Fungal conditions like toenail fungus, athlete’s foot and stubborn skin fungus are hard to clear. They take hold in warm, damp places and often shrug off store-bought creams, only to flare back up months later.
Black Walnut has long been one of the strongest plant antifungals there is, and the green hull, the outer covering of the walnut, is its most potent part. Its inner bark and leaves are astringent, firming and toning irritated skin, and the whole herb has long been used as a mild laxative and to rid the bowel of parasites.
Ringworm is an easy one for me now. Wet a piece of gauze with Black Walnut extract and lay it directly over the ringworm, and it will kill it off. The salve works too, and is my choice for a very small ringworm, but for a larger one I prefer the extract, since it’s a bit stronger.
What Goes Into It
A good Black Walnut extract uses the green hull, leaves and inner bark together. The hull brings the antifungal strength; the leaves and bark bring their astringent, skin-toning action.
Putting It Together
Put the dry herbs in a glass jar and pour in 80-proof vodka. Once the herbs have settled, you want about 60% herb sediment on the bottom and 40% liquid on top. Shake the jar every day. The traditional timing follows the moon, from the new moon to the full moon, about two weeks. I prefer to let my extracts sit a full three months, which makes them good and strong. Then strain and bottle the liquid.
For a salve, fully extract the herbs in extra virgin olive oil in a 150-degree oven for three hours, swap the spent herbs for fresh, and do it three times through. Strain and thicken with beeswax.
How Much and How Often
- The extract, inside: ½ to 1 teaspoon in warm water, three to five times a day as needed.
- On the skin: the extract on a wet gauze pad, or the salve, as often as needed.
A fungus took time to take hold, and it takes time to clear. Stay with it even after it looks better, since a fungus that looks gone can still be working its way out. On the skin, the extract will darken lighter skin for a while; it fades on its own within a week or two.
This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.
