Ah… summer. Longer days, sunny skies, sandy beaches… and mosquitoes. Lots and lots of mosquitoes.
For some, this isn’t too big of a deal, as mosquito repellent has been on the market since 1956.
But, if you’re like me at all and you not only want to stop smelling like the burnt remains of a chemical plant after using repellent, but also are scared of the adverse effects of DEET in sprays and are more prone to getting bit (seriously though, mosquitoes seemed to love me and only me at parties), then taking Vitamin B1 could be your saving grace.
Vitamin B1 (also known as thiamine) is an essential vitamin your body needs. It can be found in foods such as yeast, oatmeal, brown rice, asparagus, kale, liver and eggs and is important in fighting stress and boosting immunity.
As one of the water-soluble vitamins, any excess that your body doesn’t use gets flushed out when you urinate, so there’s no need to worry about taking too much.
What’s incredible about the relationship between Vitamin B1 and mosquitoes is it has the potential to change the way you smell to the little buggers. Those with enough Vitamin B1 in their systems tend to smell “yeasty” to mosquitoes, making them unappealing to bite.
It doesn’t, however, change the way you smell to other humans, so don’t worry about smelling like old bread around your friends.
The research on this is still inconclusive, but since taking extra thiamin everyday has no adverse effects, it might be worth a try. I’ve personally tried this remedy myself with amazing results and have seen the same results in others that I have suggested this to.
Certain conditions can lower thiamine in the body such as chronic alcoholism, Crohn’s disease, anorexia and gastric bypass, so individuals with these conditions may benefit health-wise from taking an extra supplement.
Interested in giving it a shot? Take 100 mg of thiamin every day. Within two weeks, you should start noticing a decrease in the amount of times you’re uncomfortably smacking these pests away from your body.
If taking thiamine doesn’t work for you, try this all natural mosquito repellent recipe to help you avoid having to use chemical warfare on your body as a repellent.
All Natural Mosquito Repellent
Ingredients:
- Tea tree oil (buy online)
- Lavender oil (buy online)
- Witch hazel (buy online)
- Cooled boiled water
Instructions:
- Fill an 8oz. spray bottle halfway with boiled water (allow it to cool down first!)
- Add ½ tsp of witch hazel
- Add 15 drops of tea tree oil
- Add 15 drops of lavender oil
- Use as needed
Originally taken from Healthy Holistic Living