Alternative Medicine: Juniper, Part 2

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible.  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.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.

Last week we covered the harvesting and medicinal uses of juniper berries. But the great thing about juniper is that we don't have to wait for fall to use it medicinally; the needles can be gathered and turned into medicine at any time of the year!

MEDICINAL USES OF THE JUNIPER NEEDLES

Juniper is or has reportedly been used in the treatment of:

• urinary tract infection, urethritis, cystitis;
• acne;
• arthritis, rheumatism;
• toothache, swollen gums;
• heartburn, bloating, loss of appetite, gastrointestinal infections;
• intestinal worms;
• sores, wounds;
• measles, smallpox;
• snake bites, insect bites, dog bites, 
• scurvy;
• Staphylococcus aureus.
• The needles may be of use in potentiating the efficacy of erythromycin and ampicillin.

As previously noted, unfortunately, all that is sometimes recorded is that an herb was used, without detailing how much was used, how it was prepared, or how often it was used. While just using any herb that "someone said" was used to treat xyz disease is irresponsible at best when competent, licensed medical care is available, if there is no one else to help and all conventional supplies are exhausted, I guess if I'm throwing anything I can get my hands on at tuberculosis or tetanus, I'd rather try what Native Americans reportedly used to treat it than just trying to guess on my own. Accordingly, juniper something has also been used in the treatment of:

• depression, fatigue, insomnia;
• tuberculosis;
• high blood sugar;
• herpes simplex 1 and 2;
• kidney infections, kidney stones, bladder stones, gout;
• enlarged prostate;
• eczema, dandruff, psoriasis, vitiligo, athlete's foot, warts;
• tetanus;
• diarrhea, nausea;
• hemorrhage, high blood pressure; 
  
• Aspergillus niger.

Tincture dosage: 5-20 drops, up to 3x daily, for a maximum of four to six weeks. Begin with a lower dosage and increase, if needed. Tinctures take several weeks to make, so having them on hand before an infection occurs is best.

Making the juniper needle tincture: 1:5, 75% alcohol (that's one ounce of juniper needles to five ounces of 150-proof alcohol). Store the tincture in the dark and give it a good shake once each day. After five days, blend the tincture in a blender and then put it back in the jar and store it in the dark for four weeks. For the last step, strain the tincture through a coffee filter or cheesecloth to remove the herb and pour it into a clean bottle or jar. Store in a cool, dark location.

Infusion: Pour 2 cups of boiling water over 1-3 teaspoonfuls of crushed needles and steep for 10-15 minutes. Take one cup in the morning and one in the evening for lower urinary tract infections and digestive problems. Limit consumption to two weeks unless directed otherwise by a medical professional. If treating for scurvy, use new growth (lighter green) needles for their higher vitamin C content.

Decoction: Add one ounce of needles to one quart of boiling water. Boil for 30 minutes, remove from heat, and let steep 12-24 hours. It has historically been used as an antiseptic wash for sores, wounds, measles, smallpox, snake bites, insect bites, dog bites. A decoction is also used as a poultice on rheumatic or arthritic joints. Furthermore, a decoction of the needles was historically used to sterilize brewing equipment, cooking utensils, surgical instruments (yeah, that could be helpful), hands, and counters. It would seem silly to put this in buckets when I've got hundreds of trees here, but it is definitely one to keep in the memory banks for future reference.

Steam: Boil four ounces of needles in one gallon of water; inhale the steam as it boils. Use for upper respiratory infections.

Poultice: A poultice of the leaves is applied to the jaw for alleviating toothaches and sore or swollen gums.

MEDICINAL USES OF THE JUNIPER TWIGS

Decoction: Prepare as for the needle decoction above, using one ounce of twigs instead. Use primarily for treating stomach aches and kidney complaints.

Poultice: Mash twigs and make a poultice to dress burns and swollen skin tissue.

Smoke: Smoke from burning twigs was inhaled by Native Americans in treating headaches and colds. Juniper branches were used in sweat baths for alleviating rheumatism.

MEDICINAL USES OF THE JUNIPER SEEDS

The seeds were eaten to treat headaches.

OTHER USES OF JUNIPER:

Air purifier: Simmer berries and water in an open pot.

Disinfectant: Add juniper berries to dishwater or other cleaning solutions as a disinfectant. Yes, it sounds a little far-fetched. Read on.

Alternative to chlorhexidine: Chlorhexidine is an oral rinse used in periodontal treatment; however, extended use can have negative side effects. Juniper essential oil diluted in water had no negative effects. (https://www.researchgate.netpublication277252482_Essential_Oil_from_Berries_of_
Lebanese_Juniperus_excelsa_M_Bieb_Displays_Similar_Antibacterial_Activity_to_Chlorhexidine_
but_Higher_Cytocompatibility_with_Human_Oral_Primary_Cells)

Wax: Simmer fruit, skim off wax, use to make candles.

Slow match: Crushed bark is twisted into a rope, tied with yucca, and coiled. The free end was lit and kept smoldering by blowing on it infrequently. In this way, fire could be carried for several hours.

Roofs: The bark is used to thatch roofs.

Bedbugs: Boughs were used to deter bedbugs.

Contraindications: Juniper is a common allergen for hay fever. It also affects blood glucose levels in diabetics. Avoid juniper during pregnancy and while nursing.

Cautions: Large doses of juniper, like six cups of strong tea in a day, may cause vomiting, diarrhea, and increased urine flow. Use juniper only for a month or so; then abstain for a week or more before using the herb again.

Related posts:
Juniper, part 1 

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com

Dehydrated Tomatoes

If you've been reading the blog from the beginning in October and really paying attention, you might have noticed the theme of Saturday's Expanded Food Storage posts is an all-American meal of hamburgers and fries.

And then you come across today's post of "Dehydrated Tomatoes," and you become a little teary-eyed.  Because you're depressed to see it's such a boring topic, or a little excited at the idea of having a tomato to put on your hamburger.

Now there is a whole lot you can do with dehydrated tomatoes, but in keeping with the theme, we're going to start with dehydrating tomatoes whose ultimate purpose in life is to be re-hydrated for putting on hamburgers.

It's important to note that there actually is a difference between dried food and dehydrated food.  Dried food still has some water content in it so it is much more pliable, and it has a much shorter shelf life.  On the other hand, dehydrated food has had as much water removed as possible.  It is crispy and has a much longer shelf life, which is what we as prepared people want.

I started with my garden tomatoes, the ones I had to pick super early (October 15th-ish because of super early freezing temperatures--sad), and that had been ripening in the atrium.  They got washed and then dipped in boiling water to  remove the skins from some tomatoes.  (I couldn't tell a difference in flavor between the skinned and non-skinned tomatoes, however, I must admit, I do not have super-sensitive taste buds.) I'm not entirely convinced that removing the skins is necessary, but I was wondering if the skin imparted a bitter flavor to the re-hydrated tomato, so I wanted to be able to do a side-by-side comparison.

handy dandy tomato slicer--nice for making tomato slices of perfectly uniform thickness, in this case, 1/4-inch thick

I then sliced them up and put them on the dehydrator trays.  Now most instructions say to dehydrate tomatoes at 125-135 degrees, and of course the number of hours is going to vary depending on the thickness of your slices and your humidity.  But I don't want to cook my tomatoes at all.  I want to be able to use them as fresh--hopefully--and I want them to retain their beautiful color.  So I set the thermostat to 90 degrees.

And because I want as much moisture out as possible, I've let them go 18 hours now.  They are crispy.  They are done!

Because they are so crispy, they need to be removed from the trays carefully.  And because these beautiful babies are for hamburgers, they are stacked in a pint canning jar.  Naturally, there will be some broken pieces.  These are set aside for other uses.  More on that later.

Once the jar is full, it is vacuum-sealed (or you could use an oxygen absorber).  Glass jars and vacuum sealing are the only way to keep moisture out.  If you live in the desert, you might be able to forgo the vacuum sealing.  Everyone else better do it for sure.  Trust me on that.

Now, for the test.  How long does it take to re-hydrate?  Well, more than the few minutes it takes to make a hamburger.  If you are putting them on your hamburger, start re-hydrating before you do anything else.

I was really, really hoping the tomato slices would re-hydrate well and regain their original thickness and texture.  I checked them every half hour for about four hours.  Unfortunately, they never regained their original size and there was no difference between 30 minutes and 4 hours of re-hydration.  So they don't have quite the texture and juiciness desired for a great hamburger.

But you know what?  They look great!  No one else will know how thinly you originally sliced the tomato.  They'll just be amazed at your ability to slice a tomato so thinly.  Having a bright red tomato to put on hamburgers during the off-season will be greatly appreciated.  And in times of crisis, being able to maintain some normalcy is important to keeping up morale.  Being able to put tomatoes on hamburgers (and even being able to have hamburgers!) is a small, but very simple and easy thing to do.


What about the rest of the dehydrated tomatoes?  The broken pieces?  Or what about dehydrating tomatoes for other purposes?  Yes, I'm getting to that.

To turn your dehydrated tomatoes into powder, simply place them in your blender and give them a whirl until they are powder.  That's it.

However, some blenders may cause the tomato powder to get a little heated in the process.  If that is the case, spread your powder on a plate or tray and let cool completely.  If you have purchased tomato powder in the past, you will recall that it is a nice, tomato-ey red.

commercially dehydrated tomato powder

Your home dehydrated tomato powder will not have that same bright color, but will be of a more orange-rust color.  I'm not quite sure why that is, but anyway....  After the powder is completely cooled, transfer it into a glass jar that can be vacuum-sealed for long-term storage.  You do not want moisture getting in and spoiling all your tomatoes--and your work.

Use your tomato powder to thicken tomato-based soups or stews.  As a general guideline, for tomato sauce, combine in a 1:4 ratio of powder to water.  For tomato paste, combine in a 1:2 ratio of powder to water.  But for best results, and for just the thickness you want, don't use these measurements.  Just begin with some tomato powder and add water until you get the consistency you want.

© 2018, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com 

Basic Food Storage: Milk--Copycat Chick-Fil-A Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake

To go along with our Expanded Food Storage theme of the 1950's American diner with hamburgers and French fries, we absolutely must have a milkshake, right?

I came across this copycat recipe for the Chick-Fil-A Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake at StoreThisNotThat.com.  Now, I've only been to Chick-Fil-A once in my life, and it was in the summer, so I'm guessing this milkshake wasn't even on the menu then.  I don't have any basis for comparison. (Though in the interest of research, I might try to find the local Chick-Fil-A and order one.  Just for research purposes, mind you.)  But we're heading into Christmas, and now's the time to buy candy canes if this recipe's a winner.

As I look over the recipe, I'm more than a little skeptical.  There is no whipping cream.  There is no fat at all except what's in the chocolate chips.  How can it possibly be any good?  On the other hand, I've never tried anything from Store This Not That which wasn't good.

Store This Not That's Copycat Chick-Fil-A Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake (recipe #1)

2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup dry milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
4 candy canes (mine were about1/2 oz each)
2 1/2 cups ice cubes
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in the order listed in a blender on high.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Makes about three eight-ounce servings.

And, of course, in a grid-down scenario fresh milk might be a little difficult to come by (as might ice, but we'll cover that in a few months).  So I wanted to try two alternative recipes for comparison.  

I really wanted to write our observations in below the alternative recipes, but there's some stupid formatting problem that I can't seem to work around, so I'll include our notes here.  

I once again pressed my children (only three were available this time) into service as guinea pigs, and knowing that powdered milk was involved, they very reluctantly trudged into the kitchen.  I honestly could not tell a difference between the three recipes.  Luke favored Store This Not That's copycat, followed by recipe #3 below.  Charlotte and Lydia both favored recipe #3, followed by recipe #1.  We aren't actually huge peppermint fans here; everyone thought using a different candy, like Snickers or Milky Ways would be a huge improvement.

Alternative (recipe #2)

2/3 cup water
3/4 cup dry milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
4 candy canes
2 1/2 cups ice cubes
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Combine as above.

Alternative (recipe #3)

2/3 cup whipping cream (Trader Joe's carries shelf-stable whipping cream in eight-ounce cartons)
2/3 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
4 candy canes
2 1/2 cups ice cubes
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Combine as above.

Copyright 2018, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com

Global Sun Oven

One of the problems you've got to consider as you build your food storage and plan for uncertain times is how you're going to cook the food.  Unfortunately, when it comes to alternative cooking, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.  You can get an oven or a stove, but not both.  You can get a solar or a fuel unit, but not two-in one.  You can get something for backpacking, or you can get a large, not-so-easily-portable unit.  You're probably going to need a few different items to cover your bases.

So for today, before the sun sinks any further in the horizon and becomes more difficult to work with, at least until spring, I thought I'd review the Global Sun Oven.  I've had it for about six years now, but it hasn't gotten a lot of use, especially lately due to a few litters of puppies.  Chihuahua puppies might not have been an issue, but we've got Great Pyrenees.  I'm not confident that they would leave the sun oven alone.  And the only place on our property that I can place the oven, without having to walk a long ways, is on our driveway, a favorite hangout of all the dogs.  Because we are on the eastern side of a mountain ridge and our sun sets pretty early, we are a bit limited in where we can place the oven.

Add caption

Now, I didn't have this during the years we lived in Missouri, so I can only make guesses as to how useful it would have been.  And my guess is it would not have been very useful.  (I would love to read comments from people who have used sun ovens in the Midwest.)  Gardens grow well there, so I know there has to be some sun, but we just didn't seem to see it very often.  There were a lot of clouds.  It was a very rare day that the sky was actually blue.  If I were in the Midwest, I don't think I would want any solar oven.  It would be too unreliable for the financial expense and the shelf space when unable to use it.

Living in the high desert, most days are sunny.  But we can have a problem with afternoon winds, prime cooking time, so that is an issue.  The reflector panels of the oven do not tolerate wind at all.  That eliminates some days for us.  Even an occasional breeze can be a problem.  It's probably not too big a deal if you can monitor your oven from where you are working, but I can't unless I'm cleaning the garage or weeding on that side of the house.

However, when the elements combine to work well together, the Global Sun Oven performs.

We made the most fabulous beef stew in it and took it on a family picnic on Peavine Mountain.  Why is it that food that turns out so well for camping and other outdoor activities can never be replicated at home?  I haven't made beef stew that good since, and I swear it's the same recipe. 

There are a few drawbacks for this particular sun oven.  For one, it takes up a lot of space on a shelf or in the back of the truck.  And you have to have sun to use it, so it can be used to make a late lunch, but it's going to be difficult to pull off a hot dinner when the sun sets early.  Obviously, it's not going to work for breakfast, either.  Furthermore, it has to be turned every hour or so, especially in winter.  And finally, if it can't be used a lot, it's a bit pricey.

However, the sun is free, so there's no fuel expense.  That is a huge plus.  It is relatively light, so most people shouldn't have a problem carrying it.  And it is great for baking in the 350 degree range.

I thought I would provide a table of times and temperatures to give you a better idea of how well it works.  And this is a place for me to keep my notes as well.  A trend I'm noticing is that as we move into winter, it is very important to do the baking earlier in the day. 

Date               Weather       Outside temperature     Time          Oven temperature
October 25     Sunny          61 degrees                    1:00            61 degrees
                                                                                 1:30          350 degrees
                                                                                2:05           320 degrees
                                                                                4:25           275 degrees
October 26    Thin clouds  71 degrees                    3:30           220 degrees
(adjusted angle of oven)                                         3:45           240 degrees (so aborted attempt)
October 30     Sunny          47 degrees                    3:20           300 degrees
                                                                                4:00           260 degrees so adjusted angle, but couldn't get any warmer.  Too late to finish baking.
November 8   Sunny          47 degrees                  12:15           325 degrees
                                                                              12:45           290 degrees
                                                                              12:55           300 degrees
                                                                               1:05            300 degrees
                                                                               1:15            300 degrees
Most cookies bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  At 300 degrees it takes about 20 minutes.  Also, baked goods don't get that golden brown color we're used to, so you can't use color as a judge of doneness.

                                                                               1:20            295 degrees
I took a casserole straight from the freezer.  I figured it wouldn't completely bake, but I could get a head start on it.
                                                                               2:20            275 degrees

November 16   Sunny           53 degrees               11:40           290 degrees
                                                                              12:05          290 degrees
                                                                                1:30          310 degrees  (baked cookies and they turned out fine)
                                                                                2:15          320 degrees (adjusted angle of oven)
                                                                                2:50          300 degrees
                                                                                3:05          260 degrees
At 2:15, I started baking a loaf of whole wheat sandwich bread.  I make my bread is batches of three loaves, so for comparison I baked two inside in the kitchen and one outside in the sun oven.  I really thought I started too late and that I wouldn't be able to fully bake the bread, but I wanted to see if it would work.  I was delighted to be wrong.  Normally I bake bread at 350 degrees and was concerned 300-320 degrees wasn't going to work.  But I let it bake longer and used an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature.  At 3:05, the bread had reached 190 degrees, the temperature required for whole wheat sandwich bread loaves, so I brought it inside.  We cooled it about ten minutes and then cut through the center to check for doneness.  There was no difference in taste or texture from out other loaves.  However, the loaf was much lighter in color than the loaves we baked inside.

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com  

Lidocaine for Medical Preparedness

Most of you have probably heard of and used lidocaine, but perhaps without knowing it.  It's an anesthetic used for topical numbing of the skin prior to suturing and for minor surgeries.  It's in topical creams for relieving itching and available in pain patches.  According to Wikipedia, it's on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health care system.  

In addition to use as a local anesthetic, lidocaine finds application as a nerve block.  It works synergistically with epinephrine so that the numbing effect lasts longer with less lidocaine and decreases bleeding.  

The topical creams often used in tattooing contain up to 5% lidocaine, the strongest available without a prescription.  My daughter used this to numb her ankle prior to digging out a deep sliver.  She didn't feel a thing.  

Injectable lidocaine can be a little troublesome to obtain.  It's not a controlled substance, and it's not by any means illegal to possess it.  If you have a good relationship with your physician, and he recognizes the state of our nation and the need to prepare, he may be willing to get some for you.  For the rest of us, fortunately, lidocaine powder to make your own injectable solution can still be purchased without a prescription. One supplier is MedicalNumbingAgents.com. (I have no interest, financial or otherwise, in this company.)  The have recently started selling vials of injectable lidocaine, and it can also be purchased through some overseas pharmacies.

How are you going to use this lidocaine?  Well, actually, unless you have some advanced training (which I highly recommend), you aren't going to use it.  Remember, when life gets interesting, a physician will probably be a lot easier to find than any of the medical supplies we need or want for our families.  So the physician will be administering the lidocaine.  

I wasn't sure how much to purchase for our family.  Medical Numbing Agents only sells three drugs--caffeine, benzocaine, and lidocaine.  Their primary clients are hospitals and medical offices.  So I went with the smallest amount, 25 grams, for $22.00 at the time.  But I wasn't sure this was sufficient, so at our class a few months later I asked Dr. Steve what he would recommend for my family of seven.  

"500 grams."  I was sure he hadn't understood me.  I about choked.  So I asked again, emphasizing it was just for my family of seven.  Yep, the answer was still the same.  

Fortunately, it is much less expensive to purchase in bulk.  If you have a few families you can get together with on this purchase, so much the better.

One tip if you do choose to purchase through MedicalNumbingAgents.com:  The company offers all new customers $11 off their first order.  So of course, most take advantage of that.  However, if you put an item in your cart and then leave for a day or so, they will email you and offer you 10 percent off your purchase.  At least, that happened for me.  And I've found that with quite a few companies, so it's worth a try.  

Copyright 2018, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com

28 august 2024

Tips and Tricks: Cosmetic Travel Bag for Organizing Medical Kit

In the process of assembling your family or advanced medical kit, you come to realize that there are a whole lot of tiny supplies that you want to carry.  But because they are so small, they can become hard to find, especially in an emergency.  One of the tips I learned from the grid-down medicine class I took a few months ago was to organize all those tiny items in a cosmetic travel bag.

Pure genius.

Household Essentials 06910 Hanging Toiletry Travel Bag for Men and Women - Store Travel Accessories, Jewelry, and Cosmetics - Black, $14.99 on Amazon

I spent quite some time searching and pondering what size and style of bag to purchase.  There were a few other bags I considered but ultimately decided on this one because it could fold flat and would fit nicely into the backpack style medical bag we already had.  I also wanted one that could hang, with different sizes of plastic pockets, not mesh.  

I am amazed at how many supplies we can fit in here.  What do we carry in our kits?

Row A

• Pocket 1
• Hydrocortisone cream, 3 packets
• Burn gel, 4 packets
• Lubricating jelly, 3 packets
• Betadine ointment, 1 packet 
• Petroleum jelly, 1 packet
• Triple antibiotic, 4 packets
• Benadryl cream, 1 packet
• Oral pain relief gel, 2 packets
• A&D ointment, 2 packets 
• Pocket 2
• Credit card magnifier
•  Pocket 3
• Band-aids, 7 in various sizes
• Insect repellent wipes, 2 
• Pocket 4
• Nail clippers
• Vet-Bond

Row B

• Pocket 1
• Baby aspirin, 24
• Children's chewable baby aspirin, 10
• Activated charcoal powder, packet
• Usnea wound powder, packet
• Children's chewable Benadryl, 8
• Tylenol PM, 2
• Vicodin, 1
• Benadryl, 8
• Acetaminophen, 2
• Children's chewable acetaminophen, 4
• Meclizine, 5
• Doxylamine succinate, 4
• Meloxicam, 2
• Caffeine, 4
• Ibuprofen, 2 
• Pocket 2
• Penlights, 2(batteries stored separately)
• Rubbing alcohol, 2 oz 
• Iodine tincture
• Dual tip Sharpie, 1 
• Pocket 3
• Steri-strips, 20 in various sizes
• Thermometer, 1
• Benzalkonium chloride wipes, 3
• Sutures, 2 
• Tegaderm film dressings, 3

Row C

• Pocket 1
• 5% lidocaine cream (Numb Master)
• contact lens solution (eye wash)
• lighter
• matches
• emergency shears
• hand sanitizer
• liquid bandage
• tincture of benzoin

Row D

• Pocket 1
• chest seal
• duct tape
• moleskin
• medical tape
• Celox nosebleed dressing; 
• Pocket 2
• Light sticks, 3
• Saran Wrap (burn dressing)
• Biofreeze, 3 
• 2x2 gauze, 10
• Sterile Q-tips, 20
• 4x4 kerlix gauze roll, 1
• Hand cleaner towels, 2
• Sterile non-adherent dressings, 3

That's a lot of stuff!  And I hope we never have to use any of it.   

 © 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com  12.29.19 03.07.21

Book Review--Armageddon Medicine by Dr Cynthia Koelker

Armageddon Medicine is just what the title suggests:  medicine for the end of the world, or as the author writes, "How to be your own doctor when there's no other choice."

If you can't attend a class like OnPoint Tactical's Off-Grid Medicine by Dr. Steve Pehrson (reviewed here), this book is an excellent guide to have.  Dr. Cynthia Koelker does not go into the depth that Dr. Steve does, but she does cover some topics that he has not in the classes I've attended.

Dr. Koelker, a board-certified family physician with thirty years of experience treating patients and their families, recognizes what is coming and the need to prepare accordingly.  Her website, ArmageddonMedicine.net, features dozens if not hundreds of educational and thought-provoking articles not included in her book.  Unfortunately, her website is not currently updated due to health issues, but I've communicated with her through email and she has always responded and been quite helpful and encouraging.

Her years of communicating with patients and their parents in her family medicine practice shine through in her writing.  Dr. Koelker writes in a conversational, very easy to understand style, like she is talking to concerned parents who need to be able to care for children or other loved ones when there is no one else.  She assumes the reader has no medical background whatsoever.

Armageddon Medicine is 588 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches, in what looks like a 12-point font, double-spaced, so it's very easy on the eyes.  The table of contents includes the following (there is more, but I'm highlighting what I think readers will be most interested in):

Section 1:  The Basics
Section 2:  Mental Illness
Section 3:  Acute Infection and Symptoms (quarantine, isolation; animal bites, rabies; respiratory infection; sore throat, mouth, lips; ear infection; gastrointestinal infection and symptoms; urinary and reproductive infections)
Section 4:  Skin conditions
Section 5:  Pain
Section 6:  Acute Injuries (burns, back strain, cuts and lacerations, knee and ankle injuries, insect bites and stings, concussion, fractures)
Section 7:  Selected Conditions (anemia, arthritis, asthma and COPD, blood clots and pulmonary embolism, botulism, constipation and diarrhea, diabetes, gout, headache and migraine, hearing loss, heart disease, heartburn, GERD, ulcers, hernia, high blood pressure, kidney stones, low back pain, sleep apnea, swelling, thyroid disease, vision) and women's health
Section 8:  Medication Concerns (simplifying your medications, expired medications, fish antibiotics, getting your doctor to help you stockpile medications, essential OTC drugs to stockpile, herbal medicine)
Section 9:  Special Topics (nuclear fallout, bioterrorism)
Section 10:  Becoming a Healer (taking a medical history, performing a physical exam)
Appendices (Resources, free downloads, medical textbook recommendations, medical kit, useful OTC medications)

Merely stating that there are appendices for the medical kit and useful OTC medications is inadequate. The medical kit appendix is 12 pages long and includes not just the items that Dr. Koelker recommends for your kit, but also the quantities for a family (basic), small group (intermediate), or professional (advanced).  Her suggestions will help you budget your medical dollars wisely.  For instance, how many bottles of rubbing alcohol have you stored?  Believe it or not, she advises just one bottle for a family, five bottles for a small group, and twenty for a professional level.  She includes prescription medications and quantities of each.   The OTC meds appendix is seven pages long, and lists the common name, other names, primary use, and other possible uses.  So the first item in that list is Benadryl, aka diphenhydramine, which is primarily used for colds and allergies.  But it can also be used for anxiety and insomnia.  Zantac, aka ranitidine, is marketed as a heartburn remedy.  But did you know it can also treat hives? 

Armageddon Medicine is only available through Dr. Koelker's site, ArmageddonMedicine.net.  At $89, it is a little pricey, but the information is invaluable, and there is so much that I have not seen elsewhere.  This book is definitely the place to begin for your medical preparation and will provide a solid foundation should you desire further education.  If you're skeptical, go to her site and read the articles there.  They are not duplicated in the book, but you will get an idea of the kind of information she provides.  This book may not save your life, but then again, it might.  It's written with the hope that none of us will ever need it and that hospitals and doctors will always be there for us.  But as the saying goes, we plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Disclaimer:  I receive no compensation of any kind whatsoever for the review of this book.

Links to related posts:
The Survival Medicine Handbook  
Survival and Austere Medicine, 3rd Edition   


 © 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com 

Book Review: Herbal Antibiotics by Stephen Harrod Buhner

Make sure to get the 2nd edition.  Trust me on this.

I selected Stephen Harrod Buhner's Herbal Antibiotics:  Natural Alternatives for Treating Drug-Resistant Bacteria, because I think if I had to bug-out (perish that thought!) and could take only one of my dozens of prepping books with me, this would be The One.  Steve Solomon's Gardening When It Counts would likely rank second, probably only because I've already had several years to practice gardening and cement his ideas into my little brain.  Having some bacterial infections and thus the opportunity to apply knowledge gained from Herbal Antibiotics would be quite ideal for learning how to use the natural remedies, but no one here is volunteering to be guinea pig.  Again.

First off, Herbal Antibiotics is quite unlike the majority of other herbal medicine books that are more fluff or vagueness than substance.  Buhner clearly and logically discusses each herb, with its Latin and common names, how it has been used throughout history, how it is used in other parts of the world, and how to prepare and dose it for specific illnesses.  The only possible flaw, and it's not a deal-breaker for sure, is that there are no pictures of the plants.  However, there's always Google Lady, and sometimes one species of plant looks quite different from another of the same genus.  

Buhner explains what's happening with the current health dilemma we face regarding increasing antibiotic resistance and takes a matter of fact approach to the doom and gloom of the end of the antibiotic era.  A gifted writer, he goes into great detail about twenty great antibiotic herbals, including usnea, juniper, honey, the berberines, etc., that are pretty much widely available.  But he also includes a section on some lesser known plant-sourced antibiotics.  Sprinkled throughout are brief forays into biochemistry, which can be daunting to non-sciency readers, but they're easily passed over.  Buhner also informs us about where these plants can be found in the wild and offers recommendations for online sources.  And unlike the vast majority of herbal medicine books on the market, for each herb he includes pages of references to technical journals so you can do your own research. 

Stephen Buhner could have come from the same gene pool as Gary Larson (The Far Side).  You can see it throughout the book.  It's really very entertaining.

I appreciate the more research-based, scientific approach to herbal medicine, as opposed to the more common, vague approaches lacking any scientific explanation or basis.  Many, (way too many) moons ago I earned a degree in zoology, and spent a few years as a Russian-English translator of life sciences material.  Although I have a somewhat technical background, I didn't find this book to be beyond the ability of the average Joe to understand.  Yeah, Buhner does go into some detail about how these herbals work in the body, but it's not entirely necessary to read all that to figure out how to treat yourself.  I've read it three times, so far.  It's that interesting.  And I understand more and remember more each time, so that's a really good thing.

Buhner's intended audience was probably those who understand that antibiotic resistance is poised to create a worldwide crisis and who are looking for tools to defend themselves.  However, this book is especially valuable for preppers who recognize that even a substantial supply of traditional antibiotics will be exhausted.  And because Big Pharma just isn't doing the research to develop new antibiotics, and because bacteria are so effective at defeating new antibiotics when they come out anyway, we need to be prepared to manage bacterial infections. 

Herbal Antibiotics is definitely not a book to borrow and take notes on or make copies of a few good pages.  You really want the whole thing for your own reference.  It's one of precious few books that is worth every penny and every precious inch of shelf space.

Links to related posts:
Alton's Antibiotics review
Herbal Antivirals review 

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com  

Expanded Food Storage: Hamburgers

You know, when I read what most people are planning to eat post TEOTWAWKI, it doesn't get me excited.  I get kinda depressed.  I feel bad for them.  I guess it's because I like to eat.  My children like to eat.  We like it so much we do it several times each and every day.

If we don't have good food available, morale is going to tank and disease is going to skyrocket.

So let's plan on having some good food.

On the menu today, to go with last week's French fries, is hamburgers.  And I'm going to make three assumptions here:

1.  Right now, pre-TEOTWAWKI, you don't have a handy-dandy $3,000 freeze dryer to freeze dry some hamburger patties;
2.  Post-TEOTWAWKI, there is no electricity (or not enough), so there is no hamburger in the freezer;
3.  Post-TEOTWAWKI, you're fresh out of cows ready to butcher;

How on earth are you going to have some hamburgers?

It's actually pretty easy--pressure canning to the rescue!

I'm not going to go into details about pressure canning itself in this post.  Detailed instructions for how to pressure can safely vary based on your altitude, your individual canner, and the quantity of food you are processing.  All of this information can be found in a Ball Blue Book of Canning or in the instructions that came with your canner (and which should be reviewed at least every year).

There are a couple of different decisions to make:

1.  Hot or raw pack?  I like raw pack because it is faster and easier.  However, with raw pack there is a bit of shrinkage in the size of the patties.  Water or broth needs to be added for hot pack, but there is less shrinkage.

2.  Logs or individual patties?  Logs are raw-pack only, and they are definitely easier and faster than individual patties, but when you slice the logs the resulting patties are more likely to crumble apart.

3.  Quart or pint?  More food or less?  A log of hamburger in a pint jar will yield about six thin, slider-sized patties, while you can get eight or nine thicker, larger patties from a quart jar.

4.  Season before or after?  I add a little salt before canning, but prefer to do the bulk of the seasoning later due to salt and other food sensitivities. 

I'm a raw pack kind of person, so that takes care of the first decision.  As for the second question, I've done logs before, and they work well enough, but having pre-made patties prevents some of the crumbling.  And they just look a little nicer and less "processed."  With six to seven adults at dinner each night, the quart size is a given.

When making hamburger logs, you want to form your log so that it is one inch shorter than the height of your jar and about a quarter inch narrower than the width.  Then cut a piece of parchment that is about twelve inches long and two inches wider than your hamburger log.  Place the log in the center on one end of the parchment paper so that there is a one inch overlap on the top and bottom.  Roll the log up tightly in the parchment paper, folding in the ends as you go.  Place log in jar.

For hamburger patties, cut several squares of parchment, about 5-6" in diameter.  Place one square of parchment on the bottom of the jar and one between each patty.  Carefully pack the patties into the jar.  If you are packing them raw, do not worry that they are larger than the mouth of the jar.  They will shrink during the canning process.  If you are packing them hot, make sure they will fit in the jar.  Some people use a wide mouth canning ring to make the patties the ideal size.

You can see pictures of the raw packed hamburger patties here:  http://canningforthefuture.blogspot.com/

Process per instructions from your canning guide, 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts.

Admire the fruits of your labors and then put them away on the shelf.

When it's time to make dinner, run the jar under hot water to soften the fat and make it easier to get your hamburgers out of the jar.  You can heat and eat as is, or you can brown them in a little butter or bacon grease and season for extra flavor.  No, it's not the same as a freshly prepared hamburger off the barbecue, but it will still be pretty wonderful.  Especially if served with French fries (from last week's post) and freshly made hamburger buns (a future post).

Links to related posts:
French fries
Hamburger buns
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Milk shake  
Tomatoes  

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com  02.27.21