photo #2023921

My beautiful walk in the woods yesterday was a good reminder to stock up on my favorite toxin-free insect repellent! 🦟🐜🦗👎While we all can probably agree that getting eaten alive by mosquitoes is super frustrating and potentially life-threatening, it's important to also understand the risks of using toxic bug repellents-especially through excessive and/or repeat exposure! ☝️Of most notable concern is the popular ingredient DEET (aka "N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide") which is found in many store-bought bug sprays. While some sources state that with proper use according to product instruction labels, there is minimal risk linked to the use of DEET, According to sites like Made Safe and Beyond Pesticides, large doses of DEET have been linked to ❌kidney damage❌birth/developmental disorders❌skin blisters ❌seizures❌memory loss❌headaches❌stiffness in the joints ❌shortness of breath❌skin irritation😩"DEET is also linked to neurotoxicity that may lead to physiological and behavioral problems, especially with motor skills, and learning and memory dysfunction."😩EVEN MORE CONCERNING...DEET is absorbed into the skin and actually crosses the placenta of pregnant mamas! Animal studies found DEET in babies up to 3 months old after being exposed to it in-utero. 😱❌🌎 DEET is toxic to birds, fish, and aquatic invertebrates and has the potential to contaminate our drinking water. Personally, this ingredient is questionable enough to me to just avoid it! While there are plenty of DEET-free options out there, you'll also want to avoid other commonly-found ingredients in bug-repellents:❌Cyfluthrin❌Permethrin❌PyrethroidsSo, how can we minimize bug bites AND avoid DEET and other toxic chemicals? Try some of the following Safe Swaps:🌱Badger Bug Repellent (my personal favorite)🌱Greenerways Organic Bug Spray🌱Poofy Organics Bug Spray🥣 OR...you can make your own! Check out this video with a simple recipe from Dr. Axe: https://youtu.be/WkV7hf7-FOQ?list=PLVINYOg5zyBYxyUKdjir6UQi21CE9Rsq_👉 For a fantastic infographic on insect repellent and safe alternatives: https://www.madesafe.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Bug-Repellent-2019-FACT-SHEET.pdf