It's that time of the year again when
mosquitoes and other insects are
available all
around us in droves
spreading diseases.
You should be
planning to prevent this from happening
by making sure they don't feast on you.
The best way to do this is to understand
mosquitoes and know the dos and
don'ts that can help repel them and
prevent you from getting malaria.
1. Resist The Urge To Scratch When
Bitten By A Mosquito
Scratching the area you were Bitten will
only make things worse since doing so
will add more to the inflammation. A
new study conducted at Temple
University suggests that the urge to
scratch is subconscious and a way in
which our brains conspire against us.
The researchers rubbed an itch-inducing
plant on the arms of 10 people with
chronic itch or itching that has lasted for
more than 6 weeks and 10 healthy
people as a contrast. The brain's of the
participants were then scanned when
they were allowed to scratch the itch.
Both groups showed heightened activity
in the reward centers of the brain (the
areas that basically encourage us to
keep doing what we're doing)
indicating a conspiracy. The conclusion
was that it is difficult to ignore those
impulses which is why you find it
difficult to leave an insect bite alone.
While you may find the urge to scratch
irresistible, stay strong. You can instead
put some ice on the bite to help reduce
the inflammation and the urge to
scratch the itch.
2. Allow Your Heart Breath
Mosquitoes use carbon dioxide (CO2) as
a guide when they're searching and
identifying potential food targets. The
minute your heart rate goes up and your
body produces more carbon dioxide,
more insects will likely bite you.
Exercises, consuming alcohol and eating
spicy foods are among the things that
can increase your metabolism and your
carbon dioxide production which
mosquitoes especially find irresistible.
3. Don'ts: Eating Certain Foods or
supplements
Certain foods such as bananas, garlic, or
supplements that contain B vitamins can
repel mosquitoes but they won't do
much good on the long run.
It's that time of the year again when
mosquitoes and other insects are
available all around us in droves
spreading diseases. You should be
planning to prevent this from happening
by making sure they don't feast on you.
The best way to do this is to understand
mosquitoes and know the dos and
don'ts that can help repel them and
prevent you from getting malaria.
4. Buy Clothes With Tight Weaves
M:osquitoes find it hard to penetrate
clothing that are made up of tight
weaves. Synthetic fibers that are made
as athletic apparels are particularly
useful when you're outdoors and in an
area where there would be lots of
insects. Cotton and linen however don't
give much protection against them.
Outfits that offer protection from the
sun will surely have weaves tight
enough to block insect bites. will also
have a tight enough weave to block
bites.
5. Wear Light Colours: Mosquitoes tend to use their vision to
look for good during the daytime when
there is light and since they tend to fly
close to the ground, they will be on the
lookout to find targets that contrast
with the horizon. This makes light
colours less attractive to them and dark
colours more attractive.
6. Blow Them Away: Any breeze that blows above the speed
of 1 mile per hour is capable of stopping
mosquitoes from flying. All you need to
do is to turn up your fan or the air
conditioning system this season and you
will have a suitable deterrent. Remember
to keep the flow of air towards the
lower part of your body because
mosquitoes tend to fly very close to the
ground as a way of avoiding wind.
Directing the fan and airflow towards
your legs will stop them from biting you.
It's that time of the year again when
mosquitoes and other insects are
available all around us in droves
spreading diseases. You should be
planning to prevent this from happening
by making sure they don't feast on you.
The best way to do this is to understand
mosquitoes and know the dos and
don'ts that can help repel them and
prevent you from getting malaria.
7. Avoid Spending Money On Coils
Mosquito coils, citronella candles and
other oils are natural insect repellants,
but are only effective if their smoke or
scent are able to get between you and
the insects. If you're lighting coils that
are a few feet off the ground, they will
do very little to keep the insects at bay as
chances are they won't be effective.