Category Archives: Remedies

Jewelweed is a great remedy for Poison Ivy

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With the advent of spring and the fairer weather, if you are anything like me the woods are calling you and asking you to explore. There are so many lovely things to see and experience on a walk in the woods. As with all things in life, there are some not so wonderful things as well. For instance, Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) creates an itchy rash or worse when most people touch it.

Why do those annoying plants make us break out in itchy rashes?  The culprit is urushiol, a chemical found in the leaves and stems of the plants. Urushiol is one of the most potent toxins; a mere one billionth of a gram is enough to affect a sensitive individual. Direct contact with urushiol causes skin irritation in about 90% of the population.

The first line of defense against poison ivy is to get to know what it looks like and never touch it. It is potent and has the ability to give you an allergic reaction all year round. Nevertheless, sometimes it is unavoidable. Therefore, the next best thing is get to know Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis). Jewelweed’s blocking and healing properties are amazing.  The active ingredient in Jewelweed is a chemical called lawsone, which binds to the same molecular sites in the skin that the urushiol attacks.  If Jewelweed is applied quickly enough, it can beat the urushiol to those sites and lock it out.  If applied later, the lawsone works to block the action of the allergic resin in the skin and helps heal the rash.

Apparently, if you apply Jewelweed within three hours of contact with poison ivy you can block the allergic reaction. On a hike a couple of years ago, we tested this theory. I was hiking with Mike and Mathew around a lake in the National Forest, all of sudden we were surrounded by Poison Ivy. We had to make a decision, turn around and go back or go forward through large patches of Poison Ivy, which was high as our knees. It was a tough decision as we were ¾ of the way around the lake, it was very hot, we were running low on water and very tired. I noticed some Jewelweed and we decided to risk the walk through the Poison Ivy. After we got through all the Poison Ivy, we took the Jewelweed, mashed it up in our hands and rubbed it all over the exposed areas of our legs. Jewelweed makes a very moist pulp and is easy to spread.  I am overjoyed to tell you that it worked. None of us got a Poison Ivy rash.

Jewelweed blossom

Jewelweed is easier to identify when it’s flowering, then again aren’t most plants. No need to wait until late summer to identify Jewelweed, it’s growing now and will block the rash from contact with Poison Ivy. It’s stem is distinctively succulent, which is rather unusual. The delicate leaves are 1/4 to 1/2″ long-oval, long-stalked, with a few rounded teeth. The upper leaves are alternate, the lower ones opposite. They’re water-repellent, so they look like they’re covered with tiny jewels (raindrops) after it rains, hence the name Jewelweed. Another name for Jewelweed is “Touch-Me-Nots” which refers to its seeds. When the seeds are ripe and lightly touched, they burst apart as they have a spring mechanism inside. When I was a kid, I loved liberating the seeds in the fall.

jewelweed

Jewelweed

Luckily, Jewelweed and Poison Ivy tend to grow in the same habitat. So get to know what Poison Ivy and Jewelweed looks like. You may need to be saved someday.

jewelweed and poison ivy

Jewelweed surrounding Poison Ivy

 

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As the earth starts to warm up and the land magically reappears from its white blanket, I like to stroll around our land to see what was peeking up from the earth. I give particular pause to my medicinal garden. I generally give free range to the plants that want to share our land but choose who stays in the garden. It’s fair since there are acres and acres for all the herbs to occupy. I only have 10’x 8’ piece of land where I invite only a few of my beloved herbs.

Every year, different herbs try to make their way into the garden; some get to stay, while others are evicted. I try to start early in the spring, in hopes they don’t get comfortable or establish themselves too deeply in the garden. Yellow Dock (Rumex spp.) loves my garden. I think dock is the perfect name for it, because once it moves in and has “docked” in your garden it’s almost impossible to eradicate; nonetheless, I try every year.

digging Dock up

Digging up Yellow Dock, only about half way there.

My favorite tool for removing Yellow Dock is a pitchfork. Susun Weed suggests that it is best to start in the east, and then move in all four directions. Plunge the pitchfork in and rock it back and forth, continue until you have loosened the soil all around the root and then use a spade to remove the loosen soil.  As a rule, the roots are at least 12 inches or more in length and about 1 inch thick, sometimes, however, they extend 2 to 3 feet, making it necessary to dig by hand for quite a while. When attempting to remove Dock, one must have a lot of time and patience as it goes down very deep.

Don’t get me wrong, I love and respect Yellow Dock, but it does perfectly fine elsewhere on the land. I was first introduced to Yellow Dock during my pregnancy and experiencing anemia. Yellow Dock is one of the best organic sources of iron available. It is an excellent tonic during pregnancy as its roots contain biochelated iron along with other vitamins and minerals. These vitamins and minerals help with iron absorption. As a vegetable source of iron, it is easier to digest and absorbed, instead of promoting constipation as other sources of iron can do, it relieves it. It is definitely an ally during pregnancy, as it’s a blood-enriching tonic, eases digestive problems and helps eliminate constipation, indigestion and gas. It’s also high in calcium.

Yellow Dock is a gentle laxative that helps your body produce more bile to break down the fatty foods you eat. It improves the flow of bile and other digestive juices and contains low levels of anthraquinone glycosides, which stimulates the secretion of water into the intestines; both functions encourage a laxative effect. It also helps reduce the amount of irritation and inflammation in your bowels. Yellow Dock has diuretic properties, which help increase urine production and helps the body eliminate toxins.  Both laxative and diuretic properties make it an amazing and gentle way for the body to remove toxins, which is very helpful to the body’s overall health.  It is fantastic for occasional bouts of constipation, such as when traveling or taking pain relievers. However, is should not be taken long-term. If you suffer from persistent constipation, it is best to seek medical attention.

Since Yellow dock is a laxative and a diuretic it can decrease potassium in the body. It is important to remember that a “water pill” can also decrease potassium in the body. Taking Yellow Dock along with “water pills” might excessively decrease potassium in the body. Some “water pills” that can decrease potassium include chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide and (HCTZ, Hydrodiuril, Microzide). Therefore, it’s best to be wise and not take with these “water pills.”

Most herbalists prefer to use roots that have been harvested in the fall after the plant has gone to seed and the vital energy is most concentrated within after being sent down into the root. Early spring is also an acceptable time, the earlier the better, before many leaves and the stem has started to grow. As I was digging up the Dock, the aroma was amazing. The minute the root was released from the ground, I could smell the powerful medicine. The pungent scent and bitter taste is very easy to recall from the first time I took it when I was pregnant. The root is a beautiful yellow, between the color and scent there is no mistaking Yellow Dock. I did a fairly decent job removing the Yellow Dock and decided to tincture half of it and dry the rest for later use. Within a day of tincturing, the menstruum had turned a beautiful orange glow, the combination of the yellow roots and orange reminded me of an up side down Tequila Sunrise.

Yellow Dock tincture

Yellow Dock tincture

What do you like in your garden? Please share and I will continue to share.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.