What's Bugging You?

-
Mosquito bites. What can you do to keep from getting them, besides slather yourself and your children down with dangerous DEET? Take a look at that "Family Insect Repellant" you are using. Most say "keep out of reach of children". Scary.

Here is a few facts about DEET from the website




DEET is a registered pesticide. DEET is short for N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (also known as N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide). It is a member of the toluene chemical family. Toluene is an organic solvent used in rubber and plastic cements and paint removers. DEET is absorbed through the skin and passes into the blood. The Medical Sciences Bulletin, published by Pharmaceutical Information Associates Ltd. reports, "Up to 56% of DEET applied topically penetrates intact human skin and 17% is absorbed into the bloodstream." Blood concentrations of about 3 mg per litre have been reported several hours after DEET repellent was applied to skin in the
prescribed fashion. DEET is also absorbed by the gut.

I don't have a degree in chemistry, so I can't tell you what the effects of a pesticide is on the body, but I wash it off my vegetables so is it something that I want to slather on my children? Here's a little more about the warnings that the EPA came out with several years ago. From the same website as listed above.

An emergency medicine bulletin notes that DEET may have significantly greater toxicity when combined with ethyl and isopropyl alcohols and freon which are components of some DEET repellents. In 1998, the US EPA made it illegal for any product containing DEET to make any child safety claims. Products with DEET are required to carry instructions that they should not be used at all for children under 6 months. Additional required warnings state that for children 6 months to 2 years, only concentrations of less than 10% DEET should be used, and only once a day. For children from 2 -12 years old, only concentrations under 10% should be used, and repellents should not be applied more than 3 times a day.

I read on to find that they recommend you come in and wash it off your skin immediately and ultimately warn against puting any on your skin at all. The EPA recommends wearing long sleeved shirts and pants instead of using this stuff! This stuff is nasty and is linked to neurilogical problems in children.

There are a number of natrually derived insect repellants available on the market. They do need to be applied more often but smell much better and do not have the harmful side effects brought on by products containing DEET.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lincoln Marathon Race Report

-
Image
Another beautiful Spring day in Nebraska, another year running the Lincoln National Guard Marathon and Half Marathon! David and I rode our bikes to the start of the race, as we do each year.  Since they recently moved the start line, to accommodate more runners, we need to change where we rack our bikes! The weather on the Saturday before the race was terrible!  Our 11yo daughter, Alahnnah, ran the KFRX Mayor's Run and it was miserable.  It was about 35 degrees with 20mph winds and rain.  We had discouraged the girls from participating - but when a kid tells you "Mom, we signed up for it, we need to do it" - you have to do it. Miss A giving me "the look" Thankfully, Sunday was a little better.  The temps were hovering around 40 and there was no rain.  The wind had died down a bit, but it was still chilly!  I dressed in a t-shirt and a jacket when last year I ran in a tank top! When we got to the race, we lined up waaaay in the back near the 5:15 pace
Read more

Woohoo for Week Two + *sad face*

-
Image
Week Two of training for the Legend 70 went great! Since Week One  was a little weak-sauce, I aimed for perfection for week two.  I stuck to my eating, relaxing and training plans to a "T". Monday - Took a 2.5 mile walk on the treadmill while watching The Walking Dead, stretch and foam rolled.  I did 30 minutes of yoga after work and let myself have some time to relax and decompress. Tuesday - Jumped out of bed for a 45 minute run and a 20 minute strength routine.  Still was struggling a little bit with tight chestedness from last week, but we got through it. Tuesday PM - went to the pool for a 45 minute swim.  My friend who just had bariatric surgery went with me and did her pool laps, too.  I am really proud of her! Wednesday - woke up a bit tired from heavy training the day before, but put my best effort into a 45 minute bike and 15 minute run.  If you do them one right after the other it's called a "brick." Thursday - A tired 45 minute bike r
Read more

Maximum Pressure - Achieved

-
Image
I'm so upset that my arms are numb.  I had a panic attack in the dairy aisle of the grocery store.  Really not sure I've been this stressed out for a while. After a non-stop cry fest from a fussy daycare baby, my tweeny-bopper rushed in the house and up to her room before I could even say hello.  The baby had finally succumbed to napping just before she arrived. She emerged from the staircase sobbing and hysterical.  She had left her gerbil in his ball all day.  He chewed his way out and was loose in her room.  Somewhere. My husband went up with a net as I tried to fix dinner.  David emerged with blood dripping all over the place to report that "Peanut" was back in his cage.  Just then, one of my clients arrived to pick up his child.  Nothing says "Love and Safety" like blood all over the place.  Pretty sure hubs should have had a stitch where that rat bit him. During all of this, our teen was texting form school to say that his trainer wouldn't
Read more