Tinea
I have a friend who got ringworm. Such an awful name for a condition that is caused by a skin fungus and not a parasitic worm. The most common locations are feet (athlete's foot), scalp and groin. Nail fungus is a very closely related fungus. We looked into what herbal preparations can help and I thought it might be a good idea to spread the word. Conventional medicine is a several month course of anti-fungicides which is still an option if these herbs don't work but they are hard on the liver. I think more gentle is the way to go at first.
When I say more gentle I am comparing to western meds. These herbs however are pretty strong as far as plants go, especially some of the essential oils so caution is warranted. We came up with a several step protocol:
1. Poor Hygiene is sometimes a large factor. So keeping everything washed and then very DRY is a necessary step.
2. Exposure to sun will help slow the spread down. This is my own intuition. Five minutes a day for the largest spot.
3. A tincture is also good for external application to help dry out the site. I used a tincture made up of Mondarda, Rose, Alder, St. John's Wort, and Mugwort. I got the idea for this combo from herbalist Kiva Rose. She is awesome and linked on the side bar under bearmedicineherbals. After applying this tincture and letting it dry, we applied the oil. I am currently making two more tinctures, one of Black Walnut and another of Calendula because I have read they are specific for ringworm topically. The black walnut is for external application only as far as I know.
4. An oil or lotion that sticks well to the site is good. Our oil is comprised of: Coconut oil, raw sesame oil, mugwort oil, with five drops Thuja essential oil, 20 drops Teatree ess. oil, 15 drops Lavender ess. oil to 1 oz. oil. To this oil mixture I also added some Echinacea tincture and some Monarda tincture to help fight any secondary infections, just s few squirts.
5. For internal use we made a tincture of Alder, Cleavers, Mondarda and Rose. 30 drops, 2xday
6. We are also giving Chinese medicine and Garlic capsules three times a day.
Being told you have ringworm is no fun. But knowing that there is something you can do for yourself or your friends helps a lot. Tinea is not easily defeated and it is contagious; be aware. It may take several months, so be patient and kind during the process. Sleep a lot, eat good nutrient dense foods and some sources say limit your intake of sugar and wheat. Pasteurized dairy might also be something to avoid.
When I say more gentle I am comparing to western meds. These herbs however are pretty strong as far as plants go, especially some of the essential oils so caution is warranted. We came up with a several step protocol:
1. Poor Hygiene is sometimes a large factor. So keeping everything washed and then very DRY is a necessary step.
2. Exposure to sun will help slow the spread down. This is my own intuition. Five minutes a day for the largest spot.
3. A tincture is also good for external application to help dry out the site. I used a tincture made up of Mondarda, Rose, Alder, St. John's Wort, and Mugwort. I got the idea for this combo from herbalist Kiva Rose. She is awesome and linked on the side bar under bearmedicineherbals. After applying this tincture and letting it dry, we applied the oil. I am currently making two more tinctures, one of Black Walnut and another of Calendula because I have read they are specific for ringworm topically. The black walnut is for external application only as far as I know.
4. An oil or lotion that sticks well to the site is good. Our oil is comprised of: Coconut oil, raw sesame oil, mugwort oil, with five drops Thuja essential oil, 20 drops Teatree ess. oil, 15 drops Lavender ess. oil to 1 oz. oil. To this oil mixture I also added some Echinacea tincture and some Monarda tincture to help fight any secondary infections, just s few squirts.
5. For internal use we made a tincture of Alder, Cleavers, Mondarda and Rose. 30 drops, 2xday
6. We are also giving Chinese medicine and Garlic capsules three times a day.
Being told you have ringworm is no fun. But knowing that there is something you can do for yourself or your friends helps a lot. Tinea is not easily defeated and it is contagious; be aware. It may take several months, so be patient and kind during the process. Sleep a lot, eat good nutrient dense foods and some sources say limit your intake of sugar and wheat. Pasteurized dairy might also be something to avoid.
Comments
Post a Comment