Many tick-borne conditions can lead to chronic inflammation that causes fatigue, brain fog, arthritis, and irritation in the lining of the heart and lungs — all of which will age you prematurely.
Unfortunately, as many as 300,000 Americans get tick-transmitted Lyme disease each year, and many others contract one of the 13 other tick-spread infections that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says are possible to get from an untreated bite. Lone Star tick bites may even cause alpha-gal syndrome, making you allergic to red meat.
Of course, prevention is the best move. When outside in grassy or wooded areas, use an insect repellant containing at least 20% DEET for the skin or for clothes. It's safe, but avoid inhaling any spray repellant or applying it to cuts or wounds.
You should also wear long sleeves, cover your legs and feet, and stay out of tall vegetation.
If you get a tick bite, remove the insect as soon as you spot it. Use pointy tweezers to slide under the tick and remove it without squeezing or dismembering it. (Digging and prodding can lead to infection.)
Then take the tick to be tested at an urgent care center or a state public health office. That way, your doctor will be able to provide appropriate treatment.
You already know you can protect yourself from premature aging by eating a plant-based diet free of highly processed foods, getting regular physical activity, and enjoying your posse and a sense of purpose.
And now you can add preventing tick-borne infections as another way to live longer, happier, and healthier.