The Medicinal Uses of Mullein

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.
 

Mullein, Verbascum thapsus, is a biennial herb that produces large, broad leaves the first year and a tall yellow flower spike the second year.  The second-year leaves are more potent than the first.  Like gumweed, it favors disturbed soils of roadsides, trail sides, and field edges.  It proliferates following fires. 

Time to harvest.  For maximum potency, harvest mullein leaves in the first year or early in the second year.  The taproot is best harvested in the first year.  Flowers should be harvested fresh.

Medicinal uses.   Mullein is of greatest benefit in helping the respiratory and urinary tracts.  It is used as a mild diuretic, and for urinary tract infections, including bladder infections and chronic cystitis, and prostate inflammation.   It is an effective bronchodilator and expectorant with some efficacy against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, and as such is an excellent adjunct for pharmaceutical antibiotic regimens for upper respiratory infections.  It also combines well with lomatium.  And it is a good drawing herb for bites, including snakebites.

Preparation.  Mullein root, leaf, and flower are prepared in a variety of ways, depending on the purpose.

• Root.  This is best for urinary tract infections.
• Leaf.  This is also for UTIs, but it's not as effective as the root.  A leaf infusion or syrup soothes inflamed membranes of bronchi and trachea well and is especially effective for dry coughs.  In a poultice, it is a good drawing herb for skin infections and abscesses.
• Flower.  The tincture or oil combined with garlic is the time-honored remedy for ear infections, as long as the eardrum has not ruptured.  It is a better bronchodilator than the leaf, as well as a better expectorant.  While it is also good for asthma, mullein is not as effective as gumweed.  The flowers in a salve, tea, or tincture are very effective against herpes cold sores.

Tincture.

• Dried leaf or root.  In a 1:5 ratio (1 part herb by weight to 5 parts alcohol by volume), soak in 50% alcohol for 3-4 weeks in a cool, dark place, shaking daily.  Strain.  Dosage is 30-60 drops, 2-3 times per day.

• Fresh flower stalk.  In a 1:2 ratio (1 part herb by weight to 2 parts alcohol by volume), soak in 50% alcohol for 3-4 weeks in a cool, dark place, shaking daily.  Strain.  Dosage is 20-40 drops, 2 times per day

Infused oil.  Place fresh flowers in a small canning jar and cover with olive oil.  Let sit on a sunny windowsill for 7-10 days.  Strain, and pour into a dark glass bottle.  For ear infections, use one drop in children under ten years of age, two drops in older individuals, three to four times per day. 

A hot method of preparation produces the mullein oil much more quickly.  Simply put one cup of mullein flowers in a double boiler and add one-half cup of olive oil.  Heat on low for three hours.  Cool, strain, and store in a dark glass bottle.  Dosage is the same as above.

Infusion.  Pour one cup boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons dried leaves and/or flowers, cover, and steep for 10-15 minutes.  Use 1-4 times per day for sore throat and upper respiratory infections.

Poultice.  For skin infections and abscesses, powder mullein flowers and leaves, and then mix with enough water to form a thick paste.  Apply this paste to the affected area and cover with gauze or plastic wrap.  If the paste/poultice can be heated, so much the better.

Links to related posts:
Gumweed
Introduction to Tinctures   

For further reading:
Sam Coffman, The Herbal Medic, pp 260-62.
Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, pp 209-11.
Stephen Harrod Buhner, Herbal Antibiotics, p 379. 

4.13.20

DIY Pectin from Lemons

Making your own pectin from lemons (or other citrus) is cheap, especially since you're using the parts that are normally discarded anyway.  And while it sounds a little daunting, the process is actually quite simple.

The Really Easy Method

• For medium to high pectin fruits, place lemon seeds in a jelly bag or square of cheesecloth and let them boil with the fruit to produce your jam.
• For low pectin fruits, make the following concentrate:
• Simmer 8 lemon seeds in 8 ounces of water for every 8 ounces of jam (simple ratio, right?)
• Simmer for 20 minutes or until the water is reduced to 1/4 cup.
• Remove the seeds and add the liquid into the fruit, just as for commercial pectin. 

The white pith of citrus fruits is rich in pectin.  In fact, MCP Premium Pectin (sold in the yellow boxes) is citrus-based pectin.   Underripe fruits have more pith than fully ripe fruits, and naturally, larger fruits have more than smaller.  Any citrus fruits may be used for this recipe.

Before starting on the pectin itself, the zest (the colored part of the rind) must be removed.  Lemon and orange zests can be peeled or grated and then dehydrated or frozen for use in other recipes.  The zests have no pectin and the flavors from them might affect the flavor of the jam negatively, so it really is best to set the zest aside. These fruits can also be juiced for orange juice or lemonade, so there is no waste at all.  This pectin can be a little bitter, so it is best used with very flavorful fruits.

The Easy Method
8 ounces (by weight) citrus peels (no zest), finely chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups water

Combine the chopped citrus peels with lemon juice in a medium pot.  Cover and let stand for 2 hours.  Add the water and let stand for an additional hour.

Bring to the mixture to boiling over high heat, and then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Let cool.

After cooling completely, strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or a clean flour sack towel.

This pectin can be used immediately, stored in the refrigerator for one week, or in the freezer for six months.

Testing the strength of your pectin
Naturally, the strength of DIY pectin is going to vary from one batch to the next.  However, it is possible to get an idea of how strong your pectin is before you use it.

Put 2 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol in a small bowl.  Add 1 tablespoon of pectin and let stand for 60 seconds.  Now use a fork and see if you can remove any globs of pectin from the bowl.  If you cannot, put the pectin back on the stove to boil, uncovered, and reduce it by half.

I've made both cherry and strawberry jam using lemon seed pectin.  While it does take longer to cook the jam, I'm really thrilled to not need to buy the boxes anymore.  My girls love making fresh lemonade, so all I need to do is save the seeds.  They can just be dried and stored away for future use and take way less space than pectin boxes. 

Links to related posts:
All about Commercial Pectin
Making Jam Without Added Pectin

For further reading:
https://www.thekitchn.com/jam-makers-tip-save-lemon-seeds-for-homemade-pectin-194003
https://www.thespruceeats.com/homemade-citrus-pectin-1327833

 8.13.20

Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café—Pumpkin Muffins

Twice over the past five or so years I have lucked into a killer deal on canned pumpkin.  Grocery Outlet proffered the first deal—8-ounce cans (so cute!) for 25 cents, while Smith’s had the second deal with 15-ounce cans for 50 cents.  Each time I picked up about four dozen cans. 

Several times I’ve attempted various recipes for pumpkin soup and basically failed to impress the family.  However, they do love whole wheat pumpkin waffles—with the obligatory caramel syrup, of course—as well as these pumpkin muffins.  With healthy ingredients that are food storage staples, what’s not to love?  They can even be mixed in the evening, refrigerated overnight, and baked in the morning for a quick hot breakfast on the go.

Pumpkin Muffins

1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour

¾ cup quick oats

1/3 cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

¾ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup pumpkin

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup honey

 

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. 

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients together.  In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients and then pour into the dry ingredients and mix until moistened.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.  (At this point the batter may be refrigerated overnight.)  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Yield:  18 muffins. 

Links to related posts:

Tips for Better Baking with Whole Wheat

Whole Wheat Blender Waffles and Coconut Syrup  

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles with Caramel Syrup

 

 

How to Cook Whole Wheat and Use It in Recipes

Wheat berries are the same as wheat kernels--the whole grain wheat before it is cracked or milled into flour.  As has been previously covered, there are a lot of ways to use wheat berries and you'll find links to those blog posts below.  What hasn't been covered are the different ways to cook wheat berries.  It's really pretty simple.

Stovetop.  Use three cups of water to one cup of wheat kernels.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Soak for one hour and then cover and boil for 30-35 minutes.

Slow cooker.  Use two cups of water per cup of wheat.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Cook on low for 8-12 hours.

Thermos.  Preheat the Thermos by filling it with boiling water.  In the meantime, bring two cups of water to a boil.  When it is boiling, pour out the preheating water and put two cups of boiling water per cup of wheat berries into the Thermos.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  For best results, fill the Thermos nearly to the top.  Let sit for 8-12 hours.  

Rice cooker.  Soak berries in two cups of water per cup of wheat for one hour.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Then cook for 30-35 minutes in a rice cooker.

Regardless of which method you choose, you can save energy or fuel by soaking the berries for at least one hour or up to overnight. 

For added flavor, toast the berries in a skillet on the stove for a few minutes before or after soaking.

Use the cooked wheat berries in salads, burritos, or as a hamburger extender when making meatballs.

 

About fifteen years ago, my family and I attended a church barbecue at the little park out our back gate.  And you know, those church potlucks are one of the best places to discover delicious food to feed your family.  Clearly, this barbecue was no exception, and I'm sure I remember it so well just because it is where I tried the most phenomenal salad, which just happened to be made with wheat berries.  It was the first time I had ever even heard of using whole wheat berries in cooking, and I was impressed.  I finally tracked down the person who brought it, because I simply had to have the recipe.  And Carol just rattled off the list of ingredients, and with only six, it was super easy as well.  However, Carol just eyeballed the amounts needed.  Ugh.  (That's a totally acceptable way to work when it's my recipe, but when it's somebody else's, I need exact amounts!)  But as Carol noted at the time, it's got wheat, bacon, and brown sugar, three of the best things in the world.  How could it not be fabulous?

Carol provided a rough idea of the amounts I needed for the recipe, and with a little trial and error, I was able to work out measurements.  After all, I'm not the only one in the family to make this salad; the kids definitely need exact measurements.  So without further adieu, here's Carol's Wheat-Broccoli-Bacon Salad.

Wheat-Broccoli-Bacon Salad

2 cups wheat, boiled for about an hour (or until soft), drained and rinsed
2 cups finely chopped fresh broccoli florets
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine cooked wheat, broccoli, and bacon in a serving bowl and set aside.  Combine mayonnaise, brown sugar, vinegar, and garlic powder in a small bowl and mix until smooth.  Pour over salad and stir well to distribute the  dressing.  If possible, chill at least two hours before serving. 

Now, I'm guessing a at least a few readers are thinking something along the lines, "Bacon? Fresh broccoli?  Mayo?  This salad may be fine for making now, but it doesn't look like something that's going to work post-collapse."

Yes, it will.  While I may be buying fresh broccoli right now, because it's almost winter here and the garden's been dead for awhile, post-collapse we will have broccoli in the garden in the spring and fall.  Making mayonnaise was actually covered in a post a few weeks ago  (11 November 2018).  And canning bacon will be covered in a future post (22 December 2018).

Here's a recipe I shared with my food storage class years ago.  It calls for fresh peppers and cilantro, and a red onion.  So it would primarily be made in the summer using garden produce, but you could also substitute freeze-dried peppers if you have them.

Fiesta Bean and Wheat Salad

1 orange or red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper, cored and diced
juice of one lime (substitute True Lime packets)
1 cup wheat berries, boiled, drained, and rinsed
1 15 oz can corn, drained
1 15 oz can black beans, drained
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss well.  Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

And lastly, while searching about to see if there were any new recipes for using wheat berries, I came across this gem.  We had it last night for dinner (minus the mint, which I forgot to pick and I was in a rush to get dinner on so we had to do without). 

Wheat Berry Salad with Apples and Cashews

1 cup wheat berries, boiled, drained, and rinsed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Granny Smith apples, cored, diced (or substitute 1 cup dehydrated apples, re-hydrated in 2 cups warm water and diced)
2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
½ cup cashews, toasted, coarsely chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
feta cheese (optional)

In a small bowl, mix the vegetable oil, orange juice, vinegar, coriander, and cinnamon. Set aside.
To the wheat berries, add apples, mint, onions, and cranberries. Toss with the dressing to coat. Prior to serving, add the toasted cashews and feta cheese.

As you search for other ways of utilizing wheat berries, bear in mind that boiled whole wheat berries can be successfully substituted into most any recipe that calls for brown rice.  And that is quite fortunate, since brown rice has a very short shelf life, whereas wheat stores forever.

Links to related posts: 

Bean and Wheat Berry Burritos  

Wheat Salad with Chicken and Corn

14 december 2018

9 april 2021 

15 may 2022

Spend a Little, Save a Lot

Let's consider the issue of spending money and saving time.  After all, isn't that what we trade our labor for?  Specialization came about through history as a result of John being able to do something better and faster than Jane, and Jane being able to do something else better and faster than John.  It could be due to aptitude, physical strength, or dexterity.  In more recent history, financial resources and opportunities for education also played a role.  Distance from production and production costs factor into the equation as well.

The ability to be self-sufficient is basic to living a prepared life.  Having the skills, knowledge, and tools to fulfill homesteading needs will greatly ease the challenges we face in the future.  However, most of us cannot live that type of life right now.  Some still have bills to pay and regular jobs to work to pay those bills.  Even if we are entirely shut down in the future for whatever reason, suddenly producing everything we need is just not feasible.  Sure, we can start baking bread and knitting socks pretty quickly.  But soon the yeast runs out and so do the salt and sugar.

"Never fear!" you hear people say.  "You can DIY these."

Yes, you can use everlasting yeast or sourdough starter for making bread.  That's not such a huge transition.  Sugar, of course, can be obtained by harvesting sap from sugar maples and processing it into syrup or sugar.  Honey can be obtained from your own beehives.  Both of these involve a bit more labor, and some risk as bees can be a bit sensitive.  Salt can be evaporated from seawater or the Great Salt Lake, but you have to actually live pretty nearby for these to be feasible.  There are also salt mines scattered across the country.  That could be pretty labor-intensive.

With concerns about locusts in Africa and Asia and cooler temperatures in North America due to the Grand Solar Minimum and crazy weather, people are starting to talk about growing their own grains.  Now that is really labor-intensive.  And most people don't have the experience, tools, or land to pull it off.

A while back, I read a post from someone wanting to know what plants he could process to obtain salt.  I'm not sure there are any such plants.  What I do know is that salt is incredibly cheap right now.  Iodine is essential to a healthy diet, and we most easily obtain it from iodized salt.  At $1.18 cents for a 26-ounce carton, that's roughly 4.5 cents per ounce, or 72 cents per pound.  Ten pounds, just over seven dollars.  Cheap.  In 1860, Johnston's Army that was sent to harass the Mormon pioneers in Utah paid Indians five dollars per pound for salt.  (That was not the going rate for salt in the eastern part of the country; it was what desperate soldiers far removed from their supply lines were willing to pay.)  Now, put that in today's money.  Figure an ounce of gold was $20 then.  So salt was the equivalent of a quarter of an ounce of gold.  Gold today is nearly $2000 per ounce.  So an equivalent price for a pound of salt today would be $720.  It makes sense to stock up now on something so critical.

Now consider sugar.  Yes, we totally eat too much of it, but that's not what this post is about.  It can be obtained from honey or sugar maple trees.  Pioneers also cultivated sugar beets and honeydew to satisfy their desires for something sweet.  These options entail a whole lot of fuel and man-hours to cook down the fruits to produce the sugar.  They require all the land and time to grow the beets and melons.  Most people won't have the luxury of using valuable time to make sugar.  Historically, it was an expensive product.  Currently, like salt, it is very cheap, about 80 cents per pound.

Think about soap.  Soapmaking has been a popular craft for the last decade or so.  For most people, it involves buying the individual ingredients at the craft store and melting them in a double boiler on the stove and then pouring into molds.  But that's not how it was done historically.  Colonials and pioneers made lye from wood ash and rendered tallow from beef or venison for the oil.  The two were combined and by the chemical process known as saponification, soap was produced.  It was one of the most hated chores for women of the period.  Only the well-to-do could afford to buy their soap.  Yet soap is still pretty cheap for us.  And it stores forever.

Socks.  Baby socks wouldn't be a big deal, but children's and adult socks, even the nicest hand knit ones, aren't as comfortable.  And I say this as a hand knitter with a lot of wool, alpaca, and angora socks.  They take a lot of time and need to be mended frequently.

Shoes.  I couldn't even begin to make my own.

Underwear.  I could definitely make my own, if I had the fabric and the elastic.  But remember how the pandemic made it impossible to find elastic?  And that was only for masks.  What if people needed to make underwear?

The list could go on indefinitely.  Think about the items you use every day, where they come from, and how easy or difficult it will be for you to replicate those items.  We may have to begin producing these items on our own, but we'll be doing ourselves and our families a huge favor if we don't have to start off this way when society collapses.  Even if nothing "big" ever happens, with all the "stimulus" money issued by the government, inflation is making everything more expensive.  Things are going to get difficult.  Let's make it as easy as possible by preparing now and buying essentials while they're inexpensive.

 

 7.16.23

Managing Ankle Sprains

Twenty years ago, my family lived in a split-level house, a fixer-upper in which we had just replaced all the carpet due to a recently burst water pipe.  Because we had purchased this house with the idea of fixing it up and not with the intention of staying long-term, especially with three young children and more planned, we selected a very light-colored carpet, almost white.  And one evening after putting the children to bed, I grabbed the last piece of fresh blackberry pie and a little bit of vanilla ice cream and headed downstairs to check my email before heading to bed myself.  Halfway down the flight of stairs, with my view obstructed by the pie and my thoughts of enjoying it, I stepped on one of Becky’s little toys and started descending way more quickly than normal.  (In case you are wondering whether those stories of people having their lives pass before their eyes when they’re about to die, or fall down the stairs, are really true, I can attest that they most definitely are.)  In that moment, I recognized that I had two choices:  I could save the last piece of blackberry pie and the vanilla-white carpet, or I could save myself. 

Naturally, I chose the pie and carpet. 

I landed very soundly on my ankle.  Now, I had experienced ankle sprains several times, but this put all my past experiences to shame.  My sister-in-law just happened to arrive a few minutes later, and she and my husband both determined that my ankle was probably not broken.  But I was definitely in shock, shivering like crazy, and very mad about it.  It felt like a character flaw to go into shock over a stupid little fall.  Anyway, my husband got me up to bed that night (after I finished the pie and ice cream, of course), and we applied ice and I’m sure I took some anti-inflammatories.  But the next morning my ankle was still quite swollen and there was no way I could put any weight at all on it.  That merited a trip to the urgent care where an x-ray revealed nothing.  No fracture.  So that was the good news.  But the bad news was that I had a bad second-degree sprain.  I had three young children, lived in a split-level house, both of our cars were stick-shifts, and the boys needed to be driven to and from school (several miles away) each day.  Curses.

Recovery was long and painful, and about three days into this ordeal I wondered if it was time to re-think my choices of that fateful evening.  Maybe I should have sacrificed the pie and the carpet.

Classification

Ankle sprains classified as first-, second-, and third-degree sprains. 

• First-degree.  With these most common of sprains, the vast majority of patients don’t seek treatment.  First-degree sprains resolve within minutes to hours.  They may cause some pain but generally there is little difficulty with walking.
• Second-degree.  These sprains range widely in the amount of damage and pain.  The ligament (ligaments connect one bone to another) is partially torn, whether a few fibers are affected or many.  The most common symptoms are pain and swelling of the outer ankle, and usually there is bruising and tenderness.  If only a few fibers are torn, there will be little difficulty walking. If many are torn, taking even one step may be impossible.
• Third-degree.  The ligament has been completely torn apart.  Interestingly, a third-degree sprain often doesn’t hurt as much as a second-degree sprain because the ligament isn’t under tension anymore.  But the joint will be very unstable.  These sprains necessitate prolonged immobilization or surgery.  In an austere situation, prolonged immobilization will be the only choice. 

Differentiating between a bad second-degree sprain and a fracture.  Differentiating between the two is difficult even for physicians, so much so that a protocol called the Ottawa Ankle Rules was developed to help determine when an ankle injury is more likely to be a fracture and whether an x-ray is warranted. 

The Ottawa Ankle Rules provide a good reference point for determining whether an ankle injury might be a fracture instead of a sprain:

• Bony tenderness over the lateral malleolus (the bony mound that is the outside of your ankle)
• Bony tenderness over the medial malleolus (the bony mound that is the inside of your ankle)
• Bony tenderness at the base of the 5^th metatarsal (the most lateral, or outside, bone in the foot, extending from the pinky toe)
• Bony tenderness at the navicular (extends from the big toe straight back to the ankle)
• Inability to bear any amount of weight and walk at least 4 steps at the time of injury or at the time of evaluation. 

If there is no bony tenderness in the ankle and the patient is able to bear some weight and take a few steps or hobble around, the ankle is much more likely to be sprained than broken.  However, if there is any bony tenderness in the ankle and any of the other criteria is met, a fracture is more likely. 

The Ottawa Ankle Rules are nearly 100% accurate when used with individuals over the age of 18.  They should not be used with patients with a head injury, those under the influence of alcohol or drugs, pregnant women, or children.

Because the tip of the fibula is often weaker than the ligament it is attached to, if the ligament is stretched too much too fast, the bone may break instead of the ligament.  In this situation, the gap is usually less than ¼” inch, and the body will bridge the gap with new bone formation if the ankle is immobilized.  Without an x-ray, you won’t know if the tip of the fibula has broken off or if the patient has just a bad second-degree sprain.  However, in an austere situation, it doesn’t really matter because, as far as treatment goes, it is the same as for a severe second-degree sprain.  Recovery normally takes 6-8 weeks. 

Treatment

For all second- and third-degree sprains, the initial treatment is the same and involves the RICES protocol:

Rest.  Rest is a must.  In challenging circumstances, this may not be possible.  However, without rest, chronic problems—lifelong—should be anticipated. 

Ice.  Ice or cold packs should be used as soon as possible for the first 24 hours, for 20 minutes every hour.

Compression.  After the ankle has had ice applied for twenty minutes, the injury should be wrapped very snuggly with an Ace bandage, wrapping from the top down to the bottom and back up again.  Wrap well, taking care not to cut off circulation.  Numbness or tingling is not good.  Whenever a body part is wrapped, circulation in the fingers and toes should be checked. 

Elevation.  The injured body part should be elevated above the level of the heart to reduce swelling.

Stabilization.  The ankle must be immobilized to prevent further injury. 

So how is this supposed to be performed? 

For the first 24 hours and with a mild second-degree sprain, have the patient get comfortable and elevate the ankle above the heart.  Apply ice packs or cold, damp cloths over affected joint for 20 minutes every hour to reduce swelling and pain.  Then apply a compression bandage.  After the first 24-48 hours, instead of ice packs, apply heat several times a day to promote blood flow and healing.  Do not massage a sprain or broken bone.[1]

Moderate sprains will require more of the above a few days longer.  A more moderate ankle sprain will also necessitate immobilization and the use of crutches. Because ligaments have a poor blood supply, sprains heal quite slowly. 

A severe sprain (third-degree) will be suggested by joint instability, deformity (the foot is twisted 90 degrees to one side), bony tenderness, and/or an inability to walk.  Prompt licensed care should be sought out if at all possible.  Barring that, the ankle will require prolonged immobilization, up to 8 weeks, with the patient on crutches most of the time.   

In all cases, patients may take NSAIDs to reduce pain and inflammation.  All patients should begin walking as pain and joint stability allow, when weight-bearing is tolerated without pain medication.  Walking too soon may cause additional injury.  Persons with moderate to severe sprains should continue to wear an elastic bandage or gel case when walking for at least a few weeks to prevent re-injury. 

References: 

Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 295-298.

“Ottawa Ankle Rules,” Physiopedia.org, https://www.physio-pedia.com/Ottawa_Ankle_Rules (accessed 6 January 2021).

E Papacostas, et al., “Validation of Ottawa Ankle Rules in Greek Athletes,”  British Journal of Sports Medicine, Volume 35 Issue 6, https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/35/6/445 (accessed 6 January 2021).

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[1] David Werner, Where There Is No Doctor, 102.

 2.10.21

"Is It Broken?" Differentiating Between Sprains and Fractures in an Austere Environment

Some fractures are going to be obvious—a bone is sticking through the skin or there’s an obvious zig-zag where there shouldn’t be.  However, without technology, and without formal education in medicine, we’re going to have a hard time differentiating between some sprains and fractures.  Knowing (or, like Dr. House, being able to make a really good guess) will reassure a patient and help us provide better and more appropriate care.

Here are a few tips for identifying a suspected fracture: 

Pain.  Generally, a fracture is so painful that no traction or pressure may be applied.[3]

Grinding.  In addition to the pain, the patient may report a grinding sensation when it is pressed, as if the two (or more) ends are rubbing against one another.[4]

Deformity.  Compare the injured body part with its counterpart, i.e, compare the injured wrist with its non-injured mate.  Do you see any differences in length or structure?[5]

Longitudinal force.  Apply longitudinal force along the bone—compress the two ends of the bone together, like you are trying to collapse or shorten the bone.  Such an attempt will be painful if the bone is fractured.[6]  

Swelling.  A fracture usually exhibits more pronounced welling and bruising.[1]  (If the swelling goes down, if the joint is working and not overly painful within 7-10 days, it was probably a sprain.  On the other hand, if it is still swollen, still significantly painful or impossible to use after 7-10 days, it’s probably a fracture.[2]) 

Sound conduction 1.  Use a tuning fork and stethoscope.  The tuning fork is tapped against a hard surface to start the vibrations and then applied to the distal end of the bone with a suspected fracture.  The stethoscope is applied to the proximal end of the bone with the suspected fracture.  A fracture in the bone will reduce or completely eliminate the conduction of sound by the bone.  It allows for quick examination of a patient without causing pain and works even in unconscious patients.  And it is a simple test to conduct, even for non-medical personnel.  Studies showed that this test is 94% reliable, whereas conventional clinical diagnosis was only correct in 88% of cases.[7]

Sound conduction 2.  Use a cell phone and a stethoscope.  The idea to use the vibrate function of a cell phone and a stethoscope evolved from the use of the tuning fork, with the object of reducing the amount of equipment medical providers need to carry.  A tuning fork, while useful for identifying fractures, doesn’t have many other applications.  However, many people carry cell phones.  Anyway, just like with a tuning fork, the cell phone (cover removed) is applied to the distal end of the bone.  The stethoscope is applied to the proximal end.  A noticeable decrease in the sound propagation suggests a fracture in the bone.[8]

These methods will help differentiate between sprains and fractures so that you can provide appropriate care.  Future posts will cover specific bone fractures and treatment.

Links to related posts:

Ankle Sprains

Master Medical Shopping List

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[1] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 349. 

[2] Survival and Austere Medicine, 3^rd Edition, 173.

[3] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 349. 

[4] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 349. 

[5] Survival and Austere Medicine, 3^rd Edition, 173.

[6] Survival and Austere Medicine, 3^rd Edition, 173.

[7] Rajendra Kumar Misurya, et al., “Use of Tuning Fork in Diagnostic Auscultation of Fractures,” Injury, January 1987, Vol 18 No 1, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0020138387903913 (accessed 2 February 2021).

[8] Brett A. Matzek, et al., “Novel Approach to the Diagnosis of Fractures in an Austere Environment Using a Stethoscope and a Cellular Phone,” Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, 2014, Vol 25, https://www.wemjournal.org/article/S1080-6032(13)00261-5/pdf (accessed 2 February 2021).

 

 2.9.21

The Medicinal Uses of Goldenrod

Solidago spp.

Edible landscaping as I do it in our backyard involves maximizing the production of fruits and vegetables while also raising medicinal herbs and plenty of flowers to camouflage the veggies.  I’m pretty happy with the vegetables we’ve raised in the past two years as well as what we’ve gotten so far this year.  (Allowing, of course, for the late start to the growing season.) One of the challenges of mixing fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers together randomly is that it’s difficult to distinguish between the desirable seedlings and weeds.  Another challenge is that I don’t know what on earth Becky has planted out there. 

So naturally, a couple of weeds sneaked past me—two that I swear we did not have last year.  The first was goldenrod, which fortunately has medicinal uses so once Becky identified it we decided to let it grow.  It probably reached over three feet tall earlier this month, but unfortunately, the dozen or so plants growing together started shading and crowding out the peppers.  Fortunately, goldenrod is supposed to be harvested just as it begins to flower, which was now.  So I began the harvest.

HARVEST

When the tops begin to flower, use one gloved hand to grasp the top and the other gloved hand to strip the leaves from the stalk in one downward motion.  Gently grasp the leaves and pull them back up along the stalk and off the top.  It takes less than five minutes to strip a dozen stalks. 

Dry the leaves and flowers in a brown paper sack or dehydrator.  When dry, crush the leaves and store them in a glass jar. 

EFFECTIVE AGAINST

·       Bacteria

o   Gram-positive

§  Listeria monocytogenes[1] [2]

§  Staphylococcus aureus[3] [4]

o   Gram-negative

§  Salmonella typhi[5]

·       Fungi

o   Aspergillus niger[6]

PREPARATIONS

Poultice.  Boiled plant.

Tea. ¼-½ teaspoon dried material steeped in 4-8 ounces of water, 2-3 times per day.[7] [8]

Tincture.  Fresh plant in flower, 1:2.  Dosage is 20-60 drops up to 3 times per day.[9]

USAGE

·       Dental

o   Toothache

§  Decoction held in mouth[10]

§  Roots[11] [12]

§  Tea[13]

·       Endocrine

o   Lower blood sugars[14]

·       Gastrointestinal

o   Cramps[15]

o   Colic[16]

o   Diarrhea

§  Tea[17]

o   Gas[18] [19]

o   Weakness of bowels[20]

·       Musculoskeletal

o   Neuralgia

§  Tea used as a wash[21]

o   Rheumatism

§  Essential oil[22] [23]

§  Tea used as a wash[24]

·       Neurological

o   Calming bath for babies

§  Tea[25]

o   Headaches

§  Tea used as a wash[26]

·       Respiratory

o   Colds

§  Root tea[27]

o   Fever[28]

§  Hot tea[29]

§  Root tea[30]

§  Tea, especially for children[31]

o   Influenza[32] [33]

§  Tea, especially for children[34]

o   Reduce mucus production in bronchi[35]

o   Sore throat[36]

§  Flowers chewed[37]

§  Flowers chewed, then poultice externally[38]

§  Tea mixed with grease and applied as a salve[39]

o   Whooping cough[40]

·       Skin

o   Boils

§  Poultice[41]

o   Burns[42]

§  Poultice[43] [44]

§  Roots[45]

o   Insect bites[46]

§  Poultice[47]

o   Sores[48] [49]

o   Wounds[50]

§  Poultice[51] [52]

§  Powdered leaves and flowers sprinkled on wound to stop bleeding[53] [54]

·       Urogenital

o   Chronic nephritis

§  Essential oil[55] [56]

§  Tea[57]

o   Cystitis[58]

§  Essential oil[59] [60]

o   Diuretic[61] [62]

o   Hemorrhagic nephritis[63]

o   Kidney stones

§  Essential oil[64] [65]

§  Root tea[66]

o   Nephron inflammation[67]

o   Painful urination[68]

o   Post-partum

§  Wash, tea[69]

o   Urethritis[70]

o   Weakness of bladder[71]

Caution.  Do not use more than 3 days in a row.[72]

Links to related posts:

Stealth Gardening:  Hiding Your Vegetable Garden in Plain Sight

Introduction to Tinctures 

---

[1] SK Lawson, et al., Volatile Compositions and Antifungal Activities of Native American Medicinal Plants: Focus on the Asteraceae, Plants (Basel), 19 January 2020, Vol 9 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7020142/ (accessed 14 July 2023).

[2] HS Elshafie, et al., Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil Extracted from Solidago canadensis L. Growing Wild in Slovakia, Molecules, 27 March 2019, Vol 24 No 7, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6479883/ (accessed 19 July 2023).

[3] SK Lawson, et al., Volatile Compositions and Antifungal Activities of Native American Medicinal Plants: Focus on the Asteraceae, Plants (Basel), 19 January 2020, Vol 9 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7020142/ (accessed 14 July 2023).

[4] HS Elshafie, et al., Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil Extracted from Solidago canadensis L. Growing Wild in Slovakia, Molecules, 27 March 2019, Vol 24 No 7, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6479883/ (accessed 19 July 2023).

[5] HS Elshafie, et al., Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil Extracted from Solidago canadensis L. Growing Wild in Slovakia, Molecules, 27 March 2019, Vol 24 No 7, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6479883/ (accessed 19 July 2023).

[6] HS Elshafie, et al., Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil Extracted from Solidago canadensis L. Growing Wild in Slovakia, Molecules, 27 March 2019, Vol 24 No 7, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6479883/ (accessed 19 July 2023).

[7] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 156. 

[8] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.

[9] Stephen Harrod Buhner, Herbal Antibiotics, 2012, 378.

[10] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 130.

[11] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[12] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.

[13] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.

[14] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[15] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[16] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[17] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 130.

[18] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[19] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.

[20] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[21] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[22] SK Lawson, et al., Volatile Compositions and Antifungal Activities of Native American Medicinal Plants: Focus on the Asteraceae, Plants (Basel), 19 January 2020, Vol 9 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7020142/ (accessed 14 July 2023).

[23] HS Elshafie, et al., Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil Extracted from Solidago canadensis L. Growing Wild in Slovakia, Molecules, 27 March 2019, Vol 24 No 7, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6479883/ (accessed 19 July 2023).

[24] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[25] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 130.

[26] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[27] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[28] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.

[29] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 156. 

[30] SK Lawson, et al., Volatile Compositions and Antifungal Activities of Native American Medicinal Plants: Focus on the Asteraceae, Plants (Basel), 19 January 2020, Vol 9 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7020142/ (accessed 14 July 2023).

[31] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 130.

[32] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[33] Deni Bown, Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses, 1995, 355.

[34] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 130.

[35] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[36] Deni Bown, Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses, 1995, 355.

[37] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[38] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 130.

[39] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[40] Deni Bown, Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses, 1995, 355.

[41] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 130.

[42] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 130.

[43] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.

[44] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 130.

[45] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[46] Deni Bown, Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses, 1995, 355.

[47] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.

[48] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.

[49] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 130.

[50] Deni Bown, Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses, 1995, 355.

[51] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.

[52] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 130.

[53] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[54] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.

[55] SK Lawson, et al., Volatile Compositions and Antifungal Activities of Native American Medicinal Plants: Focus on the Asteraceae, Plants (Basel), 19 January 2020, Vol 9 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7020142/ (accessed 14 July 2023).

[56] HS Elshafie, et al., Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil Extracted from Solidago canadensis L. Growing Wild in Slovakia, Molecules, 27 March 2019, Vol 24 No 7, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6479883/ (accessed 19 July 2023).

[57] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 155. 

[58] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.

[59] SK Lawson, et al., Volatile Compositions and Antifungal Activities of Native American Medicinal Plants: Focus on the Asteraceae, Plants (Basel), 19 January 2020, Vol 9 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7020142/ (accessed 14 July 2023).

[60] HS Elshafie, et al., Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil Extracted from Solidago canadensis L. Growing Wild in Slovakia, Molecules, 27 March 2019, Vol 24 No 7, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6479883/ (accessed 19 July 2023).

[61] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[62] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.

[63] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[64] SK Lawson, et al., Volatile Compositions and Antifungal Activities of Native American Medicinal Plants: Focus on the Asteraceae, Plants (Basel), 19 January 2020, Vol 9 No 1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7020142/ (accessed 14 July 2023).

[65] HS Elshafie, et al., Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil Extracted from Solidago canadensis L. Growing Wild in Slovakia, Molecules, 27 March 2019, Vol 24 No 7, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6479883/ (accessed 19 July 2023).

[66] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[67] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 155. 

[68] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 156. 

[69] Steven Foster, et al., Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 2002, 130.

[70] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.

[71] Linda Kershaw, Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 2000, 184.

[72] Kimball Chatfield, Medicine from the Mountains, 1997, 46.