Now that Spring has finally arrived in the high country, my thoughts have turned to my plans for a summer of gold prospecting and metal detecting in the mountains of Montana.
As I gather my gear, repair and ready my equipment, I am thinking of a woman I know, Stacy, my sister's best friend. Stacy will not be enjoying the outdoors this summer. Stacy is fighting a courageous up-hill battle with Lyme Disease. Lyme disease is a very serious bacterial infection caused by a tick and it affects animals and humans. It's symptoms are awful, chills, fever, muscle pain and a whole array of nasty events.
Eighteen months ago, Stacy, a vivacious, slender and energetic woman in her early 40's, loved to trap shoot, camp and explore; today she can not comb her own hair, feed herself or stand or sit for any length of time. She is tethered to her home by a continuous IV-drip, antibiotics to fight the Lyme Disease that is withering her body, sapping her energy and breaking her spirit.
Lyme Disease (tick-borne borreliosis, Lyme arthritis)
Other Tick Borne Diseases
Tick Borne Rickettsial Diseases
Spring and early summer are prime tick seasons; I am making my summer plans with a sad, special awareness of the risk of Lyme Disease. I also want to avoid the other overly-friendly insects such as mosquitos, gnats, flies, centipedes and scorpions; both outdoors and in my home.
I do everything possible to live a green lifestyle; so no toxins or chemicals. I have found cedar, citronella or eucalyptus essential oils to be great deterrents. Cedar oil sprayed around window and door frames repels spiders, mosquitos, flies and termites. I have also found that if tansy is allowed to grow around the house, the bugs seem to stay away.
I encourage all our readers to take every precaution against this devastating disease. Avoid ticks and plan ahead. Please post your comments, prevention suggestions and remedies.
WHAT PRECAUTIONS CAN I TAKE?
Educate yourself about Lyme disease, and try not to get bitten by ticks. More specifically:
- Avoid wooded, brushy, and grassy areas, especially in May, June, and July. (Contact the local health department or park/extension service for information on the prevalence of ticks in specific areas).
- Wear light-colored clothing so that you can see ticks that get
on you.
- Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts.
- Wear shoes that cover the entire foot.
- Tuck pant legs into socks or shoes, and tuck shirts into pants.
- Wear a hat for extra protection.
- Spray insect repellent containing DEET on clothes and exposed skin other than the face, or treat clothes with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact.
- Walk in the center of trails to avoid brush and grass.
- Remove your clothing, and wash and dry them at high temperatures after being outdoors.
- Do a careful body check for ticks after outdoor activities.
Top Five Tips to Avoid Deer Tick Bites That Can Cause Lyme Disease
By: Heather Flournoy
It's spring in New England and New York, the leaves are finally out, the songbirds are back, people are out walking in the mornings and the garden shops and farmer's markets are open again. But along with the beauty of spring comes a danger that keeps many people from walking the trails, and should give others pause. Deer ticks, the common carrier of borrelia bacteria which causes Lyme disease, abound in May and June in the Northeast, and now is the most common time for bites from infected nymph stage ticks because of their small size. I once had Lyme disease, which took nearly a year to recover from. I consider myself lucky not to have ongoing symptoms like my neighbor suffers with. Every time I step outside I consider the risk of getting a tick bite. But it doesn't stop me from going out, it just makes me more cautious, and has inspired me to try out different methods for prevention.
Prevention is the best method. Here are my top five tips to prevent deer tick bites, based on what has worked for me. The vigilant use of these methods seems to have effectively eliminated tick bites for myself and my family.
1) Garlic. I take garlic in the morning during tick season. I even use a powdered form for my horse and the number of ticks I find on him has decreased significantly. I used to find several ticks per day, and now I find several per week. For me, I find that fresh garlic works best. I make a dressing in the morning out of yogurt, lemon juice, 1 clove fresh garlic and salt, and put it on my scrambled eggs. If I have to meet with clients in the morning and am worried about the garlic smell, I take Kyolic aged garlic capsules instead. I also read once that garlic breath is caused by 'missing' some of the garlic when you brush, so after eating it I floss, brush and use a tongue scraper to get the smell out.
2) Cats and Dogs. Studies show pet owners are more at risk for tick bites and contracting infectious tick borne diseases. As soon as my cat comes back with his first tick of the spring, I move him outdoors, since he is extremely unhappy being locked indoors all summer. I know it sounds a bit harsh, but I can't risk my family's health for my cat's comfort. I have a vestibule where he can come in for shelter from the wind and rain, and I put food and water out and a bed. I have not found any full-proof way of keeping ticks off of him. Even the harsh chemicals that keep ticks from actually biting him, don't stop him from carrying a tick on the end of his hair and dropping it in the house.
3) Use the Dryer: When I come back from a walk, I strip and put my clothes immediately into the dryer on high heat for a full cycle. Studies have shown that ticks can survive washing but that high heat drying will kill them. While this is definitely not a eco-friendly choice, I haven't yet found an alternative.
4) Repellents: During tick season I use a combination of various products. I am very concerned about the adverse health effects of using DEET or other chemically-based repellents, so have been experimenting with alternatives to find the most effective. If I will be headed outdoors for the day, I use soybean oil after my morning shower as an all-over body moisturizer that also helps deter insect bites. Certain essential oils are very effective against ticks and studies show that catnip, rose geranium, and lemon eucalyptus oil are very effective against both ticks and mosquitoes. I sometimes make my own formulas, but since last fall have started using Buzz Away Extreme, which has worked well. Just be aware that while it repels mosquitoes for up to 8 hours, it needs to be reapplied after 2.5 hours for ticks. If headed into the deep woods, I will also spray my shoes, socks, pant legs, hat and hair.
5) Guinea hens. Guinea hens are the best thing I've found for keeping our yard clear of ticks. I know everyone can't do this, so I've listed it last. If you live in a rural area, get guinea hens. Since our hens grew up, our tick population has decreased significantly. Our hens roam free, eat ticks and other insects all day, and take care of themselves. The drawback is that they are a bit noisy, so don't get them if you aren't used to the sounds of farm animals.
Raising Guinea Fowl
Tick Eating Guinea Hen Weapon Against Lyme Disease
In addition you should do a thorough tick check every night. Check behind ears, back of head and neck, armpits and groin area. Set up a full length mirror in the bathroom, provide bright lighting and check your backside.
Heather Flournoy is a writer, grassroots marketer and natural health expert who resides in Katonah, NY. Read her blog at http://www.KatonahGreen.com
Article Source: Ezine Articles
