Protect Yourself from Lyme with Repellent!

I LOVE being outside. In fact, being in the mountains, and hiking on trails winding through thick forests reminds me of what Heaven must be like. The sounds, the smells, the wildlife and the solitude. It truly is my happy place. I can't think of much better than exploring the wonderful forests of the Pacific Northwest. That was, at least, until I contracted Lyme Disease. Now, while I still love being outdoors, I'll admit that I have a bit of anxiety being in those beautiful forests, no matter where they are. I also feel that anxiety when I'm forced to walk through tall grasses, brush, weeds or dead leaves anywhere. That's because all of those things are favorite tick habitat, and in the last four years, I've learned a lot about, and become much more aware of, TICKS.

When I first met with my LLMD (Lyme Literate Medical Doctor) she told me that I should never go camping again. Huh? Lyme Disease has been terrible, and it's something that everyone should take seriously, understand and use precautions against. But I refuse to live my life in fear, and even though these things put you at much higher risk of Tick Borne Diseases, transmitted via tick bites, I will continue to participate in the things I love. But there are many things you can do to protect yourself, and I will be very careful about it.

The easiest thing you can do to avoid ticks is to use insect repellent with Deet. Repel Sportsman Max happens to be my favorite, (pictured below.) YES, I know that DEET can have it's own concerns, when used too frequently. But I'll gladly take my chances with those, than with a bout with Lyme Disease, that is, if I wasn't already battling it. :)

Insect repellant should be applied to any exposed areas of skin, or to thin clothing. I like to apply it to my first layer of clothing, paying special attention to your feet/ankles, hands/wrists/exposed arms, neck and hairline. I even apply it on my hair, and spray it on my hands so that I can rub it on my face. Depending on where you're at, you may not have to be so thorough, but if you're in the deep woods, you do need to be thorough! In addition to this, you can also purchase repellant that is designed to be applied to your clothing, gear and equipment as an additional deterrent for ticks, mosquitos, biting flies, spiders, etc. This repellent contains a chemical called permethrin, which is a stronger repellent than what should be applied to the skin. We use a gear spray that's also by Repel, (pictured below) and these two sprays can be purchased in the camping section of your local WalMart or other sporting goods store. Using repellent on gear such as tarps, tents, sleeping bags & packs will also help to insure that you don't bring home any unwelcome hitch-hikers when you return from your outdoors adventures. The spray should be applied and allowed to dry prior to packing for your trip. It goes without saying that this should be done in your yard or a well-ventilated garage.

There are many other things that you can do to protect yourself and your family. They include frequent tick checks during and after outdoor activities; wearing light-colored long sleeves & long pants; staying on trails, and away from underbrush, leaf litter or fallen logs; and upon returning home, throwing your clothes into the dryer for 15 minutes. Ticks are extremely heat sensitive, and this is enough to kill any that might be clinging to your clothing. A shower will also help you to find/identify/get rid of any ticks that might be hiding in hard-to-see places.

 

For more information, visit an older post, An Ounce of Prevention. You can also visit LymeDisease.org for additional information and tips on preventing Lyme Disease.