Scourge of the Highlands

Lyme disease poses a health threat that field sport enthusiasts need to take deadly seriously

‘I’ve lost track of the number of visiting anglers whose lives have been thrown into disarray by the ravages of this highly unpredictable illness’

With the start of another fishing season now well under way, readers may wonder why I’m going to talk about neither fish nor fishing this month. Instead I want to warn you about an insidious threat that faces every outdoor enthusiast in the country. As I’ve learnt from bitter personal experience, you should probably sit up and take notice.

Six years ago, I was diagnosed with Lyme disease, the tick-borne bacterial infection that is fast becoming the scourge of the Highlands. I almost certainly caught it while out fishing.

I wouldn’t wish this disease on my worst enemy. I spent the best part of three years practically crippled with inflamed joints, seriously debilitated with chronic fatigue and virtually unable to work t hrough a combination of physical and psychological ailments.

And I got off lightly. During those years it seemed that almost every stalker, ghillie and estate worker that I knew in my little corner of the West Highlands had contracted Lyme. Some of them recovered quickly, but others were signed off work for years. A few very unlucky ones are still unable to perform effectively in their jobs and are plagued by heart complaints, sight problems and depression. I have also lost count of the number of visiting anglers I meet every year whose lives have been thrown into disarray by this highly unpredictable illness.

The prevalence of Lyme in recent years could well be down to the increase in deer numbers, the unavailability of certain sheep dips, the gradual spread of tick-loving habitat such as bracken, or some other unknown symptom of climate change. These matters are widely debated. But what is less publicised is how to avoid catching it, and the options if you do.

While prevention is most certainly preferable to cure, avoiding it is easier said than done. I smile at the standard NHS advice that, while in the countryside, you should not walk in long grass and must avoid all skin contact with undergrowth in known tick areas. Clearly the advice is ridiculous and not geared towards fishermen or other field sports enthusiasts.

The only possible precaution is to wear some of the new protective clothing that is now available with t he professional countryside worker in mind. Rovince (www.rovince.co.uk) has a range of jackets, trousers, socks and gloves that have been impregnated with an anti-tick preparation, all of which are machinewashable and highly durable.

But for t hose of us unlucky enough to become one of the ever-increasing number of victims, the prognosis is highly varied. If you see the tell-tale ‘bulls-eye’ rash of an infected tick bite and antibiotics are taken within a few days, the worst you will experience is a mild bout of flu. However, what’s less well known is that only an estimated 40% of cases show up with this obvious target-type rash. The majority of infected tick bites go unnoticed and the disease remains undiagnosed until the more serious symptoms of joint pain or nervous disorders start to appear. By this stage a course of antibiotics will kill the bacterial infection but the symptoms are likely to worsen significantly over several months or years.

The main advice I can offer is to seek a Lyme-literate doctor – and there are not many of them about. I was lucky and met with an enlightened practitioner who advised me against the standard approach to fighting latestage Lyme, which is a brutal and prolonged course of intravenous antibiotics. While it might kill any residual bacteria, it also kills the friendly bacteria that might help you get better.

Instead, I followed a diet that looked at both detoxing the body and encouraging the body to heal itself through food. I’m no doctor, but if you have contracted Lyme and would like to find out more, get hold of The Swiss Secret to Optimal Health by Dr Thomas Rau. By following Rau’s food advice, I have been more or less symptom-free for more than two years.

So as we start another season, I wish you tight lines and happy fishing, but I also appeal to you to be extra-vigilant. Trust me, this is something that you don’t want to catch. For more info on Dr Rau and the Paracelsus Clinic, visit www.drrausway.com