Mosquito Repellents: A More Natural Approach
Mosquito Repellents: A More Natural Approach
Angie Artho, D.C.
With winter over and spring officially here, our thoughts turn to the outdoors- gardening, camping, and just the pure indulgence of enjoying the sunshine. However, with all of these sunny delights, also come the dreaded intruder- the mosquito. There are over 200 species of this pest in the U.S. alone with a new species just having been discovered in 2001 in the Florida Keys. Besides being highly annoying at family picnics, this little insect also has the well-known status of being a disease carrier – especially of the dangerous West Nile Virus. In an effort to rid us of this nuisance, we run out and get every pesticide on the market and apply it to our yards and ourselves. Maybe, though, by using all of these chemicals we are actually doing more harm to ourselves than the mosquito ever would.
Most commercial topical agents such as OFF ?, contain the chemical DEET (N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) which has been around since the Army patented it in the 1940s. It is proven to be the most effective mosquito repellant. However, using DEET comes with a price. There has been a long debate of the safety associated with using DEET. One of the more recent and telling studies was done in 2001 there was a study done with showed that using DEET caused behavioral problems and brain cell damage in rats. Researchers came to the conclusion that heavy exposure to DEET and other insecticides in the human population can lead to such conditions as: headaches, memory loss, weakness, fatigue, behavioral problems, muscle and joint pain, tremors, and shortness of breath (Exp Neurol. 2001 Nov; 172(1):153-71.)
Pregnant women, their unborn children, and children have the most risk of developing complications using DEET. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against using repellents or insecticides containing more than 10% DEET on children under the age of 6. Children’s skin more readily absorbs chemicals such as DEET and their nervous system is still developing, so chemicals pose a greater risk to them. If you must use DEET containing products, the EPA suggests that you can reduce your risk by reading and following the product labels, which are included on all products with DEET in them.
If we choose to not apply excess chemicals to our skin, we are not, however, doomed to be carried away by swarms of mosquitoes and spend our whole spring and summer with itchy, red bumps all over our bodies. There are many things we can do to prevent these bloodsuckers from destroying our fun. First and foremost is to prevent them from taking a hold on our yards. Destroy their breeding grounds- stagnant water. Empty all pots, buckets, old swimming pools (those little plastic toddler pools are infamous for holding stagnant water), or use a mosquito dunk which will kill off the mosquito larvae before they hatch. Mosquito dunks are contain no toxic chemicals and are fairly environmentally sound.
Most health food stores and websites such as www.Mercola.com carry non-DEET-containing products that can be safely used on even pregnant women and children. In fact, there are even some products I use on my own children that are both an insect repellant and sunscreen all in one bottle. While they may have to be re-applied more often than DEET containing products, they are less toxic and so are worth it in my book. Here are some other natural alternatives to using commercial insecticides taken from www.Mercola.com:
- Bounce Fabric Sheets can be wiped on the skin before exposure to insects. This is even safe on babies.
- Avoid eating bananas during times when you will be exposed to the outdoors for long periods of time (i.e. a camping trip). Our bodies process bananas in such a way that attracts mosquitoes.
- Plant marigolds around the yard – especially your garden. The insects don’t like the fragrance these flowers let off and so make a great repellant.
- Mix equal parts of Avon Skin-So-Soft ? bath oil with rubbing alcohol and apply to skin (make sure to read that warnings associated with using rubbing alcohol).
- Spread a little of the clear liquid vanilla that is sold in Mexico with some olive oil on your skin to help repel insects. A side bonus is that you will smell great!
- Citronella candles and soaps work great. (Be mindful of using candles especially during the dry season).
There is obviously the fact that you can stay inside altogether this sunny season and entirely avoid mosquitoes, but who wants that? After the long hard winter, it is a welcome respite to go outside and get a good dose of Vitamin D. Now we can enjoy the great outdoors without overexposing ourselves to chemicals or donating to the mosquito blood bank -save it for your local blood drive.