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Are You Suffering From Itchy Skin Rash?

August 2nd, 2010

Do you know what rash is? Rash doesn’t have any exact meaning. It is been used by doctors and common people many times. A rash is a result of outbreak of many red bumps or patches in body that change the normal look of skin. Rashes do not have a restricted location. They may be widespread on a part of the body or localized to an area. Based upon the cause of the rashes, they are divided into three categories. Sometimes rashes are caused due to bacteria or fungal infection, sometimes symptoms occur on their own and they are not caused by any infection.

Itchy skin rash can mark their presence in any age group. Children are more prone to rashes. The rashes in children are caused due to their unhealthy habits. Children usually love to play in mud and dirt. Here they get infected and many bacteria and fungi pave their way in body giving the condition of itchy red rash on skin. Ringworm or contact dermatitis is some of the infections they are prone to. Ringworm generally is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction, that is, it normally takes 48 – 72 hours to respond. Allergy, chicken pox, hives, or parasitic infections called scabies are some of the disorders that usually result into a rash.

Cause of itchy skin rash is not limited. It has several causes and sometimes people even can’t recall as to what conditions and causes have led to rash. Rash can mark its appearance after a cut during shaving or during waxing treatment of body. A rash also occurs when some poisonous mosquito or insect bites the body. Rash can be a result of disorder like chicken pox and chronic eczema. Many skin conditions like acne, dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis can serve to invite rashes.

The symptoms of rashes are not restricted and can vary from person to person. A rash can occur by itself or as a conjunction with other symptoms that may include fever, running nose, red eyes, cough and sneezing. One should avoid the scratching of the rashes as they may make the situation worst. Some itchy skin rashes are infectious and if scratched, they can spread to other parts of body as well. This is due to a liquid filled in these rashes. Personal diagnose may invite many problems. One should avoid any sort of risk and consult a doctor and start taking proper treatment and medication for the fast improvement.

Want to find out more about skin rash pictures, then visit Sleat Lee’s site on how to choose the best skin rash treatment for your needs.

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Agarikon Conk As A Potential Smallpox Remedy – NPR Interview With Paul Stamets

April 12th, 2010

In a fascinating broadcast on National Public Radio, internationally renowned medicinal mushroom expert Paul Stamets tells his story of discovering the medicinal potential of agarikon, an extremely rare and threatened species of wood conk that requires century-old trees to grow. Agarikon is today all but extinct in Europe, its remaining distribution limited to the old growth forests on the North American West Coast.

Knowing that mushrooms are susceptible to many of the same microbes as humans, how could it be, he asked himself, that this perennial wood conk managed to stay healthy for 50 years in the dripping wet rain forest without rotting? It must have a powerful immune system, he concluded, with potentially powerful medicinal compounds that could benefit humans.

To find agarikon in the wild, look for something reminiscent of a beehive on the ancient tree trunks of an old-growth forest. (You may view a picture of agarikon through the agarikon-link on this page.) Please keep in mind that agarikon is a rare and threatened species. Do not harvest it unless there’s a very good reason for doing so. But by all means, bring out your digital camera.

It should be noted that the agarikon Paul Stamets uses is not harvested in the wild. He grows his own, and uses it for the extract he produces. A sample of that extract was submitted to the Defense Department, to be tested at a top security laboratory in Fort Dietrich, Maryland. The Defense Department’s BIO Shield Program at that location searches for cures to biological warfare agents such as smallpox and anthrax.

Reportedly, tens of thousands of natural as well as manmade remedies are tested through the BIO Shield Program. According to drug discovery supervisor John Seacrest, Paul Stamets agarikon extract scored one of the rare hits against viruses related to smallpox. In other words, it effectively inhibited smallpox related viruses under lab conditions.

In lieu of this discovery, Stamets has applied for a patent to a mushroom related anti-viral drug. One of his sponsors is Boston investor John Norris. As Mr. Norris so correctly points out, not everybody is willing or able to be vaccinated.

It’s also worth mentioning that Mr. Norris is a former second in command in the FDA hierarchy, and he believes that through his joint venture with Paul Stamets, they could soon be selling several hundred million doses of the Stamets agarikon extract to the armies of the United States, U.K., and Germany.

That may, however, still be a few years in the making. First the product needs to go through further exhaustive lab trials as well as gain FDA approval.

Note: The above article is intended for informational purposes only. Agarikon has not been approved by the FDA for use as a medicinal. Never use any herbal or mushroom-product for medicinal purposes unless advice to do so by a licensed medical practitioner.

Reference: Banse, T., NPR Morning Edition, Smallpox Defense May Be Found in Mushrooms, August 4, 2005.

About author: Dr. Markho Rafael has worked with natural health products since the mid-90′s, specializing in mycomedicinals. Click Agarikon Mushrooms for agarikon-photo, mushroom products, free mushroom articles, or to request a unique copy of any mushroom article for your own web-site or magazine / ezine. Click Fomitopsis medicinal for scientific research references about agarikon.

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