The Medicinal Uses of Blackberry

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. 



The plan for the Alternative Medicine section of the blog is to focus primarily on plants that are the most powerful, most commonly found, most essential for health, safest, and most easily prepared.  Accordingly, the previous three weeks covered the medicinal use of Usnea, a potent, commonly found antibiotic.  Now I’d like to turn attention to another commonly found and universally enjoyed plant, blackberry.

Time to harvest.  The blackberry itself, Rubus villosus, is harvested mid-summer; however, for their medicinal value, we’re most interested in harvesting blackberry leaves in the spring and the roots in the late summer through fall.  Unfortunately for my family, the sheep got out a few times this summer and decided to prune thoroughly all the thornless blackberry leaves.  My daughters are happy to report that the sheep are still fiber sheep and not meat sheep.

Medicinal uses. Blackberry leaves and roots have been traditionally used to treat Clostridium difficile, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Helicobacter pylori, whooping cough, rotavirus, norovirus, dysentery, hemorrhoids, cystitis, sore throat, and mouth sores.  However, it is important to note that the two are not necessarily interchangeable.  Plants manufacture their chemical constituents in different parts of the herb, whether it is the flower, fruit, leaves, stems, or roots.  

Blackberry fruit

Blackberries, dehydrated and powdered, are employed to treat dysentery. 

Blackberry leaves

Preparation:  Blackberry leaves should be picked in the spring, rinsed, and dried.  

Infusion:  The blackberry leaf is used to make a tea (also known as an infusion).  For a blackberry leaf tea, steep 2-3 teaspoons of the leaf in 1 cup of hot water for 6-8 minutes.  Prolonged steeping will result in a bitter tea.  Herbalists use this to treat the spasmodic phase of whooping cough, diarrhea, and thrush. This is also used as a mouthwash and an eyewash.

Decoction:  A decoction of blackberry leaf tea is prepared by adding a handful of dried blackberry leaves to a quart of water and boiling until half of the water is gone.  Drink one six-ounce cup every six hours to treat whooping cough.  For diarrhea, hemorrhoids, sore throat, or mouth sores, three ounces should be administered every hour or two.  For gastrointestinal flu with diarrhea and cramping, drink one six-ounce cup sweetened with a little honey every six hours. 

Poultice: Make a decoction (see above) with blackberry leaves then soak a cotton cloth in the liquid. Wring out the cloth and lay it on the affected area of the skin. Cover this with plastic wrap and leave in place for about 30 minutes.  Repeat several times each day.  Use to treat wounds, burns, bruises, insect stings, contact dermatitis from poison oak, poison ivy, poison sumac.  In the case of burns, the tannins of a blackberry leaf decoction help prevent septicemia and facilitate the generation of new skin.    For hemorrhoids, soak a cloth in a decoction of blackberry leaves and apply externally as needed. 

Blackberry roots

Preparation:  Blackberry roots should be harvested in the fall, rinsed well, cut into small pieces, and dried.  

Infusion: To make the infusion, place four ounces of powdered or roughly ground blackberry root in a jar and add one quart of boiling water; let steep overnight.  Drink one cup every four hours.  Use for dysentery and diarrhea (especially enterovirus 71-induced diarrhea, rotavirus, norovirus), sore throat, sore mouth.  Increase dosage and repeat if the diarrhea is not substantially improved within 24 hours.  For Clostridium difficile use an infusion of blackberry root and marshmallow root in equal parts, six cups per day.    

Decoction:  To prepare a decoction, add four ounces of blackberry root to one quart of water and boil until the water is reduced by half.  Cool.  Drink four ounces every four hours.  Use for rotavirus, norovirus, and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli infections.

Contraindications:  Do not use blackberry leaves if you have a history of stomach or colon cancer.  Do not consume blackberry tea if you have any type of liver disease.  Do not drink blackberry tea at the same time as meals, as it interferes with nutrient absorption. In smaller to ‘normal’ amounts blackberry leaf tea has no negative warnings and is thought of as a very safe herb to use with the exception of those who are very sensitive to tannins.

Links to related posts:
Barberry  
Raspberry  

5 may 2024

12 november 2018

Emergency Bread in a Bag

 Announcement:  The long-anticipated move from Point A to Point B has finally arrived.  And while there is only a four-hour drive between the two places, we have a five-day gap between the close of escrow on the two homes.  It means we get to camp, but not at a campground and not with hookups, and with four very large dogs and two cats.  I can't say that I'm looking forward to this.  What I can say is that I will be incommunicado.  I won't be able to respond to any questions or comments for a while.  I will respond as soon as I get settled.  


Up next:  Beyond Mashed Potatoes--Seven Really Diverse Ways to Use Instant Potato Flakes

In an emergency, it can be really hard to think.   That's one reason why we prepare in advance, to alleviate some of the stress that challenging circumstances present.  We don't generally know what the disaster will be or how it will affect our lives.  However, we all know that we still need to eat.  And having good food improves morale.

Nothing gives comfort like good homemade bread.  Pair it with a hearty soup, and you'll have some very happy campers.

The following recipe is designed to have all the ingredients, except the water, pre-measured in a one-gallon Ziploc freezer bag.  Coconut oil can be purchased in packets, or you can measure it into a snack-size baggie.  If desired, you can even put a water bottle in the bag as well so that you are totally ready to roll. 

Emergency Bread in a Bag
4 cups flour
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil (2 packets coconut oil, or 2 tablespoons in a snack size baggie)
1 1/2 cups very warm water

In a Ziploc bag, combine the dry ingredients.  When ready to make bread, add the oil and warm water.  Seal bag and knead ingredients with fingers for several minutes until all the water is well absorbed by the dry ingredients.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead until smooth and elastic.  Cover dough with plastic (or return it to the Ziploc bag).   Let rest 10 minutes.

Punch dough down and divide into two equal pieces.  Roll each half into a rectangle and then roll it up from the short end and pinch seam and ends closed.  Put each half seam side down into a greased bread pan.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30-45 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until done.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Yields 2 loaves.

Reviews:  This bread isn't quite as soft as our regular sandwich bread and is a bit crumbly, but it would still work very well for sandwiches.

The Medicinal Uses of Usnea

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 alternative or conventional treatment.

(The following post on Usnea initially ran as a series of three articles several years ago, the first medicinal herb I covered here on Prep School Daily.  Usnea and nearly 100 other herbs and natural substances are covered in Armageddon Pharmacy, available on Amazon.)

Some claim that Usnea, also known as old man's beard (among many other names) is "found everywhere."  It most definitely is not.  "Found everywhere" does not apply to deserts; indeed, Usnea favors moist environments, and it especially favors conifers.  If you spend a lot of time looking, you may find some in the desert, but if someone's life is depending on it, it's going to take a long time to find enough.  Usnea  does not grow in cities.  Which basically covers everywhere I grew up and where I live now, and probably where a lot of readers live.  But if you happen to live where there's a bit more humidity in the air, and there are some orchards or forests, and outside of the city, you might just find some right at or near home.  Otherwise you'll have to make a trip. 

For those of you who still have one last hurrah of camping season to enjoy before winter sets in, be on the look out for Usnea.  We gathered some ourselves earlier this month while camping at Lake Tahoe.  Tempting as it is to pick it off the trees, try only to it gather from downed branches or trees.  We really want to allow what's on the trees to continue growing.  The Usnea lichens aren't actually making the tree sick (so you're not doing the tree a favor by picking it off); they are a sign that the tree is already sick. Plucking Usnea off the tree just isn't socially acceptable (among herbalists, obviously; the rest of the world could care less) --kinda like picking your nose in public.  Of course, when gathering Usnea off the ground, don't pick up the stuff that's been all stepped on.   At any rate, it shouldn't take more than half an hour to gather a grocery sack full of it.  (Of course, it could take a lot longer--it all depends on the health of the trees in the area you're collecting.)  That's probably the amount that you want, especially if you had to make a special trip to obtain it.

Usnea barbata.  If this is what grows around you, you'll collect a lot very quickly.

This is Sugar Pine Point State Park in California, where we collected our Usnea. Yes, all that lichen growing on the tree on the left is Usnea.  It's not the barbata or longissima species, but it is definitely Usnea, and that is all that matters.   In fact, Stephen Buhner thinks the smaller tufted varieties exhibit a bit more medicinal strength. 

Why, actually, do we want this stuff as preppers?  I thought you'd never ask.

Usnea is actually a top natural antibiotic, and not in the sense that "Oh, well, if I run out of the leftover or fish antibiotics I stored, then this might work...," but in the sense that this is what many people, including doctors, are turning to as a means of eliminating bacterial infections. 

WOUND POWDER

First off, Usnea makes an excellent antibacterial wound powder.  Simply sprinkle the powder on top of your wound and then cover with a bandage.  That's it.  Seriously.

OK, a little more info then.  First off, you're probably going to want to be really sure you're actually getting the right stuff.  After all, there are like six hundred-ish  species of Usnea.  They're all good for medicine, really.  But some are nice and long, like the first picture, and some are small and tufted, like the lower picture.  Some are grayish-green (first picture), and some are yellow-green (second picture).  Apparently, you usually find only one kind and color of lichen on any given tree, but up at Bucks Lake this summer we found the longer gray-green and the shorter yellow-green varieties growing on the same trees.  So if you're comparing what you've gathered with pics here or online elsewhere, you've probably gotten the right stuff.

But just to be sure, because we are using this for medicine, take a few minutes, say ten to fifteen, and soak a little bit of your Usnea in some warm water.


Then separate out one strand and hold each end between your thumb and forefinger.  Now slowly stretch out the strand.  It should be a bit like elastic, and it should go back into shape when you release it.  If you stretch it so much that it snaps, you'll be able to see the inner white cortex, like a very fine white thread (OK, you should be able to see it if you don't need reading glasses yet).  Usnea does this; Spanish moss does not.  Usnea has a white cortex; Spanish moss has a black cortex.


To make your wound powder, place an ounce or so of Usnea (after removing other plant matter and debris) in a blender or coffee grinder and process until it is a powder.  If you look closely, you will see that you have a very fine green powder (the outer sheath) and fine white threads (the inner cortex).  Sift the Usnea through a fine mesh strainer to separate the powder from the cortex.  This fine green powder is what you want for treating wounds.  Don't throw the white threads away; they can be used for other medicine-making. (More on that in another post.)

You can either apply the powder directly to the wound and then cover it with a bandage; or you can put a layer of gauze down first.  In rare instances, Usnea may cause contact dermatitis.  If you experience any irritation, it's probably best to discontinue use immediately.  The dressing should be changed daily.  Within twenty-four hours you should see substantial improvement in the wound.

Package some of your Usnea in plastic straws to add to your medical kits.

Also, Usnea does not have to be made into a powder before applying it to a wound; the whole lichen can be applied directly.  It does, however, take up a lot more space that way.  Or you're banking on the idea that you will be able to find it when you need it. And that's something no self-respecting prepper would ever do.

Note.  Usnea, in addition to its attraction to bacteria, also has a certain affinity for heavy metals such as found in car exhaust.  So when collecting it, make sure you are at least 300 feet away from roads.  When we're trying to help someone who is ill or injured, it kinda defeats the purpose to expose the patient to heavy metals.  Just sayin'.

PART 2

In Part 1 of the Usnea series, we discussed gathering this fine herb and powdering it for use in wound management.  In Part 2 today we'll cover the preparation of an Usnea tincture and why you are really going to want to have some of this DIY wonder drug herb in your preps.

First off, let's discuss what a tincture actually is.  Herbalists have their own language and in the educational process it's kinda important to understand what they're talking about.  So here we go:

A tincture is a liquid herbal extract--you know, like the vanilla extract you use for making cookies and other tasty things.  In the herbal world, tincture generally refers to concentrated liquid herbals extracted by alcohol.  Alcohol is most often the solvent of choice because it is food grade and because (this is the important part) it can extract the herbal constituents that are poorly soluble in water (if you want your herbal medicine to do its job, you have to get the active compounds from the plant to your body).  The specific alcohol used to make tinctures varies by herb.  Some herbs have more water soluble compounds in them as well, so a lower-proof alcohol (i.e., one that has more water in it) is used to make those tinctures.

Other solvents to make tinctures for internal consumption include vinegar and glycerin, both of which have their advantages and disadvantages.  While alcohol has the benefit of being a premier solvent for both acidic and basic (alkaline) constituents, vinegar is effective really only for obtaining alkaloids.  Because it is acidic, vinegar can't do a good job of extracting acidic components.  Glycerin is similar to alcohol, but it is just not as effective in extracting active components.  But because it is sweet, it's easier for children to take.  Glycerin and vinegar tinctures are not as medicinally powerful as alcohol tinctures, so more of those preparations need to be taken to achieve the desired degree of efficacy.  Those who wish to avoid alcohol may think their problems have been solved.  Not so!  Remember, glycerin and vinegar are just not as effective at extracting the chemical constituents.  While this is fine if you are merely treating common colds and sore throats that are going to resolve on their own anyway, if you're dealing with a serious condition, say tuberculosis, you may be missing something critical.  And glycerin and vinegar tinctures have relatively short shelf lives.  Bummer.

So what to do?  Stay with me here, to the very end.  There are other options, I promise.

First off, let's consider the amount of alcohol actually consumed with a tincture, and the amount of alcohol consumed at other times, you know, when no one is looking.  Like chocolate chip cookie dough.  Tinctures are often administered in numbers of drops.  That's not that much alcohol, and it is definitely not tasty or desirable in any way.  My chocolate chip cookie recipe calls for two teaspoons of vanilla extract per batch of 36 cookies.  Using my dropper (and droppers vary), that works out to five drops per cookie, and I probably eat half my cookies before they're baked.  What about you?

How about smoothies?  In our house, we add a teaspoon or two of vanilla per quart of smoothie.  Going on the conservative side for estimation's sake here, we'll use one teaspoon per quart, and that works out to 1/4 teaspoon per one cup serving of smoothie.  And we never even give a thought to the amount of alcohol we're consuming in these situations.

Now consider that you could be trying to save a life.  Is the amount of alcohol in a few drops or 1/4 teaspoon excessive?  OK, I understand.  Really.  It still makes me uncomfortable.  Not to mention it still tastes really nasty.  So here's one more work-around since the vinegar and glycerin tincture solutions to the alcohol problem failed you.  Add your drops of alcohol-based tincture to very hot water and let sit.  Alcohol boils off/evaporates.  Voila!

TINCTURE

Now back to Usnea.  As stated in Part 1, Usnea is really good stuff for treating wounds.  But it is so much more.  Usnea tincture can be used to treat skin infections and abscesses (you don't even take it internally in this case), vaginal and fungal infections (well, kinda, but at least you didn't ingest it), and upper respiratory infections (well, same).  However, that's not all.  It's effective against MRSA.  Even more remarkable is that it eliminates tuberculosis.  And not just the tuberculosis of 100-140 years ago that every immigrant into this country was screened for at Ellis Island and Angel Island, and that could be easily cured with antibiotics a few decades ago.  It kills the antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis that we apparently no longer screen immigrants for, but seem to be welcoming with open arms.  That tuberculosis.

Are you interested now?  I thought so.

The instructions for making Usnea tincture come from Stephen Harrod Buhner's Herbal Antibiotics book (reviewed here), which I very highly recommend.  The following directions come directly from Stephen Buhner's book:

Again, the immune-stimulating polysaccharides are most efficiently extracted with heat. To do this, when you are making your tincture, heat the herb first in the water you are going to use for tincturing. The best way is in a slow cooker (or, failing that, on low heat, covered, overnight in the oven).

Use a tincture ratio of 1:5 (1 part herb to 5 parts liquid). The liquid should be composed of half water and half pure grain alcohol. So if you have 5 ounces of herb, you will use 25 ounces of liquid—12.5 of water, 12.5 of alcohol.

Put the powdered herb in the slow cooker, add the 12.5 ounces of water, and stir well. It will turn into a kind of mush. Cover and then cook on low heat for 48 hours. Let cool enough to work with it without burning yourself, then pour into a heat-tolerant jar (Mason or equivalent), add the alcohol when the mix is still warm but not hot, and then put on the lid and shake well. Let macerate for 2 weeks, then decant and strain out the herb. Bottle and store out of the light.


As indicated above, Usnea is one of the herbs that should be extracted with pure grain alcohol (95% or 190-proof).  That's the truly hard stuff.  It's sold under the name of Everclear or Mohawk.  I'd never bought coffee or Coke in my entire life, let alone anything alcoholic (except vanilla extract and the like), so buying Everclear was going to be a real trip.  I remembered talk from kids in high school about getting Everclear.  I never really paid attention, though I understood from their conversation that it was powerful. (Even the folks at Everclear say it is not to be consumed alone, but should be mixed with something.)  I searched the alcohol aisles of all the local grocery and drug stores for Everclear to no avail.

I was getting ready to make my first trip ever into a dedicated liquor store when I read online that Nevada prohibits the sale of Everclear within the state.  WTH?!  We have legalized gambling, pot, and prostitution, but no Everclear.  And neighboring Utah, which prohibits gambling, pot, and prostitution, does sell Everclear.

Talk about irony.

PART 3

The previous posts on Usnea covered harvesting this little botanical wonder and then processing it into a wound powder or tincture.  For the vast majority of conditions for which you would use an Usnea tincture, you're going to want to have this already prepared and ready to use.  You can't just tell your sinus infection or athlete's foot to go away and return in six weeks when your tincture is ready.

The tincture dosage for acute conditions is 1/2 to 1 teaspoon, three to six times daily.  It is taken internally to treat urinary tract infections; gastric ulcers, especially those due to Helicobacter pylori; tuberculosis; thyroid cancer; pneumonia, coughs and colds.  Most of these conditions are or can become very serious and a qualified health practitioner should be consulted before beginning any therapy. 

While Usnea has been traditionally used in China to treat tuberculosis, there is precious little in the way of scientific research in using the whole herb to treat disease.   Most studies focus on usnic acid or sodium usnate, the active constituents that Big Pharma wants to extract so that they can patent it and make Big Bucks.  The Chinese have conducted a few clinical studies.  In one trial of 30 patients with tuberculosis, 24 were cured and 6 exhibited varying degrees of improvement.  Treatment lasted just over seven weeks.  Chronic bronchitis in over 200 patients was also effectively treated with sodium usnate or usnic acid. 

For sinus infections (many of which are not actually bacterial, so your leftover antibiotics aren't going to work anyway) put 10 drops into one ounce of water in a nasal spray bottle (got mine on Amazon).  Use as needed.

The tincture can be used topically to treat ringworm, athlete's foot, mastitis, boils, and impetigo.

For vaginal infections, dilute one tablespoon of tincture in one pint of water.  Douche morning and night for three days.

For impetigo (strep and staph infections of the skin), ringworm, athlete's foot, mastitis, boils, burns, skin wounds, etc., put the undiluted tincture (for impetigo) or a 1:1 (for everything else) dilution of the tincture on a cotton ball and wash the affected area morning and night until resolved and another day or two beyond.

For sore or strep throat put a dropperful in a glass of water and gargle several times each day.

TEA

Usnea can also be prepared as a tea or infusion.  Because it is only partially soluble in water, the active constituents (the stuff that's going to make you well) are best extracted in alcohol (hence, its popularity for use in alcohol tinctures).  For each six-ounce cup of tea, put 1 teaspoon of herb (whole herb) in a bowl and wet it with alcohol and cover.  Let sit for 30-60 minutes.   Then add hot water and let steep, covered, for 15-30 minutes.  Drink one quart per day for acute illness.

SALVE

Infuse powdered Usnea, (just the fine green powder, not the white threads) in olive or coconut oil.  Let sit for two weeks, then strain out the Usnea.  Melt beeswax and add enough to make salve of your desired consistency.  This salve is just for promoting healing, not for treating infections.

Studies demonstrate that Usnea is better than penicillin for treating bacterial infections.  And it doesn't harm beneficial intestinal bacteria.  It often performs better than metronidazole (Flagyl) as well. Usnea is not effective against cholera, typhoid, or salmonella.

Usnea also displays great anti-viral activity against herpes simplex and Epstein-Barr infections.  For many conditions, Usnea is best used in a formula.

Contraindications:  Do not use internally during pregnancy.  May cause skin irritation.

Interactions:  Usnea is synergistic with clarithromycin.[1]

Other uses for Usnea:  Dye, fire starter, food (bread and porridge).  

For further reading:
http://tipsdiscover.com/health/herbal-antibiotics-the-localized-non-systemics-usnea/
https://www.christopherhobbs.com/wp-website/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Usnea-booklet-text.pdf
https://www.offgridquest.com/health-nutrition/usnea-medicinal-herb-of-the-forest
https://thenaturopathicherbalist.com/herbs/t-u/usnea-barbata/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19683421
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22865029
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17291738
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5955472/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6388510/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6406502/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5739313/

[1]  Stephen Harrod Buhner, Herbal Antibiotics, 2012, 197. 

1 may 2023

DIY Chocolate Chips

I am solidly in the camp of storing buckets of chocolate chips.  I like them.  I like them in cookies and brownies and my mouth.  I do not want to DIY chocolate chips.  I'd rather buy them on sale now and save myself the time and mess later.  And I'd seriously recommend that you do the same.  Because this is another recipe that leans a bit to the fail side. 

It's not a fail because they taste bad.  They don't.  They actually taste fine, though the texture is a bit grainy.  We ate most of these just as is, little chunks here and there. 

If you have a brownie recipe that calls for chocolate chips, these might work well in it.  They worked quite satisfactorily in my brownie recipe.  However, they absolutely did not work in chocolate chip cookies.  Complete fail.  But we still ate the cookies.  They just weren't chocolate chip cookies. 

Some recipes on the 'net call for cocoa butter instead of coconut oil.  That's what real chocolate chips are made with, so I suspect that recipe would work well.  But, why store cocoa butter to make chocolate chips, when you could just store chocolate chips and not have the mess and fuss later?

However, not everyone has the foresight to store essentials like chocolate chips. Maybe in future days you'll come across people like this.  You can be a nice person and share this recipe with her, with the warning that they won't be perfect, and that way you can keep your chips for yourself. 

DIY Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt the first three ingredients in a double boiler, stirring to combine thoroughly.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.  Let the chocolate cool for a few minutes, then spoon it into a freezer bag.  Cut a little bit from the corner and use this bag to make chocolate chips.  Alternatively, you can also spread it in a pan, refrigerate it, and then cut it into chunks. 

Activated Charcoal Balm for Bug Bites and Stings

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.


On the blog here I've already presented a couple of pharmaceutical and natural options for dealing with bug bites.  It would be really nice if just one would work for every person every time, but that's not how life is, unfortunately.  Different medicines act differently in different people.  Just like we have in our household several options for dealing with insomnia.  Benadryl works for me most of the time; melatonin is also good.  Doxylamine succinate (Unisom) will totally knock me out, but it leaves me feeling hungover the next day.  Valerian root has been quite fabulous.  I fall asleep well and sleep well.  If I happen to wake up, I go right back to sleep.  That doesn't happen with any of the other meds.  Catnip doesn't seem to do much for me.  Lemon balm is nice.  On the other hand, my husband does ok with Benadryl and really likes Unisom.  He's not impressed with valerian root.

So for today, here is another natural method for dealing with bug bites. 

Activated Charcoal Balm for Bug Bites and Stings
1 tablespoon calendula infused coconut oil
1 teaspoon beeswax
5-7 drops lavender essential oil
1 teaspoon activated charcoal
1 teaspoon aloe vera gel

Combine the calendula infused coconut oil and beeswax in a small double boiler and melt.  Remove from heat and stir in the lavender oil, activated charcoal, and aloe vera until smooth.  Pour into lip balm tubes and let harden for a few hours.

Why it works:  Activated charcoal adsorbs, or binds, toxins of all kinds, especially bug venom.
Calendula soothes skin irritations and bug bites and reduces inflammation and itching.  Lavender essential oil reduces inflammation and itching.  Aloe vera gel is soothing.

Links to related posts:
Bee Stings
Lavender
Activated Charcoal
More Medicinal Uses of Activated Charcoal
Calendula
Coconut oil

22 august 2022

US Drug Dependence on China

On Tuesdays, I blog mostly about the supplies we need to have to meet the challenges an uncertain future will present.  I avoid the politics and MSM blather that are nothing more than hand-wringing.  Practical solutions that we can implement are the most critical, in my opinion. And readers of this blog are already pretty aware of what's going on in the world, so I don't generally feel the need to add fuel to that fire.

But I'm feeling a little chilly this morning as a storm rolls in, like it's time to throw a log on that fire.

It took me quite a while to fall asleep last night after reading this article.  So I thought I'd share the love with you today.  You probably already know this stuff.  But if you wanted something authoritative to share with friends, you know, something that would make for pleasant conversation at Christmas parties, well, here you go.

This article comes from Doctors for Disaster Preparedness.  You can go to the link or read it here.  If this doesn't make you want to stock up on more medications or learn to produce your own from plants, nothing will.


DDP Newsletter May 2019 Vol. XXXV, No. 3
Drug addiction is devastating. Drug dependence may be unavoidable—as with insulin-dependent diabetics. Modern medicine depends on the availability of life-saving drugs. And the U.S. now depends on China for most drugs. The U.S. even lacks the capacity to produce penicillin, as Rosemary Gibson reveals in her book China Rx: Exposing the Risks of America’s Dependence on China for Drugs.

In 1988, Oak Ridge National Laboratory published Expedient Antibiotic Production: A Final Report. This includes a how-to guide to build/rebuild antibiotic production facilities if they were damaged or destroyed. It has a map of the location of such production facilities in relation to a possible nuclear attack on industrial or military facilities.

Today, most of this capacity is gone, as manufacturing has been outsourced to the cheapest supplier. In 2004, the last U.S. penicillin production facility, in Syracuse, N.Y., closed. It was also making the starting material for cephalosporins. Launched in 1943, the facility had made 70% of the world’s penicillin until the mid-2000s.

In the 1980s, the Chinese government began to invest in the production of penicillin ingredients, and by 2001 had built vast industrial capacity. China had the great advantage of rules that tolerate massive air and water pollution, and antibiotic production is dirty industrial work. From 2004-2006, Chinese companies dumped penicillin ingredients on the global market at very low prices. After competitors were driven out of business, prices increased spectacularly in 2007.

Something similar happened to U.S. steel production, but the steel industry advocated for protection. No one advocated for protecting the antibiotic production base. “Antibiotic stewardship” is now urged to reduce usage in order to minimize development of resistance; why not stewardship of production capacity, Gibson asks.

After the 2001 anthrax attacks, the U.S. government bought 20 million doses of doxycycline. The European company that supplied the U.S. military obtained the starting material from a plant in China. The other antibiotic useful in anthrax, ciprofloxacin, requires a chemical for which China is the largest exporter. The active ingredient for vancomycin, needed for C. difficile and resistant staphylococcal infections, is also made in China.

The U.S.-China Trade Relations Act of 2000 removed tariffs on goods from China. Within 4 years, the last penicillin fermentation plant closed; the vitamin C cartel formed in China and drove U.S. prices up 600%; the last U.S. aspirin manufacturer closed when cheap Chinese product flooded the market; lethal heparin imports began.

After 80 patient deaths were tied to tainted heparin in 2008, Chinese authorities promised to crack down on suppliers, but illegal ingredients are still an open secret.

It is far more expensive to inspect a facility located abroad. The average cost is $52,000 compared with $23,000 in the U.S. China may refuse access to inspectors, and producers in China may submit false documents and refuse audits.

Instead of using soybean oil to make the initial building block for cephalosporins, some producers used “gutter oil” from restaurant frying pans, grease traps, and sewage drains. A criminal racket sold 100 tons of it to unnamed pharmaceutical companies.

Censorship of unfavorable news is routine in China. In 2015, a massive explosion at a Tianjin chemical warehouse created fireballs so huge they were detected by satellite, raining down a toxic chemical brew. The FDA warned companies purchasing drug products from the area to check for contamination, but declined to reveal the contaminants to check for or the names of potentially contaminated drugs. An online search revealed that Tianjin Tianyao Pharmaceuticals makes prednisone and other anti-inflammatory products used to treat asthma, allergies, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. Four months after the explosion, shipments of drugs contaminated with hydrogen cyanide were stopped.

Dangers of contamination and counterfeits notwithstanding, drugmakers cannot at present do without active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from China.

“If China stopped exporting [APIs] to the U.S., within three months all the pharmacies would be empty,” stated Guy Villax, CEO of Hovione.

In some cases, known defective medications have been left on the market because of a lack of alternatives to life-saving drugs.

Even if the drugs are safe, a highly centralized global supply chain may result in shortages. A diversified manufacturing base and a  shortened supply chain are imperative as a matter of national security, Gibson writes.

Gibson recommends the online pharmacy Valisure, which tests all the products it sells for certain impurities and for correct dosage.

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HIGH PRICES, ESSENTIAL DRUG SHORTAGES

The prices of essential medications, such as insulin and even of generics that have been on the market for decades, have been sky-high. Patients can pay more than $400/month for insulin that costs $18 to manufacture, three times as much as in 2002! Hospitals have also been experiencing shortages of critical drugs and supplies such as anesthetics and intravenous solutions.

“Doctors and hospitals are rationing drugs, and patients are being forced to use substitutes that are less effective or more expensive, or both,” write Robert A. Campbell, M.D., and Philip L. Zweig, M.B.A., of Physicians Against Drug Shortages.  “Lately, this crisis has reached a new level of absurdity: the U.S. is now importing sterile saline solution (a.k.a salt water) from Germany, Norway, Spain, Brazil and Mexico, and sodium bicarbonate solution from Australia! Drug shortages and astronomical prices are nothing less than a public health emergency” (https://tinyurl.com/y32tqasj).
Reasons for this include coverage of pharmaceuticals by third parties, especially Medicaid and Medicare Part D, bringing in middlemen such as Pharmacy Benefits Managers (PBMs). In return for getting a drug placed on the formulary, PBMs receive a “rebate” (kickback) that is shielded from anti-kickback laws by “safe-harbor” rules. PBMs could add $100 billion per year to spending for prescription drugs. The higher the list price, the bigger the “rebate.” Single-source contracts negotiated by PBMs also help to drive potential competitors out of the marketplace (https://tinyurl.com/y6a962vl).

Three PBMs account for more than 80% of the market, according to the Council of Economic Advisors (https://tinyurl.com/ya62ukd6). More than 20% of spending on prescription drugs was taken in as profit by the pharmaceutical distribution system. The size of manufacturer rebates and the percentage of the rebate passed on to health plans and patients are kept secret. Insulins and drugs to treat hepatitis C have “rebates” of 66% and 62%, respectively (JAMA 4/23-30/19).     

Another factor in high prices, CEA recognizes, is government regulations that prevent, rather than foster, healthy price competition. Additionally, the fixed cost of bringing a new, patented drug to market has increased rapidly, to about $2.6 billion. 

3 december 2019

november 2021

november 2023

Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Cafe: Brownies and Hot Fudge Sauce

Up next:  US Drug Dependence on China

Honestly, hot fudge brownie sundaes were not on our menu at the TEOTWAWKI Cafe.  The disaster scenarios I have envisaged and planned for with my family didn't include still having plenty of electricity, running water, and a job to pay for them.  So in that respect, this pandemic has been somewhat of a disappointment.

During the first two months, shopping was extremely limited.  We had the food we needed and wanted for the most part, and we've been able to work with it really well.  However, with the way things were progressing--meat plants shutting down, livestock being euthanized, milk being dumped, locusts in Asia and Africa, etc., I was feeling like the effects weren't going to go away any time soon. (And I still feel that way.)  At the time, I wanted to get more chicken canned.  And gosh, we were really wanting some fresh produce.  QOTPE, a sugar addict if there ever was one, didn't ask me to get candy.  She asked for fresh green beans and spinach.  (I thought she had COVID.  Isn't weird nightmares or hallucinations one of the symptoms?)  I wanted to pick up some lettuce.  I had it growing in the raised boxed beds, but it was pretty small due to the late start.

Anyway, since I was at the store, I figured I'd get some ice cream, too.  But we needed to make it last as long as possible.  So hot fudge brownie sundaes seemed like a good idea.  And they turned out way better than I expected.  Really. 

Brownies
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons powdered eggs
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnuts or chocolate chips, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease an 8x8" pan.

Melt butter in a saucepan.  When fully melted, remove from heat and stir in cocoa.  Add sugar, powdered eggs, water, vanilla, and stir well.  Add flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir well.  Spread batter into pan.  Top with chocolate chips or nuts, if desired.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Cool, cut, and enjoy.

Hot Fudge Sauce
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup hot water
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat when thickened and serve.

Links to related posts:
All About Cocoa
Powdered Eggs
Sugar
Butter 

Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Cafe--Funnel Cakes

Up next:  Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Cafe--Hot Fudge Brownies

Instead of being isolated in our homes and away from our communities, we should be out enjoying county fairs and farmers' markets.  And yet, here we are.  However, as a hard-core introvert, I have to admit I am thoroughly relishing my life at home.  The endless comings and goings of a large, busy family have been replaced by much more time together.  The dazzle of the carnival lights is replaced by an unforgettable comet as we also enjoy the myriad of stars above us in peace.

But just because we can't participate in the normal festivities, it doesn't mean we can't indulge in some carnival fare.  These funnel cakes couldn't be easier to make, and they can be made with fresh ingredients or long-term food storage without any noticeable difference in taste.  

Funnel Cakes
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups cooking oil
Powdered sugar, to taste

Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl and then add in milk.  Sift dry ingredients together, and then beat into egg mixture until smooth.  Heat oil to 360 degrees in a deep skillet.

Pour 1/4 cup of batter into a funnel, covering the end with a finger.  Remove the finger to release the batter into the oil, making a spiral starting in the center of the pan and working outward.  Fry until golden, about three minutes.  Flip and fry one more minute.

Drain on a paper towel.  Dust with powdered sugar.  

2 september 2022

Common Home Landscaping Plants with Medicinal Uses

When we bought this house seven years ago, I suspected that the sellers were prepper-types, even though it was never discussed.  They had already moved most of their belongings out of the house before putting it on the market, but the very large water tank and the shipping container (neither of which were included in the sale, sadly) as well as the sizable generator (which was included), suggested the possibility.  They didn't have a garden or fruit trees, which I found odd and which we immediately added, but they kept chickens and had previously had a few goats.
One thing I didn't realize at the time was that almost every plant in the landscape could be used medicinally.  They were ordinary plants commonly used in residential plantings.  No one would ever suspect that the overwhelming majority of plants in the very small landscaped area at the front of my house are medicinal.  They're just herbs, shrubs, and trees that normally grow here.  The point is, if I have such an array at my house, in the desert at that, you probably have a good selection at your home or in a nearby park in your area.

The following medicinal herbs were planted by the previous owners.  I've already written about the medicinal uses of most of them.

• Blackberry
• Catnip
• Dogwood
• Japanese honeysuckle
• Pine
• Rosemary
• Russian Olive 
• Russian Sage
• Spearmint 
• Wild rose
• Yarrow

The native plants already growing here:

• Brigham Tea
• Juniper, part 1
• Sagebrush 
• Usnea

The weeds:

• Dandelion
• Mallow
• Plantain
• Purslane
• Red Clover 
• Russian Thistle   

The point of listing all these herbs was not to show off, believe it or not.  Besides, they won't even be my medicinal herbs for much longer as I'll have to start over in our new location.  These are the medicinal herbs growing around me without any investment on my part.  We all have medicinal herbs growing around us.  We just have to look--identify them and study their uses.  If a person just learns ten or so herbs, he can manage a lot of problems.  Twenty would cover just about everything.  In those lists above, I've got 21, and that's in a desert.  I imagine the selection would be significantly broader in more conducive climates.

You don't have to range far and wide to find medicinal plants.  Many extremely beneficial herbs are growing right outside your door.

Links to related posts:
Tinctures
How to Make a Salve   
Most of the herbs listed above are linked to posts about them

27 may 2024