Your Body Almanac

Maryland

High-Lyme suburbs, radon in the central counties and humid summers.

Maryland is a high-incidence Lyme state, and lone star ticks are common too. Eight central counties have high radon potential, and summers bring humid heat and ozone.

01

Ticks and Lyme disease

CDC classes Maryland as a high-incidence Lyme state, with about 33 cases per 100,000 people in 2022. Lone star ticks, also common here, spread ehrlichiosis and are linked to alpha-gal syndrome.

SourcesSurveillance for Lyme Disease After Implementation of a Revised Case Definition — United States, 2022 (CDC MMWR)Where Ticks Live (CDC)
Check for ticksAs neededAfter time in grass or woods, check your whole body, shower within two hours and dry your clothes on high heat. Use insect repellentAs neededUse an EPA-registered repellent on exposed skin when mosquitoes or ticks are around.
02

Radon in the central counties

EPA places eight Maryland counties in Zone 1, its highest radon-potential category: Baltimore, Calvert, Carroll, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery and Washington. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.

SourcesEPA Map of Radon Zones and Supplemental Information (US EPA)Health Risk of Radon (US EPA)
Test your home for radonAs neededRadon is invisible and odorless, so a simple test is the only way to know your level. Fix it at 4 pCi/L or higher.
03

Humid summer heat and ozone

Muggy summers push the heat index well above the air temperature, and the same hot, still days bring ground-level ozone that irritates airways and worsens asthma.

SourcesHeat Index (National Weather Service)Health Effects of Ozone Pollution (US EPA)
Stay safe in the heatAs neededOn hot days, drink water often, take breaks in the shade and plan hard work for the cooler parts of the day. Rehydrate when you sweatAs neededDrink regularly during hot work or long workouts, and add electrolytes when you sweat for more than two hours. Check the air qualityAs neededLook up your local Air Quality Index before outdoor work or exercise, and scale back when it is high.
04

Weak winter sun

At about 38 to 39.7 degrees north, Maryland gets little vitamin D-making sunlight in midwinter. Expect a few months when food is your main source.

SourcesInfluence of season and latitude on the cutaneous synthesis of vitamin D3 (Webb, Kline and Holick, 1988)Vitamin D — Health Professional Fact Sheet (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements)
Get vitamin D from foodDailyEat fatty fish, fortified milk and UV-exposed mushrooms so you are not relying on the sun alone. Ask your doctor about vitamin DYearlyIf you get little sun or few vitamin D foods, ask at your checkup whether testing or a supplement makes sense for you.