Insects - Bugging You? No Need to Panic - Use Common 'Scents' By Dr. Sabina DeVita OSJ, Ed.D, DNM, R.N.C.P. Go Green with Nature's Pure, Organic Essential Oils for insect protection Essential oils have many therapeutic properties and are well known for their ability to keep a person sting-free. An article in the April 29th, 2005 Duluth (MN) News Tribune, reported how the CDC gave its approval to the plant-based oil of lemon eucalyptus as a mosquito repellant. The article stated that this has been used throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and Latin America since the 1980's!! Essential oils are the active ingredient in many brand-name products. As author Valerie Worwood points out, "When you use the real thing (the natural product unhampered by chemical solvents and the like) you have tremendous flexibility in their use. The same little bottle can give protection in a room, on the balcony, in a car, on the body, and even on our clothes...plus the essential oils can help you to deal with encountered trouble." And essential oils are helpful to the environment- they increase atmospheric oxygen at the same time. "Go Green by Going 'Scents-able' this summer!" Not all essential oils are created equal. Purity and quality is absolutely critical in order to obtain maximum results. Please use the World's Best in therapeutic, grade A, all organic essential oils that you can eat - that is Young Living the "World Leader in Essential Oils". Essential Oils to Use As a general rule, use Lemongrass or Citronella to keep insects at bay by airborne methods, paper strips at the windows, on light bulbs, etc. Use Lavender oil to deter insects from landing on your skin. Lavender and Peppermint reduce insect-bite-induced itching and infection. Your home diffuser will be a major help in keeping your home, cottage or hotel room safe and insect free. Carry these oils with you at all times during the summer months especially while traveling or even for your jogging or walks outdoors. To create an Insect Deterrent Repellant, combine: · 4 drops Thyme · 8 drops Lemongrass · 4 drops Lavender · 4 drops Peppermint Dab neat on neck and legs or add to spray bottle and spray. Ankles are a prime target for mosquitoes. Cover the ankles with cotton socks and add a drop of Lavender or Purification to the tops of the socks. Put drops of essential oils on bottom of pant legs. Other Mosquito Repellants Combine Lemon, Peppermint, Eucalyptus and Lemongrass Single oils: Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Lavender, Cedarwood, Idaho Tansy, Rosemary, or Patchouli. Use the new Ecuadorian oil - Palo Santo Oil Blends: Lemongrass with Citronella, Idaho Tansy with floral water, Purification, Thieves or Melrose. If bitten, disinfect the area by combining: · 10 drops Lavender · 20 drops Thyme · 10 drops Eucalyptus Add 8 drops of above oils in a bowl of water for washing. You can also add 5 drops Oregano oil. Take Oregano oil, Longevity blend or Exodus caps internally. Apply oils of Lavender or Purification over the bite. Moth Repellant: Patchouli Horse-Fly repellant: Idaho tansy (create floral water and spray) Aphids repellant: Mix 10 drops Spearmint and 15 drops Orange essential oils in 2 quarts salt water. Shake well and spray on plants. Cockroach repellant: Mix 10 drops Peppermint and 5 drops Cypress in ½ cup salt water. Shake well and spray where roaches live. Silverfish repellant: Eucalyptus radiata, citriadora Oils For Other Insects Bee Stings Single oils: Lavender, Idaho Tansy. Blends: Purification, Melrose, Pan Away Recipe: · 2 drops Lavender · 1 drop Helichrysum · 1 drop Chamomile · 1 drop Wintergreen or Birch · Flick or scrape stinger out with credit card or knife, taking care not to squeeze the venom sack. Apply 1-2 drops Purification, Melrose, Lavender, or Idaho Tansy on location. Repeat until the venom spread has stopped. Apply Lavender with or without one or more of the single oils listed, 2-3 times daily until redness abates. Chigger (Mite) Bites Use Lavender, Tea tree (melaleuca) or Purification or R.C. blend. Massage undiluted 2-6 drops on location, 3-5 times daily. Ticks Use single oils of Thyme, Oregano, Peppermint or R.C. blend or Purification blend. Apply Thyme oil to tick to loosen from skin. Then apply Purification on site to detoxify wound. Apply 1 drop Peppermintevery 5 minutes for 50 minutes to reduce pain and infection. Brown Recluse Spider Bite: The bite of this spider causes painful redness and blistering which progresses to a gangrenous slough of the affected area. Seek immediate medical attention. Use Purification, Thieves blends Spider bite blend · 1 drop lavandin · 1 drop helichrysum · 1 drop Melrose Apply one drop of either of the 2 above blends until reaching medical treatment. Great Tip for your garden: House and Garden Insect Spray *3 drops Spearmint, 3 drops Orangeoil mixed in 2 quarts water. Spray on plants in the house and outside to keep the bugs and aphids away. *Mix equal parts of vinegar with a cap of Thieves Household Cleaner concentrate in a quart of water. Spray on plants. Do It Yourself: All-Natural Garden Pesticide Spray Posted on May 16th, 2013 - Young Living blog I've never been one to claim I have a green thumb, but one thing I do know is that insects and bugs ruin gardens. A few posts ago, I shared an all-natural way to keep those aerial pests from spoiling our days in the outdoors with a bug spray. This week I'd like to share a way to keep these pests from damaging our gardens. Generally, we use pesticides to deter insects from gardens; prevent plants, fruits, and vegetables from growing fungi; and to encourage growth. However, the in-store alternatives to treat these issues include harmful chemicals that have warnings if the product is ingested, if there is contact with eyes and skin, or even if it is inhaled. So we must ask ourselves: Is this something I want to spray on my flowers, fruits, or vegetables? Unequivocally, the answer is no. So why not use something safe, effective, and chemical free? Here's a simple recipe to keep your garden growing so you can enjoy truly fresh foods! Items needed * Distilled water * Spray bottle * Liquid dish soap (biodegradable) - Thieves Household works well * Spearmint essential oil * Citronella essential oil * Lavender essential oil * Blue tansy essential oil * Cedarwood essential oil Preparation * Fill an 8-oz. spray bottle with distilled water * Add 1 ½ tablespoons of liquid dish soap * Add 3-4 drops of each essential oil * Mix and spray generously on plants, fruits, and vegetables For fungus and mildew protection * Add 4 drops of lemon or orange essential oil to 8 oz. of water and spray areas where fungi and mildew may grow. Did you know? * Spearmint essential oil can help deter ants and aphids * Citronella essential oil can help deter gnats and mosquitoes * Lavender essential oil can help deter fleas, moths, and flies * Blue tansy essential oil can help deter flies * Cedarwood essential oil can help deter snails and slugs * Lemon and orange essential oils can help reduce fungi from growing on plants Please feel free to share other essential oils you like to use in your garden and any success stories you may have when using essential oils as the safer alternative to harsh chemicals found in pesticides. Marco Colindres III, YL Product Manager |