Friday, September 19, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

How to avoid tick bites this summer

Published 28 May 2023
– By Editorial Staff
Walk your dog on well-trodden paths to reduce the risk of ticks.
4 minute read

Eating garlic and applying coconut oil to your body this summer can reduce the risk of tick bites. There are also other natural ways to deter the parasites.

Why some people suffer more tick bites than others is partly unclear. A 2018 study found that ticks were more attracted to people with blood group A and least to those with B. Some researchers also suggest that it is a matter of body odor and that ticks can be attracted to people who exude ammonia, carbon dioxide or body heat, for example.

There are a lot of tick repellents on the market, both for animals and humans, but they can often contain some substances that are not very healthy. Some say that a number of natural items you have at home can help.

Garlic

Garlic lovers can feel slightly safer from tick bites, some say. Ticks are supposed to dislike garlic, and eating it regularly can scare them away. In a major Swedish study that began in 1998, doctor Johan Berglund investigated how garlic worked against ticks on 100 coastal rangers in the Swedish navy. The results showed that among those who ate garlic capsules, 30 percent more people avoided bites altogether, and those who did get ticks had 30 percent fewer bites.

Note that this only works on humans, animals can get sick from eating garlic and other onions.

Coconut oil

According to insect researcher Anders Lindström, the lauric acid in coconut oil should deter ticks. A 2008 study also supports the idea that coconut oil works well as a tick repellent and you can apply the oil to yourself and your animals. For example, Veronica Axelsson told tax-funded SVT in 2019 how she almost completely avoided ticks on her dogs using only coconut oil.

Rosemary

A 2010 study showed that rosemary remedies were effective against ticks. Here’s how to make your own rosemary decoction:

Boil about one liter of water. Remove the pan from the heat and add a jar of dried rosemary or a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, then leave the mixture to cool under a lid. Adding a little thyme should also be effective, but is not essential. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and add a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Spray on the skin before going into tick-infested areas. This should also work on animals. The concoction keeps for about two weeks.

Cloves

A 2006 study looked at different essential oils for tick bites and found that clove was a good option. It should work best if you buy clove as an essential oil and apply it, and you can try making a decoction as with rosemary. When it comes to animals, however, you should be careful with essential oils in general as they can be harmful.

Animals and ticks

Get into the habit of examining your animal every day. One tip is to buy a clothes roller, which is used to remove hair from clothes, and roll the animal from time to time. Ticks that have not yet settled can then get stuck on the roller. It also doesn’t hurt to brush the animal (outdoors) regularly. Ticks often settle around the neck or in armpits, for example. Keep a tick remover or similar readily available to quickly remove ticks from the animal.

Amber collars

Something that is both stylish and effective in preventing ticks is to use an amber collar. Amber is said to create a static charge in the animal’s fur that makes it harder for ticks to settle. Apparently, amber also emits a scent that ticks do not like.

Electromagnetic tick pendants

As with amber, these are supposed to work by electromagnetic charge and thus repel ticks, according to some. It should easily attach to any dog or cat collar.

Removing ticks

It is important to remove the tick as quickly as possible. This can be done with tweezers or with a special tick remover available from pharmacies, for example. Some people take a piece of paper and pinch the tick as close to the skin as possible. When removing it, pull straight out, don’t twist and try to avoid squeezing it too much. You can then flush the tick down the drain, burn it or put it in a glass jar with alcohol/ethanol. The alcohol should be at least 40 percent, says Professor Thomas Jaenson according to Land.se.

Tick-proofing tips

When staying in the forest, or in other places where there is a risk of encountering ticks, it can be advantageous to wear covering clothes, especially on the legs. Tuck your pants into your socks if possible. Smooth fabrics and even rubber boots make it more difficult for ticks to follow you home. One tip is to cover your arms and legs with regular nylon tights as the ticks will slide off the fabric.

Some people say that dark clothes are better than light ones as ticks are more attracted to light fabrics, while others say that light ones are better as it is easier to see the ticks. Regardless of your choice of clothes, you should brush them off thoroughly before entering your home.

Many people are afraid of ticks for understandable reasons, but don’t let this fear prevent you from spending time in nature. Nature is a source of health and well-being that should be taken advantage of. Those who have a little extra difficulty getting over their fear can stay on well-trodden paths and avoid high grass and rough terrain.

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Broccoli may protect against colorectal cancer

Published 15 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Delicious on the plate and delicious for your health.
2 minute read

People who eat more broccoli and cauliflower have a lower risk of colorectal cancer, according to a Chinese study. However, moderate amounts are sufficient to achieve the protective effect.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common form of cancer worldwide and is also the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths.

In Sweden, colorectal cancer has increased among young people over the past thirty years, and mortality from this form of cancer has increased among patients in all age groups for up to ten years after cancer diagnosis.

In the study, which was published in BMC Gastroenterology, researchers analyzed data from 17 previous studies, with a total of 639,539 participants, including 97,595 cases of colorectal cancer.

The purpose was to investigate whether higher vegetable intake corresponded to greater risk reduction for this form of cancer and, if so, the specific amounts at which this effect became significant.

The results showed that those who ate more cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts, had a 20 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer compared to those who ate less.

Photo: Polina Tankilevitch/Pexels

Glucosinolates

These vegetables contain many beneficial substances such as vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. But what makes them extra special are compounds called glucosinolates. When you chew these vegetables, glucosinolates break down into other compounds called isothiocyanates – particularly one called sulforaphane.

These are the compounds that give the vegetables their strong, sometimes slightly bitter taste and smell. These are also the compounds believed to be cancer-preventive.

The researchers found that the greatest risk reduction was observed between 20 and 40 grams, but no significant improvement was seen above 40 grams per day.

The study was conducted at the Second Clinical Medical School of Inner Mongolia University for the Nationalities in Yakeshi, China.

Thousands of Swedes unaware of their high blood pressure

Published 14 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Nine out of ten Swedes are expected to be affected by hypertension at some point during their lifetime.
2 minute read

Every other person with high blood pressure lacks knowledge of their diagnosis. Therefore, new national guidelines are now being developed.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is very common and it is estimated that nine out of ten Swedes will be affected by it at some point during their lifetime. Having high blood pressure means a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, among other conditions.

Today, approximately three million Swedes are estimated to suffer from it, but half don’t know about it. Women run a higher risk of being affected by cardiovascular diseases linked to lower blood pressure levels compared to men, yet despite this, 40 percent of women aged 35 to 49 are unaware of their blood pressure values, according to a report from the Swedish Heart-Lung Association earlier this year.

One in three Swedes don’t know their values, something that Mattias Brunström, associate professor of epidemiology at Umeå University in northern Sweden and chairman of the national working group for hypertension, believes needs to change.

If we could catch more people, we would avoid 30,000 cases of heart attack, stroke and heart failure in Sweden annually, he tells TT.

New guidelines

New guidelines will be presented in Sweden during the autumn. Today, the so-called blood pressure target is 140/90 mmHg (millimeters of mercury), but will be lowered to 130/80.

It’s important to clarify that we’re not changing the threshold for what constitutes high blood pressure. What’s changing is that blood pressure should be treated to lower levels than today, says Brunström, who has been involved in developing the new guidelines.

Furthermore, doctors will also be recommended to prescribe two medications directly to be able to lower blood pressure faster.

High blood pressure rarely has any symptoms, which is why many people walk around with it without knowing about it. However, one can experience symptoms such as headaches and fatigue, but the only way to be sure is to regularly check your blood pressure.

The Swedish Heart-Lung Association recommends that people under 40 check their blood pressure at least every three years, and thereafter should do so annually.

Through regular check-ups, one can detect early the need for support for lifestyle changes, medical treatment, or both, says Anders Åkesson, chairman of the Swedish Heart-Lung Association, in a press release.

Study: Ultra-processed food impacts men’s reproductive ability

Published 13 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
In just three weeks, the health of young Danish men deteriorated markedly, a new study shows.
2 minute read

Just three weeks of ultra-processed food is enough to worsen young men’s sperm quality and testosterone levels, shows a new study from the University of Copenhagen. The men also gained weight compared to when they ate regular food – despite identical calorie intake.

Ultra-processed food is, in short, food that is industrially manufactured and contains a range of different ingredients, and is often a large part of especially Western diets today. Everything from bread, cereals, protein powder to candy, chips and ready meals can be classified as ultra-processed food. Previous studies have linked ultra-processed food to cardiovascular disease, depression, weight gain as well as nutritional deficiency.

Three weeks is enough

In the study, which was published in Cell Metabolism, 43 Danish men between 25 and 30 years old participated. First, the men ate only ultra-processed food for three weeks, then followed three weeks with minimally processed food. Both diets contained the same amount of carbohydrates, protein, fat and calories – the only difference was the degree of processing. Some of the men received a calorie intake adapted to their weight, while others received a surplus of about 500 calories. Between the two diets, the men had a 12-week break where they ate their usual diet.

The results show clear health deteriorations after the period with ultra-processed food, compared to when they ate less processed food. The men gained about one kilogram in body fat and their cardiovascular health deteriorated – regardless of which calorie intake they had. Additionally, the men had worse sperm quality and their testosterone levels dropped.

We are shocked by the results, says one of the researchers behind the study, Romain Barrés, professor at the University of Copenhagen at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research to forskning.no and continues:

It’s really alarming to think about what happens if you eat such food year after year. The consequences can be serious and chronic.

The study supports previous research that points to ultra-processed food potentially being harmful to health, but also strengthens the hypothesis that this type of food contains calories that are more fat-forming compared to home-cooked food. The researchers now hope that the study will influence politicians when they make decisions about diet and health for Danes.

These products, which harm our health, are everywhere in our supermarkets, says Barrés.

Study: More health problems at higher radiation levels

Published 12 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The most common symptoms were fatigue, headaches, increased irritability, sleep problems and anxiety.
2 minute read

People exposed to higher levels of microwave radiation report more health symptoms, shows a new Indian study. The correlation was particularly clear for fatigue, headaches and sleep problems.

The study, which was published in Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, examined 183 people between 18 and 80 years old who had lived in the same home for at least one year in the city of Shillong in northeastern India. Researchers from Mizoram University in India measured microwave radiation in each residence and then divided participants into three groups based on the measured values.

The first group had the lowest levels (0–3,000 μW/m²) and included 43 participants. The second group had medium levels (3,000–5,000 μW/m²) with 49 participants, while the third and largest group had the highest levels (5,000–8,000 μW/m²) with 91 participants.

All participants answered a questionnaire about over 20 different symptoms.

The results showed that people in the highest exposure group reported significantly more health problems than the other groups. Even the medium group reported more symptoms than the lowest group. The researchers also discovered that people under 40 years old reported more inflammation-related symptoms.

Clearer symptoms among heavy phone users

The most common symptoms in the most exposed group were fatigue, headaches, increased irritability, sleep problems and anxiety. The symptoms were also more pronounced among people who used mobile phones more than five hours per day or lived within 50 meters of a base station.

To put the results in perspective: the Swedish reference value from the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority is 10 million μW/m², which means that all levels in the study were at least 1,250 times below this value.

The researchers concluded that exposure level was the only factor that affected the number of symptoms for all four examined health categories. The study confirms previous research that has linked health effects to radiation from mobile base stations. According to the Swedish Radiation Protection Foundation, fatigue, headaches and sleep problems are particularly common symptoms among people who live near 5G towers.

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