A Massage at Tahoe Blog

The following info is from realage.com: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.)

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

     Staying hydrated is critical no matter what your level of physical activity. In Lake Tahoe, with a base elevation of 6,200 feet, it is even more imperative. Plus, the dry air creates an even greater need to consume water.
    The H20 water bottle is one of the latest products to hit the market. Besides being environmentally correct by using a bottle over and over instead of buying water at a store, this one comes with a built in filter.
    The manufacturers say it will get rid of chlorine, trihalomethanes and heavy metals.
I haven’t tried the bottle. After all, what comes out of my tap in South Lake Tahoe is the best darn water I’ve tasted.
    For more information, go to www.endbottledwater.com.

Spas in Europe are doing more with wine grapes than letting them ferment. Wine wraps and crushed Cabernet scrubs are all the rage. It’s called vinotherapy. The theory is grape skins and seeds have antioxidant powers - a fact that people who drink and sell wine have professed for years.
Now skin care experts are saying the same thing.
Looking for more information, then check out these websites: www.caudalie.com, www.termesalvarola.it and www.fourseasons.com/carmelo/spa.
If you don’t want to travel overseas, go to New York. Starting in October 2008 the Plaza Hotel will offer wine to sip and grapes for your skin.