Bug spray – we need it. Just one of the facts of summer weather. Bugs thrive in it; we want to enjoy the great outdoors; and they love to bite us while we do so! (Blasted things.)

You don’t want to be bitten, both because of minor reasons – the inconvenience of itchy bites – or major ones – a disease picked up from a tick or mosquito.

But you also don’t want to harm yourself in the process of trying to protect yourself. And that’s the danger of most usual bug repellents. Is there a choice, though? Of course. There are quite a few natural bug repellents on the market, and they work. The one I have on hand now that I like a lot is Quantum Deet-Free Buzz Away Extreme.

You also can make your own very simply: Combine about a dozen drops of geranium essential oil with a tablespoon or so of almond oil. Smells wonderful, works great. This one really is my favorite. I keep the other for when I don’t have this made up, and I’m heading out the door. You don’t need to smother yourself in this either. I spread a few drops around my ankles, wrists and neck, and that works well. I also put a few drops on my dog’s collar if she’s going out hiking, and nothing comes near her.

Don’t think I take bug repellent lightly. I had Lyme Disease – for 2 years before a holistic practitioner finally figured out why I was so ill – and I will not risk that again. But I also won’t risk my health with ingredients that can cause harm. The two repellents I currently use do the trick. They give me peace of mind and protection.

To give you a different perspective about bug repellents, here’s a graphic from Huffington Post illustrating information provided by the Environmental Working Group. I’m disappointed they didn’t look at geranium oil, which I find highly effective, but it’s up to you to choose what you want to do and try it out for yourself.

Also, don’t be mislead by the deaths from DEET, for example, vs. the deaths from a bug-carried illness. I may not have died from Lyme Disease, but there were times when I thought, if this continued to be the way I had to suffer, death might be the better option. It was brutal. The same probably is true for people suffering from DEET-related illnesses and so on.

If you can – in effect – have your cake and eat it, too, – and stay well – why not go that route? That’s the route I’ve taken. I use completely safe bug repellents, and I don’t feel I have to worry about illness from either those repellents or bugs.