The old knowledge about ticks won’t keep you safe anymore. It used to be that Lyme Disease was a problem in the Northeast US, and that you only needed to worry about ticks in wooded areas, but neither of those is still true! Ticks, and Lyme Disease and other tick diseases, are coast to coast—and you don’t have to venture very deep into nature to find them. Ticks can be found on lawns, as well as among weeds, tall grass, and still in wooded areas. It’s important that everyone follow tick checks and keep their immune systems strong all summer, and throughout all areas.
The easiest way to prevent ticks is to wear long sleeves and pants (choose linen or another breathable material to beat the heat), and to use bug spray. Natural bug sprays using eucalyptus and another scent work best/longest. If you wear light colors, it will not only help with heat but being able to see ticks.
Ticks start out small in spring, and by the end of summer are fairly easy to see. In early tick season, be on the lookout for poppy seed size ticks—they may even look like moles. When you come in from outside, throw your clothes in the washer and do the tick check right away.
If you find a tick, pull it out straight and clean—no fire, oil, or other tricks. Then watch for any unusual and otherwise unexplained symptoms.
Keep your immune system strong this summer with support from colloidal silver. If you catch a tick bite, or if you don’t, it can take weeks before Lyme Disease or other tick borne illness is diagnosed/apparent. In some areas, doctors may not be up-to-date about the presence of ticks and their diseases, so getting a diagnosis may take some pushing.
