By Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C.

Do you or your children love tromping through the woods? Do you play often in grassy areas? Or do you sit on the lawn in city parks?

Earlier this summer, I became one of some 200,000 Americans, who get this disease every year. Millions more have been debilitated by this often-misunderstood illness.

Surprisingly, I was bitten in the city, while sitting on a lawn in New York’s Central Park. Only I didn’t know I was attacked.

When I developed crippling headaches, overpowering fatigue, disorienting memory lapses and other awful ailments, I called a nutrition friend, who insisted that I get tested for Lyme disease.

I’m one of the lucky ones, because my disease was diagnosed early. But not everyone is as fortunate. Many people spend years from doctor to doctor in search of a reason or their horrible symptoms.

I’m now committed to helping others avoid my fate. Lyme disease is so insidious and so often misdiagnosed that I want to help people worldwide learn how to prevent, identify, treat and overcome it.

You’ll hear from seven acclaimed experts:

By the way, Lyme disease has been called the “Great Imitator,” because its symptoms can be confused with other diseases. Just look at the list of ailments you could develop:

Also, did you know that many famous people have fallen prey to Lyme disease, including President Bush, former New York Gov. George Pataki; authors Rebecca Wells (“Ya-Ya” novels), Alice Walker (“The Color Purple”) and Amy Tan (“The Joy Luck Club”); actors Richard Gere and Jamie-Lynn Sigler (“The Sopranos”); singers Daryl Hall (of Hall and Oats) and Pete Seeger; and athletes such as golfer Tim Simpson and baseball player Pete Harnisch (New York Mets):