Tribe.net. Local Connections B E B http://beautifulbelize.tribe.net/thread/589c062a-88a4-415c-804e-67eeb1f6db72#d9e065cf-969e-4bc0-a89b-f82e86e3f475 2007-11-13T03:33:39Z 2007-11-13T03:33:39Z

Thanks everyone for the replies. I think we are going to stick with repellents and avoiding running naked in the jungle. :)

B E B 2007-11-13T03:33:39Z Dj http://beautifulbelize.tribe.net/thread/589c062a-88a4-415c-804e-67eeb1f6db72#b7ee1220-b543-4d65-98ec-5dc15e32dd98 2007-11-13T02:10:36Z 2007-11-13T02:10:36Z

My words of wisdom is that nothing natural works. The preventative western drugs are bad for your liver. The kind of malaria here in belize is not the African kind that lasts with you a lifetime, as far as I know. My husband is 26, from San Ignacio, and no one in his family has ever gotten Malaria, despite having a farm in the bush and spending lots of time in the bush....just go and have a good time. It is possible, but unlikely, that you will get malaria.

Dj 2007-11-13T02:10:36Z M.A. http://beautifulbelize.tribe.net/thread/589c062a-88a4-415c-804e-67eeb1f6db72#155e0326-e5a0-4a39-994d-ce0da15b5da8 2007-11-13T02:08:13Z 2007-11-13T02:08:13Z

Addendum: Meharry Med School in Nashville has had an excellent tropical medical dept. You might want to look at their website. My doc was all bent about chaga's and I told her to get over it the same with malaria. Check them out... And if it doesn't make sense or they don't have asite, go to web md or Pubmed. I usually tell my doc to piss off anyway... >;- ), (because I am fully able to defend myself with some degree of competence). Really, depends on where you go as much as anything IMO... fwiw. MA

M.A. 2007-11-13T02:08:13Z M.A. http://beautifulbelize.tribe.net/thread/589c062a-88a4-415c-804e-67eeb1f6db72#8d5f5570-cab2-42b6-afd8-8b9288de011a 2007-11-13T02:02:44Z 2007-11-13T02:02:44Z

Sun + Deet = rash and other neuro symptoms. No thanks. The weekly antimalarial pill has some profound side effects for some people. See Crazy Tuesday refs by the military. Jack Ass Bitters can be distilled in any # of ways and used on your skin without problems. I won;t drink the stuff because overuse can tox out your liver- like we need the help with Belekins or if you hit Guatemala, El Gallo- Lol. Check it out but I am loathe to use a bunch of anything because I have other stuff to concern myself with. However, my friends who do guide and live in the bush swear by this and the ethnobotany ref is sited as above. In any case you want to avoid the swamps near the coast and also the nasty mosquitoes in some of the wetter areas inland. In addition to malaria with those mosquitoes, you have to consider Bot fly eggs being deposited in the bites (local parlance= "beefworms"). Been coming here for years and living the Winters here and never had an issue. But This could be the year... so as said, do what you need to do and if it's any kind of bug spray, just try and spray your clothes or wear bug-off clothing. Just another thought on a warm, rainy Belize night... Best of luck! MA

M.A. 2007-11-13T02:02:44Z troy http://beautifulbelize.tribe.net/thread/589c062a-88a4-415c-804e-67eeb1f6db72#df25876f-3ff8-40ad-99d4-3e8f5efeba7e 2007-11-13T00:03:51Z 2007-11-13T00:03:51Z

Deet is bad, but it does work. I certainly would not use it regularly.

troy 2007-11-13T00:03:51Z M.A. http://beautifulbelize.tribe.net/thread/589c062a-88a4-415c-804e-67eeb1f6db72#e37efade-cfd9-4e27-a6bf-bd37072c3d3a 2007-11-12T23:47:22Z 2007-11-12T23:47:22Z

I take a lot of B-1 to keep the bugs off. It works as it generates a scent for the mosquitoes that is undetectable for people. The locals where I live in Cayo who do a lot of bush living, guiding and the local "root doc" here recommend Jack Ass Bitters. See Rain Forest Remedies by Arvigo and Balick. It works. pp 129. Me, I haven't been able to consider malaria prophylaxis and I live down here... and I won't mess with Deet. No way. That's my best info but you do what you need to do. MA

M.A. 2007-11-12T23:47:22Z troy http://beautifulbelize.tribe.net/thread/589c062a-88a4-415c-804e-67eeb1f6db72#f4536b30-a25e-4d6c-b5c8-e82396fe32eb 2007-11-12T20:09:24Z 2007-11-12T20:09:24Z

I think it just makes sense to keep bug spray handy in case you find yourself in a mosquito area. I only saw mosquitoes in the jungles. -troy

troy 2007-11-12T20:09:24Z B E B http://beautifulbelize.tribe.net/thread/589c062a-88a4-415c-804e-67eeb1f6db72#b3ec5a26-d538-4f75-be36-b0a127c5cf7d 2007-11-12T19:13:35Z 2007-11-12T19:13:35Z

getting excited, 2 week trip to Belize starts 6 weeks from now! I was wondering about what Belize regulars recommend in terms of use of anti-malaria drugs. My doctor was recommending them as a precaution, but I keep hearing from others who travel to Belize to not bother, and that the side-effects are sometimes bad, and the overall risk for malaria in Belize is low. Getting malaria would not be good of course!! thanks, -beb

B E B 2007-11-12T19:13:35Z