Why itchier bites are bad for you
It seems those super-itchy mosquito bites are more likely to make you sick than the not-so-itchy ones, says Cameron Webb.
Now that we’ve had the shortest day of the year many of us can be left feeling a little worn out. This may be from the weather, additional hours at work, or simply from what can feel like the wear and tear of everyday life. Our daily habits create the person we are, so if you don’t have any restpromoting rituals, it can be difficult to put runs back in the bank. What restores and energises you? This is different for all of us; however, regularly finding space so that you can rest is one of the best health investments you can make.
In today’s world being ‘‘busy’’ is often worn like a badge of honour; many people see rest as failure. So if you’re seeking permission to rest, here it is! Here are some ideas to help you incorporate more rest and restoration in your life.
Wake 30 minutes earlier than your household
While not technically resting, creating space in the morning can create an unparalleled sense of calm throughout your day. Rise early to make the most of the peacefulness morning brings.
Boil the kettle and make yourself a lovely cup of your favourite hot drink – find a comfortable spot where you can sit and ease gently into the morning.
This is a beautiful way to set your intentions for the day and allows you time to wake without the interruptions and the hustle and bustle of early morning in your household. Do this for a week and notice how much calmer and more centred you feel before you start your day.
A 15-minute meditation before bedtime
Many of us have little to no transition into rest. We simply put our head on the pillow and expect to switch off.
A simple meditation focusing on your breath is a lovely way to ease into rest.
Simply lie in flat on the floor, yoga mat or on the bed, or sit supported in a chair, whatever you prefer – there is no right or wrong way to do it. Bring your focus to your breath moving in and out of your nostrils. If you need additional help there are many wonderful guided meditation videos/audios available online. Use these as a guide to help you find what works for you.
Prepare a nourishing meal
You can either see preparing your evening meal as just another source of stress in your life, another task that needs to be completed or an opportunity to nourish yourself/your family. Preparing a beautiful soup, casserole or slow cook can be meditative if you perceive it that way.
If you find cooking stressful then this may not be the option for you, however, I challenge you to consider what you find stressful about cooking. Is it the time pressure, the cleaning up, little people who need you during this time, or simply just having another thing to do?
If you can delegate the bits you find stressful it may make all the difference. Or pre-prepare soups, stews or casserole-style meals on a Sunday when you have space to cook with calm.
It is amazing how different preparing a meal feels when you consider it a vital part of your health and wellness.
Read more books
From the more introverted among us there is often nothing more replenishing than a good read.
Fact to fiction it doesn’t matter – this time spent by yourself can be incredibly restorative.
In the age where everything is available digitally you can’t beat picking up a physical book, having a break from screens and introverting for a while. Reading before bed is another wonderful way to help transition the nervous system into rest.
Replace strenuous exercise with yoga
Once per week replace a more strenuous form of exercise with yoga – your body and mind will thank you for it.
A regular yoga practice can be a great way to reduce stress, improve your flexibility and calm the mind.
Yoga is a wonderful way to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the rest and repair arm of the nervous system.
If you don’t like going to a studio take your mat down to a local park or simply practice at home.
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New research suggests we could better understand mosquito-borne disease by looking closely at our itchy bites.
Mosquitoes need blood. Unfortunately, they often get that blood from us; some of us are bitten more commonly than others.
But mosquitoes aren’t flying syringes transporting droplets of infected blood from person to person.
The mosquitoes need to be infected with a pathogen first before it can be passed on. And, more importantly, the mozzie’s spit must be infected.
When a mosquito bites, she (only female mozzies bite) injects saliva to get the blood flowing. It’s a mixture of chemicals that helps the mosquito suck up blood from their unsuspecting victim.
The reaction to mosquito bites can vary greatly. For many, a ‘‘mozzie bite’’ will be a mild annoyance that resolves itself without too much trouble. For others, the reaction can be more serious.
It is particularly troublesome for young children who seem to react the worst. While there are no magic solutions to solve the itch, reactions generally get less severe as we develop a tolerance to bites.
The spit may cause a reaction but it can also contain something more serious. Mosquito-borne pathogens, such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya, infect hundreds of millions of people every year. The emergence of Zika virus and its link to birth defects is yet another reminder of how potent these pathogens can be.
Not everyone bitten by a mosquito carrying a virus will develop symptoms. New research suggests the worse our reaction is to mosquito bites, the more likely it is we’ll get sick.
The scientists allowed the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, to bite laboratory mice and then injected the mice with Semliki Forest virus (an African mosquito-borne virus that generally causes mild symptoms in humans) via syringe.
Other mice were only injected with the virus. What they found was that the immune cells that rushed to the bite site as part of an inflammatory response, helped the virus replicate and spread. Mice without mosquito bites had substantially lower rates of infection.
The implication is the reaction of the host to a mosquito bite may play a critical role in the virus’ ability to infect the host. This isn’t surprising, and previous research has suggested an important role for mosquito saliva in virus transmission. These mosquitoborne viruses have evolved to exploit mosquitoes to get from host to host, why not adapt to the immune response of their hosts to further aid their survival?
The latest research hints at a fascinating potential for mosquitoborne disease prevention.
We already have a wide range of safe and effective mosquito repellents that can help prevent bites. We just need to encourage people to use them correctly. If you can stop mosquitoes biting, you can stop disease.
Perhaps the use of antiinflammatory creams or other medications may further reduce the chances of illness. It’s difficult to stop all bites and it only takes one infected mosquito to slip through the cracks in our repellent coverage to cause infection.
Could using these creams act as a safety net? If you can’t stop all the bites, at least minimising the inflammation may assist in reduce risk of disease.
Cameron Webb is a clinical lecturer and principal hospital scientist at the University of Sydney. This article was originally published on The Conversation.