# Survival > Bushcraft Medicine >  Treating posion ivy/stinging nettel/other poisonous plants: whiteboy style

## whiteboy

Lets just say I learned the hardest but cheapest way.
When I was about 6 1/2 years old, I ran off with my brother everyday in the woods. It continued and to this day (13 years old), I still do so. I would have poison in me about 3 or 4 times a week. Imagine all of those weeks that passed! When I turned about 12, maybe younger, I finally was immune to poison plants! I tend to show it off before my baseball games but rubbing it all over my face! That is just one way. The other way that my brother did was boil it up and eat the plant. Yes eat the plant. He was sick for 2 weeks throwing up. Finally that process was over and he now immune to it too! That is how you do it whiteboy style!
Its free!

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## Rick

Fantasy. But thanks for posting I guess.

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## aktrekker

As Deane says, some people think they're immune. Eventually, with repeated exposure, your immune system collapses and you end up in the hospital. Hopefully you will survive.
Nettles don't work the same way. They have an acid instead of an oil.
Not sure what other poisonous plants you're talking about. If you mean poisonous to eat, then goodbye.

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## RandyRhoads

A guy in our wilderness survival class tried to show off how cool he was and how if he ate a piece of poison ivy it would not effect him the rest of the year. He was flown out by helicopter shortly after. Good luck.

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## MamaBear

Stinging nettle is actually edible.  They lose their sting after 30 seconds of cooking.  Just wear gloves when harvesting leaves, and harvest the leaves when the plant is less than knee-high.  Has more protein than most other edible plants, and the seeds & roots have medicinal properties.

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## RandyRhoads

> Stinging nettle is actually edible.  They lose their sting after 30 seconds of cooking.  Just wear gloves when harvesting leaves, and harvest the leaves when the plant is less than knee-high.  Has more protein than most other edible plants, and the seeds & roots have medicinal properties.


You don't need to cook it either. The trichomes that inject the Acetylcholine and histsmine break easily, just from handling. Some people eat it raw. 

It's never effected my hands. Only my wrists and other thinner skinned areas. I can rip off leaves roll them around and eat it.

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## MamaBear

I've known that some eat it raw, I always thought they were crazy!  That's good to know in case I run into a situation where that's all I have to eat and no way of cooking it.  Can't wait to go foraging this summer.  The seasons still change, right?




> You don't need to cook it either. The trichomes that inject the Acetylcholine and histsmine break easily, just from handling. Some people eat it raw. 
> 
> It's never effected my hands. Only my wrists and other thinner skinned areas. I can rip off leaves roll them around and eat it.

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## aktrekker

Another option for nettle is to grab it firmly near the base - you can get below the hairs. Then run your hand up the stem. The hairs will lay flat and shouldn't bother you.
When eating raw you fold the leaf up so the hairs don't get you. Crush the leaf to release juices and this neutralizes the acid.

But be careful, some species in some parts of the country can have very stiff hairs that will sting you. They can even pierce the skin.

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## gryffynklm

> Lets just say I learned the hardest but cheapest way.
> When I was about 6 1/2 years old, I ran off with my brother everyday in the woods. It continued and to this day (13 years old), I still do so. I would have poison in me about 3 or 4 times a week. Imagine all of those weeks that passed! When I turned about 12, maybe younger, I finally was immune to poison plants! I tend to show it off before my baseball games but rubbing it all over my face! That is just one way. The other way that my brother did was boil it up and eat the plant. Yes eat the plant. He was sick for 2 weeks throwing up. Finally that process was over and he now immune to it too! That is how you do it whiteboy style!
> Its free!


Whiteboy, People have varying degrees of sensitivity to the poisons and toxins in plants let alone PI. This is something that luckily worked for you and your brother. However it is reckless to "prescribe" or suggest this method to anyone. 

Like Randy said it, sent it sent "Show off Boy" by medevac to the hospital. Apparently he survived. Others have not been so lucky.

Sounds stupid but consume Poison Ivy at your own risk.

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## hunter63

> Lets just say I learned the hardest but cheapest way.
> When I was about 6 1/2 years old, I ran off with my brother everyday in the woods. It continued and to this day (13 years old), I still do so. I would have poison in me about 3 or 4 times a week. Imagine all of those weeks that passed! When I turned about 12, maybe younger, I finally was immune to poison plants! I tend to show it off before my baseball games but rubbing it all over my face! That is just one way. The other way that my brother did was boil it up and eat the plant. Yes eat the plant. He was sick for 2 weeks throwing up. Finally that process was over and he now immune to it too! That is how you do it whiteboy style!
> Its free!


I don't believe it.........and am calling BS......
We don't need real people to log on the forum and read such BS....bad advice, potentially dangerous, and just plain stupid.

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## Lamewolf

I guess eating poinonous plants is one way of weeding out the population !  :no way:

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## hunter63

> I guess eating poinonous plants is one way of weeding out the population !


I guess that one way to look at it......LOL

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## Lamewolf

> I guess that one way to look at it......LOL


Must have learned his survival skills from a particular TV survival guru, that does things like eating mushrooms that he is unsure if they are poison or not and likes to drink pee ! :Flare:

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## crashdive123

> Lets just say I learned the hardest but cheapest way.
> When I was about 6 1/2 years old, I ran off with my brother everyday in the woods. It continued and to this day (13 years old), I still do so. I would have poison in me about 3 or 4 times a week. Imagine all of those weeks that passed! When I turned about 12, maybe younger, I finally was immune to poison plants! I tend to show it off before my baseball games but rubbing it all over my face! That is just one way. The other way that my brother did was boil it up and eat the plant. Yes eat the plant. He was sick for 2 weeks throwing up. Finally that process was over and he now immune to it too! That is how you do it whiteboy style!
> Its free!


 I know you said you are only 13.  Please do not feel that you have to come here and give us a resume.  What you did (if you did it) is foolish and dangerous advice to give anybody.  Please know that Wilderness Survival starts by not putting yourself into a dangerous situation.

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## crashdive123

I will add - just to play devils advocate - we have a member that hasn't been active in quite some time that advocated taking tiny, tiny nibbles of poison ivy to build up immunity to it.  Not something that I advocate though.

I wonder what happened to Ole WVCoot.  Hope it doesn't have anything to due with poison ivy.

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## Rick

Ole WV Coot tried his darndest to get me to try poison ivy. He swore that eating small amounts daily would develop an immunity. I didn't believe it then and I don't believe it now even if it has worked or appeared to work for someone. 

Years ago one of my neighbors was burning some scrap and yard waste. Unbeknownst to him he had a pile of poison ivy in the fire. His 7 year old grandson was there and breathed the smoke. The poor kid was in the hospital for about a week over that. Dang near died.

EDIT: Now that right there is funny. I was typing when you posted. You sure we aren't married?

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## Tamdar

I had my first poison ivy experience at about 7-8 years old. My sensitivity has gotten worse over the years, pretty much walk by it and it jumps on me  :Smile: .

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk

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## Ranger F

I got lucky, never had it from the plant. Got it once a little from someone who had it and was exposed. Mom gets it bad. She put it in capsules and swallowed it for awhile to try to build up immunity. Seemed to help a little but not a lot so she gave it up.

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## randyt

Euell Gibbons wrote about eating poison ivy to build up a immunity. In a nutshell you start in the early spring and eat a few leaves once a week for a few weeks. The book Stalking the Healthful Herbs probably has the exact procedure.

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## aktrekker

> Euell Gibbons wrote about eating poison ivy to build up a immunity. In a nutshell you start in the early spring and eat a few leaves once a week for a few weeks. The book Stalking the Healthful Herbs probably has the exact procedure.


Some people do this. It's effectiveness hasn't been verified medically. Until then I won't take a chance.
It's like bee stings. They might not bother you for years and years. Then one time and you go down. It's not worth it. Until verified by research I won't believe in immunity to poison ivy.
But it would be great if it's true.

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## Rick

If you think about the actual process it doesn't really make a lot of sense to me. Once the material enters the mouth saliva containing enzymes begins to break down the plant including the urushiol that causes the reaction. Once it enters the stomach then it's in contact with hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride and sodium chloride that make up gastric acid. I have no idea what happens to the urushiol under those conditions but I have to believe some chemical changes are taking place along the way. My luck, I'd break out from entry to exit.

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## RandyRhoads

I've been curious about this aspect for a while. Most things cause more of a reaction each time the body is exposed. There are a few things that are opposite. I really doubt poison ivy is one of them. I never used to be effected by it then one day I finally got it. I've heard a lot of other people say every time they are exposed it gets worse and worse. Same with bee strings, food allergies... But, there are things like snake venom...I wonder what the physiology is on that and why they are different...

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## whiteboy

1. It is not fantasy
2. This has been in my genes for me to do so
3. It is not stupid and dangerous if you know what you are doing

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## RandyRhoads

> 1. It is not fantasy
> 2. This has been in my genes for me to do so
> 3. It is not stupid and dangerous if you know what you are doing


See you on the other side. Good luck with that.

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## Rick

Good luck with that. If you have poison ivy in your jeans then you are going to be pretty miserable for a while.

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## Lamewolf

> 1. It is not fantasy
> 2. This has been in my genes for me to do so
> 3. It is not stupid and dangerous if you know what you are doing


Its in your genes for you to do so ?  Son, you need your head examined !

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## Lamewolf

> If you think about the actual process it doesn't really make a lot of sense to me. Once the material enters the mouth saliva containing enzymes begins to break down the plant including the urushiol that causes the reaction. Once it enters the stomach then it's in contact with hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride and sodium chloride that make up gastric acid. I have no idea what happens to the urushiol under those conditions but I have to believe some chemical changes are taking place along the way. My luck, I'd break out from entry to exit.


If poison ivy is eaten, the digestive tract and airways will be affected, in some cases causing death.

Urushiol oil can remain viable on dead poison ivy plants and other surfaces for up to 5 years and will cause the same effect.

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## Rick

That's sort of my feeling on the subject. I can't fathom how eating it would produce any type of immunity. Still, others swear by it.

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## gryffynklm

> 1. It is not fantasy
> 2. This has been in my genes for me to do so
> 3. It is not stupid and dangerous if you know what you are doing


So Dr. Boy......

In your infant wisdom can you guarantee that all people will have the same experience that you did.

It is dangerous and reckless to recommend this to people not knowing what their sensitivity is. Your sample size is to small to make such a generalized statement. Just because someone can eat peanuts doesn't mean everyone can.

There are many articles that post good to dead results from eating PI. 

No guarantees

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## RandyRhoads

Don't forget when you're 13 you know everything. It's only in adulthood that we forget everything.

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## Rick

I was always impressed with the fact that the older I got the smarter dad got. Someday my kids my figure that out.

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## Lamewolf

> That's sort of my feeling on the subject. I can't fathom how eating it would produce any type of immunity. Still, others swear by it.


There have been many cases of folks dying from eating poison ivy, oak, or sumac as they all contain the same substance urushiol.  My question is it worth dying for to see if it works ?  Survival of the fittest, death of the stupid ?

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## aktrekker

> Urushiol oil can remain viable on dead poison ivy plants and other surfaces for up to 5 years and will cause the same effect.


There are reports of it remaining active for more than 20 years. It may not have an "expiration date" where it becomes safe.

And to the OP, again I'll say that repeated exposure weakens your immune system. One day you will have an allergic reaction that could result in death.

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## Rick

I'm in your corner, Lamewolf. I'm agreeing with you.

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## Batch

We are loaded with poison ivy. I am constantly exposed to it above my boots. I also have a bad habit of touching it when I show folks the various forms the plant can take. I have never had a reaction. But, do worry about eventually getting a reaction due to repeated exposure. Most of my encounters do not damage the plant. So, I shouldn't be creating large amounts of the urushiol by lightly brushing the plant.

I do find it hard to believe that a plant that repeated exposure to will increase the likelihood of allergic reaction will have a diminished effect after repeated internal exposure.

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## crashdive123

@Whiteboy - please understand that on this forum if somebody offers up advice that is bad, he/she will be called on it.  What you are advocating is bad advice.  http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/p/poison_ivy.htm

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## Rick

Batch, I've waded through poison ivy as well the whole time I worked outside and I had never been bothered with it. A few years ago I tore out an old split rail fence and while carrying some of it to the truck I managed to smash some against the inside of my forearm. That is the one and only time I've ever broken out. It was pretty mild but still had a few blisters. I guess some of us are less sensitive to it than others. That would be a good thing.

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## randyt

jewelweed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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## crashdive123

As a kid, we were wandering around the woods and came across a big ole hairy vine - probably a couple of inches in diameter (at least it seemed that big as a kid).  You guessed it - poison ivy.  There were four of us and we all got it.  Of course on a hot summer day we were running around with shorts and our PF Flyers.  I had it over most of my body.  Eyes swelled shut.  Hands heavily bandaged to keep me from scratching.  Our doc made a house call every day for about 10 days to check on me.  Was sensitive to direct sunlight for some time and had to wear dark, dark sunglasses outside for six or eight month.

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## DaddyLongLegs

> As a kid, we were wandering around the woods and came across a big ole hairy vine - probably a couple of inches in diameter (at least it seemed that big as a kid).  You guessed it - poison ivy.  There were four of us and we all got it.  Of course on a hot summer day we were running around with shorts and our PF Flyers.  I had it over most of my body.  Eyes swelled shut.  Hands heavily bandaged to keep me from scratching.  Our doc made a house call every day for about 10 days to check on me.  Was sensitive to direct sunlight for some time and had to wear dark, dark sunglasses outside for six or eight month.


Wow that must have been awful. I normally get poison ivy rashes about 4 to 5 times a year sometimes more and my rashes certainly haven't gotten better over the years after repeated exposure. I consider myself pretty sensitive to the stuff so I'm never even going to attempt to eat the stuff because I'm not going to take the risk. One thing that  surprised me though was a couple weeks ago I accidentally sat right up against a poison ivy vine on a tree and I know it got on my arms and neck, but I never got a rash. Maybe after all these years of exposure to poison ivy I'm immune, but probably not.

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## randyt

years ago my girlfriend and I were, ahhhh never mind.

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## Rick

Um....you could always PM me the story. You might need a second opinion or something.

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## randyt

It's a poison ivy story with no success of immunity.

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## Rick

Actually, I was more interested in how the poison ivy was contracted. Uh, for scientific analysis, you understand.

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## randyt

The usual way, I reckon.

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## Rick

Oh, well, there you go. Statistically speaking.

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## randyt

I thought there was liars, damned liars and statisticians, <eek> where do I fall in there.

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## hunter63

Yeah well, I can see some one looking up poison ivy, on the interweb ...Coming to WSF.....and see the ...Eat it for a cure......??

Like saying if you put 5 rounds in a 6 shot revolver, instead on one, to play Russian roulette...ya have a better chance of Winning .
Just saying.

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## Rick

> where do I fall in there




Hey, it's your story and your girl. Tell it any way you want.

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