That is one of those old wives tales that unfortunately can have dire consequences (mouth and gastric irritation at a minimum and death in the extreme). There is no good science about this being a means to promote immunity. Here's a good site: Poison Ivy Myths which documents a number of the more popular myths surrounding poison ivy, oak, and sumac.
We could only wish that something so simple as eating the leaves would build immunity. Poison ivy salad anyone? :-) |
