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Safe and Natural Mosquito Repellents

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Think twiceand then think again before you apply mosquito repellants with DEET (diethyl-meta-toluamide). DEET has been linked to brain cell damage. Dr. Mohamed Abou-Donia, Ph.D, has been researching the effects of chemicals on the brain in rats for over 30 years and he discovered in two studies that the frequent and prolonged use of DEET cause neurons in the brain that control muscle movement, learning, memory and concentration to die. Dr. Abou-Donia claims that his findings are consistent with symptoms in humans that use products with DEET, especially in Persian Gulf War veterans. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) toxicologist Michael Watson noted an instance “where exposure to DEET caused six cases of brain damage in girls aged one through six–and three of them died.”Citronella – We’ve all heard about burning citronella candles on our patios, but one can also purchase high quality essential citronella oil from a natural food store to apply to the skin. Note: the bulk citronella oil used for burning is not adequate for use on the skin.

Soybean Oil – Natural repellents made with soybean oil are just as effective as DEET containing repellents, reported the New England Journal of Medicine. Soybean oil is inexpensive, easy to find and it is also en excellent moisturizer.

Catnip – an Iowa State University research group showed that the essential oil found in the herb catnip is about 10 times more effective than DEET in repelling mosquitoes in the laboratory.

Neem Seed Oil – Researchers at the Malaria Institute in India have found that an ingredient in Neem seed oil is more effective than DEET at repelling mosquitoes. These findings have been confirmed by the US National Research Council and the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association.

Lavender Essential Oil – An effective mosquito repellent that smells great.

Garlic – Don’t worry, you don’t have to apply garlic to your skin to repel mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can’t stand garlic or humans (or animals) who eat it.

Now go outside and enjoy the summer toxin free!

　

　

　

　

　

　

 
 

 

Enough of the bad news. The good news is that there are a number of safe and natural ways to repel Mosquitoes, some of which have proven to be more effective than DEET. Here are a few ways to avoid those nasty bites without going toxic:

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One Response to “Safe and Natural Mosquito Repellents”

  1. http://www.healthcarenewyork.org said:

    Our Blog…

    Nice Info. Thank you sir….

    March 26th, 2010 at 5:48 pm

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