Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Lyme Prevention Starts at Home. Be prepared!




·       Create a tick kit for your family for use at home and make another for travel. Necessary items include a fine-tipped tweezer, alcohol pads, magnifier, and antibiotic ointment. Or, purchase a readymade kit, the TickEase Tick-Kitthat also includes tick ID, health risk assessment and tick testing info.

·       Remember to wear light-colored long sleeves and pants when in long grass areas

·       Tuck your pant legs into socks, especially if walking or hiking in wooded areas

·       Wear a bug repellent with DEET on your skin and Permethrin on your clothing to keep ticks away

Tick Safety in Your Yard

·       Clear tall grass and brush at the edge of the lawn and create a 3-foot barrier between lawns and wooded areas with wood chips, mulch, or gravel 

·       Cut lawn frequently and keep leaves raked because ticks prefer moist leafy areas rather than sunny open spaces

·       Locate patios and playground equipment in a sunny location, away from wooded areas

 

Tick Safety for Your Dog

·       After walking in wooded areas brush your dog vigorously and do a thorough tick check

·       Have your dog wear a permethrin-treated bandana, i.e. the TickEase Bandana to help repel ticks and other insects. 

·       Quickly remove embedded ticks from pets to reduce the chance of infection. The TickEase tweezer makes tick removal quick and easy as holding down a squirmy pet can be tricky.


Thanks to Erik Karits @erik_karits for making this photo available freely on Unsplash 🎁
https://unsplash.com/photos/r6PynlurQ2M

Friday, April 22, 2022

Importance of Men’s Sexual Health Education and Why We Should Care More About It Too!

 



Many often hear people demanding sex education for girls but not boys. The reasoning is simple. If young women get pregnant, they will have to deal with the consequences. Suppose young men get a woman pregnant. They may pass off the kid and continue their merry way in many cases. However, people need to start teaching sexual health education to both genders. Sex education is a social responsibility to care about a boy getting someone pregnant as it is a girl. Below are some reasons why people need to care about men's sexual health education.

To Prevent the Spread of STDS and HIV/AIDS

Many people think that they are untouchable regarding sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). They see those commercials on TV with young women shedding tears over a positive STD test and assume that it cannot be them. Everyone is susceptible to STDs and HIV/AIDS, whether you are a man or a woman. This means both genders need to be educated about the risks involved. With this, people can prevent the spread of these diseases.

To Prevent Pregnancy and Raise Awareness of Contraception

Sex is a crucial aspect of people's lives. This is evident from the increased sales of sex toys for seniors, among other sex toys, to keep their sex life balanced. There are many, many options of contraception. The good news is that most of them are highly effective if used correctly. The bad news is that they are too often not used correctly. Sex education needs to get both genders to understand all the different methods to make educated decisions about contraception and practice safe sex.

To Develop a Well-Rounded Sense of Sexuality

People develop sexuality based on what they learn from their families, schools, and the general media. Suppose a young man is never told that it is alright to like men and women. In that case, they may grow up to be someone who is ashamed of these feelings or hides them from others. The same goes for women. Objectifying the opposite sex in the media can lead young girls to think that their primary purpose in life is to look hot or be sexually available to men. The more these ideas are normalized, the worse things will get for both men and women.

To Treat Women as Equals and Have Empathy for Their Sexuality

Both males and females should know that women are human beings with sexual needs and sexual rights just like men. Suppose boys do not care about girls' feelings or sexual needs. In this case, they may grow up to see women as objects instead of equals. This is especially a problem for men who visit sex workers but do not know enough about what goes on in their lives. These men may have difficulty establishing genuine relationships with women out of fear. Most are afraid people will take advantage of them as they were in the past.

To Keep Men Informed About Their Bodies

Too many men never make it to the doctor because they are too ashamed of their bodies. They may have a small mole on their back that they think is cancer or one testicle that Is slightly larger than the other. This is just as dangerous as if women were not going to the doctor because they are embarrassed about their bodies. Both genders need to be aware of these things. This will ensure they do not develop unnecessary paranoia. It will also prevent both males and females from ignoring problems until things worsen and kill them.

Sex education needs to be taught to both males and females instead of leaving it up only to the girls in class. By being informed, many will be able to prevent the spread of STDs, unwanted pregnancies, excessive harassment, and many other problems. People will also be able to raise both genders to have a healthy respect for one another.



Photo by cottonbro from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/topless-woman-lying-on-bed-5028432/


Does Weed Go Bad?




While I’ve never tried, now that it’s legal in my state here’s what you should know if you went a little overboard. What can you do with what you don't use? Does weed go bad? How do you know when weed goes bad? No worries! Below, we'll cover everything from how to spot bad weed after it has been stored for a while to how to keep weed fresh.

First, how to keep your weed fresh

In the most general terms, you will need to pay close attention to four things in order to keep your weed fresh for as long as possible, including:

  • Control the storage temperature - the best temperature is below 77°F
  • Keep it out of the sunlight - UV rays will degrade cannabinoids and terpenes
  • Watch out for oxygen - Air exposure can mean moisture exposure, but may also degrade cannabinoids
  • Regulate humidity levels - Humidity can lead to problems with mold, but lacking humidity can cause over drying

Another important thing to consider is the container you use for storing weed. Plastic can expose the plant material to unnecessary toxins, so steer clear of plastic baggies and containers. Instead, opt for glass stash jars with an airtight lid, possibly with a silicone sleeve to keep out UV rays.

What does bad weed look like?

The appearance of old weed may not change much other than the vibrancy of the color. However, you can usually tell if weed is not fresh by the way it smells. Cannabis is one of the most aromatic plants on the planet, so if you pull out an older stash and it smells more like old hay, what you have is probably not that good. Fresh cannabis also should feel a bit sticky and resinous—it shouldn't crumble and break apart with little handling. It's also worth noting that old weed is not going to taste the same or yield the same level of effects.

How to check your weed for mold

Mold is extremely hard to spot in the densely packed flowers of cannabis. If you suspect your weed may be moldy:

  • Look for spots of fuzz or anything that looks powdery and white
  • Watch out for spongy spots of moisture where the flowers are dark or black
  • Take a whiff to see if your weed smells musty or mildewy at all

If you accidentally smoke moldy weed, you will probably be OK. However, some people experience things like nausea and coughing, and anyone with existing health problems should toss it out when in doubt.

Does weed have a shelf life?

Not necessarily. However, if you are storing your weed properly, you can easily expect that it will last anywhere from six months to a year or longer. As the cannabis ages, cannabinoid content will decline, so eventually, you will have dried cannabis with no good cannabinoids or terpenes left. By the time cannabis reaches four years old, it may have lost more than 40 percent of its THC content.

Looking for the best weed storage solutions? Be sure to check out the collection at Evergreen, including stash jars, humidification pods, and more.




Thanks to Add Weed @budding for making this photo available freely on Unsplash 
https://unsplash.com/photos/h3PWUqxpP_0