Natural Ways to Avoid and Treat Mosquito Bites and Other Summer Bugs!

Summer is a great time of the year to enjoy river fronts, camping and sparkling lakes. But when the bugs show up, it's frustrating, annoying and can be pretty painful. 

Don't let mosquitos ruin your summer fun. Be prepared ahead of time with how to avoid these bites and how to treat them naturally and affectively. 

Because our skin is so absorbent, it's important to consider what we put on it. Typical over the counter bug repellants are filled with toxic chemicals that - while they keep the bugs away, they also destroy your own cells. You deserve to know the natural ways to keep the bugs aways and treat them if they still happen to get past your barriers!

Most bugs, including mosquitoes, use their sense of smell to find their food. On a scientific note, did you know that mosquitos have sensory organs that are trained to find sources of carbon dioxide and lactic acid because these chemicals lead them to warm-blooded animals, like you and me. On top of that, there are many more (over 300) aromatic compounds that make up the human scent. Of all those compounds, 30 of them tend to have a masking effect. If any of those compounds are more prominent in your particular body, you will naturally be less noticeable to mosquitos.  On the flip side, there are other compounds that work to attract the bugs to your scent... like a magnet. Ten percent of the population are mosquito magnets.  Let's change that and help you become less interesting to them, shall we? 

Prevention On the Inside

Sweat releases a lot of these compounds, so if you have the option to avoid exerting yourself, you'll attract less bugs. But that's hard, considering it's summer. So since sweating isn't as avoidable, stay cool and cleaned. If you want to exercise, try swimming, or taking a dip frequently to rinse off what you're putting out. 

Foods

Garlic offers a mild amount of protection through both the odor on your breathe as well as from through the sulfur compounds emitted from your skin. (May repel people though too!)

Pass on the salt and potassium, as they increase the amount of lactic acid, which as mentioned above, attracts the bugs.  Skip the sugary fruits- especially bananas - and go for cucumber, apples, watermelon, blueberries or green peppers. This way, you aren't missing out on fruit and don't have an itching fit afterwards!


Outside Prevention and Treatment 

1. Citronella - found in many candles and natural bug repelling sprays 

2. Marigold // Calendula - great as a lotion or found in candles
3. Lavender - amazing multi purpose oil.. this one you should have regardless at all times. It's anti-microbial and a natural bug repellent.  Just dab it on major body points to keep those blood suckers away.
4. Peppermint - similar to lavender, this one is multi purpose.  Keep it around to soothe upset tummies, headaches, to repel bugs and even to treat the bite if they DO get through!
5. Eucalyptus - Our favorite multi-functional remedy, naturally makes the list.  You can bring our eucalyptus oil shower mist along for the trip and spray both your body, your tent and the area around you to keep the bugs away.  They don't like the smell or taste of it at all, and you get the benefit of clearing your lungs out even more while breathing in the fresh mountain air!  

I hope you found all of this helpful! Don't be at the mercy of itchy bug bites this summer. You deserve to have fun and relax. Remember to choose good foods and toxin-free natural remedies to keep those annoying bugs at bay!  Eurospa wishes you a fun and bug free summer!