Most people are familiar with some of the risks associated with mosquitoes. They know about West Nile virus, malaria, and even the specious rumors regarding the transmission of AIDS. Nevertheless, people don't understand one of the worst hazards that mosquitoes bring. It doesn't come from mosquitoes themselves, but from the mosquito repellent. There is a growing body of research that suggests that the DEET that is contained in most commercial mosquito repellent can cause all kinds of neurological problems. Although using it once or twice doesn't do anything, who knows what can happen if your child uses it for years and years. This is why it is so important to get natural mosquito repellent.
When I grew up, DEET mosquito repellent was all that we had. Although I have been fortunate to not have any noticeable neurological effects, I want to do better for my children. Natural mosquito repellant may be harder to come by, more expensive, and not quite as effective. Nevertheless, it is worth a couple extra mosquito bites to be safe.
There are all kinds of natural mosquito repellents, and if you want to use herbal remedies for mosquito bites, you have to take a more holistic approach. No single natural mosquito repellent is quite as effective as DEET repellent, but a combination of factors can almost completely eliminate mosquito bites. You have to avoid certain foods when you are going to be around mosquitoes. The most obvious one is bananas, but there are many others. There are even foods that you can eat that work is natural mosquito repellent themselves. Eating garlic, for example, is supposed to be a natural mosquito repellent.
Another great natural mosquito repellent is a citronella candle. People forget about citronella candles since they are so used to spraying dangerous sprays around to keep mosquitoes and other insects away. Nevertheless, citronella mosquito repellent is extremely effective. Although some people don't like the smell, it is quite easy to get used to. It is certainly better than having your arms and legs completely covered with mosquito bites, if you ask me!
The key to natural mosquito repellent is to be willing to try a few things, and to be patient. There is no good authority on all of the different natural insect repellent available. Some is bound to be better than others, and I think different people respond well to different treatments. Take your time, take lots of calamine motion with you, and figure out what works for you and your children.
3/19/2015
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