GRAEDONS | People's Herbal Pharmacy One dangerous home remedy

Q. I heard a radio-show caller say that an old-timer had told him to pick two small, new, reddish poison-ivy leaves each spring, roll them inside a dough ball and swallow them to be immune from poison ivy for a whole season. This is an intriguing and terrifying suggestion. What is your opinion?
A. We've heard this folk remedy from others, but we, too, are terrified by the idea. One reader related the following:
"My father had me eat some poison-ivy leaves when I was a child. I was always getting into it and breaking out in a bad rash. He had heard that eating it would make me immune, but instead blisters broke out inside my mouth. It was so bad I needed special shots from a doctor. NEVER take this rumored remedy for poison ivy!"
In an extreme case, eating poison ivy could make the throat swell shut. This could be life-threatening.
Q. I have suffered from aphthous ulcers (canker sores) all my life. Each one resulted in more than a week of severe pain. I've tried numerous family remedies, but none of them helped.
A few years ago a co-worker suggested using a styptic pencil. I put the pencil in a plastic bag and smashed it with a hammer, then put the powder in a bottle with a little water to make a paste.
At the first sign of a canker sore, I put some of this paste on it two or three times a day. Usually within a couple of days it goes away completely.
This has only one bad side effect: a nasty taste. But I'll live with the taste for two days before I'll suffer seven to 10 days of pain.
A. Styptic pencils, used to control bleeding from small cuts such as shaving nicks, usually contain alum. We have heard from others that powdered alum can help canker sores heal faster. Alum (aluminum potassium sulfate) is sold on the spice shelf of the supermarket. Home canners use it to make pickles crunchy.
Other readers report that dabbing instant tea powder on the sore also helps. Some say that swishing a tablespoon of sauerkraut juice in the mouth helps canker sores heal faster.
Q. I have been troubled with constipation my whole life. My doctor suggested adding more fiber to my diet, which helps a little. Unfortunately, it gives me gas.
He also insists that I take calcium to prevent osteoporosis. I find that whenever I take it my constipation is worse. Can you solve this dilemma? Is there any kind of calcium I might be able to handle?
A. Calcium carbonate, the least expensive and most available supplement, causes constipation for some people. Consider getting your additional calcium from fortified orange juice, for example. The calcium citrate malate that is often used is usually tolerated quite well.
Although extra fiber is an excellent way to ward off chronic constipation, it frequently causes gas. Extra magnesium may be helpful in some cases, though too much can cause diarrhea. Flax seed also can improve regularity.
We are sending you our Guides to Constipation and Digestive Disorders with 10 tips for coping with constipation, a special pumpkin bran muffin recipe and hints about avoiding gas.
XIn their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.Peoples-Pharmacy.com.
& copy; 2006 King Features Syndicate Inc.