For those of you reading this that I have not yet had the pleasure to meet, my name is Ali Moresco, and I have had neurological Lyme disease and coinfections for eight years.

Since being diagnosed with tick-borne illness, I have had the privilege of getting deeply involved with the Lyme community - advocating socially and politically for patients and families, and joining forces with multiple tick borne illness nonprofits to raise over half a million dollars to support tick-borne illness research.

Formerly in celebrity public relations, I made the pivot to mission driven healthcare PR after becoming very ill myself. Moresco PR + Communications is a firm with a heart and mission driven in elevating aligned medical voices in the media and patient communities. I am excited to share that we were just named Healthcare Agency of the Year!

In honor of Lyme Disease Awareness Month, Ranger Ready asked me to share alternative therapies that have helped me and I am delighted to do so. I would like to preface this piece with the fact that I utilize a combination of different therapies (including western!) that have helped me heal. Also- please talk to your doctor about any therapies you are considering trying- this is not medical advice : )

Inferred Sauna

Like many that suffer from Lyme and tick borne diseases, my lymphatic system barely works on its own. This is a massive problem when you are actively treating, killing spirochetes and then trying to detox them from your body- let alone all of the other toxins we deal with in conjunction to Lyme! This is how I found infrared sauna. One of my first Lyme disease MDs suggested that I try the infrared sauna. Depending on where I am at in my treatment, I have a very difficult time sweating, and this is when I know that I need the infrared sauna most. Typically, I will sauna 2 to 3 times a week for about a half hour to 45 minutes. This helps to move any debris sitting around in my body that is making me feel sick and tired. Personally, infrared sauna also helps with my muscle and joint pain.

An infrared sauna is a type of sauna that uses infrared heaters to emit infrared light experience as radiant heat which is absorbed by the surface of the skin.

Cupping

Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist puts cups on your skin for a few minutes that have been internally heated and it creates a suction. I get it for many purposes- including to help with detoxification, pain, inflammation and blood flow. I mostly prefer something called sliding cupping, where the cups are applied to your back, neck or shoulders and then slid around the body. Personally, I find this less draining than cupping that is stagnant.

If you choose to try cupping, make sure you look for a highly certified and experienced therapist, as it has become a popular “add on” to other therapies and can be harmful if not done properly.

Pilates

As I slowly started to heal over the past handful of years, one of my top goals was to consistently and mindfully move my body. This is how I found Pilates! As soon as I got on the Pilates reformer for the first time, it was love at first sight. The principles that guide Pilates immediately resonated with me- concentration on each and every movement, a deep focus on intentionally moving the lower back and abdomen, flowing movement patterns and a focus on steady and controlled breathing- which has not only been good for my Lyme, but also my POTS.

Pilates meets you where you are at, as long as you have the right instructor. You can use as little or as much weight as you want and do as many or as few movements as you feel comfortable with. Personally, Pilates has helped me mentally and physically, giving me a chance to relax my brain for an hour a day while also moving my body to stimulate my lymphatic system and make sure that my muscles and joints are not stagnant.

While I prefer reformer Pilates, I also love doing mat Pilates on the Melissa Woods app. I think it is $10 a month and requires little to no equipment, making it very accessible! Kim Strother, one of the teachers on the app, also has Lyme disease and gives me a lot of hope!

Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy is low intensity, and pretty much helps every single system in the body! It helps skin, muscles and our immune system. Red light therapy exposes you to near and far infrared light- your body will feel it!

Personally, I use my infrared light for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes at night and I have noticed that it has helped my sleep cycle and my ability to wake up in the morning. I also tend to get bad acne when I am treating my Lyme disease, and the red light therapy helps to calm my acne from becoming severe.

When I had Covid in January I read a handful of studies discussing red light therapy on the chest during Covid infection. I used my red light on my chest for 20 minutes a day, in conjunction with many other therapies, but my thought process when you are that sick is that every little bit helps!

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is an external treatment that is based on the ancient principles of traditional Chinese medicine. It bakes acupoints with moxa wool. Essentially, in my very limited knowledge and simply speaking from my personal experience, little cones of moxa wool are put on different points of your back, they are then lit on fire and as soon as the cones feel warm on your back they are immediately removed. It does not burn the skin or hurt in any way, shape or form! This therapy has been used for over 2500 years.

Personally, I noticed the greatest difference with this therapy in relation to detoxification and mental clarity. The night of the treatment and a handful of nights following I tend to sweat a lot in my sleep- signaling that things are moving in my body!

As a friendly reminder- being tick aware is something that everyone can benefit from no matter your age, race, location, or income. No person is immune to the everlasting change of a tick bite; all it takes is one bite! Prevention is key. Please join me in supporting Ranger Ready’s mission of protecting future generations from tick-borne disease by spreading awareness and education about Lyme disease.

As always, I am here to be a resource for the Lyme, tick borne and chronic illness community! While I know that this insidious disease is a treacherous battle, please do not give up! There is an entire community, including myself, that is here for you. Please feel free to send me a message on Instagram to connect, or if you have any questions! Happy Lyme disease awareness month!