Summer is upon us and that means that a number of insect are going to crowd us as well. Wasps, bees, ticks, mosquitoes, ants, bugs, spiders, and flees are insects we all know.
Most insects sting or bite which can be unpleasant, slightly irritating, and itching; however, the stings are pretty harmless.
However, some insects - like the wood tick - can be a carrier of the Borrelia bacterium (in some areas up to 40% of wood ticks are infected) and cause the disease Lyme Borreliosis in the person who is bitten. If you get infected, it is important to be checked by your doctor and it also might be necessary to go through antibiotic treatment.
Some people react allergically to e.g. wasp stings, bee stings, and formic acid from ants. This can turn into a dangerous situation if the allergic reaction is very violent. The symptoms may be breathing difficulties, nausea, diarrhoea, rashes, joint pains, and swellings with fluid accumulations in the face and neck, for example. If you get this violent a reaction, it is important to consult your doctor and always carry some adrenaline. It also might be a good idea to start a desensitization programme.
Clothes and creams
In order to avoid insect bites, it is a good idea to wear light-coloured clothes when going outside. Red clothes attract mosquitoes. Yellow attracts flies (blue attracts the tsetse fly). Dark, fancily gaudy clothes attract insects. Do not use perfume, hairspray, or shiny jewelry.
Various natural remedies against bothersome insects
You can smear oil on exposed body parts. If the pure oil is too strong for your skin, you can dilute it with e.g. rape oil or another scentless oil.
- Marigold oil has a deprecating effect on insects and also soothes insect stings, should you get bitten.
- Tea tree oil is very strong and good at keeping insects away.
- Garlic is also beneficial - rub it onto your exposed areas.
- Ethereal oils from cedar, citronella, eucalyptus, and rosemary all have offputting effects on insects.
- Taking a bath in chlorine water in swimming baths also keeps the insects away.
- Mosquitos are attracted not only by the carbon dioxide that we exhale, but also by our body heat, sweat, and perfume. On the other hand, they are repelled by the smell of those who take large doses of fenugreek seed and vitamin B1 (thiamine).
- There are a diversity of candles and joss sticks/coils that can keep almost all insects away.
Dietary advice
- Avoid sweets that will make your skin smell sweet and thereby attract the insects.
- Avoid alcohol as it increases your circulation and makes the small vessels in your skin dilate.
- Eat a diet that is rich in vitamin B1 (thiamin) or take an extra supplement. This will give off a smell from your skin that will repell the insects. Vitamin B1 is particularly abundant in brown rice, brewers' yeast, fish, and wheat germ.
- Eat garlic which has immunostimulatory and blood cleansing abilities.
Children and others who react strongly to insect bites can benefit from taking quercetin which is one of the strongest bioflavonoids in fruit and vegetables capable of alleviating the immunologic reaction.
Supplement with 2 - 5 g. of vitamin C each day.
These two substances counteract the swelling, itching, and other reactions and contribute to neutralizing the insect toxin.
What to do if you have been stung or bitten
- A mosquito bite can be relieved with Plantain that grows wild in many places. Squeeze juice from the plant over the itching spot. It does not reduce the subsequent itching if you let the mosquito finish its meal.
- Rinse the area well with water and soap. If any swelling appears, you can put some ice on it.
- Buy charcoal tablets at the pharmacy. They are cheap and easy to carry around if you are going on an outing in the woods. Make a mixture of charcoal tablets, water, and possibly a little Tea tree oil or Marigold oil. Put the mixture onto the insect bite under a band-aid or a bandage. This will absorb the toxin and give you relief.
- An antihistamine tablet will counteract itching and stinging - the effect starts after 15 - 20 minutes.
- If you have been bitten by a wood tick or a bug, it is important to remove it completely within 24 hours. This is most effectively done by using a pair of tweezers. Firmly press down on the skin to get as good a grip on as much of the tick as possible, turn the tweezers around until you feel the tick letting go of its grip, and finally pull it out. Then, you should wash your skin with water and soap. If you discover that there are still remains left from the tick, you should consult a doctor about having them removed. Remember to keep an eye on the area of your body where the wood tick was located in order to spot any symptoms that might indicate a Borrelia infection (Lyme disease).
These symptoms will usually appear 2 - 32 days after having been bitten. The first sign is usually a skin rash that can last anywhere from one day and up to several weeks. The rash will usually spread from the bite. Fever, shivers, nausea, and a sore throat can be some of the first symptoms. Several weeks to months after having been bitten, the second stage of the disease occurs. Your lymph nodes will swell, your spleen might be enlarged, as well as dizziness, headaches, and unilateral facial paralysis might occur. The third stage that appears after several months or even years will present itself with swollen and painful joints, a stiff neck, tiredness, back pains, and constant headache.
A blood test will also be able to reveal whether you have been infected with Lyme Borreliosis.
