Maggie Bailey
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One of the drawbacks of these lovely summer days is insect bites. There is often no escaping those pesky biters, especially if you are holidaying in a hot country, and once you have been bitten, the itching can be can drive you mad, not to mention the fact that insect bites look so unsightly.
You can minimize your chances of being bitten while on holiday abroad by using some effective natural insect repellents; those made with the plant called neem are a popular choice, as neem is a natural repellent.
Citronella is also a good choice, and you can often find candles made with this, so you can burn these outside to keep the little critters at bay if you sit outside on warm evenings.
If you plan far enough in advance, some time before your trip, increase your intake of vitamin B1, i.e. through a supplement. It is known that B1 can emit a scent which biting insects don’t like, so it reduces your chance of being chomped.
If you do get bitten, calendula is a fantastic soothing option, as is aloe vera gel, which can both help to reduce the itching and inflammation. Apple cider vinegar is also good, but avoid using it if the skin is broken. I also find that coconut oil is great for soothing bites and stings: it can help them to heal within a few days.
Be sure to take proper medical advice, though, if you are jetting off somewhere exotic, i.e. an area where you may catch malaria, as this poses an increased risk to your health, and you may need stronger protection, e.g. a vaccination.
Hmmm, I might try eating more spicy food too, see if that helps.
Yes, let us know if it does Marita!
i Had to go to hospital for red ant bites and had to get them cut open and cleaned. Not nice for 2 days till the bites start to clear up.. This was this week and my foot still has a dressing on 2 times a day.
Ooh nasty! Sorry to hear that Charles Law. Try some of my suggestions in the post then for avoiding insect-bites! Hope they work for you.
It definitely is related to smell though, whether or not insects bite you. As it says in my post above, they don’t like the smell of people who are taking vitamin B1 supplements. And I remember once going on holiday with a group of people who all got bitten to pieces by insects, but I don’t think I had a single bite! I was wearing fake tan most days which has quite a strong smell when you first put it on, so I am convinced that scared off the biters.
Haha, yes alx! I love spicy food anyway, so it won’t be too much of a hardship! 😀
I don’t know if there is a scientific basis for this, but I eat a lot of spicy food and the biting things tend to avoid me. They love my girlfriend, who enjoys sweet foods…
Ah really alx? Thank you for that feedback! Yes, it is science-based, because what you eat affects your body smell, so clearly insects don’t like the smell of the spices which are coming out through your pores! I will remember that tip myself: eat spicy foods when there area lot of insects around!
We’re talking about an extremely limited sample set. I also haven’t tried to eat sweet things and have my gf eat spicy things and then repeat the experiment so I’m hesitant to draw any sort of conclusion. But you can test the hypothesis out for me and let me know how it works
Yes, as you say, we haven’t tried doing a proper study! But I am still going to test your hypothesis.
Worst case scenario; you still get bit but at least you got to eat a buncha spicy food…
I’m so scared
Scared of insects Gina23 ? I must admit, I am scared of a lot of them too!
nice!!
TY Ngoc Tran!
Welcome Maggie ? l’m allergic to bites.
I can’t stand bug bites they drive me insane! Thank you Maggie for such great advice.
Pleasure Kathy! Thank you for the positive feedback. Hope these tips work for you.
I have never heard of neem! But I am going to try products with that in it, as you suggest. Thanks.
My pleasure Marita! Citronella is good too.
I stay indoors as much as possible this time of the year.
Mosquitoes like me. 🙁
Me too unfortunately Carol DM. I have to slather myself in insect repellant when I go out at this time of year.
OOOHHHHH
??? txatxy. Bit cryptic!
Voracious insects, small suckers
Yes oscarps, I am a real animal lover, but not that keen on insects.
They are millions, perhaps those who inherit the land
I know! *shudder*. I am having a bit of a problem with a flea infestation at home at the moment, brought in by my cat. Fleas multiply like wild-fire, arrggh!