From Flu Wiki 2

Forum: Home Remedies

20 September 2006

Safety Lady – at 16:18

Tape this inside medicine cabinet

Did You Know That drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately — without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional “pain relievers.”

Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns.

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They’ll clear up your stuffed nose.

Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Vinegar to heal bruises … Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer . Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly — even though the product was never advertised for this use. ( Note : Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine is not the same..and contains aspirin, which can cause s tomach bleeding if you have ulcers.)

Honey remedy for skin blemishes … Cover the blemish with a! dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus … Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again. Wow, fres h breath and toenails, too.

Balm for broken blisters …To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine … a powerful antiseptic.

Easy eyeglass protection … To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Coca-Cola cure for rust … Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer … If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can’t find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409 . Insects drop to the ground instantly. < BR>

Smart splinter remover …just pour a drop of Elmer’s Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

Kills fleas instantly . Dawn dish washing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog’s bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Goodbye fleas.

Rainy day cure for dog odor … Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Eliminate ear mites .. All it takes is a few drops of corn oil in your cat’s ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat’s skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief ….It’s not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain .

Bronco Bill – at 17:02

Not guaranteed in all cases. User results may vary.

I’ve used Dawn dish detergent to wash dogs. It does work! No more bugs! OTOH, my Mom tried the Quaker Oats cure for arthritis pain and it didn’t do anything for her. However, she had advanced Rheumatoid Arthritis, so that might have had something to do with it.

I need to try the Elmer’s glue trick…

cactus – at 18:08

Elmer`s is kept in several ERs around here. Works great to remove those cactus spines, especially those tiny hair like ones.

Gary Near Death Valley – at 18:11

cactus – at 18:08 thanks for that, have not heard of that one, and when I have been getting those little hair spines, been using tweezers. Great idea for out here

Kim – at 22:04

Copied from an email I received. I can testify that #6 definitely works…

Soothe a burn, cure a toothache, clear a stuffed nose… by Kate Dailey, Men’s Health;

1. If your throat tickles, scratch your ear.

When you were 9, playing your armpit was a cool trick. Now, as an adult, you can still appreciate a good body-based feat, but you’re more discriminating. Take that tickle in your throat; it’s not worth gagging over. Here’s a better way to scratch your itch: “When the nerves in the ear are stimulated, it creates a reflex in the throat that can cause a muscle spasm,” says Scott Schaffer, M.D., president of an ear, nose and throat specialty center in Gibbsboro, New Jersey. “This spasm relieves the tickle.”

2. Experience supersonic hearing!

If you’re stuck chatting up a mumbler at a cocktail party, lean in with your right ear. It’s better than your left at following the rapid rhythms of speech, according to researchers at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. If, on the other hand, you’re trying to identify that song playing softly in the elevator, turn your left ear toward the sound. The left ear is better at picking up music tones.

3. Overcome your most primal urge!

Need to pee? No bathroom nearby? Fantasize about Jessica Simpson. Thinking about sex preoccupies your brain, so you won’t feel as much discomfort, says Larry Lipshultz, M.D., chief of male reproductive medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. For best results, try Simpson’s “These Boots Are Made for Walking” video.

4. Feel no pain!

German researchers have discovered that coughing during an injection can lessen the pain of the needle stick. According to Taras Usichenko, author of a study on the phenomenon, the trick causes a sudden, temporary rise in pressure in the chest and spinal canal, inhibiting the pain-conducting structures of the spinal cord.

5. Clear your stuffed nose!

Forget Sudafed. An easier, quicker, and cheaper way to relieve sinus pressure is by alternately thrusting your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then pressing between your eyebrows with one finger. This causes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages to the mouth, to rock back and forth, says Lisa DeStefano, D.O., an assistant professor at the Michigan State University college of osteopathic medicine. The motion loosens congestion; after 20 seconds, you’ll feel your sinuses start to drain.

6. Fight fire without water!

Worried those wings will repeat on you tonight? “Sleep on your left side,” says Anthony A. Star-poli, M.D., a New York City gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at New York Medical College. Studies have shown that patients who sleep on their left sides are less likely to suffer from acid reflux. The esophagus and stomach connect at an angle. When you sleep on your right, the stomach is higher than the esophagus, allowing food and stomach acid to slide up your throat. When you’re on your left, the stomach is lower than the esophagus, so gravity’s in your favor.

7. Cure your toothache without opening your mouth!

Just rub ice on the back of your hand, on the V-shaped webbed area between your thumb and index finger. A Canadian study found that this technique reduces toothache pain by as much as 50 percent compared with using no ice. The nerve pathways at the base of that V stimulate an area of the brain that blocks pain signals from the face and hands.

8. Make burns disappear!

When you accidentally singe your finger on the stove, clean the skin and apply light pressure with the finger pads of your unmarred hand. Ice will relieve your pain more quickly, Dr. DeStefano says, but since the natural method brings the burned skin back to a normal temperature, the skin is less likely to blister.

9. Stop the world from spinning!

One too many drinks left you dizzy? Put your hand on something stable. The part of your ear responsible for balance—the cupula—floats in a fluid of the same density as blood. “As alcohol dilutes blood in the cupula, the cupula becomes less dense and rises,” says Dr. Schaffer. This confuses your brain. The tactile input from a stable object gives the brain a second opinion, and you feel more in balance. Because the nerves in the hand are so sensitive, this works better than the conventional foot-on-the-floor wisdom.

10. Unstitch your side!

If you’re like most people, when you run, you exhale as your right foot hits the ground. This puts downward pressure on your liver (which lives on your right side), which then tugs at the diaphragm and creates a side stitch, according to The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Men. The fix: Exhale as your left foot strikes the ground.

11. Stanch blood with a single finger!

Pinching your nose and leaning back is a great way to stop a nosebleed—if you don’t mind choking on your own O positive. A more civil approach: Put some cotton on your upper gums—just behind that small dent below your nose—and press against it, hard. “Most bleeds come from the front of the septum, the cartilage wall that divides the nose,” says Peter Desmarais, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Entabeni Hospital, in Durban, South Africa. “Pressing here helps stop them.”

12. Make your heart stand still!

Trying to quell first-date jitters? Blow on your thumb. The vagus nerve, which governs heart rate, can be controlled through breathing, says Ben Abo, an emergency medical-services specialist at the University of Pittsburgh. It’ll get your heart rate back to normal.

13. Thaw your brain!

Too much Chipwich too fast will freeze the brains of lesser men. As for you, press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, covering as much as you can. “Since the nerves in the roof of your mouth get extremely cold, your body thinks your brain is freezing, too,” says Abo. “In compensating, it overheats, causing an ice-cream headache.” The more pressure you apply to the roof of your mouth, the faster your headache will subside.

14. Prevent near-sightedness!

Poor distance vision is rarely caused by genetics, says Anne Barber, O.D., an optometrist in Tacoma, Washington. “It’s usually caused by near-point stress.” In other words, staring at your computer screen for too long. So flex your way to 20/20 vision. Every few hours during the day, close your eyes, tense your body, take a deep breath, and, after a few seconds, release your breath and muscles at the same time. Tightening and releasing muscles such as the biceps and glutes can trick involuntary muscles—like the eyes—into relaxing as well.

15. Wake the dead!

If your hand falls asleep while you’re driving or sitting in an odd position, rock your head from side to side. It’ll painlessly banish your pins and needles in less than a minute, says Dr. DeStefano. A tingly hand or arm is often the result of compression in the bundle of nerves in your neck; loosening your neck muscles releases the pressure. Compressed nerves lower in the body govern the feet, so don’t let your sleeping dogs lie. Stand up and walk around.

16. Impress your friends!

Next time you’re at a party, try this trick: Have a person hold one arm straight out to the side, palm down, and instruct him to maintain this position. Then place two fingers on his wrist and push down. He’ll resist. Now have him put one foot on a surface that’s a half inch higher (a few magazines) and repeat. This time his arm will cave like the French. By misaligning his hips, you’ve offset his spine, says Rachel Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Results Fitness, in Santa Clarita, California. Your brain senses that the spine is vulnerable, so it shuts down the body’s ability to resist.

17. Breathe underwater!

If you’re dying to retrieve that quarter from the bottom of the pool, take several short breaths first—essentially, hyperventilate. When you’re underwater, it’s not a lack of oxygen that makes you desperate for a breath; it’s the buildup of carbon dioxide, which makes your blood acidic, which signals your brain that somethin’ ain’t right. “When you hyperventilate, the influx of oxygen lowers blood acidity,” says Jonathan Armbruster, Ph.D., an associate professor of biology at Auburn University. “This tricks your brain into thinking it has more oxygen.” It’ll buy you up to 10 seconds.

18. Read minds!

Your own! “If you’re giving a speech the next day, review it before falling asleep,” says Candi Heimgartner, an instructor of biological sciences at the University of Idaho. Since most memory consolidation happens during sleep, anything you read right before bed is more likely to be encoded as long-term memory.

And here’s another one…

Heart Attack Procedure: When alone

Everyone should also know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting.

Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack.

Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.

Let’s be careful and be aware. The more we know……….

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we’ll save at least one life. Read this… It could save your life!!

Let’s say it’s 6.15pm and you’re driving home (alone of course), after an unusually hard day on the job. You’re tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home.

Unfortunately you don’t know if you’ll be able to make it that far. You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on yourself.

HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE

Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.

A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating.

The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital. Tell as many other people as possible about this. It could save their lives!!

21 September 2006

Gary Near Death Valley – at 00:42

Geeeeeeeeeee I wish people would check this out, go to www.snopes.com and find out this heart attack couph thing is FALSE. Read it and be aware.

Kathy in FL – at 10:19

After a prolonged or serious illness, many people experience anaemia. Below is some “home remedies” for treating anaemia that I’ve found while doing home health care research. Use at your own descretion.

Kathy in FL – at 11:00

Another interesting home treatment found. These are for asthma. As always, use at your own descretion.

Kathy in FL – at 11:23

Some people are prone to rashes … stress, heat, etc … and I found some possible treatments to implement. Use at your own descretion.

Kathy in FL – at 11:41

In the event of an H5N1 pandemic, I thought some home remedies for bronchitis would be in order. Use at your own descretion.

22 September 2006

NS1 – at 05:52

Kathy-

Do you speak Hindi?

Kathy in FL – at 09:58

NS1 – at 05:52

No, I don’t … I’m just good at researching. <grin> Spent 10 years doing it at the university level, have a love of genealogy and in general am a book and resource-a-holic. LOL!

I’m just hoping by sharing what I am doing for myself I am helping others as well.

no name – at 10:20

Miss Kathy,

Thanks for all you do…everything. The receipes, remedies, huge family…you must be the Energizer Bunny! Just reading about your life makes me tired.

Kathy in FL – at 10:53

no name – at 10:20

Thank you. I think in the long run it will be the little things that help most in difficult times … and the little things we remember best … like a short note of kind words. <grin>

Kathy in FL – at 10:59

Vomiting Relief (likely to be a component of a pandemic flu)

As always, use at your own descretion.

Relief measures: Some of the effective home remedies for vomiting are as follows. Have a cup of ginger tea, Eat a mixture of honey and powder of 2 roasted cardamoms, Have a glass of chilled lime juice, Have a mixture of 1 tsp mint juice, 1 tsp lime juice, 1/2 tsp ginger juice and 1 tsp honey. Slowly sip a glass of honey water, Have one tsp onion juice in regular interval, Slowly sip a glass of chilled cola, Relax for some time.

For the first twelve hours after vomiting do not take any solid food. Limit yourself only to liquids like apple juice, carbonated juices, water and so on. Avoid citrus juices and dairy products for the first 24 hours.

Once vomiting stops, do not rush to normal diet immediately. Returning to a normal diet and eating schedule is much preferable than trying to force a complete recovery immediately.

Kathy in FL – at 11:05

Toothache Home Remedies and Prevention

Use at your own descretion. Some of them, like the garlic and onion suggestion are pretty powerful. I can tell you from experience that raw onion can sting.

Remedies for Tooth ache using Garlic: Among the most effective home remedies for toothache is garlic. A clove of garlic with a little rock salt should be placed on the affected tooth. It will relieve the pain and, sometimes, may even cure it. A clove should also be chewed daily in the morning.

Toothache relief using Onion: Latest research has confirmed the bactericidal properties of onion. If a person consumes one raw onion every day by thorough mastication, he will be protected from host of tooth disorders. Chewing raw onion for three minutes is sufficient to kill all the germs in the mouth. Toothache is often allayed by placing a small piece of onion on the bad tooth or gum.

Toothache cure using Wheat Grass: The juice of wheat grass acts as a mouthwash for tooth decay and is supposed to help cure toothaches. Wheat grass can be chewed with beneficial results. It draws out toxins from the gums and thus checks bacterial growth.

Toothache home remedy using Clove: Another home remedy for toothache is in the use of clove, which reduces pain. It also helps decrease infection due to its antiseptic properties. Clove oil, applied to a cavity in a decayed tooth, also relieves toothache. Careful when using this with children, although I’m told it is in common usage in Indonesia, as oil of cloves is very strong.

Remedies for Toothache using Pepper: A pinch of pepper powder mixed with clove oil can be put on the cavities to alleviate the toothache. The clove oil acts as a “deadener.”

Kathy in FL – at 11:07

For those of us who may be doing more outside work than we are used to …

As always, use at your own descretion and beware of allergic reactions.

Remedies for Sunburn: Apply aloe vera or vinegar on the affected skin; it will stop inflammation and pain. Avoid products made from benzocaine, lidocaine and petroleum jelly. Rub mustard oil on the affected skin and allow to it dry, this will take out the heat from the skin. Cut fresh cucumber slices and rub them on the affected area. Before taking bath, add some baking powder to the bath water, this will help to soothe the burnt skin. Apply lavender oil or peppermint oil on the burnt skin. Apply apple cider vinegar to the burnt skin using cotton ball. Take herbal bath; put few drops of chamomile and lavender essential oils in bath water. Take epsom salt or ice compress. Grate some potatoes and apply them on the burnt skin. Starch from the potatoes will soothe the burn.

Kathy in FL – at 11:11

Some traditional, sore throat remedies. Use at your own descretion and only with conscious patients that aren’t suffering from nausea and vomiting … forcing them to drink something that will cause their stomach to rebel is not going to be helpful.

Kathy in FL – at 11:15

Scurvy may become a problem if inadequate nutritional balance in our preps become an issue … such as only storing beans and rice and having to subsist on it for a long period of time.

Scurvy is caused by lack of vitamin C or ascorbic acid. Inadequate intake of fresh fruit and vegetables can lead to this condition. Reportedly stress can also lead to scurvy.

Scurvy Relief:

Kathy in FL – at 11:25

Some home remedies for nausea. Use at your own descretion. Remember to take into consideration how alert your patient is and how old they are. Some of the home remedies are small-kid-friendly … such as the herbal candy option.

You can treat it by having two capsules of gingerroot. It will give you a quick relief and depending how severe is your nausea

You can use fresh piece of ginger in your tea to get relief from this problem

You can have a mild tea or have gingerale which help to soothe your stomach. You can also have slippery elm, red raspberry as well as herbal candies

Peppermint or chamomile tea is capable of getting rid of the nauseating feeling.

After boiling 1/2 cup of rice in 1 cup of water for 10–20 minutes, consume the rice water after draining the rice from it

If the patient can still eat, despite the nausea, allow them to do so unless they are actually vomitting. However, it is better to avoid a lot of spices, oils, and heavy flavorings … maintain a bland diet.

Kathy in FL – at 11:31

Low blood-sugar may be the result of an extended illness where a balanced diet has been difficult to maintain. Use the following suggestions at you own descretion.

When the blood sugar level falls much below normal, symptoms such as nervousness, irritability, fatigue, depression, disturbed vision, and headaches appear. Other symptoms are sweating, trembling, numbness, absent-mindedness, dizziness, palpitations of the heart, and some sexual disturbances. Most hypoglycaemia patients feel hungry and eat frequently to get over the feeling of weakness and emotional irritability. They feel tense if they have to go without food for several hours.

Certain vitamins have been found effective in the treatment of low blood sugar. These are vitamins C, E, and B complex. Foods rich in these vitamins are therefore valuable in low blood sugar. Vitamins C and B increase tolerance of sugar and carbohydrates, and help normalise sugar metabolism, Pantothenic acid and vitamin B6 help to build up adrenals which are generally exhausted in persons with low blood sugar. Vitamin E improves glycogen storage in the muscles and tissues. The patient should take vitamin C in large doses from 2,000 to 5,000 mg B6 - 50 mg, and vitamin E - upto 1600 IU daily

Molasses is reportedly better for helping a patient get over an episode of low blood-sugar than refined white sugar is.

Until blood sugar levels have been normalized avoid refined and processed foods if possible, and reduce salt intake.

anonymous – at 11:32

Vit C for scurvy. Try fresh bean sprouts. In a study of soybean sprouts, for 100 grams of seed, the early shoots had about 100 mg of Vit C. But letting the sprouts grow for a few more days, and the vit C goes up to about 700 mg.

Also, the seeds or beans can be stored for quite a while.

Kathy in FL – at 11:36

An extended illness may also result in low blood pressure.

Low blood pressure or hypotension refers to the fall in blood pressure below normal. It is a condition in which the action of the heart, in forcing the blood through the arteries, is weak. This is a direct outcome of a weakened and devitalised system. The patient with chronic low blood pressure may complain of lethargy, weakness, fatigue, and dizziness. The patient may faint, especially if arterial pressure is lowered further when he assumes an erect position.

Suggested remedy one: The juice of raw beetroot is one of the most effective home remedies for low blood pressure. The patient should drink a cup of this juice twice daily for treating this condition Considerable improvement will be noticeable within a week

Suggested remedy two: Protein, vitamin C, and all vitamins of the B group have been found beneficial in the prevention and treatment of low blood pressure. Of these, pantothenic acid is of particular importance. Liberal use of this vitamin alone often helps in raising the blood pressure. A diet which contains adequate quantities of complete proteins, B vitamin and, particularly, the nutrients that stimulate adrenal production, quickly normalizes low blood pressure.

Patients suffering from low blood pressure should aAvoid excessive work, anxiety as it unduly taxes a system already under stress.

Kathy in FL – at 12:03

If I’m understanding what I’m reading, lethargy may be part of the long recovery process if H5N1 is the next pandemic.

Some of the symptoms of lethargy are changes in bowel and appetite patterns, difficulty in performing daily routine, difficulty in concentrating, pain at various places in the body, difficulty in falling asleep, fatigue.

It will be important to include a well-balanced diet as part of the recovery process. Nutrition plays a big role in combating lethargy. Lethargy can also be caused by depression, blood pressure problems, and leftover symptoms from a long illness.

In addition to a well-balanced diet, it may prove helpful to include a daily multi-vitamin as part of the recovery protocols.

I’ve also seen drinking a tea made out of basil leaves regularly and/or drinking a glass of grapefruit and lemon juice, both mixed in equal quantities, mentioned as being helpful in combating lethargy.

Kathy in FL – at 12:08

Insomnia Relief

The term insomnia literally denotes a complete lack of sleep. It is, however, used to indicate a relative inability to sleep that consists of difficulty in falling asleep, difficulty in remaining asleep, early final awakening, or combinations of these complaints. The most common cause of sleeplessness is mental tension brought about by anxiety, worries, overwork, and overexcitement. Suppressed feelings of resentment, anger, and bitterness may also cause insomnia. Constipation, dyspepsia, overeating at night, excessive intake of tea or coffee, smoking, and going to bed hungry are among the other causes. Often, worrying about falling asleep is enough to keep one awake.

Also, avoid eating immediately prior to going to bed. However, a light snack … such as popcorn … at least an hour before retiring may actually help.

Kathy in FL – at 12:40

Carrot soup is reportedly an effective home remedy for diarrhea. It supplies water to combat dehydration; replenishes sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, and magnesium; supplies pectin; and coats the intestine to allay inflammation. It also checks the growth of harmful intestinal bacteria and prevents vomiting. Half a kilogram of carrots may be cooked in 150 ml of water until they become soft. The pulp should be strained and enough boiled water added to it to make a litre. Three-quarters of a tablespoon of salt may be added. This soup should be given in small amounts to the patient every half an hour.

Kathy in FL – at 12:50

More home remedies for diarrrhea:

Rice is useful in treating diarrhoea in children. A teaspoon of powder of charred parboiled rice, mixed with a glass of buttermilk, should be given in does of thirty grams every half an hour. This will bring excellent results.

Cooked or baked apples are good for diarrhoea. The cooking process softens the cellulose. Much of its value as a regulating material is thus lost and it is effective in looseness of the bowels. A glass of fresh tomato juice, mixed with a pinch of salt and pepper, taken in the morning, also proves beneficial. Other starchy liquids such as arrowroot water, barley water, and coconut water are also useful in the treatment of diarrhoea. They not only replace the fluid lost but also bind the stools. Other home remedies include bananas and garlic. Bananas contain pectin and encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria. Garlic is a powerful, effective, and harmless germ killer

Northstar – at 13:31

A simple home remedy for ear infections I use is a drop or two of warm hydrogen peroxide down the ear canal. This can knock a small infection out entirely. (Works well for swimmer’s ear, too.)

Rose hips — the pod left after the petals fall — contain a lot of vitamin C. It makes a nice tea. The petals make a lovely — if somewhat odd to western palates — jelly.

Don’t forget, tasty vitamin C lozenges are also available. My kids love them.

Don’t forget fresh mint can grow weedily almost anywhere and is a great tonic tea. If one doesn’t have a lot of greens this can really help. Catnip tea, too, is tasty and relaxing though kids don’t like it quite so much as mint. (Mint is easily rooted from a grocery store sprig, btw.)

My favorite anti-nausea remedy when I was pregnant and had to do a lot of car travelling: home made ginger candy. Dice a fresh root of ginger (1/4″ dice) and boil 10–15 minutes in a syrup of sugar and water. Remove dice to a flat pan and dry in a slow oven until very hard. Crunch one candy as needed. (Reserve syrup and use in teas. Wonderful!) Note: these candies are very powerfully flavored but they grow on you quickly — my kids were begging for them before too long.

Lorelle – at 22:43

Just another reminder to be careful with essential oils. Some of them can burn the skin if not diluted enough.

23 September 2006

Kathy in FL – at 16:45

I’m continuing to look for home remedies, especially in the face of rising medical costs and possible lack of access to medical assistance during and after a pandemic. Some “simple” ailments may not rate a trip to the doctor’s as an example. Nice to have a little knowledge set aside.

FrenchieGirlat 18:11

Kathy in Fl, thanks.

Notes/Remarks/Comments: I am only commenting on those that I have tried and tested, with myself or family and friends – This list is not exhaustive, I have just written it as it came to mind while reading the very valuable information by Kathy in Fl. I’ve got plenty more herbs and oils in my cupboards and fridge. Will deal with the others some other time:


Usual disclaimer: Please do not construe the above as medical advice. Please consult your physician before using any of the above.

FrenchieGirlat 18:14

Correction:

Corinth raisins, dried : effective for hypoglycemia (NOT hypotension) (but not as a regular treatment, just for quick relief, to be carried in pockets, handbag or car), useful and discreet in your pocket to munch during school exams, so that your blood sugar does not sink just when you need all of your brain

FrenchieGirlat 18:20

Safety Lady – at 16:18 — Coca-Cola cure for rust … Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done

Also, use car brake fluid to remove rust

DonJuansOtherDaughterat 18:40

There is a very interesting artical from Sept. 15 on the Newsnow site, Epidemic Influenza and Vitamin D. Vitamin D could help us avoid catching the flu and lessen the effects if we do happen to get it.

Bronco Bill – at 18:43

FrenchieGirl – at 18:20 --- Also, use car brake fluid to remove rust

Just keep it off of acrylic auto paint and plastic auto parts. In the US, DOT3 brake fluid will oxidize the paint and pit the plastic.

anon_22 – at 20:27

BB,

I thought you wre on the road?

Kathy in FL – at 23:03

Something that I had forgotten and FrenchieGirl reminded me with her nicotine on the roses remedy …

When I was little my grandparents owned a tobacco farm. For those of you who don’t know the process of tobacco … the leaves grown on a huge stalk. You harvest the leaves by impaling them one at a time on “tobacco sticks” that are then hung high in barns to dry.

In these barns wasps frequently built huge nests. When they would light the smoky fires to dry the tobacco it would disturb the wasps nests and there would be all the huge stinging things out to get you.

When anyone would get stung they would just take some dried tobacco, scrumble it up, spit on it to make a police and then place it on the sting. It had an analgesic effect I guess.

Kathy in FL – at 23:06

That should be “poltice” not “make a police” … gee, I blamed the two year old in my lap earlier today, but obviously the problem of my typing goes deeper than I thought. <grin>

24 September 2006

jplanner – at 05:33

don’t know my uch about it but I do know tobacco INGESTION is highly toxic, lethal. Cases of people killing selves in prison by injestion of tobacco. I remember in WHERE THERE IS NO DOCTOR they very cautiosly injest tobacco to cure something but warn of it’s lethality beyond a certain low amount. Not sure about putting it on any opening in skin. Tho admit insect sting hole in skin is small.

In organic chem in college we extracted substances from One tobacco leaf, including nicotene. Apparently it contains alot of chemicals…maybe thats why people started smoking it (ie pleasant side effects of them). I can imagine it numbing the skin.

EnoughAlreadyat 12:24

Kathy in FL – at 11:15

Vitamin C is the most easily destroyed vitamin there is. It is destroyed by oxygen, heat (above 70 degrees) and it leaks out into the cooking water because it is a water soluble vitamin. Loss increases with air, temperature, water and time. So the less of each, the better. Also, cast iron pans destroy vitamin C. Don’t use them in cooking vitamin C rich vegetables like tomatoes for spaghetti sauce. Vitamin C can be completely lost if foods are frozen for longer than two months. Frozen, reconstituted orange juice has 78% and canned orange juice has 69% of the vitamin C found in fresh squeezed orange juice. However, the highest Recommended Dietary Allowances for vitamin C is 60 milligrams and all three forms, fresh, frozen and canned provide more than the RDA of vitamin C in 2/3 cup of orange juice.

So, when you talk about potatoes being a good source of vitamin C, remember if cooked… save any liquid if there is any and use it if possible.

NS1 – at 17:22

Potato Water is excellent for a broth base. Fresh it in small bags.

We regularly feed most of our potato water to our herbs. In the summer, our potato enriched basil stock will sometimes grow 2 inches in day. You can almost watch it move if you’re patient. All organic, all natural, no synthetics.

Pugdog45102 – at 21:14

Here is an excellent book. It can be downloaded free. “Where there are no Doctors”

http://www.hesperian.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=HB&Product_Code=B010R&Category_Code=ENG

27 September 2006

Patc – at 13:09

When I first started nursing we were still boiling needles and syringes!!!! I am not going to tell you how old I am!!!! At that time the treatment for bedsores was to clean with peroxide and then pack with a mixture of sugar and water and then apply a dressing over that. Three times a day.It worked better than anything they have today. Honey also works well. If you have pain in your side and do not know if it is kidney stones or gall stones take a nitroglycerin tablet if it is the gallbladder the pain will immediately stop. An old wives tale for fever is to slice an onion and put it on the soles of the feet and put socks on to keep them in place. I have never had to try it but have had many old people sware it worked. My husbabd is diabetic and gets “needles and pins” feelings in his toes and feet so bad I cannot even touch them. By accident we learned that massaging triple antibiotic ointment WITH pain reliever stops the pain and he can sleep through the night. A blow dryer will also stop ear pain. A good massage of the hands and feet wil put most people to sleep, without sleeping pills or pain relievers.

21 October 2006

Kathy in FL – at 16:58

Vinegar Rub for Rheumatism

Soak a foldes cloth in this preparation, wring out, and place on swollen joint.

Please check for skin sensitivity to wintergreen first.

Kathy in FL – at 17:00

Ginger Gargle

Use for sore throat, post nasal drip, and swollen tonsils.

Pour boiling water over ginger. Add lemon and honey. Use as you would any gargle. Don’t swallow … spit.

28 October 2006

Reader & Daughter-In-Law – at 06:46

Hot Toddie

1 cup hot green tea

1 shot glass full of whiskey

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon lemon juice or more to taste

Make your favorite green tea, then add the honey and lemon. Pour whiskey into mug, then add tea mixture.

My grandmother also added cream to the tea, she liked it that way.

Anti-viral Tomato Soup

1 can Condensed Tomato Soup

4–5 Fresh or Dried Shitake Mushrooms, sliced or chopped

1 Clove Garlic, chopped

1/2 Large Onion, chopped

1 12 oz. can Vegetable Juice

Cayenne Pepper to taste

Put vegetable juice in pan and add mushrooms, garlic and onions. Cook on low heat until onion and garlic are soft but not wimpy. Add tomato soup (add water if you want to, but we like it thick) and stir until hot. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper. I also like to sprinkle parmesan cheese on it. This makes 2–3 good sized servings.

Natural anti-virals:

cayenne pepper

garlic

onion

shitake mushrooms

green tea

lemon balm

licorice

ginger root

echinacea

elderberry

zinc

selenium

Garlic has been used to ward off flu for centuries. Anti-vampire garlic stringed necklaces most likely derived from the garlands strung around the door of historic peoples during epidemics. They would prick or slice the garlic to let the juices flow around the entrance area. Fresh garlic kills most viruses on contact. If you eat a fresh garlic clove (yuck!) before coming in contact with someone who might breathe on you and thus give you a virus, you add protection your whole mouth and nose area from breathing in viruses. This might also work because of the strong smell and people will have a tendency to turn away from you. :>)

Don’t forget that chocolate is a mood elevator. When someone is sick, a nice warm cup of hot chocolate will improve their spirit.

For sleeplessness, get a bottle of elderberry wine and soak cranberries (pitted), blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. Eat the berries. Share the wine. Shut your eyes.

Did you know that sometimes you wake up during the night due to hunger? That’s why protein is good before bedtime, it stays with you longer than carbs. If you have a child who wakes up in the middle of the night hungry, try giving them a chunk of cheese before they go to bed.

P.S. I know a lot of you guys here are older and you’re prepping for your kids and grandkids. Reader has been telling me about this for over a year now. I have to admit, I thought she was a little off. But lately, I’ve started realizing she will probably save our lives. I feel so grateful, and i wanted to tell you that your children will be too. My age group doesn’t think about dying much. It’s harder for us to get a grip on it all. Be prepared for tears when your kids do realize what you have done for them. We have voted into the SIP family a friend of mine, a single mom with a little boy. She’s poor but she knows all about bird flu because of me. When we told her, I never saw someone so happy and crying at the same time!

31 October 2006

crfullmoon – at 23:21

Thank you Reader’s Daughter-In-Law ! Good to hear!

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