mosquitos

Mosquitos

Mosquitoes, the very word can make some people shudder.
I have compiled from assorted sources, home remedies for prevention and cure. I do not personally endorse any of these, but provide them for interest only. Should you try any of these you do so at your own risk. If you have any prevention's or cures that you would like to add to this list please send an email so that I might include it here.

It is possible that some people do build up some resistance to being bitten, it is not that they no longer get bitten, just that they no longer get the symptoms after being bitten.

A mosquito is an insect that is found all over the world. There are thousands of different kinds of mosquitoes in many different sizes and colors. The female mosquito needs blood from vertebrates (animals that have a spine) to lay eggs and produce more mosquitoes. She has a special part of her mouth that she uses to suck blood, and her saliva thins the blood so she can drink it. It's the mosquito's saliva that makes the bites itch.

A person who gets bitten by a mosquito will notice a wheal,(bump) around the bite. The weal will be round, with pink or red around the edge and white in the middle. The wheel will itch a lot. Soon the weal will disappear, but the itch will stay.

The best way to avoid mosquito bites is to wear an insect repellent. Repellents that include: DEET, lemon eucalyptus, or picaridin are best.

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, it's also a good idea to empty out buckets, flower pots, and other things in your yard that may have collected water. And when it's possible, wear long sleeved shirts and long pants to keep mosquitoes away from your skin.

Mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae) of Cyprus uel.ac.uk

Prevention

*Avon's Skin-So-Soft bath oil

*Baby oil , they don't like to put their feet in it

*Any repellent featuring the chemical compound DEET

*Damp a dryer sheet and rub it over your skin.

* How Marmite can help, taken from Mirror.co.uk web site

Some advice from Cyprus Mail Article 1 Article 2

Cure

*As soon as possible after being bitten, moisten skin and rub an aspirin right on the bite. This only works if you get to it right away.
*Apply lime juice diluted with water on bites with cotton ball.
*Apply toothpaste (not gel) to the area
*Apply hemorrhoid cream
*Moisten skin, rub meat tenderizer on bite.
*Moisten salt to a paste and apply it to bite.
*Rub soap on bite.
*Apply paste made of baking soda and water
*1-percent hydrocortisone cream to alleviate the itching.
*Use an anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen or naproxen to reduce any accompanying swelling or redness.
Paint the mosquito bite with clear nail polish, it stops the itching.

EATING MARMITE STOPS MOSQUITOES BITING YOU

Apr 17 2004 By Heln Cook

MARMITE could be the key to a bite-free holiday according to health experts - because, like some of us, mosquitoes hate it.

Public health consultant Dr Martin Schweiger revealed his secret weapon for the launch of a new advice leaflet for travellers. When we eat it our skin gives off an odour undetectable to humans but repulsive to mosquitoes.

Dr Schweiger told a meeting of Co-op members in Leeds: "It's nothing to do with spreading it on the skin. The effect of eating it could be linked to the vitamin B1 thiamine it contains. This theory is supported by the rise of malaria in countries where rice has been dehusked and the thiamine-rich outer coating is discarded."

The vegetarian spread made from brewer's yeast celebrated its centenary in 2002. Early last century scientists found it was a good source of five B vitamins, including B12 which helps prevent anaemia, and folic acid. It was given to soldiers during both World Wars to keep them healthy.

A Marmite spokesman said: "You either love it or hate it and mosquitoes are clearly not in the former category."

One piece of advice from Marmite is only eat it spread THINLY on toast.

SUNBURN
I have compiled from assorted sources, home remedies for prevention and cure. I do not personally endorse any of these, but provide them for interest only. Should you try any of these you do so at your own risk. If you have any prevention's or cures that you would like to add to this list please send an email so that I might include it here.

Prevention

use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 that offers protection against both UVA and UVB rays.
Use an aloe vera lotion containing a sunblock. This will cut out 90% of the burning rays and allow 75% of the tanning rays to reach the skin.

Limit your exposure to direct sunlight, particularly between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest.

Cure
Never cover a sunburn that is blistered or open with an ointment, oil, salve or butter, for it will make the area susceptible to infection.

Don't use ice directly on a sunburn, because the intense cold is a shock to the skin, Instead, try wrapping ice or frozen vegetables in a towel and placing the towel on your skin.

Yogurt Apply plain yogurt with live cultures.

trawberries Mix equal parts of yogurt and mashed strawberries and apply to the sunburned area for 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

Apple cider vinegar Apply apple cider vinegar to the burn with a cottonball to relieve the pain. Keep the skin moistened. This remedy will prevent blistering and peeling.

Aloe has the unique ability to help skin renew itself by stimulating cellular metabolism, thereby promoting oxygen exchange and increasing the absorption of nutrients. Aloe contains the anti-oxidant vitamins A and C; the minerals copper, selenium, and magnesium; and zinc, a powerful virus fighter.

Baking soda Dissolve some baking soda in water and make a compress using a clean cloth. Another remedy is to add 1/2 cup of baking soda to a tepid bath and soak. Instead of drying the affected area with a towel, let it air dry. Baking soda is cooling and will help the skin retain moisture.

Cucumber Rub sunburned area with fresh cucumber slices.

Lemon water Mix the juice of three lemons into two cups of cold water and sponge on the sunburn. The lemon will cool the burn, act as a disinfectant, and will promote healing of the skin.

Milk Make a compress of whole milk (or buttermilk) and apply to the burned area for 20 minutes; repeat every two to four hours. Wash the milk off so you won't smell sour! The fat content of the milk is soothing for burns.

Tea Make some tea, cool, and apply to the burn. While any tea may be beneficial, mint tea, such as peppermint or spearmint are especially good. The teas have tannins that help the healing process.

Nutragena Rub some Nutragena on the burn. Make sure to use the Nutragena in the blue container. This works faster than aloe.

Apply toothpaste to the burned area and leave on for about an hour or until it's completely dry, then rinse off and apply again if needed. This also works with mild burns from fire.