www.snopes.com is one of the web's best "myth-buster" sites. I recently went to them to see about an email I received saying that Listerine mouthwash could be used to repel mosquitos.

While I applaud the attempt at using household items as harsh, harmful, synthetic chemical substitutes, this cyber-myth is not true.

I'm writing this tip, however, because as you browse the information and articles on Snopes.com about insect repellants in general, they really support the use of the chemical DEET. I just want to put out a slight warning about it.

Precautions against DEET are not new. Prime Time Live ran an expose on the dangers of DEET on May 31, 1995. They basically reported that insect repellents containing the chemical DEET are dangerous for human use, but political pressure from major chemical companies confounds attempts to regulate the dangerous ingredient. DEET is considered responsible for side effects including rashes, muscle twitching,confusion, slurred speech, seizures and even death. Most poison reactions to DEET probably go undetected even though nearly 5,000 DEET-related cases are reported each year to the National Centers for Poison Control.

Every year, approximately one-third of the U.S. population uses insect repellants containing DEET to ward off mosquitoes and other pests. At present, DEET is used in more than 230 products with concentrations up to 100 percent. So take a second and check your yard sprays, insect repellants, flea & tick shampoos, sunscreens and creams that you have at home. It may even be listed as its full name: N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide, diethyltoluamide. (Check out another great article about the dangers of DEET from Environmental Health.)

According to www.quantumhealth.com, and MedMinute, a service of Duke University Medical Center News, DEET should be used with caution due to its possible damaging effects on brain cells. Studies have shown that DEET causes brain cell death and behavioral changes in rats after frequent and prolonged use. This exposure causes neurons to die in regions of the brain that control muscle movement, learning, memory, and concentration. Rats treated with an average human dose of DEET (40 mg/kg body weight) performed far worse when challenged with physical tasks requiring muscle control, strength and coordination. These findings are consistent with reported human symptoms following DEET's use by the military in the Persian Gulf War.

With heavy exposure (such as with those of us who won't go outside without their favorite sunscreen or bug spray), humans may experience memory loss, headache, weakness, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, tremors and shortness of breath. The bad part about it is that these symptoms may not be evident until months or even years after exposure. Some studies show that frequent and long-term use of DEET, especially in combination with other chemicals or medications, could cause brain deficits in vulnerable populations, particularly children.

In fact, the dangers for children are particularly of interest. The Children's Health Environmental Coalition's "Healthe House" website is a resource for environmental health risks affecting children (http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/chemicals/chemicals-detail2.asp?Main_ID=345). They give DEET an orange flag for "warning" and recommend that exposure be avoided. The main reasons are because if swallowed, absorbed through skin or inhaled, DEET is "Very Highly Toxic".

Now if I'm not mistaken, when using insect repellant aren't you at least inhaling it and absorbing it through the skin? Children are more susceptible to subtle brain changes caused by chemicals in their environment because their skin more readily absorbs them. Also, their still-developing nervous systems are more potently affected. For the same reasons, NEVER use insect repellant containing DEET on infants. The same caution should be applied to pregnant women as DEET can cross the placenta and expose babies in the womb.

So that's the bad news. What's the good news?

The good news is that there are some natural alternatives to keep mosquitos away and to deal with their bites. See our past healthy tip entitled "It's DUCK season! It's WABBIT season!..."  ...Noooo, it's MOSQUITO season and they're hunting you!" for information on nature's natural repellants: essential oils.

We recently created and now have successfully used a new essential oil blend created to protect the outside of our home and our son who mows yards for a living.  It contains citronella, lemongrass, geranium, basil, bergamot, cedarwood, peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils. Many of these single oils are available at local health food stores. Contact us if you would like to try our blend.