Ideal Bite

Nutty for Neem

Neem tree oil - with all its various uses - is my new favorite cosmetic catch-all. What coconut oil was for last year (and yes, I am still cuckoo for coconut... it's my moisturizer of choice, and, occasionally, serves as dinner as well), neem is for 2006.

Neem soaps cleared up a crazy rash I had on my arm, neem oil left my skin soft and smooth, and a neem mosquito gel kept me bite-free during all of the cleanup of my roof garden before my move (and yes, other people around me were getting bitten).

So check out the wonder tree when you have a chance... apparently, neem is softening (skin), strengthening (immune system), and - wonder of all wonders - even spermicidal.

-Heather... off to think up some more neem uses...

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Coming from the perspective of Eastern Medicine, people who attract insects, especially mosquitos, have an overly acidic condition. If you reduce the quantity of acid forming foods & yin foods, the mosquitos will leave you alone. Extreme yin foods are: sugar, fruits...especially tropical ones, chocolate, soft drinks, artificial sweeteners & colors & flavors, OTC meds or drugs of any kind, too much oil/fats, ice cream & dairy, as well as too much meat. Rubbing the affected area with onion or ginger juice, Bancha tea, or the white part of a scallion or leek will help to reduce the swelling and itching of mosquito bites. Thanks, Eileen

Posted by: Eileen | July 31, 2006 at 06:00 AM

I love a cedar product that sprays on really easily, and can be sprayed right on the face and hair (and everywhere). Scroll down to product #4004 on the web page. I do wish they'd improve their website (by 100%), but meantime, if you're patient and look around, you'll find a way to deal with any little beings you dont' want around. CedarCide, I use it for everything (just got rid of fleas in my Mom's house with it, and moths in my own closets). I'm a fan!

Posted by: Jill | July 31, 2006 at 07:31 AM

Last year I had no problem and didn't use any repellent. This year - yikes! I'm being eaten alive. I've been using a natural "bug away" product with citronella, but perhaps will give neem a shot! My only other option is to go out in the heat of the afternoon when there are less skeeters!

Posted by: lara | July 31, 2006 at 07:35 AM

What I have always relied on, and taught my now Heather and Jen's age girls is: EAT GARLIC plus Brewers Yeast if you like it, or you can be sure to TAKE YOUR VITAMINS which have LOTS of B VITAMINS. Somehow this makes one unattractive to the biters - of the nasty flying kind. Brewers yeast has long been a favorite of my kitty's, and does a good job of keeping her bug free too. It is often recommended for cats and dogs by naturally minded vets.

Posted by: Maiyim | July 31, 2006 at 09:18 AM

Another thing you can try out in the woods is crushing some "Herb Robert" and rubbing it on your skin. It has a peculiar smell and keeps the skeeters at bay for a while. It is a kind of wild geranium with small bright pink flowers. I don't care much for the smell or for it as a garden flower, but some people love and encourage it. I also usually pick a bunch, crush it a bit and put it in my tent when camping, and that works pretty well.

Posted by: Maiyim | July 31, 2006 at 09:22 AM

I am a geologist living and working in Alaska. We sometimes see bugs like you would not believe. My coworkers and myself have tried some of these alternatives, but we have found that when the bugs get serious DEET is the only thing that works. I recently read a study that was done on DEET alternatives and most of them were marginally effective for minutes before the effect wore off.

Posted by: Carl Persson | July 31, 2006 at 12:05 PM

You all might be interested in another natural insect repellent. http://www.ecoblends.com/home.asp The company is owned and run by a Maliseet/Passamaquoddy woman from central Maine (my homeplace). I have used it in the past and have been quite impressed. Since I am currently living in Montana, I suggest rubbing a bit of prarie sage on the skin. The cost is right and the results are better than anything store bought that I've ever used.

Posted by: Vaughan | July 31, 2006 at 03:55 PM

Hey guys if you want to try some super effective all natural bug repellant, then try out Bug Off! from Bodywork Therapies. This stuff is used by the US Military in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It's really good and smells pleasant and actually moisturizes your skin so you feel soft and smooth and bite free.

Posted by: Malibu Kim | August 02, 2006 at 08:19 PM

I just returned from working with gardners in West Africa, where I found great success using neem solutions as an alternative to chemical pesticides. I also worked with my female gardeners to produce neem lotions as a side product, but I would put a caution out there to using neem on the body and not on plants: it can cause rashes. As you should with any new product, make sure you do a test area with neem solution before using it full-on, because I know a number of people who had to see the dermatologist after being exposed to it.

Posted by: Gretchen | August 03, 2006 at 02:09 PM

Hello-I'm a little late replying regarding DEET in bug spray, but I have to weigh in. We live in Minnesota, where the mosquitos are horendous for most of the summer, and we have to contend with West Nile Virus. When protecting children, we are told by more than one doctor that there is nothing to protect them like DEET. The other, natural remedies may seem to help with bite frequency, there is no other way to keep all the bugs and tics off than DEET. I think that this should be noted, because West Nile Virus is nothing to mess with-it is very damaging. Just wanted to weigh in with that!! Thanks!! Love the Bite!!!

Posted by: Shelly | August 09, 2006 at 04:22 PM

Nutty for Neem

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