Random

I find things from time to time that just make me think about the journey we face as Lyme patients. In my study of isoprenes, ie isoprenoids, I saw that terpenes have isoprenoids in their chemical structure. A terpene breaks down into various isoprenoids. We know that terpenes have good antifungal activity and just about all the Lyme patients have too much fungal activity. I saw where Actinobacteria break down isoprenes and utilize them for fuel. Are terpenes not as active unless they are broken down by Actinobacteria? It is a possibility and would account for the higher fungal loads in Lyme patients.

Examples of isoprenoids are carotene, Vitamn A, Vitamin D, and Heme A. Heme A is important because some protozoans (like T. cruzi) need Heme A to infect and reproduce. The more Actinobacteria we have, the less Heme A is available for their reproduction. Balance in our GI tract is the key and Lyme patients don't have it. Actinobacteria only account for about 5% of our GI flora so their percentages would be the easiest to reduce. They are big in affecting GI permeability so losing a few percent of them could be the reason that pathogens like Borrelia or protozoans can survive. IMO, we need to do whatever we can to increase our Actinobacteria levels. We need to eat more foods high in Actinobacteria and more foods that supply them fuel. When we can do that, we will be in better health.