TICK, TICK..BOOM!
Good House Keeping - US|July - August 2024
These tiny menaces can cause more than Lyme disease. Here's what you need to know about a new spate of tick-borne illnesses.
JEANNE ERDMANN
TICK, TICK..BOOM!

If you live near the woods, have a dog who loves to romp in the grass or have kids at summer camp, you may already be on high alert for Lyme disease, an often debilitating infection that is passed to humans via tick bites. But it's not just about Lyme anymore: Ticks are being connected with new outbreaks of numerous diseases. Here's how to keep your family safe.

A Mystery Illness

In January 2018, Nikki Smith, now 40, was lying in bed watching television when suddenly her chest hurt, her blood pressure plummeted and she thought she was going to pass out. Scared for her life, she went with her husband to the ER, where a battery of tests ruled out heart problems. She was sent home with advice to try to lower her stress level.

Nikki, a retail manager in Kentucky, went through this several times over the next two years doctors blamed stress and eventually diagnosed her with panic disorder. But she was also plagued by a variety of gastrointestinal problems that her doctors believed were due to complications from gallbladder surgery. Her symptoms, she says, had "no apparent triggers or rhyme or reason." She was prescribed antidepressants, which didn't help.

Meanwhile, her seasonal allergies worsened, and in one of her ears was fluid that felt as if it was moving constantly. Allergy tests turned up sensitivities to beef, pork, lamb and cow's milk. Nikki was surprised, as she'd eaten meat for decades and hadn't experienced hives, swelling or difficulty breathing, the symptoms typically linked to food allergies. She left the allergist's office with a list of foods to avoid and a prescription for an EpiPen.

This story is from the July - August 2024 edition of Good House Keeping - US.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July - August 2024 edition of Good House Keeping - US.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM GOOD HOUSE KEEPING - USView All
SKIN PROTECTOR
Good House Keeping - US

SKIN PROTECTOR

This gentle, affordable baby eczema cream moisturizes thoroughly and is absorbed quickly.

time-read
1 min  |
January - February 2025
Keep Your Dog Safe in the COLD
Good House Keeping - US

Keep Your Dog Safe in the COLD

Winter weather can wreak havoc on their paws and disrupt daily walks.

time-read
2 mins  |
January - February 2025
A LEGACY OF FAMILY & LOVE
Good House Keeping - US

A LEGACY OF FAMILY & LOVE

Martin Luther King III invites us all to honor MLK Day by creating our own traditions of service through small, meaningful acts of love and connection.

time-read
2 mins  |
January - February 2025
HOW TO Raise a Kid Who LOVES TO READ
Good House Keeping - US

HOW TO Raise a Kid Who LOVES TO READ

Research shows that fewer kids are reading for enjoyment. Here's how to turn that around.

time-read
4 mins  |
January - February 2025
HEALTHY EATING GUIDE
Good House Keeping - US

HEALTHY EATING GUIDE

Level up your health in 2025! The experts in the GH Nutrition Lab dish up the ingredients for smart (and simple) food choices.

time-read
4 mins  |
January - February 2025
HEALTHY WEEKNIGHTS
Good House Keeping - US

HEALTHY WEEKNIGHTS

Refresh your routine with these delicious, nutritious dinners.

time-read
4 mins  |
January - February 2025
New Serving...WINTER COMFORT
Good House Keeping - US

New Serving...WINTER COMFORT

Cooler weather calls for warm and flavorful pastas and sandwiches along with platters of satisfying seasonal salads. Staying in has never tasted so good.

time-read
10+ mins  |
January - February 2025
FAST On-the-Fly HAIR FIXES
Good House Keeping - US

FAST On-the-Fly HAIR FIXES

You may step out looking perfect, but hair mishaps can spring up anywhere and at any time. Whether you're at the office, on the road, on a plane or somewhere in between, we have GH Beauty Lab and hair-expert hacks for quickly salvaging your style.

time-read
2 mins  |
January - February 2025
Winter SKIN RESCUE
Good House Keeping - US

Winter SKIN RESCUE

With sweater weather and cozy fires also come chilly temps and drier air, which can mean not-so-fun skin issues like dryness, chapping, flaking and redness from head to toe. Easy GH Beauty Lab and dermatologist solutions are here to save the day(s).

time-read
4 mins  |
January - February 2025
DECORATE with your PERSONALITY
Good House Keeping - US

DECORATE with your PERSONALITY

This year, find a style that makes you smile. Go bold, mix patterns and eras, leave cabinets \"unfinished\" (gasp!)...anything goes!

time-read
2 mins  |
January - February 2025