Tea Tree Oil and other wonders
 

I wanted to share my great experience with Tea Tree Oil.
Here's the thing...I had a toe nail fungus. Ick. It was on my left big toe, started in the corner, got all yellow and wierd. I clipped it with a dropped landscaping rock a year earlier, lost part of the nail and it never quite made it back. The nail regrew, but funky.

So I investigated. It was a nail fungus. Treatment? Yow! course pills, months and months, possible threat of liver damage?! Holy crap. Then a friend suggested putting some 100% Tea Tree Oil on it with a Qtip once or twice a day. Bought a small bottle at a healthfood store. I saw improvement within a couple weeks, completely cured nail within a couple months. A great find.

It had me thinking of a guy I used to work with at a restaurant that had wrecked hand nails from dish chemicals, I know hair salon workers also are at risk for this kinda thing...

So If you have some nail or other foot funk, try the tea tree.

Anyone else have some "alternative" sorts of health treatments that worked well for you?

I understand that automotive antifreeze will do the same thing for toenail fungus. Tea tree oil sounds nicer though.

Doctors use liquid nitrogen to freeze and remove warts. A can of that compressed air used for cleaning electronics, turned upside down, will work just as well. Damn that's cold stuff.

Yikes! poor feet!

Despite knowing that homeopathy requires that a solution be diluted to the point that no molecules remain of the substance of medicinely goodness, I have a homepathic remedy for 'rrhoids that I swear keeps me off the blow-up donut, and has been effective in doing so for many years.

I am also a fan of the echinacea and goldenseal during cold and flu season, particularly this past year when despite our being direct care healthcare workers and on the list of people to be first in line for shots per the CDC, the county board of health refused to release flu vaccine to my hospital. I did not take any sick days off this year.

I prefer willow bark to aspirin, and aspirin to motrin. I will not take Tylenol at all.

I have some aromatherapy goodies for stress relief as well. And no, those aromas do not include cannabinoids.

I have many pleasant rocks that help me feel better too.

I use live acidophilus cultures to cure several things, as my family seems particularly susceptible to fungal infections (unlike me, who has never had one in her life but gets bacterial illnesses all the damn time.)

So, just eatting good yogurt regularly?

For the cold coming on, powering in lots of vitamin C seems to work for me.

No, they don't like yogurt so much. You can buy more concentrated versions at the grocery store. One version is called "Lactinex," and they keep it in the refrigerator behind the pharmacy counter even though you don't need a prescription for it. Or there are tablets, chewable for kids or swallowable for adults.

Can you share more detail about what symptoms or condition this was used to cure?

You can get a little nitro can off the shelf now with a metered dose. Worked like a charm on a mean ole wart I couldn't get off my wrist with chemicals. Of course you pay dearly so you could try that cleaning can at work. um be careful.

Sure. It's good for canker sores, athlete's foot, indigestion... My toddler stepson has a host of skin problems and very frequently has fungal skin infections (like ringworm, thrush, jock itch, and others.)

Basically fungus and bacteria are enemies. If you have a fungal problem of any kind, increasing the "good" bacteria in your body will help fight it. I've found Lactinex to be the most effective for both my husband and my stepson (mixed in orange juice for the toddler, because it's a really foul-tasting powder.) It clears up canker sores within a day, and large outbreaks of ringworm in three or four, whereas the anti-fungal creams like Tinactin would take weeks and weeks.

Vinegar works well for some things.

I took those liver-harming lamisil pills because I had a problem with nail fungus. I must say that it is the best stuff ever! It cleared up ever single rash/ailment in my body and the nail fungus and any other fungus has never returned to my body.

As for natural remedies - I've heard plain yogurt is good for yeast infections. Never tried it.

Yeast infections are a fungus. The yogurt will only work if it is not pasteurized (kills the bacteria), which a lot of yogurt is.

Nonfat Stonyfield yogurt is the best! I eat it cause its calcium, fruity and yummy. The berry flavors and they have a flavor called strawberry cheesecake which is like the best dessert.
Label says it has 6 live, active cultures including L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, L. Casei, and L. Reuteri , whatever they all are. 130 calories, It also doesnt have that icky fakey sweet aspertame which always leaves me with a strange taste.

I never thought of canker sores! My mom has been suffering alot from these during the last few years. I'll mention this to her.

Two words ... Chocolate Underground

(if you can't find it you can do a do-it yourself with a bonus version by adding a bit of cocoa powder and some chocolate chips.)

I've seen it on the shelf, but was wary to pulled the trigger...hmmm. Chocolate pie as nutri-ceutical.

I've been visited by 3 parasites in the last couple of years. Ringworm from a cat twice, and a fukn scary tapeworm recently. I was embarrassed about the latter until i read up on them recently. heh.

TMI ALERT, read at your own risk:

At first I thought I had eaten a large onion ring and the skin hadn't been digested. most had come out, some was still anchored to my colon somehow. Finally got the nerve to pull the remaining couple of inches out. stared at it for a good five minutes trying to figure out what it was. It was apparently deceased, or at least it didn't move. So my question for you healthcare professionals is: when that one left, did my problem end? Or is there a good likelihood that his disgruntled spouse is still shacking up in my innards?

You really have to stop eating sushi.

you get multiples of 'em.

Think of finding a dead tapeworm as being like seeing a roach. Actually, finding a dead one is pretty unusual, IIRC.

On the upside, they kill you really slowly (a good parasite does minimal damage to it's host, but there are few good parasites), and can help you lose weight.

Go see your doctor.

Tapeworms, like quicksand, and rubberknees, are the reoccuring horrors in my nightmares.
Poor soul! Get them all out! I think it may be beyond the miracles of tea tree oil.

Oh, and noodle, you're not going to end up convincing us that your ringworm was from an sick cat.

Infected pussy, maybe.

I'd see a doctor. Unless you clearly identified the head, you probably only got part of the worm, and the rest is still happily eating away inside your GI tract.

Read this. It will make you laugh, and it will make you cringe.

The worm within

However, yogurt contains lots of sugar which is yeast food. Not the best idea to treat a yeast infection with yogurt.

My partner has severe reactions to most yeast infection treatments. She has tried yogurt, and garlic and peroxide but finally settled on a diluted tea tree oil douche as the best method. It takes a few days of twice daily doses (and can sting if you get the concentration too high) but does work quite well.

I found a site with some studies:
The Linus Pauling Institute
A number of studies have compared tea tree oil with conventional medications:

* The topical application of 5% tea tree oil versus 5% benzoyl peroxide has been investigated in the treatment of acne vulgaris caused by the microorganism Propionibacterium acnes. Both compounds reduced the number of acne lesions, although the action of tea tree oil was slower, possibly due to the use of a suboptimal concentration. Tea tree oil produced fewer side effects than the benzoyl peroxide.

* The use of 10% tea tree oil cream has been compared with 1% tolnaflate and placebo creams in the treatment of tinea pedis, or ringworm. This is the commonest form of superficial dermal infection caused by several related fungi. Patients in the tea tree group and tolnaflate group had significant clinical improvement, but the tea tree oil did not cure the condition. However, as with the acne study, the concentration of the oil may have been suboptimal. Unlike the oil, tolnaflate use resulted in minor skin irritation.

* In another study, the topical application of 1% clotrimazole solution or 100% tea tree oil for the treatment of toenail disease (onychomycosis) resulted in nearly identical clinical improvement.

* Gynecological conditions, including vaginal infections like trichomonal vaginitis, have been successfully treated with tea tree oil. Anaerobic (bacterial) vaginosis is usually treated with oral nitroimidazoles like metronidazole, but these drugs may cause toxic side effects, and long-term recurrence is very high. Topical treatment with tea tree oil may be more effective because the abnormal bacterial flora is replaced by normal lactobacillus.

Bacterial and fungal microorganisms against which tea tree oil has been shown to be effective in culture
MICROORGANISM
Fungi
Aspergillus flavus
Aspergillus niger
Candida albicans
Malassezia furfur
Bacteria
Escherichia coli
Propionibacterium acnes
Proteus vulgaris
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Staphylococcus aureus

Are you supposed to eat it or apply it topically?

I'm not a scientist, but I do have a master's degree ...

The number of times the Pauling folks say, "Well, maybe it didn't work because the concentration was suboptimal" leads me to conclude that the tea tree oil makes you feel like you're doing something, but doesn't actually make you any better than a similar application of time and patience would.

Labrat, correct me if I'm wrong, but in "real science" don't you retest at a higher concentration if you've decided your original concentration is "suboptimal"?

I vaguely recall something about independent and dependent variables from gradual school.

From a sales pitch:

Tea Tree Oil is steam distilled from an extremely hardy tree native to Australia - when cut down, the Tea Tree will quickly regrow from the stump. The Aborigines in northeastern New South Wales have used tee tree as a healing herb for many generations. They make a poultice of the leaves and treat skin infections, cuts and wounds.

After landing the H.M.S. Endeavor in Botany Bay in 1770, Captain James Cook and his party came upon a grove of trees thick with sticky, aromatic leaves that they found made a spicy tea. The 'Tea Tree', as it was called by Captain Cook, became a valued bush remedy used by early European settlers.

in 1923 an Australian government scientist, Dr. A. R. Penfold, conducted a study of tea tree essential oil, and discovered it to be 12 times more potent as an antiseptic bactericide than carbolic acid (the standard at the time). Tea Tree oil became recognized, according to the British Medical Journal in 1933, as 'a powerful disinfectant, non-poisonous and non-irritating'.

Tea Tree essential oil is now well known in natural medicine for its antimicrobial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal effects. Some of it's immune supportive properties may be a result of it's anti-depressant effects, as one's emotional well-being has a significant impact on the body's ability to resist infection. Tea Tree essential oil can also help sooth insect bites, but is even better used as an insect repellent; one aromatherapist claims Tea Tree Oil is the best she's ever used. A must for the traveler's medicine kit.

Tea Tree Oil is found in many oral hygiene products, and it's wide spectrum of action has made it traditionally useful in treating mouth sores and gums, for acne, and for herpes infections, as well as for general immune system stimulation and for support when fighting respiratory infections. Tea Tree Oil has the wonderful property of effectively fighting infections without harming tissues and may be effective for infections of the genital area, particularly candida-related problems, vaginitis and trichomonas.

Either way.

It makes more sense to limit sugar in the diet and take lactobacillus and acidophilus on their own, not in a sugary food. Candida can show up anywhere, but usually isn't a problem for people with healthy immune systems, unless they've been on a broad spectrum antibiotic. Further use of antibiotics (even tea tree oil) continues to kill both the candida and the beneficial bacteria. To really solve the problem (of recurring infection) you need to rebuild intestinal flora and starve out the fungus. There are several different versions of a Candida Diet (or anti-candida) out there. Google for info.

I'm not going to pretend to fully understand it, but the basics concepts of homeopathy make a lot of sense to me. There is no medicinely goodness involved, symptoms are not treated. It's all about enery. Vibrations. Sorta like a quartz watch. I think.
Arnica is amazing. If the boy starts puking, I give him arsenicum and he stops. Allergies? Allium sepa. Homeopathy rocks!


edit: Oh, I forgot about calendula ointment. Boiron (of Newtown Sq.) makes the best one. It makes a burn stop hurting in a few minutes. Wonderful stuff.

Plain yogurt doesn't have any sugar in it, so apparently it's okay to use for certain fungal infections. I've never tried it, but I've seen it recommended in several health magazines. They caution against using any yogurt with fruit because that has sugar in it. I've also seen several magazines that say you should eat yogurt to prevent yeast infections.

I agree with you thought that too much sugar in a diet is a culprit for creating that imbalance down there.

Not to be argumentative (as I sit here and argue with you ;)) but lactose is sugar. It's not refined or added, but neither is fructose (from fruit).

JMO, YMMV, I'm not a doctor, I don't play one on TV, I don't even like them....

edit
When you buy bacteria it will say on the bottle something like "1billion microorganisms per X at time of manufacture guaranteed". I have no idea how much is in any particular yogurt or how to decide whether it's being cancelled out, so to speak, by the sugar content.

Just consulting with my chemist husband... he thinks that there is a possibility that yeast would not be able metabolize lactose in the same way that it could metabolize fructose or sucrose... so that could be why it is recommended as a remedy for yeast infections.

I'm going to investigate this further because if it is improper, then the good folks at Cosmo, Shape, Health, Reader's digest, Cooking Light and Seventeen need to get their facts straight :).

Oh, yeah. The other thing about homeopathy ... the "cures" are all substances that would cause the symptoms that you are having if you took it at a concentration that involved actual molecules of the substance.

Listerine...straight up, if you haven't scratched too much. 50% solution if you have. Works NOW.
Once should do it, twice to be sure. ;)

You can get a good drunk off it too.

If that shit burns my mouth, I'm DAMN sure not putting it up THERE....

Oh cmon, the Natural Citrus version is not so bad.

I have a dandruff issue (my scalp is dry and itchy) and I found a shampoo at a solon I went to, it was tea tree shampoo, and mixed with mint, for smell, but all natural, and when I washed my hair, I felt it tingling, a really good kind of tingle, and it "felt" minty, and clean, if that makes sense. The bottle warned the dandruff would get worse before it got better, and it did, but then like a week later, I was dandruff free.

Until I stopped using it.

But it really worked and I've been a fan ever since.

Stick your dick in a big bowl of it for 30 seconds and get back to me.

OK, what next?

LOL uh, go find Jacquelita and tell her you're citrus-y fresh?

It didn't sting or burn or anything??

Well the way I see it, the burning tells you it's working!

What it's working at, I have no idea.

Scrubbing bubbles.

Tea tree is a relative of eucolyptus (too lazy to check spelling), so adds to the tinglyosity.

What's it called? I could use some... my scalp is soooo dry right now.

I have been using something called J.R. Liggetts Old Fashioned Bar Shampoo.

I threw away the wrapper, but I think that there's tea tree oil in there somewhere.

I have used it off and on for at least the last 10 years or so. I get it at the hippie grocery store (Whole Foods) and have not seen it anywhere else. Might be carried in some health food stores, I'd expect.

Awesome stuff. Cleans your hair without stripping all the natural oils the way most (modern) liquid shampoos do, and you don't need to use a conditioner on top of it. My hair is really soft, and seems stronger and fuller.

Thanks for the suggestion, wolf. It looks like I can purchase it directly from them via their website. I'll check my local hippie grocery establishment too :).

I actually just placed an order with them, since there's stuff in their product line the hippie grocery store doesn't carry.

Well, when it comes to yeast, I'd consult a baker or brewer first. In my experience baking, (professionally 1979-84. Amateur since then) yeast will eat any kind of sugar. Some of it they eat more slowly, but they'll eat it.

Here's the TMI spoiler for everyone who loves bread and or beer and wine:

The yeast eats the sugars and it poops CO2 and Alcohol! Yummy. The CO2 leavens your bread, and the alcohol leavens your head. The limiting factor in alcohol production is either the amount of sugar present at the beginning of fermentation, or the amount of its own shit that the yeast can abide before it dies, whichever comes first.

That means the stronger the beer or wine, the more yeast shit you're drinking.

Just thought I'd share that tidbit avec...

Oh yeah, one more thing, I think the idea is that despite the yeast being able to eat the lactose in the yogurt, the various acidopholii are supposed the kick the living shit out of the yeast and make it cry UNCLE! I have heard however that even the so called live cultures have an infinitessimally short life span. Like, not even making it to the truck from the factory, refrigerator or not.

But then, what do I know?

Beer is an awesome liquid in which to proof your yeast.

Just saying.

I have a Fren ... uh ... Freedom Bread recipe that recommends that.

Well, hell. I had to go and buy two bars of RJ Liggetts Old Fashioned Bar Shampoo after that rousing endorsement! S&H cost more than the bar!! :lol: I can't wait to try it! The only hippie grocer we have around here is Trader Joe's and they don't carry it. There's a Jungle Jim's in Cincy, but I don't think they have it, either.

I found my hippie grocery establishment today and they had the soap... and it was surprisingly cheaper than it was on the internet. Only 5.09!

The funny thing about the hippie grocery store was I couldn't find a place to park in their parking lot - all the spots were taken. Didn't think those types would drive! :lol:

My only problem with the hippie grocery store (which shares a parking lot with a movie theater and so the only time you have trouble finding parking is after 6pm on Friday or 3 pm Saturday) is that I somehow manage to go on hostile lesbian day every single goddamn time. Getting nudged by someone's environmentally conscious recycled steel cart as they are trying to get to the organic kasha gets old fast.

I have a much more enjoyable time shopping amongst the land of conspicuous consumers. At least they seem to pay more attention to their driving, in the store and in the parking lot. There aren't as many SUVs being piloted by ninnies on cellphones in the lot at the Acme.

Ah Wolf, hostile lesbians should be a piece of cake for you to handle.

I prefer not to handle them.

You did see my response to the "rate yourself from 1 to 10" in the Sex Thread, right?

Wash 1 with the Liggetts soap remarks:

It lathers up awesome and rinses out really well. I have super thick hair, so I always have a problem with shampoos rinsing out well because it's hard to get it out of my hair. It feels clean, it smells nice and doesn't feel itchy right now.


So far a satisfied customer :). Thanks again for the suggestion, wolf!

I can't wait to get my Liggetts shampoo!!! I'm so psyched! What hippie store did you find it in, Melid?

I got a nice box today from Liggetts, and had some extra added fun!

They wrap their products for shipping in conventional materials, but the extra box space is filled with pages from the local newspaper.

I enjoy local newspapers, so made a point of flattening out the pages and seeing what was going on ... I found an interesting national article about problems in major league baseball caused by there not being enough spanish translators to let the imported players know what's going on, another about pill-splitting being encouraged by insurance companies to cut prescription med costs, pictures of a local patriotic parade, and, best of all, a story about how a mommy moose got hit by a car and killed on the highway, and the baby moose was taken by the EMTs to a nearby farm that had box stalls in an attempt to rescue it. The baby moose was later taken to a wildlife rehab center to get better care.

So that was my bonus ... the box itself contained some varieties of the shampoo my hippie grocery store doesn't carry (herbal and lavendar & tea tree oil), a camping/travel carrier for the bar, and some of their other products, including a the white sage body scrub and a skin repair cream. The skin repair stuff smells significantly better than my beloved Bag Balm and seems not to be a sticky following application, so depending on how my elbows react to it, might be a real winner. The body scrub will be tested during tomorrow's shower.

Well let us know how you liked everything. If it's good stuff, I'll try it. I can't wait for my shampoo!!! :)

Well, g*ddamnit!! I found the JR Liggetts shampoo (WITH shelf!) at a local health foods store and I already paid S&H on the two bars from the company!! Must learn to use Yellow Pages, etc. and not rely so completely on internet!

Has anybody ever tried Magno soap??? It's a black soap imported from Spain. I hear it's fabulous.