The summer is in full swing and I thought it would be a good idea to talk about one summer habit that we may want to rethink.

Mosquitoes have been in the news quite a bit lately and the fear of West Nile virus is being disseminated. I don't want to minimize the West Nile dangers, (that's another topic) but we are being told through government ads that we should use strong chemical's to repel insects and avoid the likelihood of contracting the virus. But, at what risk are we putting ourselves when we spray on that "Deep Woods Off".

Most insect repellents out there are loaded with toxic chemicals, including the pesticide DEET, which is so poisonous that even the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says you should wash it off your skin when you return indoors, avoid breathing it in and do not spray it directly on your face. If this chemical is so dangerous why not look for safer alternatives

Many studies have found DEET to have harmful effects. One study found that DEET causes diffuse brain cell death and behavioral changes in rats, and researchers suggest that humans may experience memory loss, headaches, weakness, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, tremors and shortness of breath with heavy exposure to DEET and other insecticides.

There has to be a cost/benefit ratio that makes sense in order to use risky chemicals. I don't personally think the benefit is worth the risk, especially when there are safer alternatives.

According to one author here are a few suggestions to deter mosquitoes without the use of harmful chemicals:

1) Use Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets--just wipe on and go. This is great for babies.
2) Supplement with one vitamin B-1 tablet a day from April through October.
3) Don't eat bananas during mosquito season-- mosquitoes love bananas! There is something about how your body processes the banana oil that attracts these female sugar-loving insects.
4) Planting marigolds around your yard works great as a bug repellent because the flowers give off a fragrance bugs do not like.

We have found that the ROCKY MOUNTAIN SOAP COMPANY (see link) has a Citronella product that works really well. Studies have shown that Citronella works well to ward of the insects but it needs to be reapplied every 20-30 mins.

We love using this lotion because it is safe, natural and smells way better than DEET. One reason that I switched from deet repellant to citronella was because I couldn't get over the fact that my lips got numb if it got on my mouth. Why risk it if we have another choice.
http://www.rockymountainsoap.com