Page 9 - March 6, 2022

Make Easter
Sweeter
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Lucky Day
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APRIL 6, 2022, | SNJToday.com { 9 }
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THE GREAT OUTDOORS apply alcohol or Tecnu but do not get either as an adult. Fortunately, I’ve had the good Make Easter
It’s your
in your eyes or on other sensitive areas. I
fortune not to have it spread by addressing
simply use Fels or New Dawn.
it promptly with washing. (I hope I don’t
The Itch bar in the laundry detergent section of the have to eat those words!) Make Easter
Sweeter
Fels-Naptha can be found as a soap
What to do if you have the evil rash?
supermarket; it contains lye that is great
Don’t scratch, as hard as that may be; just
for getting the oils off your skin. And by don’t! If you suspect you are scratching in
the way it is also great for removing stains your sleep wear cotton gloves like the ones Lucky Day
Sweeten your St. Patty’s Day celebration
from clothing. Once gardening begins I they put on infants to prevent your nails Sweeter
keep a bar by the hose outside and wash my from causing infection. And if it is on your
with shamrock-inspired treats.
hands with it before coming into the house, eyes or in your pelvic region, scientifically
especially if I think I’ve been exposed. referred to as “your hoo-ha” at our house—
Sometimes after a canoe trip we pass a Fels- call a doctor. Occasionally people need a
Naptha bar around so folks can wash their prescription for topical corticosteroid drugs Sweeten your St. Patty’s Day celebration
hands and arms as a precaution. that can halt the reaction.
Unfortunately, it takes urushiol a very Hydrocortisone creams are recommend- with shamrock-inspired treats.
short time to penetrate the skin. If you ed for the itch. There are lots of over-the-
wash before 10 minutes of exposure you counter preparations to address the irrita-
may not get a rash. Your main purpose in tion or dry up the oozing blisters. Lotions
washing is to prevent further spreading, with calamine, zinc acetate, and alcohol can
The quarter gives an indication of the girth that a poison ivy vine can achieve. RIGHT: The leaves of and remember also to scrub under your fin- dry blisters and hasten healing. Products
poison ivy are generally smooth, but can be toothed, even on the same plant. PHOTOS BY AUTHOR
gernails. If you use alcohol it is advised that are numerous. Tecnu makes a cream for
Adages are all the rage on our children’s you not return to a poison ivy area the same the rash, and there’s also Domeboro, Aveno
walks. Commonly our naturalists relay day because you have removed your skin’s oatmeal bath, and many products contain-
characteristics of poison ivy with rhymes: own protective oils. ing aluminum hydroxide, calamine, kaolin,
“Leaves of three, let it be,” and “Hairy vine, If you have never been exposed before, aluminum, or zinc acetate and zinc oxide.
no friend of mine.” As the first expression the rash might not appear for a week to 10 A pharmacist can guide you in the proper
suggests, three glossy leaflets deriving from days. People who are already sensitized direction.
one stem are a major clue. But honestly, usually have a reaction of swelling, redness, There are some falsely held beliefs that I
poison ivy has rather variable leaves that and itching in 12 to 48 hours. Blisters will will attempt to dispel. Poison ivy is not con-
are generally smooth-edged, but toothed often follow; these look a bit like chicken- tagious. However, you can get it from cloth-
or jagged margins also occur. In the fall the pox. One statistic I came across said 500 ing or implements, used by someone else,
color may be yellow, orange, or red; addi- people could itch from the amount covering that have not been cleaned. Poison ivy does
tionally it gets tiny greenish flowers and has the head of a pin. I don’t really care about not spread; the oils can but that is why you
green or off-white berries. the other 499, who never touched the pin wash. In actuality what happens is people
Sometimes it is tiny like a new shrub, to begin with, but this statistic does under- scratch. This can cause infection, which
and other times it is so vigorous that it score the plant’s potency. could spread. Also, if you scratch when the
appears to be the branches of the host tree Prevention is a lot better than dealing oil is still on your body you will spread it,
itself. Thick hairy vines can climb up a tall with the rash. Wear long sleeves when but it does not spread from the blisters.
tree trunk before spreading out. I’ve seen working in the yard. Some highly allergic So why not just bomb all the poison
vines as big around as a good-sized fist. people wear plastic gloves inside their gar- ivy with glyphosate to begin with? First of
There are lots of precautions you can den gloves. If you are actually going to con- all glyphosate is a suspected carcinogen.
take if you think you’ve been exposed to sider pulling poison ivy I strongly suggest Furthermore, the reason why we see poison
urushiol while on a hike or working in your this. However, if poison ivy is in a high traf- ivy in so many areas is because birds eat the
yard. Your first assignment is go directly to fic area I recommend that a herbicide like fruit and broadcast the seeds in their drop-
a sink and wash your hands. I prefer to use glyphosate be applied. You can keep a spray pings, which makes it hard to eradicate.
New Dawn dish detergent or Fels-Naptha bottle in a safe place for this purpose. Many animals—deer, bear, and raccoons—
soap for this purpose. Remember, anything Whatever you do, don’t burn any part eat the leaves, stems, and fruit without ill
you touch can become exposed to the oils. of the plant! The oil becomes volatilized in effects. In fact, humans and a few primates
Experts recommend wiping your hands or the smoke, travels, and can expose people’s are the only animals that get a rash from
any infected area with a cloth and rubbing lungs to the oils, causing a serious or pos- poison ivy. To avoid it, just watch what you
alcohol. A number of my friends recom- sibly deadly reaction. touch and learn to identify it. Poison ivy is Edible Arrangements®
mend products like Tecnu, designed to One of my friends pulls ivy because he beneficial and part of our ecosystem, so it’s Vineland (#418)
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remove the oils. Remove your clothes and is not allergic. And he even eats it! In my best to live with it but not in it! 3600 E. Landis Ave, Unit 9
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put them directly in the washer. Then scrub opinion this is mighty foolhardy. In fact, Happy wandering! n Price and availability subject to change by location. ©2022 Edible IP, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Edible®,
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your hands again, plus any other exposed the more times you are exposed to urushiol Edible Arrangements®, and the Fruit Basket Logo are registered trademarks of Edible IP, LLC.
areas of your body. Wash your clothes in the more likely you are to break out in a Sources:
soapy water. I suggest you launder them reaction. And remember, the first time you • Poison Ivy Information Center Price and availability subject to change by location. ©2022 Edible IP, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Edible®,
Price and availability subject to change by location. ©2022 Edible IP, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
separately from other articles to prevent have a reaction it usually doesn’t appear • U.S. Food and Drug Administration Edible Arrangements®, and the Fruit Basket Logo are registered trademarks of Edible IP, LLC.
cross-contamination. for a week or 10 days. As a child I did not • Mayo Clinic Edible®, Edible Arrangements®, and the Fruit Basket Logo are registered trademarks of Edible IP, LLC.
Next, take a shower and soap up very get poison ivy, but after pulling it by error • Missouri Department of Conservation
well, rinse, and repeat. You can choose to in the garden I’ve had blisters on my hands •Smithsonian, “A Poison Ivy Primer”
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Price and availability subject to change by location. ©2022 Edible IP, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Edible®, Edible Arrangements®, and the Fruit Basket Logo are registered trademarks of Edible IP, LLC.