[pct-l] DEET

["Rusty MyTie" <pctresearch@hotmail.com>]

I post today in support of Montedodge's word of caution on DEET. Sure one or 
even several apllication of DEET won't kill you. You could probably take a 
bath in the stuff for an extended periode of time and still be around to 
post to the digest on how harmless this stuff is. I think the point we, the 
DEET slammers, are trying to make is that DEET is just one of the several 
thousand chemicals in our lives we have the power to avoid. One or two 
random exposures to the stuff is probably no big deal if you have a healthy 
functioning liver. But remember, each exposure to DEET is a small but 
definite liver punch, causing your body to work just a little harder to 
detox the stuff (the acts of detoxing chemicals can be a source of toxins 
initself). And, in light of all the little punches we recieve from the 
thousands of chemicals we are exposed to daily, our liver can often be up 
against the ropes. Those of use who prefer to avoid DEET due so in 
recognition that our liver can use all the support it can get in todays 
world. Also, keep in mind small "harmless" doses can have an accumliative 
effect that will not be evident but can still have long term effects. It 
seems a lot of science on these matters focus on the short term acute 
effects becasue it is too difficult and costly to study effects of long-term 
chronic exposure (read - we just don't know).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't agent orange used in our farming industry 
as an ingredient in pesticides? This would mean we have daily exposure to 
minute amounts of it. Why is cancer on the rise?

As for Mary B's unleashing of the power of carbon dioxide - I have not read 
the research but I can see the mechanism that might explain how holding ones 
breath to increase the CO2 content of the blood will result in dialation of 
the bronchioles. This would could have good application to those suffering 
from bronchiole constriction (asthma, etc) but I don not see how it can be 
applied to someone at altitude and exercising. Please keep in mind that your 
tissues need oxygen to be able to do work. Otherwise, they go into a state 
of anareobic energy production which will ultimatly result in lactic 
acidosis of the blood and muscle fatigue. Acid in the blood may be good for 
the hippies but under normal conditions it puts an additional stress on the 
body. And, I'm just therorizing here, the buildup of CO2 in the blood will 
buffer the acid, but as soon as you begin to breath again you loose this 
buffer. Double whamo for the body because your blood just got more acidic 
and the body will have to work to nutralize this acidity. It does this by 
pulling calcium out of the bones to be used as a buffer. So, think about 
holding your breath next time your exercising. If your having problems 
breathing and this methode helps you, then you can try drinking a tablespoon 
or two of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in a glass of water before you 
exercise. This will help buffer the blood acids.

Sorry for getting off track, I will try to keep more to the subject of 
hiking.
--
Rusty "MyTie" Johnston
pctresearch@skyrocket.com
http://skyrocket.com/pctresearch

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