Morningsun Herb Farm

It is a lush poison oak year and sometimes those wonderful hikes in the woods can turn into an itching nightmare!

 

Poison oak grows in many forms ranging from a small creeping vine on the ground to a 20 foot high towering shrub. Each season it has a different look. It goes from being a light brown bear stem with white berries to a very lush bush with big green leaves. Learn to identify poison oak in all of its seasonal disguises because you can get it any time of the year. It is a misconception to think that you can’t contract poison oak from the bare stem in the winter.

 

If you think you have touched some poison oak, the best thing is to wash right away and get your clothes off. Wash with a strong soap and then use either plain alcohol, apple cider vinegar or some of the poison oak ease herbal formulas listed in this article. The alcohol helps to get the oil residue off of the skin.

 

Many years ago I was taught to call poison oak by the name of power oak, because it has the power to keep humans out of an area! It is one of the first plants that will grow in a place that has been disturbed by fire, development or clear cutting. It comes into an area as a plant that helps to let that part of the ground be left alone so the earth can regenerate. It is definitely a powerful plant that asks for our respect.

 

If you do happen to get a case of poison oak, the more you do for yourself at the onset, the better. First of all, simplify your diet, so your body can spend its energy on healing instead of digesting heavy foods. Cut out dairy and sugar, stay away from hot spicy foods and just have soups and steamed vegetables for a few days. Treat yourself like you have a cold, take extra time off and rest more.

 

Make a strong tea of Echinacea, yellow dock and red root to help move the poison oak through your system faster. Put two tablespoons of Echinacea root, one tablespoon of red root and one tablespoon of yellow dock root into a quart jar and pour boiling water over the herbs. Let the herbs steep in the water for four hours and then strain the herbs out. Make a fresh quart each day and drink three to four cups a day for several days. Also make sure you drink lots of plain water. If you feel like the poison oak is affecting your nervous system and you are having more difficulty relaxing or sleeping, you can add two teaspoons of chamomile to this tea.

 

Topically you want to try and dry everything up. There are several herbal tinctures that work very well for that. Apply one of the poison oak ease, oak away or poison oak wash tinctures every hour or two to the affected area until it dries out.

 

Once everything has dried up and the infection is gone, make sure you moisturize the areas where you scratched so you don’t scar. St. John’s Wort oil or a comfrey salve applied four to five times a day will help with this.  You can also take a bath with four cups of steel cut rolled oats put into a sock or wrapped in some cotton fabric. Put the sack of oats directly into the bathtub. Oat baths are a great remedy for soothing irritated skin. If it is summertime and your skin still feels hot, you can add one half a cup of dried or fresh peppermint leaf to the bath to help cool yourself down.

 

1 ounce yerba santa tincture

1 ounce oak leaf tincture

1 ounce mugwort tincture

Mix all tinctures together and store in a dark jar in a cool dark place

1 ounce witch hazel tincture

1 ounce myrrh tincture

1 ounce yerba santa tincture

Mix all tinctures together and store in a dark jar in a cool dark place.

 

Kami McBride has helped thousands of people learn to use herbs in their daily lives in ways that are healthy, safe and fun and she teaches classes in herbal medicine and women’s health An intuitive and inspiring teacher, she works to revive the cultural art of home herbal care and teaches herbology as a relationship with the Earth and a way of life. Kami is the author of Herbal Beginnings. For a schedule of classes or herbal consultations Kami can be reached at (707) 446-1290 or sign up for her free herbal e-newsletter at: www.livingawareness.com