Nature's Cure for Poison Ivy

It seems only fitting to me that if a plant exists that creates a horrible itchy rash on most people, so too a plant exists that can counteract it. Now, if only I had learned of this wonderful plant earlier, I would probably have been a much happier (and less itchy) person for most of last summer.

Jewel-weed, or Touch-Me-Not (so named for the seed pods that pop open when exposed to the body heat from your hand in a greatly amusing manner) is a wild member of the impatiens family, Impatiens capensis and is easily recognisable by it's distinctive orange to yellow flowers (seen here) and translucent, fleshy stalk. It grows in wet shady areas, oftentimes very near to poison ivy (balance, remember?) and it grows prolifically!

My work this summer put me in the path of the much despised poison ivy far more frequently that I would have liked, and I contracted an itchy rash as a result no fewer than six times. Cortisone based creams, the number one prescribed remedy for poison ivy, have never done much to aid me. They seldom reduce the severity of the rash very quickly and do nothing to soothe the itch, furthermore, they do nothing to prevent contracting the rash again duringtreatment! I find calamine lotion to be very soothing, and helpful in keeping the rash dry. However, frequent application is necessary, and unsightly pink splotches all over my body reduce my overall enjoyment of this remedy, and also, it's debatable whether this treatment reduces the length of time the rash persists.

Enter jewel-weed! There are many botanical agents found in this plant, among them, the active ingredient in hemorrhoid cream! It's essentially a little green pharmacy perfect for the treatment of many skin conditions, including poison ivy (and related plant-induced stinging or itching from plants such as poison oak, and stinging nettle), eczema, and ringworm (the plant's juices also contain a potent anti-fungal agent). Even more impressive, the plant acts as a preventative measure! Rubbing the juicy, crushed up plant stalk on exposed skin before entering poison ivy territory can save you a great deal of aggravation. I tested this aspect out firsthand, applying the plant to my legs before wading through a monstrous thigh high patch of the vile plant (wearing shorts, as foolhardy as it was) and suffered no ill effects!

There are a number of ways to make a home remedy out of this plant; the easiest of which is to simply break the hollow stalk down the centre and rub it on the afflicted body parts. A less abrasive method is implemented by boiling the stalk, leaves, and flowers into a strong tea (which should not be taken internally!) and freezing it into ice cubes. When desired, the ice cubes can be rubbed directly on the rash to provide cooling relief and medicinal benefits all in one!

I have personally found the most effective method to be a poultice of the crushed raw plant (stalk and leaves, or just stalk). Simply mash up whatever of the plant you can get your hands on into a semblance of a paste, and apply it to the affected area, bandaging it in place. An easy way to "bandage" the plant matter into submission (depending on location) is to use cling wrap. It is more or less self adhesive and easy to cut into the desired size. Unfortunately this is rather more inconvenient than having ugly pink splotches, and so I often settled for simply rubbing the juice from the crushed stalk on the rash. Jewel-weed contains an enzyme that binds to the rash causing protein in poison ivy, urushiol, rendering it inactive. This accounts for its efficacy as a preventative remedy.

Unlike many other poison ivy treatments, jewel-weed can clear up the rash in just two or three days, which as far as I'm concerned makes this plant worth its weight in gold! The abundance of jewel-weed, and its frequent proximity to poison ivy make this the ideal, free, treatment that everyone should know about!

Please note: I am not a medical doctor. This article merely represents my opinion and is for educational purposes only.

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Pandemic Press