The Medicinal Uses of Cornstarch

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on knowledge and understanding you might wish to acquire in advance of a disaster in case no higher care is available.  As long as our society is functioning, you should leave anything more substantial than applying a Band-Aid to the professionals.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care. 

Have you ever noticed that many baby powder products are labeled as being "pure cornstarch"?  And have you ever thought that instead of paying 5-10 times the price of regular cornstarch so that it is packaged in a plastic shaker bottle with a pleasant scent, that maybe you could just skip the overpriced shaker bottle and use cornstarch straight from the cardboard box?  And then have you wondered whether there were any additional non-culinary uses for cornstarch?  Well, we actually covered a few of those last week.

However, there are several medicinal uses as well, far beyond dusting a baby's bottom to prevent diaper rash, important as that is.  While cornstarch isn't a medicinal powerhouse like sugar, baking soda, or coconut oil, it does have its place.  Besides, it's really cheap and a good ingredient to stock in abundance for making SOS mix, in addition to its other uses in thickening sauces, pies, and gravies.

Athlete's foot.  This fungal infection is one that afflicts far too many people in the best of times when shoes and socks are changed daily and socks can be bleached.  When people spend a lot more time walking, athlete's foot will become even more commonplace.  Take precautions against developing athlete's foot by sprinkling cornstarch in shoes to help keep feet dry.  This will not only prevent the itching and irritation, but it will also help the precious supply of commercial anti-fungals last longer.

Bug bites.  A little cornstarch can help reduce the irritation and itchiness of a bug bite.  Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with a little water to form a peanut butter-like paste.  Apply this paste to the bite and cover it with a bandage.

Sunburn and skin irritations.  This same paste used for bug bites can be thinned a little and then applied with a cotton ball or gauze to the skin.  It is especially effective if applied in the evening before going to bed.

Prevent chafing of the skin.  Just sprinkle some cornstarch on the affected areas.

Fungal rashes.  These heat rashes often develop under the arms and breasts.  Dust cornstarch on the affected skin to help prevent infection and keep these vulnerable areas dry.

Links to related posts:
Medicinal Uses of Sugar
Medicinal Uses of Baking Soda
Medicinal Uses of Coconut Oil
SOS Mix

 6 october 2020