Womens_HealthAustralia-February_2017

Best Body health

HEAR THIS!

A TICK

BITE CAN

GIVE YOU

A RED

M E AT

ALLERGY

What? Another

odd, but potentially

dangerous tick bite

side-effect that’s on

the rise: mammalian

meat allergy. It’s a

reaction to eating red

meat, and sometimes

its derivatives such

as milk and gelatine,

that ranges from a

stomach ache to hives

and life-threatening

anaphylaxis.

Where? Australia

and the US have the

highest incidence

of the allergy in the

world, and 70 per cent

of Australian cases

are found on Sydney’s

Northern Beaches,

where it’s reportedly

more common than

peanut allergies.

Why? Experts aren’t

sure why it affects

some and not others

bitten by ticks, and

there’s no known cure.

Sufferers often have

to switch to white-

meat only, vegetarian

or vegan diets. WH

THEY LOOK FOR

EASY ACCESS

Ticks don’t jump,
leap or fly; they
crawl up, looking
for bare skin.
They’ll settle for
folds of clothes
to nestle into...

= ideal spot

= would settle for

inner thighs

back of the neck

scalp

top of socks

waistband

bra strap

hairline

FEBRUARY 2017 womenshealth.com.au 45