eating poison oak leaf as a preventative treatment?

I am sooo glad I'm immune.

i think this is going to be fun. i was looking to increase my medical database and here i got this information.

When I was young I would get into poison ivy and get crazy blisters and all that all over my hands and arms. The method I used to manage this insanity was to hold the affected areas under the hottest running water you can possibly stand. Try it out. It gives more relief than scratching the bajeezus out of it!! For me, the relief will last several hours. I also use it to assuage heat rash in the summer.

from a pediatric page on about.com

Treating Poison Ivy Exposures
If you are exposed, according to the FDA, you should quickly (within 10 minutes):
first, cleanse exposed areas with rubbing alcohol.
next, wash the exposed areas with water only (no soap yet, since soap can move the urushiol, which is the oil from the poison ivy that triggers the rash, around your body and actually make the reaction worse).
now, take a shower with soap and warm water.

rubbing alcohol is way cheaper than tecnu (spelling?)
Sorry, I can't make myself eat a leaf. and I am sensitive, here in poison oak heaven >

try taking a piece of a young leaf the size of a mouse ear put it between two pieces of bread and being carefull not to touch it on your lips chew it and swallow it , do this a couple times a week for two or three weeks. here is a link to a herbalist he has some videos on this.
thesouthernherbalist.com/poison-ivy-immunity
it an excellent site.
jim

To anyone who does become immune from eating please collaborate with me on the matter. I was born immune to poison oak, inherited from my dad who is unharmed by poison oak, ivy, or stinging nettle. I have never bothered to try the immunity on the other two. I am wondering if one of my resent ancestors ate alot of poison oak...

I went for a walk yesterday looking for my PO first dose, but couldn't find any in an area I know has lots.

I assume it is still to early in Oregon. Does anyone know about when it will start to leaf out in the I-5 valley region?

I'm near the I-5 area, it will probably start to leaf within the month. The nettles are starting to sprout where I'm at and I find these two around the same time of year. The latest I've ever seen p. oak leaf in our area was early may.

Many years ago I knew a woman who ate it and it apparently worked as a preventative for her without any problems. She talked her husband into eating some and the inside of his mouth and throat swelled up so bad he had to be rushed to the emergency room. With medical treatment, he survived. They split up not long after that.

We've been taking our PO leaves, just put them into a spoon of yogurt and swallow.

It seems to have helped me.... we had been looking at property and walking through it so of course I got several patches, which usually would be the end of me. But this time I sprayed the patches with vinegar and wrapped the area to prevent rubbing of any kind. After a couple of vinegar applications all itch is gone for hours. Then I started taking the leaves, a couple small ones every other day. The oak lasted a couple of weeks but didn't spread or make me miserable (the vinegar helped a lot in that regard as well as NO Rubbing!).

I know this isn't the recommended application for eating poison oak, but this is the best we can do for this year. Next year I hope to find the leaves faster than we get the PO Might be worth it to grow your own.

Nick Garbarino wrote:Many years ago I knew a woman who ate it and it apparently worked as a preventative for her without any problems. She talked her husband into eating some and the inside of his mouth and throat swelled up so bad he had to be rushed to the emergency room. With medical treatment, he survived. They split up not long after that.

^Hahahahahahaha

The rash from poison ivy or oak is an immune system response { allergic } to urshiol . So, if repeated exposure to the toxin by ingestion will create immunity does'nt it follow that repeated exposure on the skin will produce same. We have noticed a reduced response after 6 years in this area , coming from a place where these plants were not found easily.Now that we have let this place go wild , there is even more of it around too . Last year we had no or very minor rashes. If I was going to risk an allergic response I would much rather risk a topical response as to a systemic response - a.k. a - Anaphylaxis. After a lifetime of severe allergy to cats , I now live with and pet them with no allergic reaction - my eyes used to swell shut and I had a hard time breathing , no more though - I swear I did'nt eat one either.

I'm also a clinical case with Poison Ivy-- cortisone shots don't kick it back, a dime-sized contact will yield an entire leg covered in oozing blisters that urgent care doctors are surprised its poison ivy and not a chemical burn. Where I moved last year is covered in it so I've been doing a number of things that have been working for the most part, so I'll share here: The miracle breakthroughs for me were the Cilantro Juice and Quercetin, for me, Rhus tox alone never really helped much, if at all.

* Cilantro juice -- take a handful of cilantro in a blender with a cup of water, then drink it. Itf you've got active rash, strain the juice and put the cilantro mush on the rash as a poultice and drink the juice. If I'm active outside I drink 1 cup per day, if I get a rash I go up to 3-4 cups a day.

* Quercetin with Bromelain capsules -- I take 2 about 3 times a day, this brings down allergic reactions overall without drowsy symptoms or any side effects that I know of.

* Rhus tox, 30cc, 3-4 drops below tongue before and after going out during warm months and whenever I remember

Diet (what I've personally found) -- No coffee, no chocolate, no fatty foods, limit meat intake -- increase leafy greens, increase oats,  nourish parasympathetic nervous system so healing can happen, if you stay in sympathetic fight or flight stress mode the body struggles to heal and is overly

And like everyone else here suggests -- thorough washing after contact with soap -- use cold water so you're pores don't dilate with hot water and bring the Urushiol in deeper.

Seems for me to be simply a symptom of overall systemic overload of toxins due to poor digestion of experiences, emotions and foods that aren't as apparent in other bodily manifestations.

* Cilantro juice -- take a handful of cilantro in a blender with a cup of water, then drink it. If you've got active rash, strain the juice and put the cilantro mush on the rash as a poultice and drink the juice. If I'm active outside I drink 1 cup per day, if I get a rash I go up to 3-4 cups a day.  

Never heard of this before. Thanks!!!

For poison ivy, my mom and several others have all had good results taking Rhus Tox and/or silver water after the allergic infection set in. The Rhus Tox was taken internally as a pill form, and the silver water applied topically seems to pull the poison out. I've yet to need it (hubby says I must be immune) but I just think I've been really careful near it.

I eat poison ivy every year when it first starts to leaf. I first wrap a small piece in something (cheese or bread ball) for the first few weeks so it will not cause blisters in my mouth. Then I nibble on it once a week or so while out in the woods. I was taking a product called Oral Ivy (aka Rhus Tox) which is simply a poison ivy tincture. A nurse told me that one of the "old time" doctors made his own but he has long passed. Trying to find a Rhus Tox tincture "recipe" so I can use the correct ration but have yet to find one. The Oral Ivy product is not strong enough for me and it's $10 per ounce plus shipping. I would like to take it before I see leaves in the spring. Where I live, it grows everywhere and the pets seemed to be covered in the oil.

Jen, here is a youtube for making a poison ivy tinture:




Here is one for making a jewelweed tincture:




Here is an article about home remedies for poison ivy:

https://mommypotamus.com/home-remedies-for-poison-ivy/

What caught my eye was the calendula tincture though I could not find the recipe.  I did find a recipe for a calundula salve:

https://mommypotamus.com/calendula-salve-recipe/

I've been using this procedure after working in poison oak for the last five years and it works for me.  The key is to use friction from a wet washcloth.

I have found that washing with Dawn dish soap and applying it on infected areas after using witch hazel to kill the infection is the easiest and most cost effective answer. I am very sensitive to poison oak and have even gotten it from the dust. I am now able to go prospecting for gold in California without fear. Oh happy days.
Hope this helps.

My allergist says that it is too dangerous to eat poison oak or poison ivy

I had shots to help me with my allergies and a couple of times I reacted to the shots but I just took benedryl and scratched for 2 days. The thing about eating poison ivy is that you can have an outbreak on your internal organs, and my allergist tells me that that would be dangerous.

I do not know anything about it of my own knowledge, and it is possible that we know more now than we did 10 years ago. For myself I think I would rather avoid the stuff and bath when I get in

Larry Shaules wrote:I have found that washing with Dawn dish soap and applying it on infected areas after using witch hazel to kill the infection is the easiest and most cost effective answer. I am very sensitive to poison oak and have even gotten it from the dust. I am now able to go prospecting for gold in California without fear. Oh happy days.
Hope this helps.

YES!

Soap washes the poison ivy off of your skin: water does not!

I don't know about poison oak, but for poison ivy, and to keep life very simple, apply WHP's poison ivy homeopathic remedy Scratch-N-Itch Be Gone.  You spray it on the affected area and the itch goes away.  I used it this summer and within 3 days the rash was gone.  The company also has a remedy that you ingest, but the topical works so well that I haven't needed it, so I can't speak to that.  It's only about $9.00 for the spray and well worth it.  I'm a permie - I love the simplicity of this solution and it always works for me!  (www.BeGone.com)

I had always been horribly allergic to poison ivy. I read about a method of eating one leaf a day from the time the leaves first sprouted until they were fully grown. I did this, and it did not kill me or make me sick. It also did not work to reduce my sensitivity (though I did miss a few days). The only thing that cured my allergy to poison ivy was getting a dog.

Just a random thought...I know honey from bees using the allergen plant as their food source is often recommended for hay fever, etc.; the caveat being a local producer so it is area specific.

My thought is would a hive, located near poison ivy or poison oak (we have neither where I live, to my knowledge) create the same edible inoculation in a safer manner?

Secondly, SOME allergies magically disappear if there is non exposure for a significant (5-10 yrs) time span. The theory that every cell in your body is replaced every 7 yrs or so; allowing the "sensitive" cells to be replaced with "non-sensitive" cells.

In the same way, one can "develop" or acquire allergies at anytime.

I have had the best success with using very hot water rinsing. When itching starts, I don't touch it at all, but scratch it with very hot water preferably from a shower with a hose and no scald preventer. Get the water as hot as you can stand. Hold a focused stream on each individual blister for a few seconds. If you can keep the stream in one spot for more than five seconds, it's not hot enough. At ideal temp (about 48C) the oil melts right off without soap or scrubbing. Angle your body so that runoff has the shortest path off your skin to help prevent spreading. This is the most instant itch relief you can get, and seems to cause the least amount of skin damage, and fastest recovery. Also if you have any clay soil available, dab it on all blisters, let it dry, wash it off, repeat. I have found this cycle of clay and hot water to be completely effective in a couple days. For best results wear the clay to bed.

My thought is would a hive, located near poison ivy or poison oak (we have neither where I live, to my knowledge) create the same edible inoculation in a safer manner?  

Interesting thought Lorrine. I think it would only work if poison oak &/or poison ivy have flowers with nectar. I'm not sure if they do or not but can't recall ever seeing any with flowers.

The poison oak in Josephine County, Oregon is covered in clusters of little, white flowers right now.