MEET THE GUEST
Dr. Cory Tichauer is a board-certified Naturopathic Doctor with 22 years of experience in complex chronic illness and tick-borne infections at Bear Creek Naturopathic Clinic in southern Oregon. A longtime ILADS member and former board director, he also belongs to ISEAI, the ISMCAS, and the Ehlers-Danlos Society. Dr. Cory uses functional medicine, naturopathic therapies, individualized pharmaceuticals, and advanced diagnostics to remove obstacles to health and support the body's self-repair mechanisms.
WHAT WE TALK ABOUT
- Dr. Tichauer's background as a naturopathic physician and why he chose that path over conventional medicine
- How chronic infection, particularly tick-borne illness, emerged as a central focus of his clinical practice
- His involvement with ILADS and the role of the organization in advancing provider education
- Why current two-tiered Lyme testing (ELISA + immunoblot) misses a large percentage of chronic cases
- The use of the B31 lab strain in standard testing and how it contributes to false negatives
- How immune suppression, biofilm formation, and the intracellular nature of Borrelia reduce antibody production
- How lab threshold cutoffs are calibrated for acute care, not chronic illness
- The difference between qualitative and quantitative ELISA results, and why specific band markers matter
- Javora Health: what it is, how it was created, and its mission to increase access to quality Lyme testing
- The TASO home blood collection kit: how it works, why it's well-tolerated, and how samples are processed
- Armin Labs: what makes it one of the most validated Lyme testing labs, including CAP certification and German standards
- The TickPlex panel and the scope of co-infections, chronic viral infections, and parasites it can screen for
- Round body (persister form) Lyme testing and why up to two-thirds of chronic Lyme patients test negative on standard ELISA
- The LymEspot (ELISpot/lymphocyte transformation test): how T-cell testing can detect active infection within 10 to 14 days of exposure
- Serial testing as a tool to track treatment progress, including why an initial antibody increase after treatment can be a positive sign
- The three-pillar natural support protocol: immune upregulation, biofilm disruption, and antimicrobial herbs
- Javora's symptom-tracking app, online quiz for test selection, and Dr. Tichauer's weekly open office hours
- The future of Lyme testing: the need for consensus between functional and conventional medicine, and what improved direct-organism testing could look like
EPISODE RESOURCES
Jivora
Get accurate tick-borne illness testing to support earlier detection and personalized care.
https://jivora.co/pages/ambassador-program
Desbio
Supplements that support chronic illness recovery. Use our link for 5% off.
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Tick Mitt
Stop Lyme before it happens with a chemical-free tick-removing mitt. Use code TRAILTOHEALTH for 10% off.
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Tick Tock
Stay safe from tick-borne illness with natural tick and mosquito repellents.
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NIKKI
Support your holistic Lyme routine with a wearable wellness device. Receive 10% off using code TRAILTOHEALTH.
https://shop.thetrailtohealth.com/Nikki
CONNECT WITH THE GUEST
Website:
http://jivorahealth.com
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/jivorahealth
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/jivorahealth
KEYWORDS
Lyme disease testing, home Lyme test, tick-borne illness, chronic Lyme, Borrelia testing, Armin Labs, co-infection testing, Lyme literate doctor, naturopathic Lyme treatment, ILADS, Javora Health
