase the Salt/C levels to the point of creating herxes. It will be interesting to see, at this point, if that’s really necessary (I just went through a mega-herx this week after taking quite a bit of Salt/C, and I’ve been experiencing some serious pain, most especially at the base of my skull. Clearly, there is still bacteria there, but it’s possible that the immune can now take over from here and I will continue to improve and feel better and healthier all the time).I've been feeling a true VIBRANCE of health now for a few months.

Truly, I’m so grateful for the Salt/C protocol and those who developed and tested it. According to info on a variety of websites, the protocol has literally helped thousands of lyme sufferers overcome the debilitating effects of this disease with its array of co-infections. And so I say a huge thank-you and a BRAVO to Marc and the others who have shared this information with the world. It is a tremendous blessing to have my life back! And to have achieved this with a treatment protocol that is very simple to work with, inexpensive, and best of all effective! In this case, subjective data is currently the best we have to determine the effectiveness of the Salt/C protocol in having an affect on lyme bacteria, since the Borrelia and other co-infections are so good at hiding out, and are so hard to find and measure with conventional medical tests.

Read the email exchange below if you’re interested in the details of my conversation with Mark. Many blessings to you. I probably won’t be continuing with this particular blog, but if you’d like to stay in touch, please visit my new website at www.whidbeyislandreiki.com, and check out my blog, “Journey to the Soul.”

And FYI, my mom continues to undergo radiation treatment for oral cancer. It is arduous. She amazes me with her sheer will to get through it. And I'm truly appreciating the extra time with her.

Namaste,

Sukie

Below is the email… Marc’s comments are in bold as he responds to various portions of my emailed note… my comments are in regular text.

Hi Sue,

Thank you for your note.


Greetings ~
Thanks so much for your work with the Salt/C protocol The protocol has literally changed my life, SO much for the better, and I feel not only pretty much "back to normal", but I feel like I am thriving like never before.
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Yay!! You made my day:-)

In addition to the protocol, I have also been using an Earthing sheet on my bed which has made a HUGE difference in terms of reducing my joint inflammation to essentially nil (which was my worst symptom prior to getting the Earthing sheet). I would love to see more lyme sufferers try an Earthing sheet, and/or for someone to undertake a study of this, as it can have such a positive effect on dramatically reducing inflammation (for everyone with inflammation, not just lyme folks). The implications for the combination of the Salt/C protocol with Earthing are profound (I also combine Earthing with Reiki; in case you're interested my website is www.whidbeyislandreiki.com).
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That is very interesting, Sue. Thanks for your site ref. I look forward to it.

So I continue on with the Salt/C protocol, and can still get myself to herx if I take high enough levels of Salt/C (9+), and now the herx pain is pretty much all located in the back of my neck/base of my skull. I'm trying to determine how long I need to keep herxing at this level, or if my immune system has kicked in enough to "handle it", since when I drop down to a "maintenance dose" of Salt/C (6-8 per day), I am essentially pain-free and can move freely, kayak, do yoga, all the stuff I did before starting Salt/C on April 1, 2010. During the months of November and December 2010 I just did "maintenance" and did not attempt to herx, and I was pain-free and 98% symptom free the whole time.
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It sounds like you have broken its back, so to speak, and your immune is subjugating. What folks will do at this point, typically, is back down to the level you note as maintenance and will continue immune support items. That is, with the immune getting on top of it, it is beefing them up to where their antibody production, scavenging, etc. is enhanced and remainder of "vestige" phenomena will fade even more to out completely.

I did download your e-book last spring. I am unclear as to whether I have the most current version or not, and if not, whether I need to read the current one, since I am having such great results with the protocol. Is there info in the revised version that is more specific about when/how to begin tapering off the protocol, and how to determine a maintenance dosage? While I can probably figure this out myself, it would be good to know how (if?) others have done this and how it has worked for them.
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The ebook you have is the most current. Regarding reaching the alleviation point, on p. 31 of the ebook it states: "Note: when individuals achieve alleviation, they will continue for a time at a "maintenance" measurement that usually is around the 4g each salt and C daily (2g each for children). In practice, individuals have varied in how long they follow this. It is recommended to it well past the point of alleviation. Some have done it for an extended period beyond alleviation (months) as a precaution against any latent encysted or dormant forms of the bacteria being present. Others have done it for a shorter time and then just diligently used liberal amounts of natural salt with their foods. To-date both has been seen to work but we would encourage the first as a precaution."You may find, Sue, having the gift of being a Reiki Master that your attunement with the body may present you with an intuitive sense as to what is right for yourself. We note the "4g" as being typical, with some doing 5 or 6, others doing 3-4, etc., as personal choice. Know that anything in this range is therapeutic in terms of effect an any "strays". (We are big on the "gut feeling", inner sense - it so often exactly right.)

So.... if you have feedback on any of the above, I would be most grateful to hear from you. Thanks once again for all you've done to promote the protocol. I hope it eventually becomes the protocol of choice for the vast majority of lyme sufferers as it is simple, inexpensive, and it actually WORKS!

Sincerely,

Sue Averett
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You're very welcomed, Sue. I am so very happy for you -and very well done!
You did a great job and deserve the rewards :-)

Onward & upward,

Marc