Mosquito Repellent Diet
No one likes mosquitoes, but unfortunately these pesky insects love us. One of the things that attracts them the most is our smell. Many scents attract insects, including perfumes, deodorants, hair gels and even laundry detergents and soaps. When we eat certain foods, the smell that is emitted through our skin is enticing to mosquitoes, even if you can smell nothing yourself. These critters have a keen sense of smell, so as true as it is that eating certain foods will attract them, eating other foods will repel them.
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B1 Vitamins
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Though the theory is controversial, some people claim that when they take vitamin B1, mosquitoes do not bite them. It is shown that B1 emits an odor through the skin, but just how effective it is at actually deterring them from biting you has not been put to a thorough scientific evaluation. However, like anything, something that works for one person may not for another. Therefore, test it out. If it works for you, fantastic. If not, you may end up with a little extra B vitamin in your system and maybe a few mosquito bites.
Brewer's Yeast
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Though not technically a yeast, brewer's yeast is actually a one-celled plant that is a kind of fungus known as Accharomyces cerevisiae. When dried and ground up, it can be used to brew beer and is also taken as a nutritional supplement. Brewer's yeast is a superfood and contains all the essential amino acids, 14 minerals and 17 vitamins and is one of the best natural sources for the B-complex vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, biotin and folic acid. Since B1 has been shown to have mosquito-repelling attributes, it is no wonder that many people find that by eating brewers yeast, mosquitoes are repelled in the same way. Taking it to keep mosquitoes away may or may not work for you, but you are sure to be healthier for trying.
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Lemon
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Lemon contains citric acid which, when emitted through the skin, has been said to repel mosquitoes, so drinking a good shot of lemon juice may help you defend against mosquitoes. It is also effective to use lemon oil on the outside of the skin, especially on the wrists, ankles and neck, to repel mosquitoes.
Garlic
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Garlic is one of the most popular of the alternative methods for discouraging mosquitoes. When you eat garlic, the smell is released via the pores in your skin. Even humans can detect this strong scent, so animals definitely can. It is also recommended to try squeezing a fresh garlic clove and rubbing it on your wrists and behind your ears for added benefit. Even if it doesn't work to keep mosquitoes at bay, garlic has a host of other health benefits, so you can't go wrong with trying it.
Considerations
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Many of the toxic chemicals found in bug sprays, especially DEET, may be worse for you than getting a mosquito bite. Natural remedies act to boost your immune system, and that may be the most effective thing about them. A healthy body is better able to fight off disease and harmful encounters like mosquito bites. So pumping your body full of garlic, lemon or B vitamins is probably a better alternative to spraying yourself with toxic chemicals.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit mosquito image by sasha from Fotolia.com
