Cashew, Poison Ivy and Mango Poisoning (Toxic Tuesdays: A Weekly Guide to Poison Gardens)

When I was about eight, my mom was hospitalized and placed in quarantine for what doctors thought was a flesh-eating bacteria that had turned the back of her thigh into something like oozing ground beef. Months would come and go before mom learned that poison ivy and cashews were responsible for the grotesque state of her leg. Our dog most likely brought in the poison ivy oil on his fur and transferred it to the carpet where mom exercised. To make matters worse, she had been eating cashews shortly before the rash began. The combination could have killed her.

Doctors told her that her heightened sensitivity to poison ivy, which she had numerous times in the past, meant she should avoid anything in that botanical family. Cashews, poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac produce urushiol, the oil responsible for skin irritation. Because of her sensitivity, this oil gets into her blood stream, making its presence known when small rashes begin popping up everywhere.

Last summer, Mom experienced another outbreak. But she had not been around anything that could cause the inflammation, so she thought. Shortly before the rash appeared, she made a mango salad. Ooops. We didn’t know the peel contained urushiol. Peeling it was like rubbing poison ivy on her skin. Before long, a burn-like, swollen, itchy rash covered her hands, neck and face. She could add mango to her list of things to avoid.

Unfortunately, I don’t have before and after pictures of my mom. Can’t imagine she’d be too happy if I posted them.

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