Garlic Poultice Question

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Garlic Poultice Question
« on: September 01, 2006, 05:22:18 PM » by AgainstTheGrain

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Garlic Poultices: wrap a few cloves in a paper towel, smash them (inside the towel) with a jar, run hot water over the poultice, squeeze out the excess water and hold the poultice against your child's feet and/or chest for 2 minutes. Do this several times a day to cure a cough/cold. Beware of burning the skin with direct contact with the garlic, make sure there are a few layers of paper towel in between.

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I just did this with my 9week old and I'm wondering if I can use the same garlic the next time I do it, or should I use new garlic each time?

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #1 on: September 01, 2006, 07:22:16 PM » by ALittleMore

Personally, I would use new garlic. However, I'm sort of *like that.* I don't like re-using anything I've used to treat sicknesses because of the germ contamination. Mostly, I only re-use herbs/plants if I'm making teas and I know there's still goodness to be brought out of the herbs.

However, it's possible it's just fine to re-use the garlic. Does anyone have anything to add?

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2006, 10:25:37 PM » by CinCapri

Quote from: AgainstTheGrain on September 01, 2006, 05:22:18 PM

I just did this with my 9week old and I'm wondering if I can use the same garlic the next time I do it, or should I use new garlic each time?

Hi Vanessa in Iowa :-)
I've re-used the garlic poultice when my kids are needing to use it every hour. I will make one for each sick child apply it then store it in a baggie, then wait an hour, re-soak it, use it again.

~Cinnamon in Iowa :-)

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2006, 10:39:55 PM » by AgainstTheGrain

Thanks! CinCapri!! I thought maybe I could reuse it . . . especially since it's only goin on his foot. It seems to be working

. . . I've only done it twice and he doesn't seem to have the drainage down the back of his throat anymore. Gotta Luv Garlic.

Would enjoy knowing where you are located . . . your post said Iowa your profile says California? Is there a city called Iowa in California?

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Mom to 5 boys and 1 baby girl ages Newborn to 12

Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #4 on: September 02, 2006, 12:15:17 PM » by 1happygal

Garlic is great, isn't it? Wink

I am unsure about the reusing part, though. I remember reading a post by Gabe about how the "good stuff" is gone within five minutes of crushing the clove. Also, just the fact that the poultice is soaked each time when applied to a new area of the body would lead me to believe that the volatile oil (?) would be gone after using it one round (I consider a round to be once on each foot, the back and the chest for about 1.5-2 minutes). Just a thought

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2007, 11:21:44 PM » by Rikki

OK I NEED HELP!! This is a silly question I know, but I just bought some minced garlic from bulk herb store (that is dried) and was wondering if I can cook with it. I mean, duh -- I know I can but is it the same as using fresh garlic? What would the equivalence be? If I use 1 tsp fresh minced do I use the same amount of the dried herb? Is fresh better than dried? Or is this dried from bulk herb store really just used for making tinctures?

thanks ladies for your help!!

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2007, 01:20:00 PM » by Rikki

bump anyone??!

« Last Edit: November 16, 2007, 01:34:47 PM by Rikkichic »
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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2007, 02:02:54 PM » by KristenA

Quote from: Rikkichic on November 15, 2007, 11:21:44 PM

Sure you can cook with it.
Yes, fresh is better than dried. Dried does not contain the same antibiotic properties.

Why would you make a garlic tincture? (seems to me it would do no good)
Fresh garlic has the properties you want.
I use BHS' garlic only for cooking.

Why is this question in the poultice thread? Not freshly crushed garlic will do no good for a poultice.

Remember...garlic has alcillin. It lasts for about 10-15 minutes. After that you loose a lot of of the properties.

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2007, 02:22:06 PM » by Rikki

Quote from: KristenA on November 16, 2007, 02:02:54 PM

Quote from: Rikkichic on November 15, 2007, 11:21:44 PM

I know Dr Shulze makes several tinctures out of garlic, so I assumed he would use dry herbs. I've never made a tincture with garlic, only other dried herbs. Anyone know the ratio of dried garlic vs fresh in cooking?
I posted this under the poultice thread bc I didn't want to start a new thread and didn't know where else to post. SORRY!!

« Last Edit: November 16, 2007, 02:30:32 PM by Rikkichic »
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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2007, 03:04:03 PM » by KristenA

Quote from: Rikkichic on November 16, 2007, 02:22:06 PM

Quote from: KristenA on November 16, 2007, 02:02:54 PM

Quote from: Rikkichic on November 15, 2007, 11:21:44 PM

LOL!
Don't be sorry. I just couldn't figure out if you needed to know something about poultices?

I think you should just taste test to see how much garlic you need vs. fresh. I know on the side of minced garlic I buy at the grocery store it says "1 tsp=1 clove"
But cloves vary in size. Wink

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #10 on: November 24, 2007, 11:08:28 AM » by joshs_rebekah

I am going to make a poultice for my Dad's foot (some kind of fungus - DR. couldn't tell him what it was)...can I make it the same way for his foot as it is normally made?

Rebekah

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2007, 11:27:42 PM » by SarahK

Quote from: joshs_rebekah on November 24, 2007, 11:08:28 AM

I am going to make a poultice for my Dad's foot (some kind of fungus - DR. couldn't tell him what it was)...can I make it the same way for his foot as it is normally made?

Rebekah

I would make it/use it just like any other garlic poultice. In fact, if it was on me, I would consider making it extra strong since the skin on my feet is tougher than other places I have used the garlic that way (upper chest, closed eye). If he has good sensation & circulation, he should be able to tell you if it's too 'hot' and that will let you know if you need to back off a bit.

My opinion-
Sarah K

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #12 on: August 26, 2009, 10:49:24 PM » by BJ_BOBBI_JO

Here is a link to a 7 minute long how to make a garlic poultice vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4QQj85blWk&feature=channel_page

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2009, 12:31:02 AM » by hi_itsgwen

I'm bumping this topic because of the great success we've had with garlic poultices.

DS woke up one morning with a horrible sore throat: tonsils and throat were covered in white sores. He had no other symptoms. After treating him hourly with an oral garlic/raw honey/ginger/lemon mix, I saw no change over the first day. The second day, he was just as miserable, so I took him to the doctor for a strep test. My sweet ped. said it was negative, but that it was some sort of nasty virus. He gave me a RX, but told me that I should wait a day or so to see if it would get better on it's own. I then heard from a WTM friend about the success she'd had with using garlic poultices on confirmed strep cases in her household. So I gave it a shot that night just before tucking him into bed.

By the next morning, one side was 85% healed, and he felt much better! After poultice number 2, he steadily improved and was back to normal by the next day.

SO...oral garlic doesn't compare to poultices. My guess was that the active antibiotic was being de-activated in the digestive tract before it ever circulated in his system. Turns out, this is true!

After reading this article, it confirmed our experience with using a poultice: http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69230.cfm#References

Raw, fresh garlic, applied topically is the best (only???) way to get the strong antibiotic properties.
So: no dried, store diced garlic, and no re-using if you want the best results!
Here is how I would do a garlic poultice:
Slightly dampen a paper towel with (warm or room temp) water. Dice or crush garlic and fold into the wet paper towel. Crush clove again to draw up juices, and apply topically to area closest to infection. (We did the neck just outside the tonsils...one on each side). Leave on for two minutes. It can burn if left on too long.
Repeat hourly with fresh garlic.

I much prefer this to GOOT, as the GOOT mixture loses potency quickly, uses up my good oils, and can't be easily removed from sensative skin if it begins to burn.

It's so simple to just slap on a poultice for 2 minutes!

« Last Edit: November 30, 2009, 10:08:55 PM by hi_itsgwen »
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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #14 on: November 19, 2009, 11:45:10 AM » by Jemima

Would a garlic poultice be effective on a regular cold or flu? (Not just a throat infection). Where would you put it on the body for a general runny nose, sore throat, fever-type illness?

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #15 on: November 19, 2009, 12:05:24 PM » by healthybratt

Quote from: Jemima on November 19, 2009, 11:45:10 AM

Would a garlic poultice be effective on a regular cold or flu? (Not just a throat infection). Where would you put it on the body for a general runny nose, sore throat, fever-type illness?

I generally put it as close to the symptoms as possible, but sometimes it isn't, in which case the bottom of the feet, torso are always good choices.

Garlic is generally good for any illness, IMO. It's antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and blood cleansing.

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #16 on: November 30, 2009, 10:44:24 PM » by hi_itsgwen

Quote from: Jemima on November 19, 2009, 11:45:10 AM

Would a garlic poultice be effective on a regular cold or flu? (Not just a throat infection). Where would you put it on the body for a general runny nose, sore throat, fever-type illness?

I just gave the example of a throat infection, because that was our experience. But the results were so remarkable, that I would definitely use a garlic poultice for any active infections.

I would apply the poultice to the neck area for headcold type symptoms because the neck is rich with blood vessels and lymph glands that are close to the skin surface. You can repeat hourly or as needed.

If your infection is centralized in the lungs or intestines, then move the poultice to that general area over a large artery or field of blood vessels if possible. If you had sinus pressure and lung congestion, you may consider putting poultices on different areas of the body that are affected. In my son's case, we did a poultice on each side of his neck to target both tonsils.

Since the poultice is only held on for 2 minutes, there is a decreased chance of skin irritation, so I would try to place it as close to the location of infection as possible, like HB said.

I would not use the feet for general poultices, unless you are just especially sensative to garlic on the rest of your body...the bottoms of the feet usually have thicker skin and are less reactive. I haven't seen any evidence that the feet have an exceptional ability to move substances via the bloodstream.

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #17 on: December 04, 2009, 11:55:48 AM » by orcuttranch

I have 5 kids - all of who have this awful cough, congestion, fever (youngest 2 only), etc. I did the garlic poultice a little on the two youngest one night and tried the goot on all of them last night before they went to bed. I gather that a poultice is probably a better bet. I am trying to find an easier way around dicing all of this garlic constantly if possible. Can I use the bottled diced garlic you can buy in the store? I haven't ever bought it or read it. It just seems that it would be much easier. Or are the antibiotic/viral properties gone already because it has been diced for too long in the jar? And would the same answer apply if I just diced a bunch up each morning myself to use throughout the day?

This is my first try with garlic for any of this stuff. This is also the worst my kids have been in a long time with congestion. Normally it is just the youngest 2, but this time they all have it.

Thanks!

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #18 on: December 04, 2009, 12:08:35 PM » by floydian

The diced garlic you buy in the store will not work. It must be fresh garlic. Aaaaaannd it works best fresh. Sad

I'm sorry!!!

For extra help w/ a cough, make sure they have no sugar (and best if no grains), no dairy, and no red meat for 48 hours.

Lots of vitamin C...if you have grapefruit, that's good. Try boiling grapefruit peels, and letting them drink the "tea" w/ a little raw honey.

If you can, let them run around the yard. Lots of times that helps loosen things up a bit.

And if you can add in a good probiotic, that will also help.

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #19 on: December 04, 2009, 12:48:44 PM » by KingsDaughter

I hope it's okay to ask my own question here? I wanted to post this question, but since it's been touched on a bit here, I thought I might as well land it here

We (me, husband and 3 children) have all had this cough for at least a month, if not longer. There are no other symptoms really. The kids did have runny nose, but that stopped about the same time I stopped giving them echinace (probably coincidence). Anyway the cough persists. It causes my oldest a little trouble at school as she gets into coughing fits and it also causes the kids to not sleep well when they get into fits while sleeping.

Would a garlic poultice on their chests help? Any other suggestions?

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #20 on: December 04, 2009, 05:05:53 PM » by orcuttranch

Quote from: floydian on December 04, 2009, 12:08:35 PM

The diced garlic you buy in the store will not work. It must be fresh garlic. Aaaaaannd it works best fresh. Sad

Thank you so much! I don't want to bother with something that will not work.

I have cut out sugar and most dairy. Didn't think about grains, but if no grains or meat, what do they eat? Vegetables? Oh - I guess they can have chicken and fish. I have been giving them mullein tea and elderberry syrup (elderberries, cloves, cinnamon, rose hips, echinecea, yarrow root and raw honey). We did just buy Vitamin D for them (read that can really help), and I have given them a probiotic yogurt once (Bio-K) - just started that yesterday. So I am kind of surprised that it is hanging on as long as it has. This all started on Tuesday night. Today seems to be better, though actually.

I have oranges - I'll try steeping those peels with the mullein.

Thanks for the help.

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #21 on: December 05, 2009, 06:14:27 PM » by hi_itsgwen

OCR,
Sorry about your sickies!

Floydian is right: only freshly cut garlic works. The antibiotic is made when you crush/cut it, and is sort of fragile...only sticks around for a while.

The storebought diced garlic is useless for antibiotic/antiviral/antifungal properties of garlic (a compound called allicin)

But the good news is, you should be able to use the same poultice on several kiddos if you just do them one at a time. I'm thinking it's probably potent for at least 10 minutes. So just have them line up and use the same one for each kid, 2 min. at a time. Yep...I'd do chest for a cough. Right above or right below rib cage if you can, so you're hitting soft tissues and not bone.

I've changed the way I do a garlic poultice. The allicin is a volitile oil, so I use a few drops of almond oil (or olive or coconut...whatever you have) on the paper towel.
Then slice your clove, and put it over the oil.
Then smash the slices with a spoon and get them all mushy.
Fold the paper towel up around the garlic, and use the oily/garlicy side right against the skin for 2 min.
The almond oil helps temper the stinky garlic smell, and I will also put a scarf or towel over it to help with the stink if the kid hates it. Wink

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #22 on: December 06, 2009, 01:14:05 PM » by orcuttranch

Quote from: hi_itsgwen on December 05, 2009, 06:14:27 PM

Thanks for that info. I tried the poultice last night on my oldest daughter (9) and she was crying after literally 10 seconds because it burned too badly. I did it on myself and I could only handle it for about 30 seconds. So I'll try the oil first. I was putting on the neck where I think the lymph nodes are.

My husband wasn't too happy with the garlic burning the kids. However, he is willing to do it on himself - he's apparently been having pain and pressure right below his ear and behind the jaw line. I didn't know about it until last night he told me if it isn't better by Monday, he's going to the doctor. For him to say that, I know it is bad. So he told me that he would try the garlic last night and all day today every few hours and see if that helps. I'm kind of excited to see if it will work.

So what if we can only leave it on for a few seconds? Will we still get enough of the benefits? Will using the oil help get more of the allicin into our skin because we're leaving it on longer? Or will it just help it absorb slower, so we're getting the same amount when we do it 2 min. that way vs. 30 seconds without anything? Any thoughts on that?

Thanks for all your advice! I honestly wouldn't be trying any of this all natural stuff if it weren't for this website!!

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #23 on: December 07, 2009, 12:02:21 AM » by hi_itsgwen

Quote from: orcuttranch on December 06, 2009, 01:14:05 PM

My family isn't sensative to the garlic on their skin, but I've read that for some people, it is a skin irritant. Just curious...do you guys have sulfer allergies? Because allicin is a sulfa 'drug'

The nice thing about a poultice is that you can take it off if it becomes uncomfortable. I'm not sure how you were doing your poultice...did you have it wrapped in a paper towel?

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Will using the oil help get more of the allicin into our skin because we're leaving it on longer? Or will it just help it absorb slower, so we're getting the same amount when we do it 2 min. that way vs. 30 seconds without anything? Any thoughts on that?

I use a few drops of oil as a carrier to get the garlic oil onto the skin faster. It may dillute it to make it more tolerable for your family, but it will also get the oils moving into the skin faster as well. I'd wipe down the neck with a warm sudsy washcloth afterwards just to get the oils off if she's very sensative.

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So what if we can only leave it on for a few seconds? Will we still get enough of the benefits?

I would probably try it over the affected area (glands/neck), and just move it around as she starts to feel it, (one side of the neck for 30 seconds, and then the other) for a total of a minute or two...as long as she is comfortable with it. If your family is really sensative to the garlic, then you can put the poultice on a thicker, less sensative area of the body like the back, or the soles of the feet and see if that helps. You'll just have to carefully try different things to see what will work best for your family. You definitely don't want to cause more discomfort though. I agree with your dh...burning your skin isn't worth it!

Quote

Thanks for all your advice! I honestly wouldn't be trying any of this all natural stuff if it weren't for this website!!

Sure! Keep us posted on how it works for your hubby too!

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #24 on: December 07, 2009, 10:34:00 AM » by Whiterock

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Did you apply the garlic directly or did you wrap it in a hot damp paper towel?

WR

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #25 on: December 07, 2009, 03:39:16 PM » by orcuttranch

Quote from: Whiterock on December 07, 2009, 10:34:00 AM

Quote

Did you apply the garlic directly or did you wrap it in a hot damp paper towel?

WR

Wrapped in a hot damp paper towel. I put the garlic on the paper towel, folded it up like a burrito and put a little hot water on it. Just enough that I end up squeezing out a little so it isn't running down our necks.

The kids are a lot better now, so I'm not putting it on them. They're still a little stuffy, but nothing like they were. But I feel like I'm trying to get sick. So I've been putting it on me about 3 times a day.

I'm excited, though - my husband said his ear is not getting any worse and he thinks it might be a little better this morning. He actually asked me to make him a poultice before he went to work this morning. He can handle it a lot longer than the rest of us can.

Thanks a bunch!

EDIT: Editing this to say that I am also putting GSE water on a cotton ball and sticking it in his ear along with the garlic poultice.

« Last Edit: December 07, 2009, 03:52:32 PM by orcuttranch »
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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #26 on: December 07, 2009, 03:49:52 PM » by orcuttranch

Quote from: hi_itsgwen on December 07, 2009, 12:02:21 AM

Quote from: orcuttranch on December 06, 2009, 01:14:05 PM

Just curious...do you guys have sulfer allergies? Because allicin is a sulfa 'drug'

We do have seasonal allergies, but nothing food related that I know of. I will say, though that my youngest (almost 2) has had really bad hives the last few days. I read that it could be allergy or just a reaction to fighting the virus. They don't really seem to bother her. She already had the hives before I tried any garlic, so the garlic couldn't be causing it. We do tend to have sensitive skin as a general rule. The rest of the stuff that I've been treating with they've all had quite a few times before and no reaction. I even stopped everything with her for 24 hours and the hives were worse the next day. So I am guessing it is just her reacting to this virus she's fighting. I tried dandelion tincture, but that hasn't seemed to help. So I finally gave in and gave her some benadryl this morning. Even the benadryl hasn't seemed to help much.

Glad to hear it about the oils helping get it into the skin faster. Will definitely try that!

Thanks for all the help!! I was getting a little discouraged yesterday, but when I stopped to think about it, I really think they have gotten over this way faster than normal. There's still a couple runny noses, but nothing like the end of last week. I remember when they would get sick like this, we would have to put them on a nebulizer with steroid medicine to keep their airways clear. None of that this time - so it has to be working, even if I don't think it is "fast enough". Wink

Will keep plodding along.

« Last Edit: December 07, 2009, 03:51:57 PM by orcuttranch »
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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #27 on: December 07, 2009, 05:37:39 PM » by orcuttranch

Sorry - another post by me.

I just did the poultice with a little coconut oil on the paper towel first. I could leave it on for 2 min on the one side and a minute and a half on the other side of my neck. So that definitely worked for me!! Thanks!

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Re: Garlic Poultice Question
« Reply #28 on: December 08, 2009, 01:25:49 PM » by morningglory

I've been wondering about using aloe as a carrier for the garlic. Aloe has the ability to go straight through skin and tissue down to the bone. I just wonder if anything in the aloe would interfere with the garlic being effective? It would certainly help with the sensitivity issue if it worked.

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