Golden Seal Root Extract
★★★★★
Goldenseal
★★★★★
He was going to be working outside and didn't want to deal with poultices or salves or anything. I thought about how I used Goldenseal powder to dry out a newborn's umbilical cord. I had some homemade Goldenseal tincture that I had been making. So we put some in a small spray bottle. Because it was an alcohol (vodka) base, it did sting when it hit the broken skin, but that passed quickly. The Goldenseal worked very, very well to dry up the poison ivy! He would reapply every 2-4 hours if he was home.
At night, I used goldenseal root powder, turmeric powder and oregon grape root powder mixed to dry up the "ooze" the first night. I sprinkled it on liberally, covered with a piece of old sheet, and attached the sheet to the arm with an old sock top. In the morning, he rinsed it off and we sprayed on more Goldenseal. He had slept much better.
It took a few days for his arm to heal up, but there were times in the past when his poison ivy took weeks to heal up, so I was pleased.
Internally, I had him taking Vitamin C (1 gram a couple of times a day), nettle leaf capsules and turmeric capsules (8 of each of those a day.)
One of my little boys had a few poison ivy blisters on his foot. The skin was not broken. We tried the goldenseal tincture spray. It did not sting and even after a couple of hours he could see improvement.
Goldenseal is an expensive herb. Supposedly, Oregon Grape Root will work as well, but I haven't tired that yet. I may make some tincture up and try that and see. I am sure I will have more opportunities this summer to try it out!
~Mama to Many~
Grapefruit Seed Extract
★★★★★
Just put 10 drops of GSE in a sprayer bottle and spray on area 2-3x daily, OR, if you don't have a sprayer bottle, you can put 3 drops of GSE in 2-3 oz. of water, dip a cotton ball in it, and just pat it on the area. It works beautifully! I am severely allergic to Poision Ivy -- and have tried just about everything -- even medications that costs $10-12 for a "spray on" remedy, but nothing worked as well as this simple remedy. A 2 oz. bottle of GSE is only $10 at a health food store or on-line, and it works for many, many things -- including candida, which I cured myself of using GSE. Oh! And TRY not to scratch -- that is hard, I know, but it spreads it. Thanks!
(Philly, Pa)
09/04/2009
(Coloma, Mi)
09/05/2009
(GA)
05/20/2022
★★★★★
Sorry, just seeing your question. I took GSE twice daily, 10 drops in water or in an empty capsule. (IF you take in a capsule, be sure to drink a big glass of water with it.) You can also mix with water and dab on the area twice daily.
Green Tomato
★★★★★
(Portland, OR)
11/14/2022
Hi Carolyn, I see this is a really old post, but in case you or someone else sees this, I'm wondering about eating green tomatoes that aren't just not yet ripe, but underdeveloped. In my enthusiasm for not wasting any of the small hard green underdeveloped tomatoes in the face of frost, I took them all inside and just made a stir fry with them. Then I started worrying--they are nightshades, after all. Do you know if it's ok to eat them in that state, and if not, is there something to counter the toxicity? Foolishly, Grace
Homeopathic Prevention
★★★★★
(Ten Mile, Tn)
04/15/2017
HI U NCDORTHY,,,,,,,,, as all know I's slow, but your post went over my head. What was in those drops? For some reason, your post made no sense. I have a feeling that the drops contained the poison ivy juice itself. Maybe not, but the last time I posted about eating tender poison ivy leaves to get immune from poison ivy, I got beat about the head and shoulders severely.
I think you will help all by explaining this situation a little better, otherwise, I still say eat tender poison ivy leaves for immunity.
Your buddy===ORH======
Honey
★★★★★
Each time it took 4-6 weeks just to go through the healing process. I used over the counter medicine and some of them only provided temporary relief, and they were rather expensive. Then I tried banana peels. It worked! I rubbed the banana peel over one arm only to conduct an experiement. Instant relief!
Then I got to thinking about other natural products that may provide the same relief... honey.
On the other arm I swabbed it with store brand honey, wrapped arm with a paper towel so I wouldn't leave a sticky mess, and INSTANTLY the itch was gone! I left the honey and paper towel on for 4-6 hours (until bedtime) took my shower and to my amazment the sores dried up.
I also took 1 tablespoon of same honey by mouth and it caused the other places on both arms to stop itching, and only within about 5 minutes! The next day I allowed the spots to dry out, then began applying aloe jel (the type advertised to help with sunburns) and after just a few applications of the gel my arms were beginning to heal!
Then...
While battling with current outbreak on both arms, I had a new spot appear closer to my wrist, (again after I spent some time with my cat). Immediately applied the honey, wrapped lightly with paper towel and tape to secure it and got the same results!
Tried it a 3rd time when I noticed the small bumps had appeared on other wrist, before I ever scratched it, applied honey and covered with a bandaid, before bed I showered and removed the bandaid and the poison ivy was gone!
The banana peels, provided relief, but the honey has taken a 6 week process and reduced it to only days, with immediate results.
Thank you ec for a wonderful site.
(Santa Fe)
06/17/2015
★★★★★
After supposedly being immune to poison ivy all my life, I am a bit late to the game (due to sheer denial! ) in battling a large poison ivy rash on my left forearm that has spread a bit to other areas. Thank you for this post, esp the recommendation to try honey. I did this--applied a thin amount over the affected area and covering with paper towel--and, as you said, instant relief! I also put it on the small areas where it had spread to my right wrist and my shin, then covered them overnight with bandaids, and the rash was reduced to almost nothing by the morning. Hot water to rinse it off has also seemed to keep the itch away for hours.
(Cincinnati, Ohio)
06/24/2025
Hot Water
★★★★★
Hot Water
★★★★★
Therefore it also works for poison ivy, oak and sumac. There was a very helpful comment about the urushiol being the active agent and once that is washed off (of everything!) the clear fluid from the blisters is not an irritant. Thankfully I just got a very mild case (through a hole in a jersey glove I think) between my middle and ring fingers on one hand. I just ran a trickle of hot tap water over it as long as I could stand it a few times (maybe I only needed to do it once ;-) and that was way hot enough to assuage the itch, again for several hours.
Getting a child to bear the heat for even a short duration is another topic!
Thank you, Earth Clinic!!
(Independence, Mo)
09/02/2010
★★★★★
You are correct in your assumption. Oddly enough, I got the info straight from a physician, which you would think would try to prescribe some medication to help fund the medical establishment. This is how it was described to me and the reasoning behind why this works. Get the water as hot as you can stand, without burning yourself. (I have a higher tolerance of pain and have burned myself in the past, but over time, worked out the perfect temp. ) What the hot water does, is releases the histamines in that area of your body, that is being treated. Our body has an allergic reaction to the ivy. With allergies, what do we take? Anti-histamines. So, with the hot water releasing these histamines, that cause the allergic reaction, there is nothing there to cause the itch. I was told that it can take your body, on average, 4-8 hours to replenish the histamines in the applied area, so it depends on the person I suppose. My own personal experience, I get relief from the itching for about 8 hours. When it starts to flare up again, another hot water treatment. Another interesting thing occurs too. The use of the hot water tends to dry out the affected area as well, thus the reaction to the ivy only lasts 3-4 days and it's gone. The drawback to it though, is now you've got dry skin for a few days. I don't experience that too often, but it does happen on occasion and really isn't a big deal to me. But, you could use lotion if you were so inclined. What used to be an 8-10 day irritation, aside from the frustration of trying every over-the-counter method to no avail, is now completely gone within a 3-4 day period. Plus, water is much cheaper than anything else you purchase. I used to hate mowing the grass or working in the yard, due to the ivy that grew along my fence. Now, I go at it with wreckless abandon, not worrying about the ill effects of the reaction, because I've found the perfect way to take care of the problem. IT WORKS! Besides that, what have you got to lose, water is basically free.
(Boone, Nc. Watauga, Usa)
09/04/2011
★★★★☆
So happy to find another living being that is on the same page as I am. Found this "hot as you can stand" remedy on the internet ten yrs. ago..... I stand by it today. I must have a high tolerance....... As people flinch when I explain the process....... I no longer do the "bathtub'.... Instead the shower...... Which you can regulate better when you get to the point of "intolerance" and move out of the way alot faster..... I get the same sensation as a good "scratch of the itch"..... With the hot water..... And revel in it. (sick, I know, but "ahhhhhh") But it works...... Lasts for 6-8 hours... Itch free for 8 hours........ I'll take it anyday. NOTHING over the counter works this good... I also use calamine to quicken the drying process...... Thanks for your comments!! [I am suffering from a terrible case as I write this......... But there is light.... at the end of this tunnel.]
(Cabrera, Dominican Republic)
07/23/2012
★★★★★
Hot Water
★★★★★
Hot Water
★★★★★
How to Develop Poison Ivy Immunity
Here is the plan; we have lots of young tender poison ivy coming up at our little farm. I will gather a batch, soak them in gin for a period of time, and then devise a slow method of ingesting a few drops a day in water. First, I will rub the plant on my arm and show all that I am allergic to poison ivy. At the end of the summer, I will repeat my arm rub and see if the experiment worked or did not work.
The guy told me to chew young tender leaves because they have less of the chemical that causes the allergy than mature leaves. That sounds right to me. Some on EC have told me to work on my known ails instead of this hair brained scheme. Folks, that what keeps me perkin. I need a constant challenge.
Wish me well. ======ORH=======
EC: Here's a long thread on the subject that starts in 2008... https://bushcraftusa.com/forum/threads/eating-poison-ivy-to-gain-immunity.1222/
(Ten Mile, Tn.)
05/01/2017
EC, your reference was to another site and it was revealing. It is truly great and I have experienced some of what was written. Yep, burning poison ivy is the very worst thing you can do. Also, myself I have gone through periods when I was immune and periods that I was not. That works for cancer for certain. I have no clue why some people are immune and others are not.
The worst case I ever got was when I was a counselor at a Boy Scout camp and we had a long rope swing. My hands slipped and I was drug on my stomach through a patch of poison ivy. My stomach turned to two inches of poison ivy blisters. My life was miserable for quit awhile. Yep, I understand what my experiment entails.
The thing that I'm wanting to prove is that you can control your problems with intelligence. Homeopathic's work and that is a given. So if my experiment allows someone to experience the out of doors without pain. Then the Lord will give me another star. With my background, I need all I can get.
======ORH======
(Tn)
05/02/2017
Dear Robert Henry,
Well I will watch your poison ivy experiment with interest. I like to experiment on myself as well.
I think the current state of our immunity is what makes us more or less prone to reactions to poison ivy. A friend used to work for a lawn service. His poison ivy immunity was strong and he was the man called up to deal with the poison ivy. Well, he had back surgery and was down for a good while, likely on a lot of meds. After that, he was no longer immune to poison ivy. A son of mine used to get it badly regularly. His general health is much better now. I found out he was recently "swimming in poison ivy" doing some work last week, to my horror, but I don't think he has had any reaction.
It is the time of year that I give much thought to poison ivy. A couple of days ago I wore disposable rubber gloves to pull up and bag the new poison ivy plants closest to my house where children play. Getting it out by the roots is the best.
I know you will keep us posted on your progress and results!
~Mama to Many~
-ORH- Mamas post is a good example of how general health condition and injury can cause the domino effect of all sorts of potential or outright illnesses that are otherwise absent in very healthy people.
If an injury doesn't heal on it's own then you have a permanent inflammatory condition. I broken bone, for example, could heal quickly in a young & healthy person but over 50 with other issues and could likely never completely heal. My condition is so severe that I must use Magnet Therapy almost all the time, as this effectively removes both infection & inflammation. So do a very strong magnet locally on any old or recent injury.
Next is the whole body reduction of inflammation. Eat Pineapple or P juice daily, and Salmon, Mackerel or Sardines regularly, as well as Flax, Borage, and Primrose Oils. Also lots of Turmeric Root.
If one's injuries and health are not-to-bad this may resolve the situation but likely and in your case you will also need to attack those inflammatory cytokines and other bad chemistry like the COX 2 enzyme. Big Pharma makes billions on Rx and OTC meds like Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Claritan, etc. The Homeopathic you mention is designed to do the for-mentioned. Also in the natural dept is Quercetin/Bromilain which reduces inflammation. An herbal formula called "PainRx" is a good COX2 inhibitor. You may also try a small dose of OTC Claritan or equivalent to knock out the bad guys. I think there are other good pharma drugs similar to Claritan so maybe search or ask a Pharmacist.
Next is to further build immunity and antibody production. You must have an adequate amount of Zinc daily. A standardized extract of Reishi, Maitaki, and Shiitaki is good. One capsule of Raw Bovine Glandular daily.
To further build antibody production take 1grm Lysine and 125mg DMG daily. Bee Pollen (1 or 2 spoons daily) is also good for building antibody production, which reduces the inflammatory condition or reaction like in the case of Poison Ivy. Your cancer numbers should also drop.
(Ten Mile, Tn.)
05/04/2017
HI U Timh, my Ky neighbor. I always listen to your counsel, and will copy your post for direction. My back situation is improving drastically with a number of things I'm doing. The problem is that I'm running my health program just like I ran a Pulp Mill. I do so many things that most times I have no clue what solved the problem. But I always solved the problem.
This deal where Integrative Doctors are taking your blood, centrifuging it to get only the platelets is the coming thing. I think you need to research this and see if it can help your situation. Hollywood is going ape over the use of blood plates to take decades off their face and the sex folks think this beats the heck out of Viagra for both men and women. I would not go that route as old men don't need sex that is too strong. It's a heart thing.
The Prolozone shot I got that had my blood platelets in it has got me doing work in the garden that my HS football player had to do. He is not available to work because of the demands that he do the required workouts.
I am also using the Hi Dollar PEMF device that can address almost as many ailments as my Rife Machine and does require lots of brain power. Growing black radish again this year.
Timh, thanks for helping folks that just want the easy way out. They frustrate me, but not you. You work with them and I tell them to just please read what is in EC's archives. Their answer has been there for some 20 years.
Out of spit. ======ORH======
For all you've been doing to recover your health looks like it's beginning to really happen, so hurray! I forgot to mention Histamine in the first post as one of the bad chems produced in the inflammatory condition, so any antihistamine natural or pharma would be worth the trial. Pseudoephedrine was once the big otc antihistamine but the meth freaks have caused a big disturbance in it's sale because it is the main ingredient in the clandestine production of methamphetamine. Big pharma has created another chemical antihistamine to replace the problem one that can't be used as a precursor to meth. So, reduction of Histamine 1 and COX 2 is what you want. Lots of awareness of the potential in ant inflammatory diets across the world lately as this approach reduces many illnesses in itself.
I'll skip on the platelets frenzy on two counts. It is rumored that george sorros takes regular blood transfusions from young children or possibly aborted babies so??? As for healthy skin there are a number of good natural ways to achieve. Carnasine is the best. Check out Jon Barron as he's the expert on it as well as many other health & nutrition topics. He has lot's of info and excellent products (Baseline I think). I take Raw Bovine Bone Marrow regularly to keep my blood up. GABA and Ornithine are my favs for boosting HGH/IGF. I recently started D Aspartic Acid for the Testosterone boosting and getting good results. Yes, the very hormones that can take one right outa the sick-bed can immediately place you in the sex-bed, which is another situation that must be under control. But the longevity experts agree that boosting both the HGH & Test. together make for way better results.
My recovery is so difficult that it's always impossible to know the outcome. I have so many major problems and it's way to much suffering for anyone to endure. I take the smart & aggressive method and like Bill Belichick coaching football, identify & correct every mistake big or small.
How to Develop Poison Ivy Immunity
http://thesouthernherbalist.com
then click on News Blog and find video on poison ivy.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Aloe
★★★★★
Hydrotherapy
★★★★★
Then, in my late 20s while staying at a summer cabin in the woods, I came back from a walk one day to feel an itchy patch on my leg. Uh oh. So I quick went into the shower to wash off any oil before it got spread any farther.
The warm water felt so good, that I increased the heat and focused the water jet on that part of my leg for several seconds. Ahhh. Since that worked, I increased the heat some more. Ohhh, ahhh, even better. It felt like I was scratching it without scratching it.
I got the temp as hot as I could stand it, when the thought entered my head to blast it with cold. So I did. I let the icy cold water run on it for several seconds. Feeling relief and no more itching, I dried off, got dressed and went about the rest of the day.
A good 12 hours passed before I felt a little itching starting up again. So I did the warm-hot-hot water followed by a cold blast again. Another 12 hours without itching. This is great! Even better, I noticed that the patch that had been reddish was turning brownish.
It may have flared up slightly one or two more times before it totally disappeared as a brownish color in the skin, but it never spread and it never itched again. It just kind of faded away.
Of course, you would want to do this water therapy with a cloth if the rash is on your face or neck; but anywhere else on the body, with the shower head pointing at the spot, heat will do the trick. The best part? It only takes a few minutes and - it's free!
Hydrotherapy
★★★★★
He put cold water in half of our double sink and warm/hot water in the other half. He set a timer for 7 minutes and alternated hot and cold, beginning and ending with cool. It brought relief to the itching and to the swelling.
He is now able to make a fist and and can go to work. (He needs to be able to hold hand tools.)
If poison ivy is over a large part of the body, hydrotherapy can be done in the shower alternating warm and cool. Of course if poison ivy is over a large part of the body, medical attention may be needed as well. It can get out of control and become systemic, and even cause fever.
~Mama to Many~
