Natural Bug-Bite Deterrents

If you can't stand the smell of DEET or citronella candles, try the natural bug-bite deterrent suggestions from Chinese doctor and author Maoshing Ni.

In his book Secrets of Self-Healing, he recommends a three-pronged approach of clothing, diet, and essential oils.

3 Bug-Be-Gone Strategies
Use these chemical-free strategies on your next camping trip, backwoods hike, or neighborhood barbecue:

• Nix the Hawaiian shirt. Brightly colored floral patterns on clothing may actually fool bees and other bugs into thinking you're a flower. So can smelling like a flower, so skip the perfume. Wear neutral-colored, protective clothing and scent-free soaps and lotions.
• Eat garlic. Garlic and other strong foods, like onions, might make you less tasty to biting insects. Watch this video for tips on how to buy, keep, and prepare garlic.
• Use essential oils. Natural insect repellents such as lemongrass, lavender, or eucalyptus can be mixed with water and used as a spray. (But be careful to avoid getting them in your eyes.) Find out which scents zap stress, too.

Already bit? Honey, cucumber skins, and tea tree oil can help soothe, detox, and quiet the itch or sting of bites.

Take this quiz to find out if a bite might be serious.

Secrets of Self-Healing: Harness Nature's Power to Heal Common Ailments, Boost Your Vitality, and Achieve Optimum Wellness. Ni, M., New York: Avery, 2008.