Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is no joke... it can take you out for months on end... so be careful when hitting the trails this summer. Although Lyme disease is most common in northern CA and the northeast (Lyme, CT is where the name hails from) and north-central parts of the US, it's the fastest growing infectious epidemics. What measures can you take to protect yourself?

• Wear light-colored clothing so you can see ticks easier
• Apply bug-spray with DEET
• Run in the middle of the trail
• Don't lie down or stretch in grassy/wooded areas
• Check yourself and your dog for ticks

Unfortunately, showering won't do anything for ticks if they're already attached. If you're experiencing flu-like symptoms or develop a bull's-eye rash, go to the doctors immediately (aka don't put it off and ignore it hoping that it will go away), as these are symptoms of Lyme-disease. There are two blood tests that can be used to confirm Lyme disease (ELISA and the Western Blot Assay), and the standard course of treatment is 3 weeks of anti-biotics.