SASKATOON – While most people purchase chemical-based bug repellents, naturopathic health advocates are offering up natural alternatives.
“Most of them tend to contain a variety of essential oils, ranging from eucalyptus, citronella, catnip, lemon bomb,” said naturopathic physician, Dr. Alana Barmsby.
Many of those scents can be off-putting for pests, but need to be diluted before they can be used by humans, since some essential oils can be irritating to the skin.
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“You could use an almond oil or grape seed oil. You could even use olive oil from your kitchen,” said Rebecca Dyck, manager of Dad’s Organic Market.
There still remains caution among some doctors about the overuse of chemical-based repellents.
“There’s a lot of concern that these are endocrine disrupters, that they impact the way that our body works with its hormones, so that’s one of the biggest concerns,” said Dyck.
If you happen to get bit, some naturopathic physicians say the potato is one potential solution, relieving bug bite inflammation.
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