Anti-inflammatory diet may be key to alleviating chronic illnesses

Tiffany Dochick was bitten by at tic but didn't find out she'd gotten Lyme disease until seven months later.

She said she contracted it in October 2016. Then her symptoms turned extreme: joint pain, migraines, blurry vision and more.

"Panic attacks, heart palpitations, insomnia, chronic fatigue," Dochick said.

Like most diagnosed with the disease, she took antibiotics but found a host of other things also helped her recover, mainly supplements and stress reduction which helped support her immune system.

"One of the main issue with Lyme is that the immune system is not getting on top of that bacteria when Lyme goes chronic," said Dr. Alexis Daniels of the Sports Academy.

Daniels is a chiropractor and functional medicine specialist. She said when the body sees something it doesn't recognize, it often results in an inflammatory response. That's why she suggests people eat an anti-inflammatory diet.

"Almost 70 percent or more of your immune system is surrounding your gut, so the healthier your gut is, the healthier your immune system is going to be," Daniels said.

When it comes to bacteria, the gut contains both beneficial and harmful kinds.

"There's actually good bacteria in your gut, two to three pounds to be exact, and it actually signals to your immune system," Daniels said.

Since antibiotics kill both good and bad bacteria, it's important to take a close look at what you're putting in your system.

"Definitely cutting gluten and sugar out of your diet," Dochick explained.

"Even monitoring your grains and carbs from a sugar perspective or carbohydrate perspective will be less inflammatory," Daniels said.

And while eating a diet rich in whole foods can't cure Lyme, Daniels said it certainly can help.

"Fruits and veggies are going to have lots of nutrients and vitamins and minerals that will also aid in the recovery of your body," Daniels said.

She also suggests grass fed or organic animal products, and said give the diet at least 90 days to help make sure immunity is restored.