Procter & Gamble Must Scrub Carcinogen Dioxane From Tide A Must Read

Procter & Gamble Must Scrub Carcinogen Dioxane From Tide (via Environment News Service)

SACRAMENTO, California, January 25, 2013 (ENS) – Procter & Gamble, makers of Tide and Tide Free & Gentle detergents, has agreed in a California court to reduce the levels of the chemical 1,4 dioxane in its laundry products. The Oakland-based nonprofit organization As You Sow filed a lawsuit against…

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T36-C5® - Melaleuca Oil and Insect Bites

How to Use Tea Tree Oil as Insect Repellent

Natural Insect Repellent for Plants, People, Pets, and Household Use

Tired of spraying so many chemicals to get rid of pests? Need something a little less intoxicating to you, your kids, your plants, and your pets? Tea tree oil is a great natural insect repellent. Best of all, it works on plants, pets, and people. You just have to know how to use it. With a mix of personal experience and research, here are some things I've learned about using tea tree oil as an insect repellent. For the best results, use pure organic tea tree oil.

Tea Tree Oil as an Insect Repellent on People
Spraying or rubbing chemicals onto yourself and the kids to avoid the critters can get irritating - literally and figuratively. Instead of spraying and rubbing chemicals into your skin, try using something a little more soothing. Tea tree oil is a great natural mosquito and insect repellent and it's even a great moisturizer, an eczema fighter, a fungus fighter, and so much more. Tea tree oil has been known to repel mosquitoes, lice, ants, and many other insects that bite. It also soothes insect bites and stings and helps in removal of ticks.

Making Tea Tree Oil Insect Repellent for the Skin
To make this simple solution, all you'll need is a large misting spray bottle, 2 oz of organic tea tree oil, and some water. Pour the 2 ounces of organic tea tree oil into the spray bottle and fill the rest with water. Mist the solution onto the skin and rub in. Reapply as needed.
Tea Tree Oil as an Insect Repellent on Plants
Tea tree oil also can repel insects in the garden. Be cautious when using tea tree oil on plants. It must be diluted with water and must not be sprayed directly on the plants. It can burn them. Instead, spray around the plants. To make tea tree oil insect repellent for the garden, mix the same solution as used on skin above.
Tea Tree Oil as an Insect Repellent on Pets
Like humans, insects can affect pets, as can their bites. Fleas also can be a problem for pets, especially those who venture outside or live in an outdoor environment. To protect your pets from insects and insect bites, prepare the tea tree oil spray solution used above for human skin. Spray this on the pet once or twice a day. Because tea tree oil is a fungus fighter, this can also help your pet smell fresh and clean.
Tea Tree Oil as a Household Insect Repellent
Tired of ants, cockroaches, or other insects inside your home? Tea tree oil also can help fight against household insects. Simply mix ¼ cup tea tree oil, ¼ cup vinegar, and 2 cups water together. Pour into a large spray bottle. Spray the tea tree oil spray solution into cupboards, on counters, and other surfaces and wipe clean. The tea tree oil repels the insects and the combination of vinegar and tea tree oil acts as a powerful disinfectant. Do this regularly to keep away ants, roaches, and other household insects.
Cautions About Tea Tree Oil
A bit of caution about tea tree oil is that some may experience an allergic reaction, which can consist of itching, dermatitis, dry patches, a rash, or other skin irritations. Start by testing in a very small area before applying tea tree oil to larger areas. Wait a day or so to see if any reaction occurs. As with any other natural essential oil, there always is the change of allergies. A rare, but serious occurrence from allergies is anaphylaxis. If you have had an allergic reaction to any essential oils in the past, it is best to avoid tea tree oil.
Also, tea tree oil should not be ingested. It can be poisonous.

* All information here is strictly for informational purposes. The author is not an herbalist or licensed medical professional. Please be safe and conduct your own research.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Pregnancy

Omega-3 fatty acids, in particular DHA, help a pregnant woman give her developing baby every advantage in life starting in-utero. In general the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish help the cardiovascular system, the brain (including moods), and even the brain and eyes of a developing baby. Yet only about 68% of women know about the benefits of DHA, an essential fatty acid. More than two-thirds of women say their doctor has never told them anything about DHA, and 72% have no idea how to get DHA into their diet.(1)

DHA and Mother's Health

Since the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids help both the circulatory system and brain function in people, it follows that if a pregnant woman consumes fish oil supplements, not only is she helping her developing baby, she is also fortifying her own system. A cross-national study on rates of postpartum depression among twenty-two countries found that the lower the amount of DHA in the mother's blood, the higher chance she'll develop postpartum depression.(11)

The following is a quotation from Dr. S.J. Genuis, Faculty of Medicine-OB/GYN, University of Alberta, Canada, supporting the decision to supplement with fish oil:

"In view of the mounting evidence implicating Omega-3 Fatty Acid deficiency as a determinant of various maternal and pediatric afflictions, physicians should consider recommending purified fish oil supplementation during pregnancy and lactation."(12)

During prenatal development, the fetus takes all available DHA if the mother is deficient. That leaves nothing left over for the mother. Nutritional science studies point to a correlation between low levels of omega-3s and depression in people. A pregnant or lactating woman has higher needs for omega-3 (see chart 1 above), with current recommendations at 300 milligrams per day for intake of DHA. To compare numbers, consider that the average non-pregnant Japanese woman consumes 571 milligrams per day of DHA.(13)

Most fish oil supplements targeted towards cardiovascular health have more EPA than DHA. Since Prenatal Omega-3 is targeted towards the healthy development of the baby's brain, it has twice the DHA as EPA because the brain is composed mostly of DHA.

Be aware that B vitamins also play an extremely important role in preventing depression, so a new mother should continue taking vitamins even after the birth of her baby.