You don't have to live in the woods to get bit by a tick. It can happen in your backyard, on a walk, even pulling weeds in your own garden.
In this episode of The Art of Living Well Podcast®, Marnie and Stephanie sit down with Ali Moresco, a tick-borne disease survivor, healthcare publicist, and one of the most recognized Lyme disease advocates in the country. Ali spent two years searching for a diagnosis before learning she had Lyme disease along with several co-infections, and she's turned that experience into advocacy work that has helped shape federal tick-borne disease legislation as executive board chair of Project Lyme.
Ali walks through what those confusing early years of unexplained symptoms actually looked like, why standard Lyme testing misses far more cases than most people realize, and the practical prevention and removal steps worth knowing before your next walk outside. She also shares what her recovery has actually required over the better part of a decade, including where the treatment protocols and research are headed next.
Whether you spend your weekends on the trail, garden in your own backyard, or just want to know what to actually do if you find a tick on you, this conversation will change how you think about prevention.
Key Takeaways:
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Lyme disease is present in all 50 states, not just the East Coast
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Standard two-tier Lyme tests can be 64-78% inaccurate, especially in the early weeks after a bite
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Fewer than half of people infected with Lyme ever develop the classic bullseye rash
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Never burn, smother, or otherwise irritate an attached tick — use fine-tipped tweezers and pull straight up
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Save a removed tick in a bag or jar; some states and universities offer free tick testing
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Alpha-Gal syndrome is a tick-borne meat allergy that can also cause fatigue, brain fog, and gastro symptoms
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Symptoms from a tick bite can surface years later, often triggered by an unrelated stressful event or illness
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Recovery from chronic tick-borne illness is rarely linear and often requires a combination of treatments tailored to the individual person
Episode Breakdown with Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Ali Moresco
01:03 Does Ali Still Enjoy Being Outside After Everything She's Been Through
02:51 Life Before Lyme Disease Was Part of Her Vocabulary
07:23 The Timeline From Tick Bite to First Symptoms
08:53 The Two-Year Path to Diagnosis
10:39 Why Standard Lyme Testing Misses So Many Cases
13:40 What Her Lowest Point Actually Looked Like
17:28 The Biggest Misconceptions About Tick Bites
19:43 Beyond Lyme: Other Tick-Borne Conditions on the Rise
20:34 Understanding Alpha-Gal Syndrome
22:31 Babesiosis and Bartonella, Explained
23:24 How to Actually Prevent Tick Bites
26:36 Prophylactic Antibiotics After a Bite
27:49 The Right Way to Remove a Tick (and What Never to Do)
29:46 What to Do With a Tick After You Remove It
30:58 Can Symptoms Show Up Years After a Bite?
32:47 Reasons for Hope: New Research on the Horizon
35:55 Inside Project Lyme's Advocacy Work
37:48 What Treatment Actually Looks Like Long-Term
44:03 The Daily Habits That Help Ali Stay Well
45:34 Where to Find Ali and Her Work
46:28 "What Does the Art of Living Well Mean to You?"
Guest Links:
Instagram: instagram.com/alitmoresco
Moresco PR: amorescopr.com/ali-moresco
Project Lyme: projectlyme.org
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