Mango and Poison Ivy

Well, you learn something new everyday! I love Mangoes and eat them quite frequently. Quite a few years ago my eye swelled up the day of my sister's wedding. Of course I attributed that to crying but Rick always told me it was a reaction to the mango I had eaten! On rare occasions I would get a rash or swelling and the only thing I could think that I had done differently was eat a Mango. But I've eaten Mangoes before with no reaction so I thought they were crazy! Well, fast forward to today! I have poison ivy! I get it every summer! It started itching like crazy and the caladryl lotion was providing no relief. So I googled some home remedies and I discovered something shocking! Did you know mangoes belong to the same plant family as poison ivy and that the skin of a mango can give you that same rash as if you played with poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac? Obviously people eat mangoes all the time. The edible portion isn't going to cause problems. However, the vine of a mango contains sufficient urushiol to cause a reaction that rivals or exceeds that from poison ivy. The skin of the mango contains enough urushiol that if you are already sensitized to it, you will probably get a rash from exposure, usually on your hands, since most people don't bite into mangoes. I also found an article that recommended that you NOT eat a Mango while suffering from a poison ivy outbreak as it will make it worse! Crazy!

Well, back to the poison ivy! It goes unnoticed during the day but the minute I lay down I itch like crazy! It is so bad I want to claw my skin off! So in my online research I found a home remedy that has been working that I thought I'd share. A hair dryer! The hair dryer is the hands-down best method for getting rid of the itch. It provides immense relief from the itching afterward and helps dry out the rash. Just use your hair dryer on the high setting and heat it for as long as you can stand. You will start to get the itching sensation but immediately after the itch is gone! So those are my tips of the day! Avoid mangoes while suffering from poison ivy and use that hair dryer to dry it up!