Like an annual Methuselah, the West Nile Virus is again rearing
its ugly head. It is transmitted by mosquitos. Hungry Mosquitos,
hoards of them just waiting for that unsuspecting person or
animal that is anywhere near their path around dusk or dawn.
According to the Center for Disease Control West Nile Virus has
been plaguing Africa (where it was first “Discovered” in Uganda
in 1937). It has been reported in the Middle East; west and
central Asia; Oceania; Europe, and starting in 1999 North
America. It has been reported in virtually every state
throughout the East Coast and Mid-Western United States. Soon it
will also hit the West Coast. It is a threat to public, equine,
and animal health. The most serious risk in humans and horses
when infected is fatal encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
Death also happens to infected domestic and wild birds.
If you live in an area where they have discovered West Nile
Virus activity, you are at risk of getting West Nile
encephalitis; persons older than 50 years have the highest risk
of severe disease.
West Nile Virus is spread exclusively thru bites by mosquitos,
though some ticks have been discovered carrying West Nile Virus
in their blood. However, now it is not believed that ticks pose
any risk of infection.
So How do you avoid getting West Nile Virus? The obvious answer
is to avoid getting bitten by a mosquito. You can curtail all
outdoor activity around dawn and dusk. No more jogging in the
park, barbequing dinner, late evening softball, etc. So you can
hide inside and become a shut in out of fear. You can coat
yourself with chemical insect repellants, or you can look for
natural methods.
Most methods of avoiding mosquito bites are using hazardous,
noxious and harsh chemicals. Still, there is an all natural
inexpensive way to ward off mosquitos and avoid getting bitten.
In researching my ebook, “Vinegar Magic”
http://www.vinegarmagic.com one of the many uses of vinegar I
heard of was using apple cider vinegar to stop mosquitos from
attacking. I didn’t believe it, so I tried it on myself. Every
day for a week I drank two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in
8 ounces of water. Let me tell you, I noticed a difference. I
can be outside barbequing at dusk. I’ll see a mosquito making a
bee line at me. It gets close and then suddenly, as if by magic
it makes a U-turn and flies away. It’s like I have a magic
protective shield around me.
Most municipalities will begin fogging areas for mosquitos with
chemical pesticides once they have discovered West Nile virus.
That usually means at least one person has been bitten. The
incubation period in humans meaning the time from infection to
when you see disease symptoms for West Nile encephalitis usually
runs three to 15 days. Why run the risk of waiting to become a
victim?
Symptoms of West Nile Virus Most infections are mild, and
symptoms include fever, headache, and body aches, occasionally
with skin rash and swollen lymph glands. More severe infection
may be marked by headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor,
disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness,
paralysis, and, rarely, death.
Better to not take the risk and drink apple cider vinegar. While
the prospect of drinking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
may sound like a disgusting horrible taste, two tablespoons of
apple cider vinegar when mixed into eight or 10 or 12 ounces of
water does not taste bad. In fact, you can hardly taste the
vinegar. Another tip is to mix some apple cider vinegar in your
pet’s food. It can help protect them from mosquitos and flies as
well. You can find some companies selling apple cider vinegar
capsules as a diet aid. (Apple cider vinegar for dieting is also
mentioned in my ebook entitled “Vinegar Magic”.)
Like they say about Chicken soup, “It couldn’t hurt.” Be careful
when using vinegar. Remember it is acidic so don’t take to much
thru the day. Think of it like salad dressing without the oil
and salad. Like all things use common sense. If you have stomach
or other problems, check with your professional care giver.
Copyright (c) May 16, 2002 Allen Weber.
About the author:
Allen Weber author of Vinegar Magic ebook It contains over 375
uses for Vinegar ranging from home, cleaning, personal and pet
care, and more uses. Available at: http://www.VinegarMagic.com
sells for $17.76
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