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Keep Bugs at Bay
The Natural Way to Stay Insect Free
By Andrea Candee
Bugs! Do I respect them as part of nature's miraculous design? Yes. Do I like them? Not really. Despite daily intake of supplements reputed to be bug deterrents (i.e. garlic, B vitamins), many of us are still sweet meat for the little critters. Acknowledging the skin's ability to absorb substances into the bloodstream (modern medicine's example of this biological fact is the invention of skin patches for delivering pharmaceutical drugs into the body) encourages us to seek out natural alternatives to chemical insect repellants.
A successful program for preventing any tick from attaching itself to your pet includes garlic powder and brewers yeast sprinkled liberally on their food every day (found in a convenient powdered combination in health food stores) and oil of eucalyptus. The essential oil of eucalyptus, derived from the leaf of the tree, contains naturally-occurring chemicals repellent to ticks and fleas. A most effective method is to dip a thin rope into the undiluted oil, wrap it in a bandanna and tie it around your pet's neck (fashionable, as well). The rope can be refreshed twice a week or more often, if necessary. The oil is quite potent and should not be applied directly to the skin, as it may cause irritation. Mixing 1 ounce oil of eucalyptus into 1 pint of water in a spray bottle also enables you to spray your pet's coat on a daily basis.
