Dietary Deficiencies and Consequences--Carbohydrate

Actually, a lack of carbohydrate in the diet is extremely rare, even among the impoverished. This condition should be non-existent among any who call themselves preppers, because carbohydrate sources are the least expensive foods. Grains store for twenty to thirty or more years, even without oxygen absorbers.   Fruit and vegetable carbohydrate sources grow rather easily in gardens.
Carbohydrates are the high octane fuel that the central nervous system wants for optimal performance. Carbohydrates, like protein, have four calories per gram.  However, unlike protein, carbohydrates are needed to digest fat completely. In the absence of carbohydrates, fat breakdown is incomplete, and the waste product is ketones. This causes a condition called ketosis, which can cause nausea among other things. Carbohydrates play a valuable role in sparing protein and preventing ketosis.  Furthermore, a low carbohydrate diet may make people fatigued, irritable, and lethargic.

What carbohydrate does is to protect protein so that it is available for building tissue. When carbohydrate intake is insufficient, protein gets broken down and used in its place, and nowhere near as efficiently. Why is this? Because protein can serve as a source of carbohydrate if carbohydrate intake is too low.

Carbohydrates should comprise 50% of the diet for most people. The best healthy carbohydrate sources are whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.  Whole grains (and enriched white rice) are the staff of life.  They're so cheap right now (though the prices are rising) and so easily produced by farmers, and so very difficult to grow ourselves in the quantities needed by a family to sustain themselves, that we should not skimp on storage space for these items.  Remember, 400 pounds per person per year is the minimum recommended amount for surviving.  Add another 50-100 pounds if you want to be satisfied, and not hungry.

Of course, really good sources of carbohydrate are most fruits and many vegetables.  Vegetables and berries are fairly easy to grow, but trees take time to start producing.  Less healthy sources of carbohydrate are sugars like sugar (granulated, brown, powdered), honey, molasses, corn syrup, maple syrup, Jell-O, drink mix, and hot chocolate mix.  They add variety to the diet and aren't generally too expensive.  They're simple to stockpile now, and with the exception of honey and maple syrup, a whole lot more difficult to produce later.  The minimum amount of sugar to store per person per year is sixty pounds, and again, that's for someone who will be alive, but always hungry.

Related posts:
Dietary Deficiency--Fat 
Dietary Imbalance--Fiber
Dietary Deficiency--Protein 

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com  

5 march 2023

Book Review: Alton's Antibiotics and Infectious Disease: The Layman's Guide to Available Antibacterials in Austere Settings

Dr. Joseph Alton and Nurse Amy Alton continue their stated mission "to put a medically prepared person in every family" with their latest book, Alton's Antibiotics and Infectious Disease:  The Layman's Guide to Available Antibacterials in Austere Settings.  It is clearly not directed to medical professionals or microbiologists, but is written for the average layman with no medical training whatsoever.  In fact, it's written at a level that a competent high school student could understand and utilize.  It's a "primer on the infectious diseases most likely to rear their ugly heads" when our advanced medical care is no longer an option.  Some information is hypothetical, as the Altons extrapolate lessons from history and draw on the experiences of disasters in underdeveloped areas.  They also devote significant attention to diseases that have been mostly eradicated in the US due to improved sanitation and hygiene, clean water, and antibiotics--all advances that will quickly disappear when our society collapses.
You can check out the table of contents and the first 60+ pages on Amazon to get a brief overview of the topics they address.  What I like in here that I haven't seen covered elsewhere, or covered as well, are the following topics:

• distinguishing between viral and bacterial infections--without the benefit of laboratory tests for diagnosis--so that you don't waste antibiotics on viral infections
• how to treat childhood diseases that we currently vaccinate for
• determining whether a person has a true allergy to a medication, or just an adverse side effect--this may be critical if you've got only one or two options to save a life
• exact adult dosages of various antibiotics for specific diseases
• how to make liquid suspensions of antibiotics for young children
• the use of "expired" antibiotics

The Altons do not teach you how to make intravenous antibiotics.  The potential is too great for introducing a worse infection than what you are trying to treat, right into the bloodstream.

What may escape the reader the first time looking at the title and reviews, is the word available.  Lots of times we read about what we should have in a medical kit, supplies we want to have on hand, but because we are not licensed physicians, we can't get these critical items.  What the Altons have done in this book, and really, what they have been doing for years, is determining whether fish and bird antibiotics can be safely used with people.  Of course, the ideal is to use antibiotics that are manufactured for people and that have been prescribed by your personal physician to treat a specific condition.  This book, as stated at the beginning, end, and entirely throughout, is for a time when there is no higher help available now or in the foreseeable future.  They have compared antibiotics that are for people with antibiotics that are sold, without prescription and without restriction, for use with birds and fish.  And they have found that they look the same, have the same batch numbers, and the same dosages as pharmaceuticals for people.  And they use them themselves.

So in their book, the Altons only focus on antibiotics that are manufactured for fish and birds but that are sold in the same dosages as what are prescribed for people.  And yes, physicians may in some cases have other drugs they would prefer to use, but in an austere situation, we may not have what we would like to have and have to make do with something less.  You're not learning everything smarter people in medical school take years to master.  The Altons are just hoping to help us understand the basics of treating some of the more common conditions we'll encounter when advanced medical care is unavailable.  Dr Joe and Nurse Amy cover each available antibiotic, the exact dosages for adults, and the exact conditions each is used for, and duration of treatment, as well as contraindications.

This book is definitely a must have in the medical library.

Links to related posts:
Herbal Antibiotics (book review)   
Herbal Antivirals  (book review)  


© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com  

The Medicinal Uses of Peppermint

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.



Peppermint has flavored or scented gums and candies, desserts, tea, toothpaste, soap, and shampoo, and probably loads of other products forever.  Have you ever noticed how many cold and cough and nausea remedies (Pepto-Bismol, Vicks, NyQuil, Listerine, etc.) contain menthol--one of the primary active constituents in peppermint?  There's a reason for that--it works!  Peppermint is in the same plant family as lavender, spearmint, catmint (catnip), and rosemary.  It's one of the easiest medicinal plants to grow; in fact, some would say that it is too easy.  If it is not well contained, it will spread everywhere.

Peppermint leaves and flowers are best harvested just after flowers begin to emerge. 

Numerous studies have shown that peppermint is antibacterial, insecticidal, and anti-parasitic.  Historically, peppermint has been used to treat not only gastrointestinal upsets, but also tuberculosis, colds, and headaches.  Fresh peppermint leaves are chewed to freshen breath; however, peppermint is most frequently taken in the form of tea or essential oils.

Fresh leaves.  Chewing on fresh peppermint leaves freshens the breath because the peppermint leaves possess antibacterial properties, i.e., they kill bacteria.  Bacteria produce a bad smell.  So bad breath goes away when you chew peppermint leaves.

Infusion.  Steep peppermint leaves or a tea bag in boiling water for 5-10 minutes.  Add sugar or honey to taste.  Drink peppermint tea to:

• relieve headaches and migraines;
• relieve nausea and vomiting;
• relieve menstrual and muscle cramps;
• soothe the respiratory tract and ease cold and flu congestion;
• promote sleep;
• relieve bloating, indigestion, and ulcers due to H. pylori;
• reduce fever.

Essential oil:  Sometimes you need the medicinal effects of peppermint to be a bit more concentrated; after all, you can only drink so much tea.  And that's where essential oils come in.  As essential oils are going to be rather difficult to produce in a collapsed society, plan to acquire a good supply of this valuable item from a reputable source.

• Aromatherapy/steam inhalation:
• stress and nausea--put several drops in a diffuser;
• colds and influenza, for clearing airways--add 10-12 drops to a pot of boiling water and then inhale the steam for 10 minutes;
• though not as effective, in the above situations if unable to use a diffuser, inhale directly from the bottle or rub a drop or two of oil onto your wrists and inhale as needed;
• tuberculosis--as an adjunct to other therapies, put 10 drops in a pot of boiling water and inhale the steam for 20 minutes each day for 2 months.
• Externally:
• nausea--mix 1-2 drops with 1-2 drops of carrier oil and rub behind the ears to prevent nausea;
• tension headache--mix a 1-2 drops into 2 drops of carrier oil and rub a drop on the temples for relief;
• upset stomach and heartburn--dilute 2-3 drops in 1 teaspoon of carrier oil and massage into the stomach;
• colds--dilute 2-3 drops in 1 teaspoon of carrier oil and massage into the chest;
• diabetic neuropathy--dilute a few drops in a carrier oil and massage into the afflicted areas.
• Internally:  Peppermint essential oil is generally recognized as safe when taken internally in very small doses, about 2-3 drops in a carrier oil or in water.
• heartburn, upset stomach--1 drop of essential oil, 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of honey to a glass of warm water and drink;
• asthma, seasonal allergies--2 drops in a glass of water;
• sore throat gargle--2 drops in a glass of warm water to soothe the pain of a sore throat and to kill bacteria.  For added relief, add in 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• irritable bowel syndrome.  For those concerned about nuclear radiation exposure, a few studies have shown that peppermint oil may provide some protection from radiation.  So far, the studies have been limited to mice and have shown that the peppermint needs to be taken before exposure to radiation. 

Contraindications for internal use:  Because peppermint can relax the sphincter muscle between the stomach and esophagus, it should not be used by people with GERD.  Do not use if you are taking iron supplements or cyclosporins, if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure, or if you are taking medications to reduce or suppress stomach acid production.  Do not use in children under the age of 12.  (Children may use spearmint the same as adults use peppermint;  spearmint is a close relative, but much gentler in its actions.)

Cautions:  Doses above 500 mg can irritate the mouth and stomach and produce a heartburn-like reaction.  May cause skin rashes, allergic reaction, or other irritation.

Other uses:  Peppermint essential oil is used in conjunction with other oils as a mosquito repellent and a pesticide.  Interestingly, it is also used in plumbing and construction to test for leaks by detecting the odor.

Links to related posts:
The Herbal Medic (book review)  
The HomeGrown Herbalist (book review)   
Anti-Nausea Medications   
Spearmint   
Peppermint-Lavender-Rosemary Headache Balm   
Catnip   

For further reading:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16121521 (general review of published articles)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29372567 (overall review of published articles)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23011739 (protection from gamma radiation)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13678235 (virucidal effect on herpes simplex 1 and 2)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23416804 (irritable bowel syndrome)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26319955 (irritable bowel syndrome)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3403674/ (infantile colic)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28562281 (functional abdominal pain in children)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17427617 (irritable bowel syndrome)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17653649 (gastric emptying; gastroparesis)
https://draxe.com/peppermint-oil-uses-benefits/
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/10/14/peppermint-health-benefits.aspx\
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/peppermint-oil-uses-benefits-effects#1
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12048423 (postherpetic neuralgia)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17128800 (tuberculosis)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11201253 (hay fever)


© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com
  

15 november 2020

15 january 2024

Expanded Food Storage--Tootsie Rolls

Sometimes, you just need a little something sweet, a little chocolate.  We all get that.  We have our supplies of canned Halloween and Valentine's Day candy, and chocolate chips, and the super-secret-Mom-stash of Trader Joe's peanut butter cups and salted chocolate almonds.  I really don't like to think of myself as selfish, but these are only stockpiled for my family.  I can't afford to do it for anyone else.

So it's nice to have a cheap alternative to share with others.  Tootsie Rolls fill the bill.  They take a little bit of time, but not a lot of brains or skill.  You can enlist an older child or teenager to help, and then it won't even take you much time, either.

Tootsie Rolls

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup dry milk

1/4 cup white corn syrup

Mix all ingredients together.  Knead like you would for bread.   It can take a bit of time to work all the sugar and cocoa powder in, but keep at it and you eventually get there.  Roll into rope shapes and cut into desired lengths.

They are almost like Tootsie Rolls, but not quite.  If you just call them chocolate candies, that might work better.  The taste is just fine, but adding a couple of drops of orange extract apparently makes the flavor just like a Tootsie Roll, even if the texture is a little off.  They need to be wrapped in waxed paper, or they will dry out pretty quickly.   

Links to related posts:
Canning Candy  
Dry Milk
Peanut Butter Play Dough
 

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com   

14 january 2023

Katadyn Micropur MP 1 Water Purification Tablets

Disclaimer.  This is just a review of another item you might wish to have in case of an emergency.  I have no financial interest in the manufacturer or in any company that sells their products.  And I have not received any compensation or free products to review or anything from them.

 News of the ongoing crisis in the socialist paradise of Venezuela should make us think that perhaps "it can happen here."  Ideally, of course, we have prepared perfectly well so that we can sit on our porches with popcorn and soda watching the world fall apart, and remain totally unaffected ourselves.  But as preppers, we are compelled to prepare for the worst and the what-ifs if Plan A fails.

Yesterday we covered the medications to have on hand if cholera strikes.  But an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and the Katadyn Micropur MP1 Water Purification Tablets are definitely that ounce of prevention.  These small tablets, individually packaged for maximum shelf life (five years from date of manufacture, so if you're ordering online, make sure you're getting current stock), satisfy the US EPA guidelines for safe drinking water.  They're really easy to use; just drop one tablet in a liter of water.  The Micropur tablets kill viruses and bacteria in 15 minutes in all water, and Giardia and Cryptosporidium in 30 minutes in 60 degree, clear water.  If the water is cloudy and/or cold, eliminating the Cryptosporidium cysts requires four hours.  

The major advantages of Micropur chlorine dioxide tablets over iodine are that these tablets are effective against Cryptosporidium, whereas iodine is not.  And unlike some pump filters, Micropur tablets eliminate bacteria and viruses.   They are an excellent small and lightweight back-up in case the primary water purification method fails.  Because the active ingredient is chlorine dioxide, the same chemical used in municipal water treatment, the taste should be the same for those who drink city water.  In other words, it's much better tasting than water treated with iodine.  Most reviewers say it tastes and smells like pool water.  So if that's a problem, carry some Crystal Light or other flavor packets for your water, especially for children.

Let's address some of the cons: 

• Adding chemicals to drinking water.  This isn't a "lifestyle choice."  This is about preventing dehydration, diarrhea, and death.  It's not a long-term solution (unless you are really, really rich).  Pick your poison.
• Floaties.  The tablets do not eliminate floaties in your water.  If that's important to you, you'll need to pre-filter--through a coffee filter, bandana, clean t-shirt, etc.
• Long time for eliminating Cryptosporidium.  The four-hour purification time is only for cold, cloudy water.  Run the water through a pre-filter and let it warm up before adding the Micropur tablet to hasten purification.
• The individual foil packets are hard to open.  Use nail clippers or small scissors on a multi-tool to open packets.  If you do this in advance, mark the slit with a Sharpie to make the slit easier to find.

Additional thoughts:

• The Katadyn Micropur tablets are inexpensive for the short-term or for an emergency or back-up.  They're a bit pricey for long-term use. 
• For the best protection, use a water filter first to eliminate Giardia and Cryptosporidium and then the tablets take only 15 minutes to purify water from bacteria and viruses.
• Don't keep Micropur tablets in the car.  They need to be stored below 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Store the tablets in their original foil packets in a Tic-Tac container, tiny Altoids tin, etc, to keep them from getting crushed.
• Laminate the instruction card and keep it with the tablets.  In a crisis, it can be difficult to remember instructions and to think clearly.
• These tablets can be used in a hydration reservoir (water bladder).

Links to related posts:
96-hour kits, part 1  and  part 2  
Cholera 

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com   

3 january 2021

The Medicinal Uses of Oregano

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.

Precious few clinical trials have been conducted to study the medicinal uses of oregano, Origanum vulgare.  However, it's got a long history of use in folk remedies.

Oregano, an easily grown perennial, is a fabulous addition to the garden as it repels insects.  You can start your own from seed or buy plants at the nursery.  And once you get to the store to pick out your plants or seeds, you realize there are several different kinds of oregano.  And you get mad, because you don't know which kind is best.  So here you go:  Mediterranean oregano, Origanum vulgare, is the most medicinal.  Origanum marjoram is closely related and more often used in seasoning Italian dishes, but is a bit less medicinal.

Only the leaves are used, and as soon as you've got some leaves, you can start using it.  Of course, you don't want to strip all the leaves at once, or you'll kill the plant. 

Of course, most of the world's oregano is grown and used for cooking and in salads.  It's one of the few herbs that is stronger when cooked.  Adding it to your foods is like getting tiny, tiny doses of preventative medicine in each bite you take.  And that's because one of the best properties or medicinal uses of oregano is to strengthen the immune system.  Who doesn't need more of that?

In vitro studies have demonstrated that oregano extracts are active against enterovirus 71,  Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcous aureus, Helicobacter pylori, and Penicillium.  That's pretty impressive, but as noted above, not a lot of clinical trials have been performed.  Researchers are still at the stage of conducting studies on mice.
And these studies on mice have shown that oregano oil can reduce cholesterol, inflammation, and pain.

FRESH OR DRIED HERB

Infusion:  Steep 1-2 teaspoons of fresh or dried herb for 10 minutes in one cup of hot water, three times per day.  Use for heartburn, bloating, and intestinal parasites.

OIL OF OREGANO

Oil of oregano capsules are not the same as oregano essential oil put into capsules.  Oregano essential oil is much more concentrated and powerful.  Oil of oregano is diluted and less potent.  And there there is also oregano oil, which is simply oil infused with oregano and used strictly for cooking.  They are all different animals used for different purposes and are not interchangeable.  Yes, it can be very confusing.

In one of the very few clinical trials on oregano, it was shown that six weeks of supplementation with 600 mg of oil of oregano daily eliminated  Blastocystis hominis, Entamoeba hartmanni and Endolimax nana in 10 out of 14 patients, with the remaining four showing a significant decrease in B. hominis. For those who have never heard of these protozoa and amoeba (I certainly hadn't until I started researching oregano), they are very commonly found parasites, even in first world countries.  They are also generally non-pathogenic, meaning they don't cause symptoms in most people.  People with compromised immune systems are another matter.  Oil of oregano is a common supplement sold in most grocery stores and online.

ESSENTIAL OIL

However, most of the recent experience with oregano is in the form of oregano essential oil.  According to Dr. Joseph Alton, author of The Survival Medicine Handbook, oregano essential oil is safe to ingest.  For a natural pain reliever around wounds, Dr. Alton also advises 2-4 drops of oregano essential oil diluted in a 50-50 concentration with a carrier oil and spread around the edges of the wound.  It can also be used to relieve the pain of insect and spider bites.  When diluted to a strength of four drops in a teaspoon of carrier oil and rubbed on the affected area, it is used to relieve menstrual cramps, rheumatoid arthritis, and muscle pain. 

Something that's been circulating on the internet for awhile, and with which we have personal experience here, is called the morphine bomb.  It is touted for treating chronic, serious back pain.  No, it is not going to get you high or anywhere near that.  I came across the formula when looking for relief for my adult son who is plagued by incapacitating abdominal pain that doctors for the past six years have been unable to diagnose or treat.  He's at the point where he's willing to try anything legal and non-mind-altering.  After it helped him, my two daughters tried it for menstrual cramps as well.

The formula is five drops each of oregano, frankincense, copaiba, and balsam fir essential oils in a capsule, taken every four hours, or as needed.  It helps my son until he develops a tolerance to it.  For my daughters, the one who has excruciating menstrual cramps can't function without it.  For the other daughter, she said it worked, but it wasn't worth the Pine-Sol breath so she wasn't going to take it anymore.

UPDATE (7 October 2019):  Further research has found that most essential oils, even those that are food grade, should not be ingested, and that includes balsam fir. Food grade essential oils are safe to use as flavorings; the person eating the food with the essential oil flavoring is getting a very dilute, minute amount overall.  Taken in the quantities above for the morphine bomb is significant and could have a substantial effect on the liver or kidneys.

For respiratory conditions such as coughs, asthma, croup, bronchitis, cold, sinus, and flu, put a few drops in boiling water and inhale deeply for five minutes. 

For relieving stress and anxiety, again, put a few drops in boiling water and inhale deeply.

Contraindications:  Oil of oregano and oregano essential oil should not be taken by pregnant women in medicinal amounts or treatments.  Culinary usage is perfectly safe.  Oil of oregano and oregano essential oil are not to be taken by individuals who take lithium or by those allergic to mint, marjoram, hyssop, lavender, or basil.  These products may increase bleeding in individuals with bleeding disorders.

Cautions.  Because of the risk of increased bleeding, discontinue the use of medicinal oregano products two weeks before surgery.  Do not use undiluted essential oil directly on the skin as it may burn.  Even when diluted it may cause an allergic reaction.  Oregano may also cause a decrease in the absorption of zinc and/or iron.

Links to related posts:
Herbs and Spices
Herbal Antivirals (book review)
Rosemary
Coconut Oil
Dill Weed

For further reading:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5068374/ (accessed on 22 January 2019)
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0510079%20 (accessed on 21 January 2019)
https://steptohealth.com/medicinal-uses-oregano-oil/ (accessed on 22 January 2019)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23498188 (accessed on 22 January 2019)
https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/10-uses-organic-oregano-oil/#references (accessed on 22 January 2019)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16010969 (accessed on 22 January 2019)
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266259.php (accessed on 21 January 2019)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3769578/ (accessed on 22 January 2019)
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-oregano-oil-benefits-and-uses#section11 (accessed on 22 January 2019)


© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com
  8 july 2024