Mosquito bites

We are well into Houston’s worst season—summer.

I used to think of summer as the best season of the year. But that was when we lived in New York, Michigan, Delaware, or Nebraska.

In Houston, summer brings hot, humid days and warm, humid nights. The warm nights bother me most. I prefer to sleep with cool, fresh air coming in through open windows. Not in the summer. A typical summer night may cool down to 75 degrees by early morning, with humidity in the 90 percent range. Not what I consider refreshing sleeping conditions. So we sleep with our air conditioner on and our thermostat turned down.

And mosquitos. Mosquitos thrive in our warm, humid days and nights. They attack any person who dares to come near the shrubs and bushes in our backyard.

Since I mow my own yard, aggressive mosquitos create a problem for me.

You see, as a natural health advocate, I really despise applying anything toxic on my skin. Do you realize that 60 percent of what you apply to your skin gets into your bloodstream? That’s why skin patches are effective for drugs.

So I do not use toxic mosquito repellent. We have discovered a non-toxic, natural product, called CedarCide,  manufactured right here in Spring, Texas, that repels mosquitos. When the mosquitos are especially aggressive, I apply CedarCide to my exposed skin and all thin clothing, like a tee shirt.   

But sometimes I don’t apply enough, and I still get bitten. There have been times that I have had over a dozen bites by the time I finished the lawn.

So after I’ve showered, I coat the bites with Aloe Gelee, a pure aloe vera gel from RBC Life. In half an hour, the itching is gone.

Not everyone will have the same results with mosquito bites that I have, but I believe that Aloe Gele̷e is worth having around. Aloe vera is well recognized for its ability to help the body heal burns and minor wounds. Me? I use it for all kinds of insect bites. And insects thrive in Houston in the summer.

Lest I leave you with an impression that I hate Houston, put that to rest. Summer is Houston’s worst season in my book. I love the other three seasons. For at least half the year, we have no insects and the weather is delightful. We get plenty of rain to support lush natural vegetation. And our flowering shrubs, trees, and bushes offer a beautiful array of color throughout the spring, summer, and fall.

We’ve lived here 38 years and have no plans to leave.

A natural approach to sinus problems

Last night before bed, Dottie and I were cooling down the house to nighttime temperatures. We sleep better when the house is cool, so lowering the thermostat is one of our routines before bed.

With the cool draft on my bald head, I had to clear my throat.

That’s not unusual. I clear my throat many times a day. It’s just normal for me.

But last night was different. I was clearing my throat more frequently than normal. A lot more frequently.

I’ve learned to pay attention to signals from my body. Phlegm in the throat is often a sign of sinus drainage. It’s one of those things that sneak up on a person. You don’t notice it at first. In fact, it’s easy to overlook if it’s not too bad. But if you don’t deal with it, you will develop chest congestion that can put you down for days.

So I did what any natural health advocate would do. I took a slug of Vitamin C.

Did you know that Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine? Well, it is. How much you need to be effective depends on your condition and the type of Vitamin C that you take. I strongly recommend a buffered and esterified Vitamin C, not ascorbic acid.  Your body can utilize it far better.

Last night, I took 2500 mg before bed. At 2:00 am, I still had throat irritation, so I took another 2500 mg. Ditto at 4:00 am. Once again at 6:00 am. Throughout the night, I gave my body 10,000 mg of Vitamin C, but this morning, my sinus drainage has stopped and I’m back to normal.

I can tell you from experience, had I not done that, I would have chest congestion, a condition that would hinder me for weeks.

June is a little late for sinus problems in Houston. Normally, they appear in March and April.

One of the things I’ve noticed over the years is that complaining about their sinus problems creates a bond among people. Perhaps they get some value from that.

Frankly, I prefer to be healthy.