Home Insecticides Linked to Immune Disorders (Natural News)
Quote:
by David Gutierrez, staff writer
(NaturalNews) Using pesticides in the home may significantly increase women's risk of developing autoimmune disorders, according to a study conducted by researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in Philadelphia.
Although the study was not set up to prove that insecticides directly caused the disorders, the researchers did control for all other known risk factors, and none appeared to play a role.
"It's hard to envision what other factors might explain this association," lead researcher Christine Parks said.
In autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, the body's own immune system attacks some other part of the body. Previous research has shown that women exposed to agricultural pesticide use are at a higher risk of developing both rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Women not living on farms, however, tend to be exposed to much lower doses of the chemicals, even if they use them in the home.
In the current study, researchers examined data on approximately 77,000 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 79, sorting them by self-reported home pesticide exposure. They found that regardless of whether they had lived on a farm, women who were exposed to more insect-killing chemicals in the home were significantly more likely to develop either of the diseases. Women who had been exposed most frequently or for the longest period of time had twice the risk as women who had never been exposed.
Either mixing or applying insecticides counted as exposure for the purposes of the study. Insect repellent exposure was not included.
"I would recommend that people read the labels and take precautions to minimize their personal exposure," Parks said.
Although significant insecticide exposure can occur when people use pesticides, Parks noted that much exposure actually occurs inside the home itself -- from roach sprays, ant traps and other insect-killing poisons.
There is a natural insecticide from chrysanthinums called pyrethrin. That stuff is PROBABLY ok. But there are synthetic analogues which show toxic effects. The other types of widely used pesticides (organo phosphates and carbamates) are really nasty. ALL ofthese are very hazardous to fish.
All-Purpose Natural Pesticide Powder
excerpted from "Better Basics for the Home" by Anne Berthold-Bond
These are recipes that let you use natural peppermint leaves, citrus
leaves, garlic and a few other simple and natural ingredients to make an
insecticide that is safe for your pets and children. Also featured is a
recipe that uses essential oils to fight infestations.
All-Purpose Pesticide Powder
What you need:
1/2 cup each bay and peppermint leaves
1-1/2 teaspoons each citrus peels
garlic powder
diatomaceous earth
cayenne pepper
pyrethrum
salt
What you do:
1. Grind the ingredients into a powder in a blender or with a mortar and
pestle.
2. Dust along baseboards, the back of counters, and other areas of
infestation.
3. Do not rinse.
Makes 1 cup
Preparation time: About 20 minutes
Shelf Life: Indefinite, although the herbs will lose their potency.
Storage: Glass jar with a screw top
*
All-Purpose Pennyroyal and Eucalyptus Spray
What you need:
1 teaspoon each essential oils of pennyroyal and eucalyptus
2 cups of water
What you need:
1. Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle.
2. Shake to blend.
3. Spray along baseboards, the backs of counters, and other areas of
infestation.
4. Don't rinse.
Makes 2 cups
Preparation time: A few minutes
Shelf life: Indefinite
Storage: Glass jar with a screw top
Home remedies as plant insect repellents and plant fungus.
Insect repellents are substances applied on to the surfaces, skin or clothes to
prevent insects from landing or climbing on them. Synthetic repellents are more
effective and long lasting than natural repellents. These repellents help to
prevent and control the outbreak of insect-borne diseases like malaria, dengue
fever, bubonic plague etc. Insects such as flea, fly, mosquito and tick are the
common vectors for carrying these diseases. Some commonly used insect repellents
are DEET, catnip oil, neem oil, essential oil of lemon eucalyptus, citronella
oil, bog myrtle and permethrin.
In recent years, the use of natural insect repellents has become popular. Herbs
and other plants are used as great natural remedies to keep away insects. Here
are a few cheap and natural solutions to keep insects away from your home and
garden.
1.Ant Repellents
1.Vinegar: Wipe the place where you have spotted ants with a 50-50 mixture of
vinegar and water. The smell of vinegar removes their scent trails and thus
keeps them away.
2.Chalk/baby powder: Both chalk and baby powder contains talcum powder, which is
a natural repellent. It is advised to draw a line of chalk or sprinkle some baby
powder across the area where ants are entering your home.
3.Borax powder: Place a mixture of borax and sugar syrup where the ants will
find it. Borax damages the digestive system of ants resulting in immediate
death.
4.Coffee grounds: Sprinkle some coffee grounds in your garden around the house.
This keeps ants away because of the smell.
5.Citrus Peels: Put citrus peels in hot water overnight. Then pour it around the
plants where the ants are found.
6.Herbs or Spices: Using bay leaves, cayenne pepper, chilli pepper, black
pepper, cinnamon, mint leaves, turmeric powder, cloves and garlic helps to repel
ants from your home due to the smell.
7.Pine Oil: A mixture of pine oil and water can be used as a repellent against
fire ants.
8.Sweet Fern: Scattering sweet fern repels the red ants.
9.Tansy: Planting a tansy plant outside helps to keep ants away from garbage
cans.
2.Cockroach Repellents
1.Borax powder: Mix borax and sugar in equal quantities and apply it where
cockroaches are found. By consuming this mixture, the borax destroys the
digestive system of the roaches resulting in death.
2.Garlic, Cayenne powder and White Onion: Add equal quantities of garlic clove,
cayenne powder and white onion to a quarter of water in a pan and boil. Pour the
cooled mixture into a sprayer and spray in the areas where the cockroaches are
found.
3.Hedgeapple: Keeping a hedgeapple in the room repels the cockroaches.
4.Catnip: This is a natural repellent containing nepetalactone which is
non-toxic. Small sachets can be left in places where roaches are found. Also a
mixture of catnip and water known as catnip tea can be sprayed to keep
cockroaches away from baseboards and behind counters.
5.Spray soapy water directly on cockroaches to kill them.
6.Placing non-toxic traps also repels them away.
7.Diatomaceous earth can be sprinkled in hidden areas and it is a safe
alternative.
3.Termite Repellents
1.Aloe Vera: A solution of aloe and water repels termites, when sprayed in their
area of activity.
2.Castor Oil: Mix castor oil seeds, leaves and roots with water and soak it for
24 hours. Then strain the solution and spray on the affected area to repel the
termites.
3.Mexican Poppy: Spraying a mixture of Mexican poppy oil and water around the
infested area keeps away termites.
4.Spider Repellents
1.Spraying a mixture of citronella oil, lavender oil, cinnamon oil, peppermint
oil, citrus oil, tea tree oil and water keeps spiders away.
2.Spaying a mixture of white vinegar and coconut oil over the cobwebs repels
spiders away from your home.
5.Plant Bug Repellents
1.Cayenne Pepper and Garlic: Spraying a solution cayenne powder, garlic and
water helps to keep away plant bugs from your garden.
2.Garlic: Placing a piece of garlic under the soil of indoors plants repels bugs
away.
3.Lemon or Lime: Spraying lemon or lime solution over the leaves of the plant
acts a good repellent.
4.Marigold: Soak chopped marigold plants in boiled water. Once it is cooled, add
some liquid soap drops and spray on the aphids.
5.Plant some nasturtiums, garlic and onions around the plants, which are more,
attacked by the aphids.
6.Spraying the water from boiled sweet potatoes act as a natural repellent to
keep away plant bugs.
6.Mosquito Repellents
1.Natural repellents like oil of eucalyptus concentration, soybean oil,
citronella and rosemary help ward off the mosquitoes.
2.A mixture of garlic juice and water is an effective repellent as it keeps away
the mosquitoes for 5-6 hours.
3.Neem oil extracted from neem tree is a natural and safe to use product.
4.Planting marigolds in your garden repels mosquitoes because of their
fragrance.
5.Safe and non-toxic pheromone based mosquito traps are available now.
6.Planting Thai Lemon grass is considered to be a natural and effective mosquito
repellent.
Thus, there are a large number of natural remedies available and learning these
will provide freedom and relief from the adverse effects of chemical solutions.
Also for plant fungus like spider mites here is a solution I found.
1 tbsp.of Baking Soda, 1/2 tsp. of liquid dish soap, 1 gallon of water, 1 or
2 drops of Neem oil (optional). Spray on plants.
Do not store unused mixture. It is recommended that you water infected plants
well couple of days before applying mixture and do not apply it in full sun.
Spray on a small area first to test the plant's response.
Home Insecticides Linked to Immune Disorders
Natural Recipe - Pesticide
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