Poison Ivy - Prevention and TreatmentBuy it here, and you'll not only get a great gardening book, you'll also get a free garden diary, seed saving tips and techniques, a free question and answer session with Villani, and a four-year rotation plan. A $64.80 value for just $24. Click Here to purchase your copy. Poison ivy is one of the most miserable things you'll ever encounter. That awful, intense itching starts first. Then you get the blisters that ooze a clear liquid, and eventually your skin looks like you took a grater to it. My husband and I have had it so bad, the itching wakes us in the middle of the night, and we can't get back to sleep. Now that's miserable! If you live in the country or spend much time in the woods, the occasional outbreak is going to happen. However, a few precautions can lessen the attack. And if you do get that awful rash, there are ways to ease the itchies and help it to heal faster so you can enjoy the summer days again and not dread the coming of the awful ivy! 
This is from the last awful outbreak I had. Not pretty, and extremely miserable. What Causes That Awful Itching?These nasty plants have an oil called urushiol (pronounced you-ROO-shee-ol). That's the stuff that causes all the problems.If the oil is allowed to linger on your skin, it can penetrate and cause that itchy, painful rash. Why Doesn't Everyone Suffer From It?Not everyone is allergic to the urushiol oil - yet. Unfortunately, the more you're exposed to the oil, the more likely you are to develop an allergic reaction to this stuff.When I was a teenager, I once sat in an entire bed of poison ivy. Nothing happened. In fact, I never suffered from the itchies until last summer. My infant son was fussy so I took him for a walk in the woods wearing no socks and leather loafers I used to wear all the time. It had been raining recently and I stepped in some mud. The mud got into my shoe. I didn't think much of it at the time, but a lovely batch of the nasty plant was nearby. The urushiol oil got into my shoes. It takes about three days for the rash to appear after exposure, so I wore those shoes for three days before I realized what was happening. I got blisters on my feet and between my toes the size of dimes. Yuck! The itching was unbelievable, and the blisters were so bad I couldn't walk. If you have goats, they'll eat everything in their pen, but the poison ivy. It won't hurt them if they do eat it, and it won't affect the milk they produce, but apparently it doesn't taste so good! Our chickens will eat it as well. More power to them. What Happens If You're Exposed To It?As soon as you realize you've been near poison ivy, rinse the affected area immediately with running water. It takes a few minutes for the urushiol oil to soak into your skin and do its worse.If you've been exposed to the vine and you rinse the area within 10 minutes of exposure, you probably won't get the rash. Too late! I've got the itchies. Now what do I do?My homeopath told me about three great homeopathic remedies that will ease the itching. First and foremost is Rhus Tox. This remedy is also a great preventive remedy. Take 30c once a day during the summer and you 'll reduce your chances of getting the awful rash.Two other excellent remedies are Croton Tigium and Anacardium Orient. All three of these remedies can usually be found at your local health food store. Or, you can order them online at ABC Homeopathy. This excellent website also gives a nice explanation of homeopathic medicines and how they work. If you do use homeopathic medicines, avoid taking coffee as it will render the remedies useless. My husband will bathe the affected area with a solution of vinegar and water. He says it stings like the dickens at first, but then the itching eases. Calamine lotion is also supposed to help, although I have never used it. The homeopathic remedies work well for me. Other Precautions You Should TakeIf you have children, have a hand towel for each child. Children are notorious for going outside, getting the urushiol oil on their hands, coming inside, not washing their hands properly and then wiping the oil all over the towel.If they wipe that oil on your bath towel, you're in trouble. I've ended up getting the rash in intimate places that way. In the summer I wash my towels on a frequent basis. I also take off my socks whenever I come into the house after doing chores and throw them in the clothes hamper to be washed. Better safe than sorry. Also, if you're around poison ivy, be extremely careful not to get your feet wet. For some reason, the urushiol oil penetrates deeper through wet clothing. If your clothing do get wet. Go inside and change into dry things. If you're working around poison ivy, wear a headband. It's way too easy to spread the oil on your face by wiping the sweat away with your hands.
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Poison ivy is an unwelcome guest on your homestead. Fortunately, your chickens will eat the noxious weed. Learn more about caring for these wonderful birds. Learn why organic gardening is crucial to your successful homesteading. Eight tips for choosing the right garden location. If you're new to gardening, here are some great vegetables for beginners. Put in raised beds for a stronger, healthier garden. Or better yet, put in an easier raised bed without digging! Making your own compost is a crucial element of a successful organic garden. Also, mulching will help strengthen your plants from the inside out. Learn to use organic pest control for a healthy, more balanced garden.
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