| How to Get Rid of Poison Ivy Plants Posted: Poison ivy plants make a dreadful garden companion. The resin in their oil is toxic and causes severe dermatitis or lung problems if you burn it. Here is how to rid your garden of this uninvited pest. Steps A cluster of three poison ivy leaflets make a leaf. Examine the various appearances the leaves have. - A vine with groups of three pointy leaves ("leaves of three, let it be").
- The middle leaf has a slightly longer stem than the two leaves on the side.
- The leaflets are larger at the base.
- There are no thorns on the stem.
- Sometimes there are white or green berries.
- It sends runners under the ground and can climb up into trees.
- Leaves are green during summer, red during fall.
- It can grow just about anywhere.
- Use a glyphosphate-based herbicide to kill the plants, such as Roundup™, Kleenup™, or a specific poison ivy killer.
- Mix the concentrate herbicide with water, three times the normal strength. Don't use ready-mixed Roundup™, as it's not strong enough to destroy poison ivy.
- Put the Roundup™ concentrate (or other brand) in a sprayer, like an empty window cleaner sprayer. Read the instructions on the Roundup™ label. Label the sprayer and keep this sprayer for only this purpose, in a safe place.
- On a day that is not windy or about to rain, spray thoroughly, to coat all poison ivy leaves with the solution.
- Wear long pants, long-sleeve shirts, plastic gloves over cotton, socks, and fully enclosed shoes or boots.
- Try not to get solution on any other plants, or they will die too. (Plants take the herbicide in through their leaves, then the plant dies.)
- For poison ivy high in trees, cut the vine off 6 inches above the ground and treat the stump with the glyphosate after cutting. Spray any leaves that resprout.[1]
- The poison ivy should turn yellow and die in a couple of weeks.
- Dig down into the soil at least 8 inches (20.3 cm) and remove all of the roots. This will help prevent future regrowth. Be sure to go right to the end where the roots are growing.[2]
- Make sure you keep your gloves on when digging, or you will get a rash, as even dead stalks can give you the rash from urushiol. Wearing a mask and safety glasses is also a good idea.[3]
- Pick up the roots wearing gloves and use plastic bags to stuff the roots into for removal by garbage collection.
- Use a hoe for stubborn or difficult root removal.
- Smother the area where the poison ivy was growing. Use cardboard, black plastic, newspaper, mulch, etc., to cover up the area where the poison ivy grew to prevent its regrowth.[4]
- Wait to use soap and water until after cleansing with rubbing alcohol, vinegar, mineral spirits or commercial cleanser. The initial cleanser will remove the poison ivy irritant.
- Check the area several times a year and take steps to kill the poison ivy.
- Do this for several years, because where there is poison ivy, there is probably more you haven't seen yet.
- Poison ivy is very persistent; it will come back from roots that are not killed or removed. It may be necessary to spray the vines two or more times to succeed in removing it completely. Watch for seedlings dispersed by birds carrying the seeds.[5]
Video In this video you will learn how to identify and remove poison ivy with little to no risk to your skin. Tips - Mark the spot where you found the poison ivy with something like a bamboo stick. This will help you check in the future.
- Herbicide works best on poison ivy that has already formed berries.
- If you're not comfortable removing poison ivy yourself, get a professional landscaper or gardener to remove it for you.
- Goats are voracious consumers of poison oak and ivy. If you can gain access to a goat, hire or borrow one to remove your poison ivy naturally. Nurseries or the agricultural extension office can point you in the direction of goats for hire. Remember that even if you use this method, you will still have to dig out the roots.
- Teach your kids to recognize poison ivy plants so they can avoid them.
- Contact your local agricultural extension office for the best method to remove poison ivy in your area.
Warnings - Never burn poison ivy. The smoke from burning poison ivy will cause the same reaction in your lungs that normally happens on the skin. Reactions to this kind of exposure are far more serious than those resulting from topical contact.
- Remember that even the bare twigs and branches of these plants are toxic even during the dormant season.
- Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide and will kill any plant that it comes in contact with. Keep it away from your landscape plants.
- Do not use herbicides around children or animals. Always store out of reach of children and pets. Follow the instructions on the label carefully.
- When getting rid of poison ivy, be extremely careful not to let the plant touch your skin. Wear gloves and protective clothing and wash with care as the urushiol can remain on clothing after touching the poison ivy.
- Do not plant anything in an area that has been sprayed with glyphosate for a week, as the herbicide continues to kill for a number of days after application.
Things You'll Need - A sprayer like an empty Windex
- A glyphosphate-based herbicide like Roundup
- Long pants, long-sleeve shirts
- Socks and fully-enclosed shoes. Boots may be even better!
- Gloves (plastic over cotton)
- Barrier cream
- Rubbing alcohol
- Vinegar, or mineral spirits
- Commercial cleanser like Technu (optional)
- Soap and water but only after cleansing with cool rubbing alcohol, vinegar, mineral spirits or Tecnu
Related wikiHows Sources and Citations |
| Today is World Blood Donor's Day. How to Prepare to Donate Blood Posted: We cannot live only for ourselves.
A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men. ~ Herman MelvilleThe availability of quality blood is a very important component of modern medicine. It cannot be created synthetically, so it must be collected from volunteer donors. Yet, many people are afraid to donate for reasons varying from worry about pain to worry about catching a disease. The reality is that donating blood is safe, as there are many precautions in place and there is no reason to fear a communicable disease. The most serious risks when donating blood are referred to as "adverse reactions" and these generally take two forms, namely fainting or bruising. If you follow these steps, you will reduce the potential for both types of adverse reactions. Steps - Determine if you are eligible to donate blood. Each country's blood service will have different requirements in place, some based on specific blood disease concerns (see the "Sources and Citations" below to locate different country requirements). In general, you will be able to give blood if:
- You are healthy, fit, and not suffering from a current illness. Avoid donating blood if you have a cold, a cold sore, a cough, a virus, or an upset stomach.
- You weigh at least 110 pounds or 50 kg.
- You are of the right age (in many jurisdictions, you will require parental permission for the ages 16-17 to give blood; check your local requirements).
- Avoid donating blood after dental work. If you have had a minor dental procedure, wait 24 hours before donating blood. If you've had major dental work, wait for a month.[1]
Prior to donating blood - Drink plenty of water or fruit juice the night and morning before you donate. The leading cause of faintness and dizziness is a drop in blood pressure.[2] Getting lots of water or fruit juice into your body helps keep your blood pressure up. The Australian Red Cross Blood Service advises that you drink well in the 24 hours leading to the donation time, especially when it's warm, recommending four good sized glasses of water or juice in the three hours prior to donation.[3]
- If you are donating plasma or platelets, drink at least 6 to 8 glasses.[4]
- Avoid drinking caffeinated drinks, as these will cause your body to expel water.
- Eat three hours prior to the donation. It's not a good idea to come in with an empty stomach; eating will keep your blood sugar levels stable, helping you to feel better after you have donated blood.[5] Having food in your blood helps to ward off light-headedness.
- Eat breakfast (cereal, toast, etc.) or a light lunch, such as a sandwich and piece of fruit.
- If you think you might be nauseous during donation don't eat immediately before your appointment.
- Avoid fatty foods for twenty-four hours before you donate. Increased fat in your blood stream might make it impossible to get accurate readings on some of the mandatory screening tests conducted on samples of your blood after you donate. If they can't run all the tests, they have to discard your donation. You don't want all your effort wasted!
- Eat iron rich foods for two weeks before your appointment, for example, spinach, whole grains, eggs, and beef. Having good levels of vitamin C will help to increase iron absorption (consume citrus juice and citrus fruit, or take vitamin C pills with your doctor's advice).[6] Your iron level will be tested before you donate to protect you from donating blood--you really need to ensure that recipients receive a potent product.
- Prepare all identification and blood donor cards you need to take the day before and put into something that you carry with you. That way you won't forget to take them if you're feeling nervous. Blood donor cards can help speed up the process as your personal donor number will let the blood bank or service find your details quickly.
- Answer questions from the staff members or on forms and answer all interview questions honestly. Certain activities increase the chances of blood borne illnesses (i.e., those that can be transmitted through blood) and those who have recently engaged in those activities may be prevented from donating blood for a period of time. Some of the questions regarding sexual activity might be embarrassing, but the people working at blood centers are professionals. They have heard it all before.
- You might be deferred,[7] but no one will ever know why unless you tell them. If you need a less embarrassing excuse to tell your friends or coworkers, low iron is the most common cause for deferral. Low blood pressure, high blood pressure and high temperature are also good excuses that shouldn't cause embarrassment. Ask the registration personnel if you think you need exact numbers for your made-up excuse.
During the blood donation - Expect nurse to check your hemoglobin levels. This will involve a small prick on your finger. It will need to be within the healthy range before you can give blood, to ensure that giving blood won't leave you feeling anemic.[8]
- Ask for a blanket if your hands or feet start to feel cold. This is a sign that your blood pressure is dropping. A nice warm blanket might help you to relax.
- Take a deep breath before the needle goes in, or pinch yourself to create a distraction. Don't hold your breath; if you do, you might pass out. Be reassured - most people report little or no pain, with comments such as it feeling like a "pinch".[9] The real issue is discomfort, so the less you tense up, the better. Naturally, know your own limitations - if you're hyper-sensitive, be sure to explain this to staff taking the blood in advance.
- Relax. Nervousness can also cause your blood pressure to drop and can lead to dizziness. Talk to the person taking your blood if it helps you to feel better, and ask him or her to explain everything that is being done. Find ways to distract yourself--chew gum, sing a song, recite something, contemplate the outcome of a book you're reading or a TV series you follow, listen to your MP3 or CD player, think about the worthy end result of your donation, and even ask the person taking your blood if they know of any cases where donated blood made the difference between life and death.
After the blood donation - Expect to be asked to rest sitting down for 5 to 20 minutes after giving blood. This lets the staff keep an eye on you to make sure that you're in good shape before you leave.
- Have a snack after the donation. Drink some water or juice and eat a light snack with a high sugar content to get that blood sugar back up. Rest for a few minutes enjoying your snack before leaving the donation site. Let your body adjust a bit before rushing off to the rest of your day. Plan to spend fifteen minutes in the canteen.
- Avoid driving if you feel the least bit faint. Donating blood is not dangerous, but driving is, and you could be seriously injured if you faint while driving. If you are not well after your donation, call someone to come pick you up.
- Eat a meal high in protein after your donation: beef, chicken or legumes are excellent choices. You should also eat some vegetables and be sure to drink plenty of water. All these things will help your body make more blood for you soon.
- Refrain from drinking alcohol for at least 8 hours after giving blood.[10]
- Excuse yourself from heavy lifting for the rest of the day. This includes weightlifting at the gym, of course as well as working at any job that requires heavy lifting. If you have such a job, you should schedule your blood donations for Fridays. Heavy lifting will almost certainly cause the vein to reopen and bleed into your arm causing a large, painful bruise. If you give it 16-24 hours to heal properly, you shouldn't have any trouble.
- Avoid strenuous exercise for the rest of the day. Don't go running or dancing or bicycling until tomorrow. You've done enough for today. You helped save a life!
- If you feel unwell at any stage after giving blood, call the blood service or see your doctor.
- Sign up for another time. Getting into a regular habit of donating blood is a generous and potentially life-saving gift.
Video Tips - Bring a large bottle of orange juice. It will give you a fast boost of sustenance after giving blood.
- If you feel faint, tell the medical staff, and they will assist you into a reclining position on the chair. If you've already left the donation center, put your head between your knees to increase blood flow to your brain, or lay down and elevate your legs if you can.
- If you fail the iron test with one hand, try the other hand. If you repeatedly fail, try eating oatmeal (any kind will do) for breakfast for at least a week before you donate.
- Spread the word! Tell friends and family how you overcame your fear of donating and encourage them to donate as well.
- Offer to donate for someone who's ineligible - someone who's on strong drugs, in bad health, or who has travelled to a country that disqualifies them.
- Offer to donate for your kids - get them excited about donating, so that they'll continue in your footsteps when they're old enough.
- Lie down flat when you donate. This helps with the drop in blood pressure and the lightheadedness, especially when it is your first time.
- Once you are okay with the process, ask about platelet donations. It takes longer to donate platelets but you get to keep your red blood cells. Platelets are a vital product used to treat seriously ill patients.
Warnings - Don't donate blood if you weigh less than the minimum weight for donating (110 lbs/50 kg). You are very likely to react badly.
- Don't donate blood if you are under the age of 18 (in some states 16 with permission from a parent or adult guardian). It varies depending on the country, as well, so check your local requirements.
- Eligibility criteria change frequently. The travel criteria are a bit complicated. It might be helpful to make a list of every place you've visited outside the country in the past year. Include city, country and date.
- Don't call for your test results. If you want your blood tested, go see your doctor. Blood donation centers will notify you if you test positive for anything dangerous, but if you call to ask, they must assume you believe yourself to be at risk. They will discard your donation and flag you as ineligible to donate in the future.
Things You'll Need - Photo ID (regulations in the United States as of 2007 require a photo ID when registering to donate blood). Many other jurisdictions require photo ID and various other pieces of ID as well, so be sure to find out before attending
- Parent Consent form if 16 years old (check your local requirements for age, however)
Related wikiHows Sources and Citations - Blood donor sites for updates:
|
| 8 Steps to Defusing an Argument Posted: At some point, most people have been involved in a flaming row: each of you is convinced the other is wrong, and neither of you will back down. You've tried everything—ironclad logic, tearful manipulations, and shouting louder and longer than the other person—and neither side will budge. So, what can we do to defuse an argument? Here's how to dial down the anger and frustration, and settle things down. Steps - Calm down. People's higher reasoning abilities shut down when they're angry. If either you or the other person is hot with anger, take a few minutes of quiet to cool off—half an hour or more if necessary.
- Say "I'm too upset to discuss this right now. Let's meet again in half an hour."
- During that time, relax.[1] Breathe deeply. Don't ruminate or stoke your anger. Better to take a walk and clear your mind. If you must think ahead about the conversation, try to empathize, or think of how you might word what you need to say in the following steps.
- Listen. Find out what the other person wants you to hear. You don't have to agree with it. Many arguments go on unpleasantly and without progress because each side is trying to be heard but neither side is listening. By listening, you break the deadlock.
- Confirm your understanding. Summarize your understanding of the other person's position, by stating it in your own words, and ask if your understanding is accurate. "Let's see if I understand you correctly. Are you saying ____?" By switching from establishing which side is right, to accurately understanding the other side, you defuse the struggle to "force a verdict". You create an opportunity to correct misunderstanding, and if you do understand correctly, the other person now sees this.
- Making an honest effort to understand shows good faith. The heat of an argument often derives from each party's doubting that the other is acting in good faith.
- Confirm that you have been understood. Now, ask the other person if they would be willing to summarize your position. If they can't, or they haven't heard it yet, ask if they would be willing to listen to what you have to say now.
- Phrase your request in a way that avoids blaming or shaming the other person for misunderstanding you. You can do this by wording it so you are the one responsible for communicating your point, rather than making the other person responsible for understanding you. For example, say "I'd like to make sure that I've gotten my point across" rather than "I'd like to make sure you haven't misunderstood."
- Identify the points where you already agree. Actually, after listening and confirming understanding, most arguments dissolve right then: there was no actual disagreement. If there is still disagreement, though, take a moment to list the main points where you already agree. For example, if it's an argument about who should take out the trash, take a moment to see that you both already agree that you each want the house to be clean, and you each want chores distributed fairly. You would not be having an argument if there were not some underlying agreement.
- If parts of what the other person has said have moved you to changed your mind, now is a good time to say so. If they have enlightened you or corrected an error of yours, thank them.
- Don't use agreement on these other points as a tactic to logically "checkmate" the other person into admitting they were wrong. That's the kind of tactic that keeps the argument burning. Genuine agreement will come, when and if it comes. It can't be forced.
- State the disagreement. Now that you have clarity about each other's position and you know where you already agree, take a moment to put the point where you disagree into words. Many arguments go on fruitlessly because neither side even knows what the argument is about!
- When you put the disagreement into words, either you will both agree very quickly on what the disagreement is, or you won't. If the latter, this opens up an opportunity to hear something important that you haven't heard yet. Or perhaps you will discover that there is no actual disagreement.
- Consider your options. Now, what can you do to resolve the disagreement? Some often-applicable options are:
- If it's a disagreement about who should do some work (for example, taking out the trash), options are other ways to divide up jobs between you. You may find a way of allocating jobs that you both find more enjoyable. You simply have to negotiate and compromise.[2]
- If it's a disagreement about who gets to use a limited resource (for example, who gets to watch TV right now, or whether there should be quiet or loud music right now), options include: scheduling use of the resource so you both get to enjoy it, finding a way to use it that you both enjoy simultaneously, going your separate ways.
- If it's a disagreement about how to do something (for example, what color to paint the living room, how to word a sentence in an article you are collaborating on), options include: trying out both approaches and then seeing how you like them, exploring compromises that use the best of both ideas, looking for entirely different approaches, giving one person control over one part of the project and another person control over another, or simply giving in if you don't think it's worth fighting over.
- If it's a disagreement about whether a plan will work (for example, whether a business idea is worth investing in), some options are: exploring small ways to try out the plan to see if it's feasible, or having the person who believes in the plan go ahead but without help from the person who doesn't (and reaping all the rewards if the plan is successful).
- If it's a disagreement about what is true (for example, did O.J. do it, or what's wrong with your car, or whether God exists), likely options include thinking of ways to put the proposition to a test, new facts to check out, or simply letting the disagreement go unresolved—"agree to disagree".
- An option that is often fruitful is to delay in order to let your mind work on the disagreement. Now that you have each heard the other and understand the disagreement clearly, your mind has new material to work on, and this may take some time.
- Decide how to decide. By now, you've probably resolved the disagreement. If not, then agree on a plan for how to resolve it. You might go to a third party, flip a coin, meet again the next day after thinking, check out some facts that you think will settle the matter. Agreeing to a way of deciding is often easier than resolving the disagreement directly. You can both agree right now that the way of deciding is fair.
- Celebrate! You started angry over what looked like an insoluble stalemate, you heard each other, and you broke the logjam. This calls for a ritual to mark your shared success: a laugh, if it was only a silly misunderstanding, or perhaps a handshake or a drink.
Video Tips - Read the tactics in wikiHow's Stop an Argument in Thirty Seconds to try and finish an argument quickly.
- Let go of being "right". Wanting to be right in an argument is the surest way to keep it going. People will argue about who's right and who's wrong for years if they don't decide to do something else with their energy. It's a no-win situation. There's an old saying: "Would you rather be right, or be happy?" Be humble.
- Practice nonviolent communication. Empathize with the other person's feelings and share your own, explicitly identify the underlying needs that you are each trying to fulfill, and then request what you would like the other person to do. This shifts the conversation from "who's right and who's wrong" or demanding that the other person back down, to getting what you each really want.
- Apologize. If there's anything you can possibly be sorry for, apologize for it. Even if you didn't do anything wrong, you can apologize for the way your actions or words affected someone. Sometimes an apology is enough to disarm a person's ego or frustration, or was what the person was looking for all along. Many times, an argument will fizzle as soon as a sincere apology is given.
- Forgive. If there is anything the person did to upset or offend you, openly forgive them, even if they didn't apologize. Example: "Look, I was upset that you came over without calling first, because I thought it was rude. But I trust that you weren't trying to be rude, and maybe you just forgot to call, and I'll assume you'll call next time. Okay?"
Try to see the funny side
Warnings - Avoid extreme words that suggest lack of maneuvering or paint an unjustifiable generalization. Words such as "always" or "never" are usually not true and using them can amplify the anger and cause the situation to worsen.
- Some people may just want to pick fights, or engage in an argument. Recognize when this is the case, and walk away.
- Don't belittle the other person, or ridicule his or her opinion. Mockery isn't constructive, most people will simply resort to using the same kind of verbal weapons against you!
- The quickest way to end any argument is to simply agree with the other person even if you don't. If you don't desire any further relationship with that person, that may be fine. However, fake agreement is acting in bad faith. In a relationship, fake agreement can be an avoidance tactic, especially if the issue is crucial to the relationship. It's disrespectful and plants the seeds of resentment—your own resentment, because you're not getting your needs met. If you have arrived at a stalemate situation, one way to bring it to close is to say "This is how I feel about the situation right now. You can either accept it, be upset about it, or break up with me, but I am not arguing about it anymore."
Related wikiHows Sources and Citations |
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