Your Body Almanac

New Jersey

Lyme ticks in the suburbs and radon in the northwestern hills.

New Jersey's wooded suburbs make it one of the busiest Lyme disease states in the country. Rock in the northwestern counties gives off radon, and in winter the sun is too low to make much vitamin D.

01

Ticks and Lyme disease

New Jersey is one of the states CDC classifies as high-incidence for Lyme disease, and it reports thousands of cases a year. Blacklegged ticks live in woods, tall grass and leaf litter, including suburban yards. Untreated Lyme can affect joints, the heart and nerves.

SourcesAbout Lyme Disease (CDC)Surveillance for Lyme Disease After Implementation of a Revised Case Definition — United States, 2022 (CDC MMWR)
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, especially in the northwest

Radon is an invisible, odorless radioactive gas from uranium in rock and soil, and it is the leading cause of lung cancer in people who don't smoke. New Jersey's radon potential map shows the highest potential across much of Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Morris and Somerset counties. The state notes that high readings turn up in every tier and recommends testing every home.

SourcesRadon Potential Map (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection)Health risk of radon (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

Weak winter sun and vitamin D

Your skin makes vitamin D from the sun's UVB rays, and the winter sun sits low. A classic study found no vitamin D made in skin from winter sunlight in Boston (42 degrees north) from November through February, while sunlight at 34 degrees north still worked. New Jersey sits between the two, so winter sun is a weak source and food matters more.

SourcesVitamin D — Health Professional Fact Sheet (NIH ODS)Influence of season and latitude on the cutaneous synthesis of vitamin D3 (Webb et al., 1988, PubMed)
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.

When to see a professional

See a doctor for an expanding rash, fever, facial droop or joint swelling in the weeks after a tick bite or time outdoors.