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With sexual harassment and assault all over the headlines in Hollywood, sports, politics, and fitness, I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic and having lots of conversations about it lately.

In a recent Instagram story, I asked women in my community what things they do daily in an attempt to stay safe, and avoid sexual harassment and assault.

Within 24 hours, I had 259 answers from women. Let that sink in for a second: hundreds of women reached out to me with all the ways they alter their lives trying to avoid experiencing harassment and assault. I’ll share some of the most common answers below.

This is not surprising considering that 81 percent of women in the U.S. experience sexual harassment [1], and at least 33 percent of women globally will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime [2].

Note: While our article focuses on the experiences of women and uses the language of men as aggressors and women as victims, other marginalized populations at high risk for sexual violence share these experiences and alter their lives accordingly well. Please remember that sexual violence affects people of all genders, and that trans folks are at a higher risk than cisgender people [3,4]. 

What Is a Rape Schedule?

The concept of  “rape schedule” is used to describe the conscious and subconscious ways women place restrictions on themselves and alter their daily behavior as a result of their constant fear of sexual assault.

Organizing one’s life according to this “rape schedule” takes a lot of energy, and tends to start early on: from a young age, women are taught all the thing that they should do to avoid assault. Be it in school, in families or in media, the focus is still on women’s behavior — on what women and girls can and should do to avoid being harmed — instead of educating men and boys on how not to harass and assault women.

So what are some of the things women do daily to avoid harassment and assault? Here are some examples.

Women Change Where They Go and What They Do

Women reported removing themselves from situations where they simply don’t feel safe, such as:

• Avoiding certain areas, including certain subway stations or streets, where they’re more likely to be catcalled.
• Changing gyms because their walk there passed by a construction site where they were constantly harassed.
• Switching gyms after being on the receiving end of countless comments about their body from the manager (those are often framed as “compliments” and women don’t feel anyone will believe them if they speak up because it’s coming from someone in power).
• Not going to the workouts where men are coaching, only going to the women-led classes.

Women Alter Their Schedule

In order to avoid harassment and assault, they:

• Avoid working certain shifts so they don’t have to be out in the early hours of the morning.
• Try to go to the gym when it’s not busy so the guys don’t leer at them in the weight room.
• Change their gym schedule to avoid another creepy gym member.
• Not schedule night classes in college so they don’t have to walk alone at night.
• Make sure they’re not working late at the office when they know a particular male coworker who makes them uncomfortable is also working late so they don’t have to be alone with him.
• Never go for a run when it’s dark out, and having to find times that are less convenient but feel “safer.”

Women Change What They Wear

When it comes to their clothing, the women in our community have reported:

• Refrain from wearing tight or revealing clothes to the gym to avoid attracting attention.
• Wearing track pants over their gym shorts when they walk to the gym to decrease harassment.
• Choosing their clothing carefully when they know they have to walk on the street more than a few blocks.
• Wearing bulky clothes and put their hair up to make it less obvious that they’re a woman.

Women Are in a Constant State of Vigilance

Among other things, the women in our community told us that they will:

• Only wear headphones in one ear to maintain awareness when in public.
• Look men they’re passing on the street directly in the eye with a very stern expression.
• Avoid making eye contact with men on the street.
• Repeat to themselves three times what any man passing them on the street is wearing, so they can remember identifying characteristics.
• Call their partner/mom/friend anytime they’re walking at night and let them know their location so they can call for help if needed.
• Check other stalls in washrooms to make sure no one is hiding there.
• Check the back seat of the car before getting in every single time.
• Lock their car doors as soon as they sit in the car.
• Park in well-lit areas and refuse to park and walk in dark areas.
• Never drink alcohol unless they’re in the presence of trusted friends.
• Never get on an elevator alone with a man.
• Ask a male manager to walk them to their car at night when they leave work.
• Constantly have their keys between their fingers or their pepper spray ready when walking alone at night.
• Systematically make exit plans wherever they are in case they need to get away from a man.

Women Inconvenience Themselves

There are many instances where women find themselves quite inconvenienced in order to avoid feeling unsafe, for example:

• Altering their workouts to avoid at all costs having to deadlift or hip thrust when the gym is busy.
• Avoiding rest stops and gas stations at all costs when traveling alone, and often holding their pee for hours until they get to a place they feel safe to use the restroom.
• Quitting the gym altogether because they had bad experiences at three gyms in a row, choosing to work out at home instead even though they can’t train in the way they’d like.
• Wearing their headphones on their walk to the gym so they don’t hear catcalls.
• Smiling or laughing off unwanted advances in order to de-escalate any potential threat.
• Changing routes if a car behind them makes the same turns as they do.
• Spending money on taxis or ubers instead of walking even though they would have preferred to walk.
• Never telling taxi drivers their actual address.
• Staying quiet about sexism, racism or ableism when they’d rather not, to remain safe.
• Refusing connecting rooms when traveling alone
• Lying and saying they have a friend who will join them at their hotel later so the staff doesn’t think they are staying alone.

Why This Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story

Women are spending tons of their valuable time and energy changing where they go and what they do, altering their schedules, carefully choosing what they wear and inconveniencing themselves — often at great cost — and the worst part is that it’s not even necessarily protecting them from the people who harass and assault them.

Even worse, the misconception that harassment mainly happens on the street, and that assault happens in a back alley at the hands of a stranger is actually preventing women from understanding that what has been done to them is harassment or assault.

Why? Most often, harassment and assault happen at the hands of someone we know.

Yes, the guys we know, those who we think of as “one of the good guys,” those we can’t imagine could hurt us, even maybe guys we have a crush on, or are in a relationship with (in the U.S. marital rape wasn’t illegal until 1986 on a federal level, and many states didn’t repeal marital rape exemptions until 1996 or later) [5].

And much of the negative experiences women will go through won’t happen in a back alley, but in much more familiar environments: at work, out with friends, at the gym, or even in their own homes. According to RAINN, 7 out of 10 rapes are committed by someone known from the victim [6].

What You Can Do

You may read all this and feel dismayed. Maybe you had no idea. Or maybe it feels all too familiar. Regardless, you actually have a chance to be part of the solution — even if you don’t know where to start.

Much of the work needs to be about really grasping the reality of sexual harassment and assault, even if it means radically changing your understanding of these issues. To guide you in this, we’ve put together a FREE 5-day course about what you can do about sexual harassment and assault in the health and fitness industry.

When you sign up, we’ll teach you:

• What to do if you witness or suspect sexual harassment.
• What to do if a woman confides in you that she was harassed.
• What to do if you personally experience harassment.
• How to identify behaviour that seems OK (but really isn’t).
• How to avoid common mistakes men make (even when they believe they “get it”).
• How to create a safe environment for women.
• How you can help women and be part of the solution.

Now’s the time to make the commitment to create change.

Want to support women? Check out this FREE Course.

Women are being sexually harassed and assaulted in and out of the gym — and we need your help!

Interested in helping? If so, we’ve created a FREE course just for you!

→ Get access now, and start whenever you’re ready:

Get Your First Lesson

References

1. Stop Street Harassment, 2018 Study on Harassment and Assault, http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/resources/2018-national-sexual-abuse-report/
2. World Health Organization, Violence Against Women: Key Facts, http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women
3. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, An Overview of 2010 Findings on Victimization by Sexual Orientation, https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/cdc_nisvs_victimization_final-a.pdf
4. James SE, Herman JL, Rankin S, Keisling M, Mottet L, Anafi M, The Report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. Washington, DC: National Center for Transgender Equality, 2016, https://www.transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/USTS-Full-Report-FINAL.PDF
5. Bennice JA, Resik PA, Marital Rape: History, Research, and Practice, Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, July 2003, https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=201457
6. RAINN, Perpetrators of Sexual Violence: The Statistics, https://www.rainn.org/statistics/perpetrators-sexual-violence

The post 259 Things Women Do Daily to Avoid Being Assaulted appeared first on Girls Gone Strong.

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The explosive growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has led to a resurgence of interest in the use of natural remedies, many of which have a rich history of use by our ancestors.

Read on for six ways to treat a skin infection naturally using medicinal herbs, honey, essential oils, and probiotics. I’ve also included three recipes you can try at home to start feeling better.

The Emergence of Drug-Resistant Infections

More and more adults are struggling with skin infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. (1, 2, 3) And, perhaps because antibiotics are routinely prescribed by some pediatricians or because “antibacterial” soaps and other products are so widely used in homes and schools, this trend is also on the rise in children younger than 15 years of age. (4)

Drug-resistant skin infections pose a significant health risk at any age because they increase a person’s susceptibility to systemic infection. The growing problem of antibiotic resistance is causing many people to turn to natural substances for the treatment of skin infections.

Excitingly, an emerging body of research indicates that natural compounds, including botanical medicines, honey, and topical probiotics, have significant therapeutic value in the treatment of skin infections without the potential to cause antibiotic resistance. And these treatments don’t just work for MRSA. People with acne, ringworm, cutaneous Candida infections, and a host of other bacterial infections could also see positive results.

If you’re struggling with a skin infection—whether it’s acne, ringworm, or a bacterial infection—you can take your treatment into your own hands. Check out this article for six ways to treat it naturally, and get recipes for remedies you can make at home.

Six Ways You Can Treat a Skin Infection Naturally

While there are many natural compounds that have antimicrobial properties, a few stand out from the rest in their ability to combat antibiotic-resistant skin infections:

• CBD oil
• Honey
• Cryptolepis
• Sida acuta
• Essential oils
• Probiotics

1. Another Surprising Use for CBD Oil

Cannabis has received no shortage of attention from the medical community in recent years. A growing body of research indicates that it has an incredibly wide variety of health applications, including the treatment of skin infections. Cannabinoids may be a powerful ally in neutralizing the difficult-to-treat MRSA superbug, which often affects the skin. (5)

Cannabinoids may also make the skin more resistant to infection in the first place by upregulating the endocannabinoid system, a network of molecules and receptors that influences immunity, among many other effects. (6)

2. Why Honey Is Liquid Gold

Honey, a sweet, viscous food derived from the nectar of flowers and produced most commonly by the European honey bee Apis mellifera, is truly “liquid gold” in the treatment of skin infections.

Natural honey also accelerates the healing of diabetic wounds and is useful in the treatment of ringworm, cutaneous Candida infections, and acne. (8, 9)

Manuka honey, a special type of honey produced in New Zealand by bees that pollinate the native manuka bush, has a broad spectrum of action, unlike any other known natural antimicrobial. It inhibits pathogenic bacteria that colonize the skin and wounds, including MRSA and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. (10) The powerful antimicrobial effects of manuka honey are due primarily to the presence of methylglyoxal (MGO), a naturally occurring phytochemical found in the nectar of Leptospermum flowers that damages bacterial DNA, RNA, and proteins.

When selecting manuka honey for medicinal uses, you need to consider the UMF, a quality trademark and grading system that rates the strength of the honey. (UMF stands for “unique manuka factor” and is an official designation granted only to authentic manuka honey produced and jarred in New Zealand.) (11) UMF 10+ is the minimum strength honey recommended for medicinal use; it is best for less serious infections such as acne. For more stubborn infections, I recommend UMF 15+ or 20+.

3. A Salve Made from Cryptolepis Can Soothe Your Skin

Cryptolepis is a shrubby plant native to Africa that has traditionally been used to treat malaria. However, this plant also works as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial against pathogens implicated in skin infections, including MRSA, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. (12, 13)

Cryptolepis is best used as a salve. I recommend this salve from Woodland Essence.

4. Sida acuta: Invasive Weed or Effective Treatment Option?

Sida acuta is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family that grows around the world and is often considered to be an invasive species or weed. Despite its lowly reputation, Sida acuta is a powerful treatment for skin infections. According to herbalist and author Stephen Harrod Buhner, it is active against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida skin infections. (14)

5. Try Eucalyptus, Juniper Berry, or Another Essential Oil to Treat Your Skin

Essential oils are made by distilling the volatile oils from plants. They can be applied directly to the skin, either straight or diluted in a carrier oil (such as coconut or olive oil).

A wide variety of essential oils have antimicrobial properties that may neutralize skin pathogens, including:

• Eucalyptus
• Juniper berry
• Lavender
• Tea tree
• Oregano
• Sage
• Thyme
• Frankincense
• Ylang-ylang
• Cypress

Essential oils are often combined to produce synergistic effects. (15) One oil, for example, may be an effective antiseptic, while another works as an anti-inflammatory. Your best bet may be using a premade blend of essential oils intended for topical use in skin conditions.

6. Try Using Topical Probiotics

The health benefits of probiotics are not limited to the gut; they also have applications in the treatment of skin infections.

Lactobacilli have antimicrobial activity against skin pathogens and prevent the formation of biofilm (a stubborn surface build-up of bacteria that is difficult to eradicate) when applied topically. (16) Lactobacillus plantarum also inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization on the skin and enhances tissue repair in burn wounds. (17)

While a variety of probiotic-containing skincare products are emerging on the market, I am unaware of any that are explicitly intended for treating skin infections. However, one product line that may be worth a shot is Mother Dirt. The ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in Mother Dirt skin care products replace essential bacteria lost by modern hygiene and lifestyles and may fortify the skin’s natural defenses against infection.

Why Natural Skin Infection Treatments Make Sense

Antibiotics have long reigned supreme in the field of dermatology, forming the cornerstone of treatment for skin infections. The practice of using one type of therapy to treat a disease, such as an antibiotic for a skin infection, is referred to as “monotherapy.”

Pathogens that successfully evade the impact of antibiotics pass their antibiotic resistance genes down to subsequent generations. Considering that some bacteria can go through a single generation in as little as 20 minutes, it is no surprise that antibiotic resistance has skyrocketed in our modern-day society!

Using natural compounds to treat a skin infection is an effective way to avoid the pitfalls of antibiotic monotherapy. In contrast to antibiotics, which contain a single active antimicrobial compound, botanical medicines and other natural substances contain many active compounds all in one package. The presence of multiple antimicrobial compounds makes it difficult for pathogens to adapt and evade the effects of the intervention, which reduces the risk of antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, in traditional herbal medicine, several plants are often administered together to treat infections. The synergistic effects produced by a combination of botanicals enhance the antimicrobial effects of the intervention and further reduce the risk of bacterial resistance.

Ready to Try It Yourself? Here Are Three Recipes to Get You Started

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to treat a skin infection naturally. In fact, you can make an herbal antibacterial wash, wound powder, and herbal oil for skin infections right in your kitchen. The recipes featured below are courtesy of Stephen Harrod Buhner’s excellent book Herbal Antibiotics: Natural Alternatives for Treating Drug-Resistant Bacteria.

If you’ve never made your own herbal oil before, don’t worry. These recipes are easy to follow, and you can find supplies at a number of online retailers. Look for a vendor that sells organic herbs.

General Antibacterial Wash

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces antibacterial herbs such as Artemisia absinthium, Cryptolepis, or Sida acuta
• 2 ounces echinacea (if you’re using Echinacea angustifolia, use the root; if it’s  Echinacea purpurea, use the flowers or seeds)
• 2 ounces dried evergreen needles (any species)
• 1 quart water, either filtered or distilled

Combine the herbs with water. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Let cool and strain. Rinse the affected skin liberally with the decoction four times daily.

Wound Powder

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce Berberis root or bark
• 1 ounce Cryptolepis root or Sida acuta, Bidens, or Alchornea leaf
• 1 ounce echinacea root or seed
• 1 ounce juniper leaf
• 1 ounce Lomatium root
• 1 ounce Usnea lichen

Powder all herbs as finely as possible. (Stephen recommends using a high-powered blender or food processor to get a semi-small grind and then transferring the blend to a nut or coffee grinder to make a finer powder.) Strain powder through a sieve. Use as needed. This formula can be sprinkled onto feet or into shoes and socks to treat athlete’s foot. It may also be used on babies for diaper rash.

Herbal Oil for Skin Infections

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce dried Artemisia leaf (any species of Artemisia will work)
• 1 ounce dried Berberis plant (such as barberry or Oregon grape)
• 1 ounce dried Cryptolepis (or Sida acuta)
• 1 ounce dried echinacea root or seed
• 1 ounce dried evergreen needles (any species)
• 1 quart extra virgin olive oil

Grind herbs as finely as possible with a high-powered blender or coffee grinder. Place ground herbs in a small, ovenproof glass dish or ceramic pot than can be covered; do not use a metal pot. Pour in enough olive oil to saturate the herbs, stir well, and then add extra oil to cover the herbs by one quarter inch. Heat the mixture, with the lid on, overnight in the oven for eight hours at a low temperature, between 150 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the mixture cool and then press the mixture through a cloth to extract the oil. Store the oil in a sealed glass container out of the sun.

Now I’d like to hear from you. Would you consider using any of these natural remedies to treat a skin infection? What natural products have you found useful for treating skin ailments? Let me know in the comments below!

The post 6 Ways to Treat a Skin Infection Using Natural Remedies appeared first on Chris Kresser.

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Sure, a warm Spinach, Feta, and Egg White wrap hits the spot when I’m hungry and in a rush. And I have a soft spot for the trio of cake-y Petite Vanilla Bean Scones, which my mom used to pick up for me whenever she stopped for an extra-hot latte on her way home from work.

But the very best thing from Starbucks’ bakery case is their Pumpkin Bread. It doesn’t matter whether I’m buying it at 6 a.m. from the Cincinnati mall as a pick-me-up during Black Friday shopping, if I’m treating myself on a Saturday afternoon at the location near me in Brooklyn, or if I’m grabbing a piece at the airport before boarding a flight. The thick slice is always reliably soft, moist, and tender; every time I never think I’ll be able to finish it, and every time there’s not a single crumb left in sight.

The only thing better than sitting down to a slice of pumpkin bread at Starbucks is whipping up an even better loaf in my kitchen. This homemade version is much more cost effective, fills my house with the most delicious scents of pumpkin and cinnamon (far better than any pumpkin spice candle), and means I can have a slice whenever I please.

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Kitchn’s Delicious Links column highlights recipes we’re excited about from the bloggers we love. Follow along every weekday as we post our favorites.

Barely two weeks ago I was moaning about how hot it was outside, and how ready I was for the weather to cool off and for it to finally be fall. Now I take it all back! A few days of mud, rain, and wind have cured me of any romantic ideas about “sweater weather.” It’s wet and freezing outside, every single person around me seems to have picked up the same persistent cough, and the only thing that will fix this seasonal chill is hot, steamy, cold-weather comfort food.

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The arteries of people on a low carb diet are dilated at rest, they don’t need to dilate much more to reach the “normal” size of a post occlusion hyperaemia distended artery. Blood flow is better in the low carb group.
https://high-fat-nutrition.blogspot.com/2016/09/flow-mediated-dilation-what-does-it-mean.html