"FIT WITH THE RIGHT FOOD"

Avoid the contact with ticks

• don't walk barefoot in meadows with unmown grass or lie down outside without a blanket

• don't sit on tree stumps, logs or woodenplanks without a mat

• wear bright plain clothing and boots for hiking

• avoid perspiration and use a repellent for your bare skin

• before going to bed take a shower and look for ticks on your body

• check your pets regularly, that they don't bring ticks in from the outside

How to remove a tick

if you find an adherent tick it should be removed immediately, for an infection occurs only after several hours of sucking. But be careful not to crush the tick or pull off the head, as this increases the risk of infection.

• take sharp tweezers, grasp it delicately near the skin and pull it out without rotation
• if tweezers are not available, you could use your nails - special pincers and tick cards are only practicable for large ticks
• please don't use oil, glue, polish remover and the like to kill the tick, because  this heightens the chance of an infection

After a bite you should abstain from bodily exercise for a few days, so an eventual infection won't spread. Watch the bite and take heed of potential symptoms.

Tick-borne encephalitis

Some of you have probably been vaccinated against this virus and are therefore protected for 3 - 5 years. Because of some severe side effects of this vaccination ( allergic and autoimmune reactions, paralysis, meningitis, neuritis etc.) it should be limited to persons living in endemic regions. Children under the age of three and people with an allergic disposition or impaired immune system should refrain from the inocculation. But even without a vaccination the danger of developing TBE is very low. In endemic regions only 1 in 1000 ticks carries the virus and only 5 persons of 100000 bitten by ticks get meningoencephalitis, in nonendemic parts the rate is 5 persons out of 2 millions. 

Nonetheless - if you get high temperature (up to 39° C/102° F) and flu-like syptoms about one to two weeks after a bite, you should seek medical advise. Otherwise - after a short period of remission - there could be a second rise of temperature accompanied by meningitis or encephalitis.

Lyme disease

Symptoms to detect an infection with borrelia:

• a few days after the bite there occur flu-like symptoms of myalgias, headache and regional lymphadenopathy
• mild fever up to 38°C/100°F (by this you can distinguish the bacteria induced infection from the viral TPE, where the fever is much higher)
• only about 70% of the infected persons show the classic cutaneous lesion termed erythema migrans. The lesion usually occurs at the site of the bite, developing 7 to 10 days following exposure. It typically has a bright red outer border with partial central clearing; the thigh, groin, back of the knee and axilla are common sites.

If you show the above signs, you should consult a physician about an adequate therapy.

Please note: if you dont't show the obvious erythema migrans it is necessary to verify, if there is any infection - and if so  - which one

• the prophylactic administration of antibiotics after a tick bite without verification of a borrelia infection didn't prove useful
• the erroneous inocculation with TPE vaccine when there is an acute borrelia  infection may cause severe complications; - there fore it's vital to distinguish the to infections. (the most reliable diagnosis is often provided by a tropical institute)
• there is no clue, that tetanus is transmitted by a tick bite; - but this vaccination can lead to a heavier progression ,when applied in an acute Borrelia or TPE infection.

If antibiotics are recommended, the therapy should be started as soon as possible to assure its greatest effect; at the second and third stage of the Lyme disease there often is only a reduced recovery.

But in spite of the early treatment of a first acute infection, recurrent unpleasant effects may take place, months or even years later.  You should be aware, that the following signs may be related to the former borreliosis.

• inflammation of muscles, joints and nerves
• persisting headache and neck stiffness
• chronic fatigues and sleep disturbance
• rashes and atrophy of the skin
• weakness in legs and arms

Please note: improvement or even spontaneaous recovery is not uncommon in this disease

Your contribution to prevention and recovery

• to prepare your immune system for an eventual infection you can take a 'tick bite-nosode/Zeckenbissnosode D200' or if not available a 'borrelia-nosode D200' and a TPE/FSME nosode D200'; 2 dosis on 2 following days at the beginning of spring. The effect will last for the whole year. It's reasonable to medicate your pets too.

• immediately after a bite you should take a dosis of Rhus tox. C200, Hypericum C30 and Arnica C30 once a day for 3 days

• after an antibiotic treatment you may detox your body system with the  following remedies by 'Heel' - Coenzyme comp., Hepar comp. and Ubichinon comp. ( if you are not able to inject, you may drink the contents of the vials ) and for longterm treatment you should take Lymphomyosot, Reneel and Hepeel as tablets.

• you can back up your immune system by staying clear of alcohol, nicotine and coffee, heeding the Basic Eating Guidelines  and moderate bodily exercise in fresh air.

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