Summertime brings about outdoor activities such as hiking and camping, and exposure to poison ivy. I ran across this article at WebMD that caught my attention since both my children have bad reactions to this nasty little plant.
As the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases, it’s boosting the growth of poison ivy plants, two recent studies show. These elevated carbon dioxide levels are creating bigger, stronger poison ivy plants that produce more urushiol, the oil that causes the allergic reaction and miserable poison ivy rash. The urushiol isn’t just more plentiful; it might also be more potent.
Distribution state by state:
Green = present
White = not present
Complete article can be found here.
Technorati Tags: environment – poison ivy – carbon dioxide – urushiol
I’ve been lucky so far and haven’t been allergic to poison ivy but I think it will pay to be more careful now. I remeber reading that this might happen if the climate got any warmer overall around 2-3 years ago. Guess they weren’t kidding.
Elaine,
From what I can tell, and assuming the map continue on to Canada, poison ivy isn’t something I need to be concerned about. I will have to check if it is in the Rocky Mountains though.
Sorry to be so far behind in reading your blogs! Didn’t realize you were back from vacation till your Poco email. Such a delightful puppy! How is he coming along now with the outdoor training?
Glad you had a safe trip and mostly enjoyable time.
Really liked the common sense food article!
Love and hugs,
Beth
Elaine,
Yes I believe it! When we were down in North Carolina (2 summers ago) and I was clearing out a lot of vegetation around our daughter Sarah’s new house I picked up some poison ivy. I think it took me over 2 months to finally get rid of all of it and the intensity of it was more severe than I have ever experienced. I have picked up posion ivy a couple of times in my life but nothing compared to this last time. I bought several medications to try to get rid of it and was about to go to the Doctor’s when it finally went away. So to say the least I have been very careful ever since, wearing gloves, shoes, and even long sleeves shirt and pants if not too hot. I’m glad you did this blog, I didn’t know that it has become even worse!
In answer to Beth’s message, yes there is poison Ivy for sure is in Canada, I know for a fact it is in Ontario both southern and northernm I have a friend who has to go to the doctors every year to help her from getting it so bad as to almost impair her, she is so allergic that she does not have to touch it, but just to be in the same area as it grows, I will also assume that it is in other provinces also east of the rockys………mary-anne
Just want to add that poco is so very cute and spoiling him will get you in practice for your first grandchild lol
Elane and mary-anne,
I should have said…not in this part…near where I live…prairies, of Canada. I can see on the map that it would be in other parts. Thanks for the clarification, mary-anne…(=. And I would think it would be in any forested areas because they give off so much carbon-dioxide? There was an abundance of forestry and poison ivy in Virginia!
I wonder if the humidity factor makes it worse? Love and hugs,
Beth
Hi Elaine, actually I am lucky I never had a mishap with poison ivy and I sure wish it will never happen. Hope your trip to Florida was nice, was thinking about you. Thanks for the visit. Have a nice day my friend. Talk to you soon, Luv, Pauline
Poison Ivy and Poison Oak run rampant here in the south. I’ve tried to point it out to the kids on camping trips so they won’t come in contact with it. So far so good! Is it possible to not be allergic to either? With all the hiking and pulling of weeds I do, I’ve never had a reaction.
Kirk – you are lucky if you’ve never had it.
Beth – Poco is doing just great! No problem at all getting him to go outdoors. He has discovered grass! Eat it, roll in it, jump in it, ahh to be a puppy.
Gino – yep you had a bad case, seems all of us in this family react to it!
Mary Anne - sorry to hear about your friend who gets it so bad. Poor lady
Yes, Poco is giving me good practice for the future.
Beth – thanks for the added note…you and Mary Anne vastly different areas of Canada.
Pauline – you’re lucky, hope it remains that way!
Kimmy – that is amazing that you or the kids haven’t had it. I actually thought of you when I read the article because I know how much camping your family does.
I haven’t had poison ivy since I was a child *knocks on wood* but I’m surprised it doesn’t grow out west. I would’ve thought the Pacific Northwest would have some at least. I guess you learn something new every day.
Hi Elaine,
I had to chuckle in a previous entry where you said “Boob Tube”…I have not heard that term for awhile. I remember my dad making us set 30 feet away from our first color screen boob tube.
Never had a problem with poison ivy. However, I had a friend when camping wiped his butt with poison ivy. Oh my!!! Oh why???
Blessings to your whole family, Greg
I seem to get poison ivy every year, without fail. Fortunately it’s never that bad but usually goes up an entire arm… and it itches soooo bad! Argggh!