6 Ways to Beat Mosquitoes Naturally

Tis the season for sunshine, barbecues, and mosquitoes

Before you grab that DEET-based mosquito repellent in an effort to keep the mosquitoes at bay, consider that research at Duke University links diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) use to brain damage —no wonder the mosquitoes leave at the first scent of it. Perhaps we’d be wise to follow their lead and stay clear of the stuff. Check out my article tomorrow on the dangers of DEET mosquitorepellents.

Here are six natural options that mosquitoes hate and you’ll soon love. You don’t have to worry about DEET-induced brain cell damage or scratching yourself to death. And, if you still think that natural means less effective, keep reading. Some of these mosquito repellents are MORE EFFECTIVE THAN DEET!

1. Citronella
The old standby. Be sure you’re using pure essential oil, not fragrance oil, which is ineffective and potentially dangerous. Most mosquito repellent products “containing citronella” are made with fragrance oil and should be avoided. If you’re applying citronella to your skin, dilute it in a carrier oil or natural moisturizer. A few drops per tablespoon of oil or cream is all that is needed.

2. Catnip
Research at Iowa State University found that catnip essential oil 10 is times more effective than DEET at repelling mosquitoes. Mosquitoes will hate you and cats will love you. Like citronella be sure to use it diluted in a carrier oil or natural moisturizer.

3. Lavender essential oil
Smells great and is a commonly used and effective mosquito repellent.

4. Soy oil
Better yet, choose organic soy oil as the carrier oil for catnip, lavender, and citronella essential oils. According to research published in The New England Journal of Medicine soybean oil-based mosquito repellents are as effective as DEET-containing repellents.

5. NEEM seed oil
“Neem oil” is extracted from a plant that grows in India. An ingredient in Neem seed oil has also been found to be more effective than DEET by researchers at the Malaria Institute in India. Both the US National Research Council and the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association have confirmed this finding.

6. Garlic
Eat lots of fresh garlic—mosquitoes will steer clear of you since they hate the stuff. As an added bonus, so will vampires.

posted by Michelle Schoffro Cook Jun 2, 2011

Read more HERE

BE WILL!

From Planet Green Dec 26, 2010

You know about antioxidants and you’ve been religious about your daily dose of Vitamin C, but what else can you do to keep that tickle from creeping up the back of your throat or waking up in sweat-wet sheets and a chill shivering along your spine? Here are some efficient ways to keep those sick bugs at bay:

1. Kiss and while you’re at it, have sex!

Yes, kissing can help you fight off colds and flu! By exchanging bacteria back and forth, you are actually enhancing your body’s natural defenses and boosting your immune system. But that’s not to say you should go out and give a big smooch to any sicky around you. Up the ante and have sex once a week, sex has been shown to increase immunoglobulin A (IgA) production, an immune-boosting protein that helps keep pathogens at bay.

2. Listen to music.

Research has shown that those same sex-boosted IgA proteins also rise when listening to music like jazz, bluegrass or soft rock for 30 minutes, particularly during some of the most elevated sick-inducing moments: stress. Even after the beat is turned off, the IgA production goes on for another 30 minutes.

3. Walk Really Fast, But Don’t Run!

Walking briskly for 45 minutes, four or more days a week can improve your immune system and minimize sick days. But don’t run! Overexerting yourself (particularly if you’re already feeling slightly under the weather) can do you in and send you straight to bed.

4. Don’t Blow Your Nose.

When you’re sick you nose tends to get stuffed up with mucus. Instead of fulfilling your urge to do a big hearty blow, take a decongestant or gently blow each nostril individually. Why? Blowing hard can actually push the mucus up into your sinuses,risking getting even more sick!

5. Get Hot!

Studies show that, similar to drinking lots of water when you’re sick, sitting in a hot sauna can detox a cold right out of your system.

6. Avoid the Desert (or any hot and dry climate).

Dry desert air is a breeding ground for colds and flu. The reason? Viruses tend to survive longer in moisture-sapped air, making airborne illnesses more readily present. Have a sicky in your house? Get a humidifier.

7. Drink Hot liquids!

Viruses, in particular that gross Swine that’s going around, take about three days to incubate (in your body) before you know you’ve come down with the dreaded flu. Drinking hot liquids, including coffee can help wash the virus out of your mouth and down into your stomach where it can’t grow due to the acids. Not a coffee drinker? Chicken soup, tea, or just hot water have the same effect. Gargling with very salty warm water can also derail a virus. The other place a flu likes to incubate is your nose. Doing a nasal flush or even just swabbing your nostrils with rubbing alcohol can kill the virus before it takes you down.