Lyme Disease, Tick-Borne Infections and Chronic Illness 

Why Accurate Testing Matters with Nicole Bell of Galaxy Diagnostics

In this powerful episode of the Bioenergetics Beat Podcast, guest host Gail Edgell sits down with Nicole Bell, CEO of Galaxy Diagnostics, to discuss the growing crisis of Lyme disease, chronic illness, and the urgent need for more accurate testing for tick-borne infections.

Nicole shares her deeply personal story of watching her husband slowly decline with cognitive symptoms that were initially diagnosed as early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, only to later discover he was suffering from multiple tick-borne infections, including Lyme disease, Bartonella, and Babesia. Her family’s devastating experience led her to become an advocate for improved Lyme disease awareness, direct detection testing, and patient empowerment.

This conversation dives into the challenges of traditional Lyme testing, why many chronic illness patients are misdiagnosed for years, and how symptoms such as anxiety, depression, brain fog, fatigue, joint pain, inflammation, and neurological changes may be linked to underlying infections.

Nicole explains the limitations of standard antibody-based Lyme testing and how Galaxy Diagnostics is developing more advanced direct detection technology to identify active infections earlier and more accurately. The discussion also explores how chronic Lyme symptoms can overlap with mold toxicity, autoimmune conditions, chronic fatigue syndrome, menopause symptoms, and neuroinflammatory conditions.

Throughout the episode, listeners will learn:

• Why Lyme disease is often missed or misdiagnosed
• The difference between acute and chronic Lyme disease
• How Bartonella and Babesia co-infections complicate treatment
• Why some patients never develop accurate antibody responses
• The importance of becoming your own health advocate
• How stress, hormones, trauma, and environmental toxins may trigger symptom flare-ups
• Why early detection is critical for recovery
• The role of functional and integrative medicine practitioners in chronic illness care
• How Galaxy Diagnostics’ urine antigen and blood testing differs from traditional Lyme tests

Nicole also discusses the emotional toll chronic illness takes on families and caregivers, emphasizing the importance of hope, education, and persistence when searching for answers.

If you or someone you love is struggling with unexplained symptoms, chronic inflammation, fatigue, cognitive decline, neurological symptoms, or suspected tick-borne illness, this episode offers an important perspective on modern Lyme disease research and patient advocacy.

Where to find more information and resources:

Galaxy Diagnostics: https://galaxydx.com/

Center for Lyme Action: https://centerforlymeaction.org/

Nicole’s book: What Lurks In the Woods: Struggle and Hope in the Midst of Chronic Illness