Ticks are no one's friend. They can carry numerous illnesses like borrelia, babesia, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. Ticks can be as small as a poppyseed! Which is so tiny, I'm going to need extra strong reading glasses to find those!

While you are getting your exercise in the outdoors and enjoying the sunshine and all it's benefits, make sure you take extra time to look yourself, your kids and your dog over for any ticks each time you return home.

A couple quick tips:

• Wearing light colored clothing can make it easier to spot them.
• Use bug sprays and permethrin on your clothing to help keep them away.

If you get bit:
Sometimes we don't find the tick until it is attached, and that's always a sinking feeling. : Remove the tick carefully with a tweezers pinching where the head is attached, or use a tool called a tick twister.

My family uses a combo of herbal tincture and bentonite clay to place on the bite with a bandaid, replacing the mix every few hours. Clay can be purchased at Mother Nature's Foods in Eau Claire. I have gotten these herbal tinctures from Kerri Keirnan at River Prairie Apothecary

And we monitor for symptoms of Lyme, Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis:

• rash, often in a bull's-eye pattern (not always present)
• flu-like symptoms like fever, chills, fatigue, malaise, headache
• joint pain, swelling and stiffness or weakness in the limbs

If you develop symptoms of Tick Borne Illness, make sure you follow up with your doctor right away!!!

A couple years ago, I took Dr Lindsley's Lyme Seminar along with Dr Dave Hackbarth of Menomonie Chiropractic. The seminar was in depth and I gained a lot of knowledge, but I have chosen not to practice the muscle testing and assessment for Lyme at this time. For assessment of acute or chronic Lyme like symptoms, I refer all my family, friends and clients to Dr Dave. I have seen several family members and clients recover their health after antibiotics did not successfully clear all of their Lyme symptoms. The herbal formulas work well. To schedule an appointment for Applied Kinesiology muscle testing and herbal lyme and co infection protocols with Dr David Hackbarth, contact Menomonie Chiropractic at 715-232-8858, https://www.menomoniechiro.com

If you have regular problems with ticks in your yard, you might want to try this DIY tip to help clear ticks from your property. https://www.myfrugalhome.com/how-to-make-tick-tubes/

This is a link to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for all things tick related. https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/tick/index.htm

Acupuncture can help reduce the symptoms associated with infection like headache, muscle aches and joint pain by "resolving dampness, clearing heat, tonifying the wei qi and nourishing Liver Blood." What does this mean? Acupuncture can help reduce inflammation and strengthen your body and support your immune response when you are recovering from a tick borne illness, whether newly diagnosed or dealing with chronic immune deficiencies from the after effects of the illness. It's a great supportive treatment, but you'll definitely want to see a doctor for tick borne illness care.

Get outdoors, and be safe!

-Sarah

Inspired Balance, LLC
Sarah Aiken-Felling, MAOM, LAc
715-831-8998
www.inspiredbalance.com