Organophosphate
pesticides are known for their hazards to human health. Prenatal exposure, for
example, has been linked to delayed brain development, reduced IQ, and
attention deficits1.
As a result, pyrethroids2—synthetic
chemicals derived from natural chemicals found in chrysanthemums—have risen in
popularity over the past decade. There are currently more than 3,500
commercial products containing this insecticide. This includes items like roach
sprays, flea bombs, and dog flea or tick collars and medicated shampoos.
Pyrethroids are
well-known to be highly toxic to cats, and the most frequent reason for
pyrethroid poisoning in cats is the incorrect and unadvised application of dog
flea or tick medication.
You can identify
pyrethroids in any given product by reading the label. Compounds that end in
“thrin,” such as bifenthrin, permethrin and cypermethrin, are all pyrethroids.
Alas, switching to pyrethroids may not have been the wisest move. Animal
studies suggest it causes neurological-, immune-, and reproductive damage. And,
as usual, the human health effects are still largely unknown, despite its
widespread use.
Now, Canadian research
suggests pyrethroids may be associated with behavior problems in
children. As reported by Scientific American3:
“The findings raise some
questions about the safety of the compounds, which have replaced other
insecticides with known risks to children’s brain development.
Exposure to pyrethroids,
which kill insects by interfering with their nervous systems, is widespread
because they are used inside homes and schools, in municipal mosquito control
and on farms.”
Common Insecticide May have Adverse Effects on
Your Child’s Development
The study4 in
question tested urine samples from 779 Canadian children, aged 6-11, and the
parents answered questions relating to their child’s behavior. Shockingly, even
at that tender young age, 97 percent of the children had pyrethroid breakdown
products in their urine. Ninety-one percent also had traces of organophosphate
pesticides.
“A 10-fold increase in
urinary levels of one pyrethroid breakdown product, cis-DCCA, was associated
with a doubling in the odds of a child scoring high for parent-reported
behavioral problems, such as inattention and hyperactivity,” the featured article reports.
A previous study found
that toddlers who had been exposed to pyrethroids while in utero had lower
development scores compared to unexposed children. According to a 2006 EPA
review, animal research has also shown that even low levels of some of these
compounds have an adverse effect on5:
Some pyrethroids act as endocrine disruptors by mimicking
estrogen. Such hormone-disrupting chemicals can raise your levels of estrogen,
thereby promoting the growth of estrogen-sensitive cancers such as breast
cancer.
As stated by Dana Boyd
Barr, a research professor of environmental health at Emory University’s
Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta6: “Pyrethroids
are obviously a safer alternative to organophosphates, but just because they
are safer doesn’t mean they are safe.”
Are You Using this Toxic Bug Spray On or Near
Your Kids?
Permethrin—a member of
the synthetic pyrethroid family—can also be found in many commercial bug
sprays. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), permethrin
is carcinogenic7,
capable of causing lung tumors, liver tumors, immune system problems, and
chromosomal abnormalities. Permethrin is also damaging to the environment, and
it is particularly toxic to bees and aquatic life.
Despite that,
approximately 2 million pounds of permethrin are applied to agricultural,
residential and public sites each year. The majority, about 70 percent, is
applied in non-agricultural settings; more than 40 percent of it is applied by
homeowners in residential areas, so there’s plenty of room for individuals to
take personal control over this chemical exposure.
While it may be tempting
to douse your kids with bug spray in order to prevent bugs from biting them,
there are plenty of other tricks that can keep bugs at bay that don't involve
the application of neurotoxic and potentially carcinogenic chemicals.
Simple Preventative Measures to Avoid Mosquito
Bites
Mosquito’s are probably
the most pervasive when it comes to biting bugs. You can avoid most assaults by
staying inside around dawn and dusk, which is when they are most active. If you
must be out during those times, wear light-colored, long sleeved shirts and
long pants, hats and socks.
Mosquitoes are also
thicker in shrubby areas and near standing water. Body temperature and skin
chemicals like lactic acid also attract mosquitoes, so trying to stay as cool
and dry as possible may also help to some degree.
The American Mosquito
Control Association (AMCA) has a helpful factsheet8 of
things you can do to prevent mosquito breeding on your property. The Three D’s
of protection from mosquitoes are:
1.
Drain—Mosquitoes require water in which to breed, so
carefully drain any and all sources of standing water around your house and
yard, including pet bowls, gutters, garbage- and recycling bins, spare tires,
bird baths and so on
2.
Dress—Light colored, loose fitting clothing offer the
greatest protection
3.
Defend—Again, I recommend avoiding most
chemical repellents, especially those containing DEET or permethrin. (The
Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently released an extensive review of bug
repellants, and virtually all of them are associated with health hazards9.)
Instead, try some of the natural alternatives suggested in this article.
Besides draining all
sources of standing water and dressing appropriately, the following ideas can
help reduce the mosquito population around your yard:
·
Add
some bat boxes: Bat houses are
becoming increasingly popular since bats are voracious consumers of insects,
especially mosquitoes. For more on buying a bat house or constructing one
yourself, visit the Organization for Bat Conservation10.
·
Plant
marigolds: Planting marigolds
around your yard works as a bug repellent because the flowers give off a
fragrance that bugs do not like. This is a great way to ward off mosquitoes
without using chemical insecticides.
·
Blow
‘em away... As a last minute
fix, a simple house fan can help keep mosquitoes at bay if you’re having a
get-together in your backyard.
DIY Bug Repellants
Your diet may have
something to do with your popularity with the mosquitoes. To reduce your
attractiveness, you may want to forgo bananas during mosquito season. According
to alternative health nutritionist Dr. Janet Starr Hull11,
“there’s something about how your body processes the banana oil that attracts
these female sugar-loving insects.” She also recommends supplementing with one
vitamin B-1 tablet a day from April through October, and then adding 100 mg of
B-1 to a B-100 Complex daily during the mosquito season to make you less
attractive to mosquitoes.
Regularly consuming garlic or garlic capsules may also help
protect against both mosquito and tick bites. Bear in mind, the best way to
avoid ticks is to make sure you tuck your pants into your socks and wear closed
shoes and a hat—especially if venturing out into wooded areas. You can also
make your own mosquito repellent using any of the following:
·
Cinnamon leaf oil (one study found it was
more effective at killing mosquitoes than DEET)
·
Clear liquid vanilla
extract mixed with olive oil
·
Wash with citronella
soap, and then put some 100% pure citronella essential oil on your skin. Java
Citronella is considered the highest quality citronella on the market
·
Catnip oil (according to
one study, this oil is 10 times more effective than DEET12)
Another option is to use
the safe solution I formulated to repel mosquitoes, fleas, chiggers, ticks, and
other biting insects. It's anatural insect repellant with a
combination of citronella, lemongrass oil, peppermint oil, and vanillin. An
independent study showed it was more effective than a product containing 100
percent DEET. And it's safe for you, your children, and your
pets.
Safer Alternatives for Ant, Roach, Lice and
Flea Control
With mosquito control
out of the way, what about other pesky bugs? Not to worry, there are safer
alternatives for most infestations. For example:
·
Knock
out roaches, ants and termites with boric acid powder. Sprinkle some in the inner corners of your
cabinets and in the corners under your cabinets. Pests will carry it back to
their nests on their feet and kill the remainder of the infestation. Boric acid
is generally non-toxic for animals, but you’d still be well-advised to place it
in areas where your pet will not ingest or inhale it, as it kills bugs by
causing dehydration.
·
Treat
head lice with an
old-fashioned nit comb and essential oils of anise and ylang ylang, combined
into a spray. This has been found to be highly effective in eliminating over 90
percent of head lice.
·
Control
your pet’s fleas and ticks with safe, natural pest repellents, such as:
o Cedar oil
o Natural, food-grade diatomaceous earth
o Fresh garlic -- work with your holistic vet to
determine a safe amount for your pet’s body weight
o Feeding your pet a balanced, species-appropriate diet. The healthier your
dog or cat is, the less appealing she’ll be to parasites. A biologically
appropriate diet supports a strong immune system.
o Bathing and brushing your pet regularly and
performing frequent full-body inspections to check for parasite activity.
