According to the American
Academy of Dermatology, each year 10 to 50
million Americans develop an allergic rash
after contact with Poison Oak, Poison Ivy
and Poison Sumac Plants. The invisible oily
resin called urushiol causes the ill
effects of these poisonous plants.

Poison ivy, oak, or sumac is found in every
state except Alaska and Hawaii. These
plants are important to the eco-systems
where they thrive. The small, white or
bluish berries found on the ivies feed a
number of birds and small animals. The
irritants found in urushiol oil do not
effect most animals and the tangles from
the plants serve as shelter.

This oily resin can stay on pets, shoes,
hiking boots, clothes, toys, garden tools,
lawn mowers and anything else that has made
contact. In fact, the oil stays active on
any surface, including dead plants, for up
to 5 years.

Symptoms

After making contact, the reaction (called
dermatitis) may include a rash followed by
bumps and blisters that itch. Scratching
does not spread the outbreak but may cause
infection because it allows bacteria from
dirt on the hands to enter the skin.
Symptoms can last ten days to several weeks
to heal.

Mild Symptoms

* Severe redness
* Signs of infection, such as pus
* Rash in mouth, eyes, or genital area
* Rash on a large portion of your body or face
* Mild symptoms can be treated with simple and natural home
remedies. See below.

Severe Symptoms

* Swelling of the throat, tongue, or lips
* Difficulty breathing or swallowing
* Weakness or dizziness
* Bluish lips and/or mouth
* Unconsciousness
* Severe Symptoms need immediate emergency medical care.

Caution

NEVER burn poison ivy. Burning these poisonous plants puts
the urushiol resin in the air and can get in your lungs and
possibly your neighbor’s lungs. If you get poison ivy in
your lungs, you will need to go to the hospital.

Pet Alert

The only threat to resin on our pets is if it is rubbed off
onto other things or people. If your pet merely has the
bumps and is itching, you can not catch it from them.

Treatment

Because urushiol is a oily resin and not a water based
fluid, it will not evaporate and it can linger for several
years.

Use mild soap and cold or cool water to wash off the resin.
Do not use hot water because it opens your skin pores and
thus absorb more of the oil.

You may want to apply rubbing alcohol to the affected
area(s) with cotton balls, and then rinse again with cold
water. You can apply calamine lotion, a zinc oxide
ointment, or baking soda paste (3-tsp. soda to 1-tsp.
water) to the affected area(s), or soak in an oatmeal bath,
to relieve the symptoms somewhat.

Generally, the best treatment is time — the rash and
itching should go away on its own in one to two weeks. Try
to keep your hands away from your eyes, mouth, and face,
and scratch as little as possible, as this will irritate
the rash further and may introduce infection.

This article is for general information only and not
intended for or to replace any medical advice. Always check
with your doctor for treatment of any health condition.

About the Author:

Wayne McDonald is a health care professional and public
speaker for safe natural treatments of annoying and
burdensome health challenges. Learn more at
http://www.OurFamilysHealth.com/poison-oak

Many people suffer from herpes. Share your experiences or read those of others.

Visit the Forum on Herpes

Cold Sores - A Pandemic?
Cold sores virus infects an
incredible 89% of the world population, the
World Health Organization (W.H.O.)
estimates.

YES - and 67% of those infected with the
cold sores virus will have at least one
cold sore event in the next 12 months.

And 47.5% of those folks will have multiple
cold sores episodes during that period.

Cold sores are one of our most contagious
viruses - and one of our oldest. Even in
ancient Rome, an epidemic of cold sores
caused Emperor Tiberius to outlaw kissing
in public ceremonies.

As a global epidemic, or “pandemic”, there
is no better example than cold sores.

NO - cold sores, unlike bird flu, aren’t
life threatening. But, let’s be frank, cold
sores are hideous - and they’re painful. On
top of that, cold sores cause flu like
symptoms such as fever and swollen lymph
glands in a lot of people.

Cold sores last 3 to 4 weeks on average - a
long time for you to be socially sidelined!
They shout “I HAVE HERPES” to the entire
world.

And cold sores cost us money in lost days
at work and constant purchase of medications.
Always hoping to finally find something
- ANYTHING - to stop our cold sores curse.

Check out these little known facts about cold sores - and
what you can do right now to get rid of your cold sores
problem.

Cold sores are caused by the reproductive cycle of a herpes
virus. There are currently 8 known human herpes viruses.
Of these, only 2 are a major cause of cold sores.

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV1) is responsible for about
80% of facial cold sores - and about 20% of genital herpes
lesions. Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (HSV2) causes about
20% of cold sores and 80% of genital herpes blisters.

HSV1 is most often referred to as the “cold sores virus”,
“fever blister virus” and “oral herpes” - and some others
that I can’t mention in a public article.

Cold sores virus may be latent (asleep) for weeks or years
in the nerve ganglia near the back of the jaw close to the
brain stem.

More specifically, the cold sores virus hides inside your
cells - making it very difficult for your body defenses to
locate and deal with them.

When your body’s defenses weaken, due to physical or
emotional stress, the cold sores virus leaves these cells,
travel down the nerve fibers, like a super-highway to the
lip or nose surface - to create cold sores.

There are 8 cold sore stages. The first is the latent
inactive stage. The next 7 cold sore stages are the ACTIVE
stages. From the first tingle to the last red spot, your
cold sores are extremely contagious.

Cold sores are most often spread by physical contact - but
can even be transmitted by coughing or sneezing during the
active stages of your cold sores.

Medical science is working around-the-clock to find a cure
for common cold sores. They’ve had a few minor
breakthroughs that may lead to some real solutions in the
next couple of years.

Basically medical scientists are approaching the cold sores
virus on 2 levels.

1. A VACCINE preventing you from actually contracting the
cold sores virus in the first place. One such vaccine is
currently being moved into human testing. Downside is - it
only works on people who have never been exposed to cold
sores virus. Since nearly everyone on the planet has been
exposed, it seems of very little value even if approved.
But it’s an encouraging move forward.

2. AN ANTI-VIRAL to kill the cold sore virus already in our
body. This is difficult since it has to find and kill the
virus without damaging the nerve cells they are hiding in.
The prescription anti-viral medications scientists have
come up with so far have not worked very well at all - at
least on cold sores virus.

Acyclovir, for example, is an anti-viral that’s being
promoted as a cold sores wonder drug. In real life
studies, however, a course of acyclovir only reduced cold
sores by 2 days. And it only worked for 47.8% in the
trials. No big deal here.

Acyclovir topical cream came in even worse - no noticeable
help at all. Medical scientists agree and have publicly
stated that the actives in acyclovir don’t get through the
skin to the infection. Don’t waste your money on this.

COLD SORES NATURAL SCIENCE TO THE RESCUE!

Did you know - medical knowledge has more than doubled in
the past 5 years alone? Worldwide internet communication
has made it possible.

More important - natural home remedies, such as effective
cold sores treatments, are coming in from all corners of
the globe.

In fact, many doctors are now advising their patients to
check out these natural remedies for cold sores.

Data studies have shown these natural remedies to reduce
suffering time of cold sores by an incredible 79% - plus
actually PREVENTING future cold sores from happening
altogether (they don’t kill the cold sores virus - but they
do keep it inactive indefinitely).

If you’re a cold sores victim, your best choice - fact is,
your ONLY choice today - is to buy and apply one of these
excellent natural remedies.

There are several solidly proven remedies for you to look
into on this site or other sites - and the best news is
they’re available right now for your cold sores.

About the Author:

Denny Bodoh is a newspaper publisher and has been a health
and nutrition writer for 33 years. To learn more about
cold sores, fever blisters and oral herpes visit his
popular web site at:
http://www.be-cold-sore-free.com

Visit the Forum on Herpes

Let’s look at the 8 distinct cold sore
stages, and what you can do now to lessen
the severity, discomfort and length of your
cold sore event.

Usually 3 to 4 weeks is the average life-
span of a cold sore. Much depends on your
health and choice of treatments for each of
your cold sore stages.

COLD SORE STAGES: #1 - LATENT - Here the
cold sore herpes simplex virus is hiding in
the nerve ganglia near the back of the jaw
on the same side as your cold sore usually
appears. The cold sore virus may “sleep”
for weeks or years without incident. Your
body’s defense “soldiers” keep them in
check. When there is stress in another part
of your body, your defenses may drop at
this location. Then the cold sore virus can
escape and travel to the surface to
reproduce - beginning the active cold sore
stages.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 2 - PRODROME - The cold
sore virus reproductive cycle begins here.
The cold sore virus travels down your nerve
fibers to the surface. This movement causes
your cold sore target area to itch or
tingle. You may notice a burning or dryness
sensation. This stage could last a few
hours to a few days before entering the
more intense cold sore stages.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 3 - INFLAMMATION Your
cold sore virus has now arrived at the
surface and begins it’s reproductive cycle
by entering the cells at the end of the
nerve. This causes a lot of swelling and
redness at the cold sore site as your cells
react to being invaded by the herpes cold
sore virus .

COLD SORE STAGES: # 4 - PRE-SORE - Cold
sores at this stage are defined by the
appearance of cold sore vesicles. A full
blown cold sore is not one big blister but
a grouping of small blisters called
vesicles. You will notice these vesicles as
tiny, hard pimples or red bumps that are
painfully sensitive to the touch.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 5 - OPEN SORE - Your
most painful and contagious of the cold
sore stages. All the vesicles break open
and merge to create one big open, weeping
sore. Depending on the severity, you may
develop a fever and swollen lymph glands
under the jaw.

The weeping fluid is teaming with newly
born cold sore viruses. Touching this
fluid, you could easily spread the cold
sore virus to another part of your own body
or to someone else - either by direct touch
or shared objects such as hand towels,
telephones, and faucets.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 6 - CRUSTING - A cold
sore will develop a yellowish crust or scab
as it begins to finally start the healing
process. Your cold sore is still painful at
this stage. More painful, however, is the
constant cracking of your cold sore scab
when you move or stretch your lips, as in
smiling.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 7- HEALING - Cold
sores, once scabbed over, begin healing
from the inside out. As new skin forms
under the crust, you will experience
continued itching, irritation and some
pain. Your cold sore virus is now
retreating back to the nerve ganglia area
where it will sleep until the next
opportunity.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 8 - POST SCAB - Cold
sores at this stage no longer have a
visible cold sore scab and your skin has
totally healed. Under your new skin,
healing is still taking place as the
destroyed cells are regenerated. This
produces a red spot that may linger for
another 2 to 14 days - depending on your
personal healing speed. You are still
contagious until this red spot disappears.
This waiting is the most frustrating of the
cold sore stages.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW -

Cold sore over-the-counter medications,
experts agree, are primarily comfort
treatments for the cold sore stages. Some
contain numbing agents that greatly reduce
your pain. Some cold sore medications
contain an anti-bacterial to prevent
secondary infections. None of these cold
sore medications have been shown to
actually shorten the life-span of any of
your cold sore stages.

Medical science has been working feverishly
on a cure for the herpes virus but have
not, as yet, had any real success in
developing an effective cold sore remedy.
Prescription anti-virals, both the oral
versions and the topical salves, have been
a dismal failure for the most part.
Vaccines are being tested but are 3-4 years
out yet. New breakthroughs could be just
around the corner however.

But you don’t need to wait!

More and more doctors now agree. There are
times when natural science just seems to be
the best choice. Often our ONLY choice.
This is certainly true - right now - for
herpes cold sores.

Data studies have shown natural science
remedies can reduce the cold sore events by
as much as 79%.

Yes! And, in fact, actually prevent your
cold sores from taking place altogether.

The great news - these remedies are
available to you today.

If you are a cold sore victim, you would be
well advised to look into these powerful
natural remedies without delay for
shortening or preventing your cold sores.

About the Author:

Denny Bodoh is a newspaper publisher and 33
year veteran research writer on alternative
health and nutrition. If you would like to
know more about herpes and cold sores, and
what you can do about them, visit his
popular site at: http://www.be-cold-sore-free.com