Mosquitoes Beware—Essential Oils To The Rescue!

Here in New England diseases like Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus are all over the news. These diseases are passed to humans when bitten by an infected mosquito and can cause severe illness, debilitation, and in some cases, death. Prevention is the key with both illnesses, and that means not getting bitten!

Many essential oils are natural insect repellents including lavender oil, thyme oil and citronella oil. Dilute two drops of any of these oils in 2 teaspoons of almond oil and use it as a body rub. Or you can place a few drops of oil on a cotton ball and tuck it into your clothes.

Another blend of oils, called Four Thieves blend, is very effective against insects and more. This blend gets it’s name from the era of the Black Plague, an illness that was passed from rats to humans through flee bites. At the time a group of 4 thieves succeeded in raiding the houses of plague victims, yet they did not contract the plague themselves. Once caught, they averted a death sentence by giving up their secret anti-plague formula: a blend of potent essential oils, garlic and vinegar. Today, many variations of the recipe are available. Just search “four thieves blend” on the internet. Pre-mixed versions are available too.

In addition to repelling insects from homes, people and animals, it can also be used as a powerful anti-bacterial wash for kitchens and bathrooms. Maybe it will even help keep the winter flu at bay! n