Costco Connection - June 2007

for your health

Stay mosquito free in the outdoors

GRILLING, HIKING, FISHING, playing volleyball: After a long winter, these are a few of our favorite things. Often, mosquitoes are the only downside to enjoying these and other outdoor activities.

While they are very annoying, mosquitoes can leave you with more than painful welts. They transmit diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue and West Nile virus. So how do you enjoy the great outdoors without coming in contact with mosquitoes?

The tips in the sidebar below will help you mimimize contact with mosquitoes, but personal protection is your best line of defense against mosquitoes. The Centers for Disease Control suggests covering up. That means donning long sleeves and long pants, especially if you venture into areas of dense mosquito populations, such as salt marshes.

Regardless of where your outdoor experiences take you, effective insect repellent is a

The Costco Connection A supply of effective mosquito repellent that contains DEET is available at your local Costco warehouse now.

vital key to warding off mosquitoes. For decades, repellents containing DEET (diethyl toluamide) have worked well. Experts believe DEET thwarts mosquitoes’ ability to sense body heat, carbon dioxide and lactic acid, three things these blood-sucking pests look for in a good meal.

But is it safe? After extensively testing DEET, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concluded that, as long as consumers follow label directions and take proper precautions, insect repellents containing DEET do not present a health concern, even for children as young as two months.

Taking these precautions will help you

Tell ‘em to bug off

THE FOLLOWING TIPS for controlling mosquitoes and avoiding exposure to diseases come from the Centers for Disease Control ( www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/ westnile/ prevention_info.htm).

Choose an insect repellent that contains DEET or other approved ingredients.

Wear light-colored clothing, a long-

KEN BROMAN

enjoy the warm-weather months without getting eaten alive by mosquitoes—and without unnecessarily exposing yourself to disease.

—Will Fifield

sleeved shirt, long pants and a hat outside when mosquitoes are most active.

Get rid of as much standing water as you can from around your home and property. Drain water from flowerpots, wading pools, old tires and so on. Change water in bird baths and pet bowls twice a week.

Make sure your screens are in good repair.

Feeling run-down? Studies show that not eating enough nutrients required for good health can leave you fatigued. That’s why Kirkland Signature developed the Daily Multivitamin Pack. Each convenient packet provides all the essential nutrients for a balanced diet. Plus, it now comes with added vitamin C and rose hips for increased immunity and that “get-up-and-go” feeling!