Mosquito bites are unpleasant and can cause diseases like dengue, Zika and Chikungunya that can compromise health and well-being. In addition, the use of spray repellents and insecticides are related to increased cases of allergies, asthma, rhinitis and urticaria.
So what you can do to protect yourself is to use natural repellents daily and adopt plants that keep insects away and invest in foods that contain vitamin B1, which also acts as a repellent.
5 natural repellents that keep mosquitoes away
See what they are and how to use these repellents.
1. Foods rich in vitamin B1
Watch our nutritionist video and see how to consume this vitamin:
A great natural repellent is consuming foods rich in vitamin B1 like pork, sunflower seeds or Brazil nut. This is a great natural repellent alternative, especially for people who are allergic to insect bites or even to industrial repellents. Another way to ensure the intake of vitamin B1 is to resort to a vitamin supplement targeted by a nutritionist.
2. Essential oils that protect the skin
Another excellent natural repellent to apply to the skin every 3 or 4 hours are the essential oils of citronella, copaiba and andiroba.
- Citronella oil : put between 6 to 8 drops of the citronella oil in the bath water, or apply it directly on the skin, diluted with almond oil, grape or chamomile.
- Copaiba Oil : Add 6 drops of copaiba essential oil to 2 tablespoons of marigold oil and apply to the skin.
- Andiroba oil : apply the oil directly to the skin until fully absorbed.
These oils should be used in conjunction with food rich in vitamin B1 to ward off mosquitoes and can be used in children over 2 months of age and pregnant women without damaging health.
3. Candles and plants that keep mosquitoes away
Citronella candles and plant pots that smell more intensely like mint, rosemary, basil, and can be used to season foods also help to keep away mosquitoes. So having home-made plant vases that are naturally repellent can help keep Aedes Aegypti away by protecting yourself from disease.
The use of these natural repellents is an excellent strategy to keep mosquitoes away without causing damage to the environment or health problems, and may even replace the use of industrialized insecticides that are generally used to fight mosquitoes and other insects in the home.
4. Adhesive repellent
There are on sale in the drugstores, drugstores and on the internet stickers of citronella that is placed over the baby's clothing, stroller or crib, to keep the insects away. They are safe to use and do not harm the environment. These stickers protect an area approximately 1 meter away and last for about 8 hours, but it is good to check the packaging of each product because it can vary from one brand to another.
5. Repellent Bracelet
Another possibility is to wear a wristband with repellent action that contains essential oils that keep away the mosquitoes. They work the same way as adhesives, lasting up to 30 days and can be used by people of all ages, including babies, as a good alternative to protect against diseases such as dengue, zika, chickungunya and even yellow fever.
In addition to the natural repellents, there are also some commercial repellents that can be used by pregnant women and children and help protect against mosquito bites. Find out what are the industrial repellents approved by Anvisa in repellents more suitable for pregnant women.
Other recipes to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes:
- Homemade citronella repellent against Aedes Aegypti
- Homemade repellent takes away the mosquito from Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya
