Diet for Scabies
An itchy scalp might lead you to believe you have a lice infestation, but you might also have scabies. This infection is triggered by the human itch mite and causes an irritating skin rash or grayish-white lines that occur on the skin due to tunneling mites. Some changes can be made to your diet to aid in recovery and ease symptoms.
A fresh chopped salad with walnuts on top. (Image: Elena_Danileiko/iStock/Getty Images)Walnuts
Including black walnuts in your diet might help rid yourself of mites. Some people use black walnuts as a home remedy; they believe it serves as an insect repellent. No scientific evidence exists to confirm this use, but black walnuts do contain protein, a macronutrient that contributes to immune function. While protein will not keep you from getting scabies or help get rid of them, it might help prevent infections from the rash. One ounce of black walnuts provides you with 6.8 g of protein.
Rhubarb
Phyllis Balch, author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" and a nutrition expert, includes rhubarb on her list of remedies to help get rid of a scabies infection. Naturopathic medicine practitioners say it is because rhubarb is a natural anti-parasitic. In addition to this effect, it is also a source of vitamin C -- one cup of diced rhubarb contains 9.8 mg of this vitamin, which helps with skin quality due to its collagen content. This might help restore your skin from the rash.
Garlic
Garlic might or might not help get rid of parasites -- some people believe it might be effective against scabies because of its track record against other parasites. Regardless of whether it works, garlic does contain nutrients that can benefit your skin and return it to health after you contract a scabies rash. The manganese in garlic contributes to healthy nerves, and the vitamin B6 in this vegetable contributes to healthy skin.
Traditional Scabies Treatments
To get rid of a scabies infestation, a visit to your doctor might be necessary. You must use medicated lotions on your skin from your neck down to suffocate the mites. Your relatives or those who live with you might all need to undergo treatment, as scabies spreads rapidly. You might also need to steam-clean furniture and thoroughly wash bedding and clothes to get rid of stray mites. Note that scabies might trigger allergic reactions, so antihistamines might be necessary.
