With the fall weather starting to creep up on us, concerns of the summer are fading away in our minds. Sunburns, getting sand in your shoes, and the blinding sun feel months away. One worry shouldn’t be forgotten yet though, because it is still lurking: mosquitos.
With climate change, mosquitos are able to flourish. Higher temperatures and increased humidity allows them to be more active and breed better, even in the fall weather.
Mosquitos can carry a lot of incredibly harmful diseases. Three serious viruses that mosquitos can transmit through bites are the Zika virus, West Nile virus, and EEE (Eastern Equine Encephalitis) virus – all of which have no vaccines so only way to protect yourself is through prevention. Just as mosquitos are adapting to the changing climate, we need to as well in order to protect ourselves.
Rather than using harsh bug repellents, you can make your own using essential oils. Kathy Sadowski, writer of Wellness Aromas, created a list of eight essential oil recipes to repel mosquitos. Not only are these recipes just as effective as commercial repellants, each type of oil has unique benefits, which Kathy explains.
For essential oils to use, my personal favorite company is Willmountain Essential Oils, which are all either wild or organically grown. By using no additives and distilling them once immediately after harvesting allows for the purest and best quality essential oil.
Young Living Essential Oils are also a favored company of mine. With their Seed to Seal commitment, they guarantee quality oils through ethical sourcing, comprehensive quality tests, and their Lacey Act Compliance Program, which ensures the protection of delicate landscapes and plants.
Lastly, I would recommend Amrita Aromatherapy. Founded by Dr. Christoph Streicher, a renowned ayurvedic expert on essential oils, Amrita is a family owned company that specializes in organic essential oils. All 140 of their essential oils are purity tested through easy chromatography and other tests.
However, regardless of the essential oil company you use, being able to protect yourself is what’s most important. The risk isn’t worth your health.
Essential oils worked wonders for me last Summer! I usually get terribly bitten, but this time I used Peppermint and Citronella essential oils and was able to sit comfortably outside on many summer evenings. Love this information, thanks!