Organic Answers Column – July 6, 2022
Cornmeal Uses Update
Whole ground corn meal
There is yet again a new medical treatment for toenail fungus. There must be a lot of money in those pharmaceutical products since new versions keep coming on the market. It also indicates that there must be a bunch of people with the problem. As I have been saying for years now, the cornmeal remedy is not toxic and works better. Here’s my original report and some of the related reports from listeners about how successful this idea can be.
What was reported to me by a listener and now used successfully by many to cure toenail fungus is to put 1″ of cornmeal (whole ground is the best) in a flat pan that’s large enough for your feet. Add enough room temperature water to cover the cornmeal. Let it sit for an hour, then add warm water for comfort, enough to cover the feet and soak for about 2 hours. Softer skin is a side benefit. More than one treatment may be needed. People have reported all kinds of skin benefits and ranchers have even reported using a cornmeal poultice to cure ear mites and ear fungus problems on their livestock.
P.S. Cornmeal only works in an organic program. When toxic chemical products are used, the effect of the cornmeal will be lost.
Cornmeal pelletized
Report from Kevy Rae:
I want to let you know how cornmeal has helped me with a skin problem. For a couple of years I’ve been suffering with eczema on the back of my scalp. This causes severe itching, flaking, oozing and scaling of the skin. I tried literally every kind of medicated shampoo one could buy to solve the problem but could only get some very temporary relief. I did a lot of research to try to find out what I have and how to solve it for good. Most sources didn’t know the cause, but one thought it was caused by a fungal infection in the scalp’s sweat pores. Well, I remembered what you said about cornmeal on nail fungus so I thought I’d try it on my head with my shampoo. It’s a lot cheaper than the other products I’d tried, so why not? First, I put the shampoo on my head, then a palmful of regular grocery store cornmeal. I lathered it all together and made sure to rub it down to my scalp really well. It feels gritty but rinses out easily. After three days of this, my sores were drying out and barely itching. I’m getting much better results than with the expensive shampoos! It’s one week later now and my flaking is gone as well! I intend to keep this up until my scalp feels normal, then I’ll stop to see if this could be a permanent solution. Even if it’s just a better and less expensive treatment, I’ll be happy.
Feedback from Mark Jenschke:
Here is what I have found that works for me regarding cornmeal. First: I remember my mother using cornstarch on me for underarm aroma. Second: The step-in powder box in the school gym. I know of the foot soaking suggestion but found that I don’t have the time. I sifted the cornmeal to get a real fine powder then placed some into a Tupperware covered sheet cake container. I wear work boots and my feet sweat a lot. Therefore, when I get up in the morning I stick my feet into the cornmeal box, put on my boots and go about my day knowing that my feet will soften and soak the cornmeal all day long and I’ve saved myself a lot of time. Besides, the cornmeal is working on the fungus that may be hiding in my boots all night long just waiting to hit me again. I’ve been doing this for the past 3-4 months and the fungus is gone and my old feet (6o years) have never been so smooth and the calluses are gone too. One drawback: I have to cut my toenails more often. These are just my observations.
Feedback from Scott Brown:
I heard Howard talking on his show about the benefits of cornmeal as an antifungal agent for plants. I was intrigued, however, to hear the benefit to the individual who had been treated for leukemia. I am 30 years old and have always had the equivalent of acne on my back. My doctor had recently prescribed to me a lifetime use of antibiotics to keep the acne in check. I put two and two together and tried the cornmeal bath. When I emerged, I immediately had softer skin. Within two days, most of the acne was gone. I took one more cornmeal bath a few days later and it has all but disappeared. I’m excited to continue to learn the natural ways that God has given us to stay healthy. Thanks for the idea. I listen every time I get a chance.
Feedback from Annette Carey:
Experimenting with cornmeal and cold sores. After suffering for 10 days with a vicious ulcer in my mouth, I thought “I’ve got nothing to lose” and put a pinch over the sore like chewing tobacco. I expected the texture to bother, but the cornmeal was very fine, and amazingly, almost instantly the pain totally ceased. Before I went to bed I brushed and reapplied and reapplied the next morning. I’ll keep you posted. I figure the effect on the pain is similar to oatmeal in its ability to soothe irrigations, but now I want to see if the sore clears faster since the problem is viral and not fungal. It seems to adhere to the lesion. I’ll keep you posted.
Feedback from Carla McQueen:
My husband listens to your show. He happened to be listening when you spoke on cornmeal and fungus. I’m insulin dependent and have had fungus under one of my big toe’s nails. I’ve had it for a few years and unable to get rid of it. It didn’t bother me much until the nail became ingrown. My doctor referred me to a podiatrist and said they would cut or remove the nail. As a diabetic, I’m reluctant to have any cuts including surgery. We do not heal very well and it takes much longer to recover.
After my husband listened to your show he went out and bought cornmeal and had the “bath” waiting for me when I got home from work. We’ve been doing this for several months off and on. Eventually the fungus dissipated enough that it is nearly gone and the nail is no longer ingrown. I will not require the podiatrist or medications that cost too much. My doctor also informed me that the fungus would return. In any case, I’ll stick to what works for me. And the cornmeal works! Thank you so much.
Cornmeal bath for toenail fungus
Report from Jerry in Lakewood:
When I had athlete’s foot, I soaked my feet in a couple of big hand-fulls of horticultural cornmeal and warm water. Within one day, I could see the fungus clearing up. Faster than any medicine I have ever used.
Tip From Robert W. Willcutt:
My dog Roxina, had a wet area between folds of skin on her neck. I put cornmeal on the area. The next day it was a lot drier, but it still stunk. I reapplied dry cornmeal and a week later it no longer smells and seems to be completely healed.
Tip From Duke Burnett:
I had bumps come up on my head, like small pimples. They would turn to sores if left alone or scratched. I started rubbing cornmeal on my head when taking a shower. I stopped after about 2 weeks when I ran out of cornmeal and the bumps which had diminished came back. I began using cornmeal again, using it about twice a week. The bumps are totally under control, sometimes disappearing completely. I simply rub about a teaspoon onto my scalp, sometimes rinsing right off and sometimes leaving on while I finish showering.
Another Cornmeal Tip/Report
Though I have never been to the doctor, other folks suffering from the same skin problem as I indicated I had dermatitis, and that frankly, there was no cure, just topical ointments that could “ease” the symptoms. One thing I have discovered, as far as I am personally involved, stress magnifies the problem and makes it much worse.
Last week, I had a flare up of my dermatitis that literally kept me in the house. I refused to go outside. I had reached the point where concealers and make-up couldn’t even do the trick. My problem is focused mainly around my mouth, but last week even moved to go over my upper lip, then up the sides of my nose and another spot between my eyebrows and a couple of other areas. In addition to the usual redness I had severe itching and burning. I had had enough. While some urged me to go to the doctor, I decided it was time to get out the horticultural cornmeal. Here’s what I did:
Put some cornmeal in old panty hose and tied off the panty hose, filled a container with tap water, set the cornmeal filled panty hose in the water to soak and left it for 1 1/2 hours.
I held the poultice to my face for about 20 minutes on each of the major areas, then I proceeded to “wash” my face in the “cornmeal juice” left in the container. I repeated the process later in the evening; again only keeping the poultice on my affected areas for 20 minutes. After the first application, I felt some relief but still looked pretty bad. After the 2nd application, all the burning and itching was gone. The following morning, ALL the redness and bumps were gone! That area of my face had not been that clear in YEARS! Literally.
I had every intention of repeating the application a couple of times in the past week, but have not done so. Amazingly, however, the problem has not returned. I plan to now use the cornmeal as a “preventive” product on occasion to keep this situation at bay. I truly wish I had taken pictures, because without having seen what my face looked like, it is hard to get people to understand the drastic difference – but what a difference it is. I’ve even been going out without make-up! Cornmeal is now my new “hero” product.
Tip from Dan Hands:
Mix 2 parts cornmeal and 1 part petroleum jelly. Spread it on your infected toenail every day until the infected nail is grown out and infection is gone. It takes 60 to 90 days. And much easier than soaking in water and cornmeal.
From G. Rigg:
After reading last month’s Dirt article about the various cornmeal treatments, I had a thought that my 15 year old daughter, Haley, might try it for her continued problem with minor facial acne. Like many teenagers, she has been plagued with acne for a couple of years.
My wife, daughter and I did some further research into other “organic” cures for acne as well.
After weeks of experimenting with a paste “mask” consisting of various combinations of cornmeal, witch hazel, sugar, tea tree oil and peroxide, our daughter’s acne is completely gone! Haley’s friends are dying to try it, based on her results!
We’re trying to refine the formula before we tell anyone. It’s not a pretty mask, nor does it smell that pretty, due to the tea tree oil (not a bad smell, but as my daughter says, it has a “strong motor oil smell”). And, of course, there will be different results for each individual.
Kinds of Cornmeal: https://www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Kinds-of-Cornmeal_vq12706.htm
Cornmeal juice: https://www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Cornmeal-Juice_vq395.htm
Video: how to use cornmeal – https://youtu.be/8xcSIEvCRYw
