Animal section of a rural Punjabi home under neem tree (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Today I have one word for you: Neem! “What is Neem?” I hear you ask. I discovered it by accident when I was given a little bag with essentials oils in it. It looked different and I had never heard of it, til then.
Out of curiosity, I Googled it. The results came back that it could help Psoriasis. Hmm, really? So I trekked to my local health store, 2 months ago and there it sat next to the body moisturizers. It was all alone and looked rather uninteresting, mixed with Aloe Vera. Not much of a description, no warnings on the slender tall bottle… so of course I had to try it!
I have suffered from various types of Psoriasis since I was 18, first on my elbows and knees. I tried every ointment the doctors were willing to prescribe. It was red, itched and flaked and was annoying more than anything.
It always happened or became worse when I was going through a stressful situation. Six months before I left Yorkshire I had a sore throat, didn’t think anything about it. I just thought I was fighting a bad cold, four weeks later I broke out, in what looked like Chicken Pox, but I’d had Chicken Pox, so off I went to the docs asking for ointment again for my elbows and knees and something for the rash that had developed. I was told it was Scabies… Huh?
I had never heard of that til she explained and I was horrified. The doctor explained I must have shaken hands with someone carrying it, probably after signing them up for a mortgage…! Urgh. Then she kindly told me I was contagious… What?! No! She gave me an ointment and told me to slather it in and shower it off in the morning and all would be well again. It wasn’t. I went back and was given a different make of ointment, did it again. It didn’t help and it itched like hell! On the third visit, it turned she was too busy and I had to see another doctor in the practice. He asked me if I’d had a sore throat.. well, yes… He then asked me a couple of other questions and guess what? It turned out to be Guttermans Psoriasis ! Several coal tar baths and ointment later and within a week it was gone! 
Hurray!
Azadirachta indica in flower (Photo credit: Scamperdale)
I moved to the south coast of England and the weather being warmer cleared my knees and elbows too! So happy, until I walked into someone’s house three years ago and unknown to me they had fleas, which bit me around my ankles and… yes hello Psoriasis again. To cap it off last summer the soles of my feet started to hurt. My husband said it looked like I had Athletes foot, so I soaked them in cider vinegar, bought various sprays etc. Nothing worked. I wash and powdered my socks and shoes daily, then my poor feet started to bleed and crack, not much fun when you’re walking in the summer heat in NYC.
I’d had enough, I hate going to the doctors but I was at a loss. It turned out I had developed Pustular Psoriasis… seriously? I mean how many different kinds are there? Turns out quiet a few! So here I was slathering on steroid ointment and wrapping my poor feet in clingfilm plastic food wrap before going to bed at night. It worked to a degree, it stopped hurting… and then with this little gift of a bag of little bottle of essential oils it was all transformed! I found Neem and Aloe Vera.
Not people know of the benefits of Neem and there are a lot, from Psoriasis to diabetes, anxiety, stress, mouth and gum problems, insecticide and ringworm and, well… the list goes on! But for the first time since being 18 I actually feel so much better. My feet have healed and I’m just left with a small patch on my right ankle… Hurray! I have tried everything in the past and all it did was help calm the skin a little so it didn’t itch… but this? This had taken away something the doctor told me I would have for years on my feet!
I love Neem!:) You can get it in ointments, tea, shampoos, toothpaste, mouthwash and essential oil drops
Neem, Margosa, Neeb, Nimtree, Nimba, Vepu, Vempu, Vepa, Bevu, Veppam, Aarya Veppu or Indian-lilac Azadirachta indica in Hyderabad, India. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I know my Psoriasis flare ups stem from stress and anxiety. I had heard of Ayurvedic complimentary and alternative medicine, but hadn’t taken much notice of it. Now I do. I understand it’s not well known or heard of, but it worked for me. I also understand that there is good and bad to everything, that in some of the practices of it are frowned upon because of different techniques and the use of metals. I see it there is a place for different remedies for different ailments.
I read in a group, posting about Psoriasis about a man, who had lost his wife and child because she couldn’t bear to look at him anymore because he had it so bad. Not only was this poor guy dealing with the itching and burning of it, but now he was suffering the loss of his wife too. He was literally crying out for help! If someone had mentioned Neem to him, maybe it might have helped him. It is out on the sidelines that not many people know of it or it’s potential. Psoriasis effects relationships, marriages. People don’t get too close… just in case it’s contagious. Little realizing it isn’t which then makes the person who has feel isolated and lonely.
Neem, however like everything it can have side effects and can be deadly to children.
Never ever give Neem to a child!
The possible side effects of Neem for adults are:
- Kidney damage.
- Low or no urine production.
- Liver damage.
- Yellow skin (jaundice).
- Destruction of red blood cells.
- Allergic reaction like rash, itching, swelling of the throat or mouth, wheezing.
- Difficulty breathing.
For children if they are accidentally given it are:
- Loose stools
- Vomiting
- Acidic blood
- Drowsiness
- Anemia
- Seizures
- High levels of white blood cells
- Loss of consciousness
- Brain swelling
- Coma Loss of life
For me it has worked miracles, if you are suffering from an ailment and have tried everything, I say to you read about it fully and make the decision as to whether to try it.
I have given you the side effects which are known, here is the list it purports to heal:
- Diabetes
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- IBS
- Burns
- Bruises
- Allergies
- Earache
- Immune system
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Bacterial and fungal Infections
- Snake bits
- Hair loss
- Hives
- Toothache and gum disease
- Acne
- Wrinkles
- Warts
- Scabies
- Eczema
- Dandruff
And this is the short list!
I have included links, as always. Do your research and see if Neem can help you, as it has helped me
http://www.neemamerica.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neem
i think i need this info this is very useful article for me
thanks
Your welcome and I hope it helps
I know not many people have heard of it
yeah i think so
My husband has suffered fro Psoriasis for many, many years. We live in Hawaii, so you might think that the warmer weather would help it, but it doesn’t. His doctors (several) have everything under the sun and it gets better but it never goes away. I will tell him about this immediately. My final thought has to do with the woman who left her husband because she didn’t like the way he looked. What kind of lousy love is that? Would she have left if he had gotten burned and scarred badly? If he had lost his legs? Or if he just got crappy looking as he aged? My pronouncement: She was a rotten wife and not much of a human being and he is better of without her. Fie on her!
Kay in Hawaii
You always make me laugh! Tell him to use the Neem leaf with Aloe, it took a while… 8 weeks but it worked! I was amazed especially when the doctor said it would never go away, but my feet have healed completely:)
Good advice and great tips…the best is that it is all natural and simple to do…
I prefer natural products when I can without all the by products and sulphates. Not that everything natural is good and some have side effects too, but I’d always like to try it first!
Claire – if this stuff can help make allergy season even 10 degrees less hellish, I’m so going to name my next child after you.
Good thing you didn’t meet me as a teenager then… I used to tell everyone my name was Fred! When they gave me a puzzled look, I would explain it was short for Fredrique.. they bought it every time..Ahh imagination is a wonderful thing! lol and by the way if you are suffering from allergies 3 cups of licorice tea a day will work wonders for your head… seriously!
Sure, I would name my child after you, too, but I’m postmenopausal so that ain’t happening. Sorry. It’t not a reflection of my devotion to the blog.
Oh that’s fine, Kay… but still wondering how you’re going to hang goldfish in your car though! haha
I have only had Psoriasis once in my life. I feel for you. It is miserable stuff. I had never heard of Neem before reading your article. It was fascinating to find out about what it was and what it can do (the negative and the positive…:-) ). Thanks for that.
Your welcome, thank goodness it’s just about all gone! yay
I have relatives who suffer… I will keep this in mind when I talk with them. I wonder if radical dietary changes might help – like no white flour, white sugar, lots of organic vegetables, some homemade fermented food, no processed food at all. There is one radical diet called GAPS that has helped some with their allergies. Dr. Campbell-McBride’s theory is many people have problems in their gut that need healing.
Thank you for your comment. I understand diet does help people, especially those with allergies. I very rarely eat fast food or red meats. I always choose organic fruit and veggies or whole wheat/meal.
I tried everything and was always told it was either dietary or stress, nothing helped, even meditated.
The only two things that have really helped me was Coal Tar baths, (but now I’m told it is a calcenagenic) and Neem. I understand Neem is not for everyone, but it has really helped me and it has now cleared only leaving a small patch on my ankle, which is disappearing!