Fight Zika Bugs Naturally With These Chemical-Free Repellents

Congress has just authorized $1.1 billion to fight Zika, with the virus threatening the U.S. But pregnant women are still facing a tough choice:  Cover themselves with chemically-laden bug repellent or risk catching the virus, which can cause microcephaly and other heartbreaking brain defects in newborns.

Zika is primarily spread through bites from mosquitoes, but it can also be transmitted through sex. That means the partners of moms-to-be have to protect themselves as well.

Adding to the dilemma is the fact that pregnant women are twice as likely to attract mosquitoes as others, due to slightly elevated body temperature and carbon dioxide in exhaled breath.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using bug repellents that contain chemicals, the most common one being DEET. When used as directed, DEET is widely considered to be safe and effective, even for pregnant women and breast-feeding moms.

DEET has been around for more than a half-century, and some 200 million people use it globally every year. Still, studies about the effects of this chemical on pregnant women and their fetuses are pretty scant.

And there’s been even less research on its use by women in the first trimester of pregnancy, when birth defects most commonly develop. And some research suggests more studies are needed to determine conclusively that it is safe for everyone.

French researcher Vincent Corbel found that, in studies of animals and insects, DEET “inhibits the activity of a key central nervous system enzyme, acetylcholinesterase.” And research at Duke University Medical Center suggests that prolonged exposure to DEET may impair brain function, possibly affecting muscle coordination, memory, and cognition.

But DEET and its chemical cousins are not the only options, when it comes to protecting yourself from Zika.

Essential oils are a viable alternative. In fact, clinical studies show that one of them, lemon eucalyptus, is just as effective as DEET.

“The oils are plant-derived remedies that are effective, though you may have to apply them more often than something like DEET,” says Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based aromatherapist Susan Stype. “Which oils you use depends on what kind of insect you are trying to repel. Often they work best in combinations.”

Stype recommends this recipe for repelling mosquitoes, including varieties that spread Zika:

Ingredients:

• 10 drops lemon eucalyptus.
• 10 drops Citronella.
• 10 drops lavender.
• 5 drops lemongrass.
• 5 drops peppermint.
• 4 oz. distilled water, witch hazel or aloe vera gel.
• Small spray bottle.

Directions:

• Mix oils in spray bottle, add base liquid and stir gently.
• Shake mixture well before using.
• Spray on clothing and exposed skin.
• Keep away from eyes and mouth.
• Reapply every two to three hours.

Stype stresses that it’s important to use high-quality essential oils, not cheaper fragrance oils.

“Essential oils come from plant parts such as flowers, leaves, wood, roots, and seeds, and are gently extracted, typically through steam-distillation or being cold-pressed,” Stype tells Newsmax Health. “They should be marked as ‘100 percent pure essential oils.’ ”

Although the oils are natural products, they are quite potent — up to 100 times more concentrated than dried herbs. They can cause allergic reactions, skin irritation, and other problems, which is why Stype warns that they should be used with caution, especially by pregnant women.

“In general, we don’t recommend essential oil use for pregnant women who are in their first trimester, high-risk pregnancies or even babies in their first three months of life,” she says.

“But if I had to choose between commercial bug sprays and essential oils, I’d use the oils.”