Tag Archives: health

Quick Update and Changes

My focus, when it comes to posting recipes, will be changing.  I have tried to keep my low carbohydrate (Atkins/Keto) posts to my other blog but now something new has reared its head and I am not willing to start a new blog (or just ignore it and only share with my Facebook friends). As of right now, my husband either has a gluten sensitivity or full blown allergy. We won’t know for another week or two whether it’s celiac disease or not. So, I’m am on a new path when it comes to food and will be sharing my experiences. I want everyone to see my trial and errors, what we discover we like (and don’t like) so that if you ever find yourself in this situation, hopefully I’ve gone through some of the pain for you.

I am in the process of going through various links that I’ve either already known about or those given to me by friends. I am still of a mind to make my own mixes (and once I get a flour mill of some kind making my own flours as much as I can) but right now, there are so many varied options out there that I’m not willing to by a 25 pound bag of sorghum flour if we are going to hate it.

So, I am making lists, buying pre-made foods/gluten-free mixes, noting whether we like an item or not and writing down the ingredients so I know what blends we like/don’t like. Once we settle on a couple (seems like there would have to be two mixes: one for bread-like products and another for muffin/quick bread recipes but I’ll know more once we experiment), I will share all of our observations, trials and errors with all of you.

My point in making this post is, I will no longer be posting standard gluten recipes UNLESS you can substitute the regular flour for a gluten-free substitute without altering the recipe in any other way.

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Water Storage

I can’t believe I never made a post about water storage (unless I did and just can’t find it).  I will include several links from various sources describing the various methods of water storage and how to ensure the safety of the water.   Of everything we think we “need” to survive in the event of some sort of event, too many do not include water as their number 1 priority.  It’s always food, shelter, clothing, etc. but with all of that, if we do not have access to water (either already clean or have the ability to clean it) we will not survive long enough to enjoy that food and the other supplies we have stored.

The first link I will share is to a water filter that looks like it is by far the best one out there.  It’s to a forum (disclosure here) that I am a moderator/administrator for (you can view this post without being a member) and my dear friend has researched the heck out of this filter. It’s for the water filters made by www.justwater.me.

Survivalistssite Forum: Water filter comparison

There are other links/discussions on the survivalistssite forum discussing water treatment options. Please check them out.

And here’s how to make a *Home Made Berkey Water Filter* which is helpful for those people like me (if there are any others out there because California is so whacky) who are unable to purchase the Big Berkeys due to state regulations. I don’t see why, if you account for flow rate, this setup can’t be used for other brands of large water filters.

Here’s an article from the CDC:

Personal Preparation and Storage of Safe Water

Here’s a simple article from the University of Colorado Extension:

Water Storage

And here’s an even more basic article from the LDS church:

Drinking Water Guidelines

Now, for cisterns, which I think is ultimately be best way to go, if you have the space for them:

This first article is from the University of Florida extension (there’s a link to a .pdf of this article on the upper left side of their web page):

Cisterns To Collect Non-Potable Water For Domestic Use

And this one, by far, is my favorite, since I truly love Mother Earth News:

The Homestead Cistern

So, if you haven’t already begun you water storage project, you have some reading to do. It’s never too late to get started, even if the positive results may not be seen this year (since I do not expect California to get anywhere near the rain that is needed this year).

Core Motivation

I am posting this on both blogs because I think this is one of the most profound videos I have seen.  Frank Kern gave this address back in 2008(?) at an Internet Marketing seminar.  It’s roughly 2 hours long (that’s my disclosure, there) but the first hour and a half is spent on you and how you can learn who you truly want to be (what you truly want out of life).  Well, at least that’s how I saw it.

Video pulled for copyright infringement.

So, you want to lose weight?  Why?  Do you think you’ll be happy once you lose the weight?  That’s what a lot of people think: I’ll be happy if or when.  Those are the people who, once they reach their goal and find out they are still the same person, just in a skinny body, end up putting on not only the weight they had originally lost but more!  Those are the people who win the lottery (literally) yet wind up penniless and miserable, with no friends or family.

Before we begin any journey in life, we need to really take a look at who we really are and what we truly want out of life.  The exercise that Frank walks them (us) through is: What would be your perfect average day?  Not a day when you are doing something special (like taking a trip) but your perfect normal average day.  What time would you wake up?  Who would you be with?  What would you have for breakfast?  That sort of thing.

Think about it.  If your dream is to never have to work again, what would you do to occupy your time?  If your dream is to lose 100 pounds, what would you do next?  How would that change your life?  Let’s say you want to run marathons.  O.k.  So, how would you spend your day if you were snowed in?

Once you do this exercise per Frank’s description, take a good honest look at it.  You need to take action now to become happy with your life.  After watching this video, I realized that I’ve been doing this for a number of years without consciously realizing it.  I have let friends go (some of my oldest friends) because they were not conducive with my happiness.  I’ve done the same thing with family members.  My attitude about life and circumstances has changed dramatically, all for the better.  I used to be angry and ready for a fight.  I was very active in the political arena (you can see some of that on my sustainablehome blog and especially on my You Tube channel) with my primary focus on the injustices of this or that.  While that is alright, I never truly focused on how I could turn that around to make my (or anyone else’s) life better.  I was extremely negative, spending the majority of my time just bitching, ranting, and buying more ammunition (it’s like food or money or air … or happiness.  You can never have enough). 🙂

Now, I’m doing my best to improve my life and sharing it with you along the way, in the hope that it may help you, too.  I haven’t sat down and officially done the exercise mentioned above yet (I will in a little bit) but I have been thinking about it a lot.  My perfect, average day would pretty much be my life now (just in a location where I can smell pine trees when I open the front door and not hear sirens and police helicopters for hours at a time, like this morning … 4 hours!).  I would have the strength to split wood or hand-turn soil all day long if need be.  I wouldn’t have neighbors that I can hear cough (it’s not that bad but you know what I mean) and I can raise any animal I damn well please!

So, what about you?

Homemade Healing & Antibacterial Cream: Like Homemade Neosporin®

Although this one calls for more ingredients, this one I’m “drawn to”. Due to my slightly impaired immune system (type 2 diabetes), EVERYTHING gets infected if I don’t immediately clean/treat it. It’s irritating! Well, I have just discovered what I’ve done wrong with ointments. It is lack of stirring. I’ve been sitting here for 30 minutes, stirring continuously, and it’s finally looking like ointment. My patience is limited, so I’ll have to choose wisely and not make too many of these! 🙂

http://livesimply.me/2014/01/20/homemade-neosporin-four-simple-steps-healing-salve-recipe/

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup dried lavender (where to buy)
1/3 cup dried calendula (where to buy)
4 TB beeswax (where to buy) equals 2-3 oz. if using bars
1 TB raw honey
10 drops tea tree oil (where to buy)
5 drops lavender essential oil (where to buy)
glass jars (I use these)

How to Make an Herbal Raw Honey Ointment: For the Treatment of Burns and Wounds

I have come to realize that I truly hate blogs that just post links to other blogs and that’s what I’ve turned into! LOL! I just find so much out there that is cool and from people who are much more knowledgeable (and creative) than me. The recipes I’ve been sharing on my Atkins/Keto blog, I include the link with list of ingredients, so at least you can see by the ingredients if you are even interested or not prior to clicking on the link. I’ll try to do that here, either including pictures or ingredients with the link. You will have to go to the blog post or website for instructions. I will tell you this: I have not had good luck at making ointments/anything thick like this. I was thinking that it might be due to lack of stirring, so I’m going to re-melt one and sit here, at my desk, and continuously stir to see if that is what I did wrong.

http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/06/how-to-make-an-herbal-raw-honey-ointment-for-the-treatment-of-burns-and-wounds/

“we use it for the treatment of:

-1st or 2nd degree skin burns
-Rashes
-Sunburns
-Minor wounds
-Chapped skin and lips

The Recipe

Ingredients

-1/4 ounce of each dried comfrey, marshmallow root, wormwood, and witch hazel bark*
-1 1/4 cup olive oil
-4 ounces raw honey*
-1-2 ounces beeswax*
*All measurements are by weight and use of a simple kitchen scale.”

UPDATED: Fukushima and Radiation Levels

I don’t know if I haven’t been paying attention (probably) or if these links just haven’t been posted widely but after hearing a laundry list of articles (on Coast to Coast AM with John B. Wells last night) that had my jaw hit the floor, I figured I would do a proper search.  Here are the resulting links I have found (I’m blogging these instead of posting them individually on Facebook).

 

UPDATE: I have more links (was finally able to download C2C)

http://globalresearchreport.com/2014/01/06/ceo-fukushima-radiation-levels-going-thru-the-fking-roof/#sthash.CBWTAkA2.dpbs

http://enenews.com/senior-scientist-fukushima-cores-melted-containment-vessels-im-very-concerned-about-sea-life-west-coast-accumulating-radioactive-material-contamination-will-arrive-concentrated-pockets-audio

http://enenews.com/japan-professor-rash-of-disease-in-fukushima-children-rate-of-cancer-in-thyroid-up-to-dozens-of-times-higher-than-usual-bbc-interview-news-about-fukushima-just-keeps-getting-worse

And, just go here: http://enenews.com/category/location/japan
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http://www.thebolditalic.com/articles/4222-fukushima-and-you-is-it-ok-to-go-to-baker-beach

Here’s the video referenced in the article (which was made December 23, 2013):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcQLxT49ZP0

http://rt.com/news/fukushima-steam-nuclear-reactor-064/

http://sandiegofreepress.org/2014/01/uss-ronald-reagan-sailors-to-refile-suit-for-fukushima-radiation-poisoning/


http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/in-the-fukushima-fallout-meet-the-hackers-mapping-the-worlds-radiation

http://rt.com/news/fukushima-radiation-water-leak-186/

http://www.globalresearch.ca/government-official-hangs-up-when-asked-about-iodide-purchase/5363630

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/16265158-third-fukushima-reactor-may-be-melting-down-homeless-recruited-for-cleanup

Once I download the episode of Coast to Coast AM, I’ll try to find more sources.

Asbestos and You

I was contacted by Brian Turner, the Toxic Substance Safety Advocate for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance (http://www.mesothelioma.com/) asking if I would share some information about asbestos.  If you live in an older home (ours was built in the 1920’s), you probably live with asbestos.  Most of the time, nothing will ever happen to you by living with intact asbestos material.  Take a look at your hot water heater.  If it is a gas water heater, is there a white pipe leading the exhaust outside?  That’s probably asbestos.  Asbestos was used for everything from insulation to flooring to siding to roofing tiles and many more.  Why was asbestos so “in vogue”?  Well, it was mostly due to its ability to withstand heat, decay and erosion.  It is also fire and water resistant.  So, why am I sharing this information with you?  If you buy an older home and want to tear up anything, you need to know about asbestos.  Heck, when we tore out the carpet in the bedroom (many of you may not have been around when we did that last year) I was hoping we could take it down to the wood floor.  Well, underneath that awful carpet was even more disgusting linoleum.  Before I tried to rip it up, I decided to look it up, since I had never seen linoleum with a canvas backing.  It turns out it very well could have contained asbestos.  So, after dousing the whole floor with Odoban (remember, dogs had lived in that room for about a month prior to being moved out), the floor was sealed, then more carpet was installed.  I did not want to deal with properly removing it with all of my health issues.  Here’s a great Australian blog about dealing with asbestos when you renovate your home: http://spionline.com.au/blog/latest-blogs/12107-the-30-minute-reno-asbestos-must-knows.  Here is a guest post written by Brian Turner for Ryan Davison in 2012: http://hubcityblog.com/2012/11/23/home-renovations-and-exposure-to-dangerous-chemicals-roofing-asbestos-and-recommendations/. So, I’m posting this to make you aware and to make sure to stay safe while demolishing your new-to-you home.

This is a flier used by the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance for their Mesothelioma Awareness Day. If you have any concerns or questions regarding asbestos, asbestos exposure or Mesothelioma, please go to http://www.mesothelioma.com/ and thank you, Brian, for asking me to post about this.

Did You Know Facts

Coconut Oil (and others) Supplier

My Atkins Keto Journey

I bought a 5-gallon bucket 9 years-ish ago, when I was making soap.  Of course, that’s just about the time I stopped making soap but who knew I’d be eating this stuff and it makes the best natural (though greasy) moisturizer.  I just checked the price and it’s the same ($105 per 5 gallons plus shipping).  I think I got the 76, which smells and tastes strongly of coconut.  I love it and have barely made a dent!

http://naturaloils.com

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From Mouth Care to Bloating

These last few medicinal recipes from my website do not warrant individual pages, so here they are! Rose Hip Tea to mouth washes to a tonic for bloating and osteoporosis herbs, they are here! 🙂

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Herbs for Oral Hygiene

page 143 The New Age Herbalist. (1988 edition) Richard Mabey ed.

Herbs for Oral Hygiene

Many herbs have cleansing and antiseptic properties that make them suitable for oral hygiene. The most important herbs for oral hygiene are:

* sage (astringent)
* cloves
* peppermint
* thyme (antiseptics)
* parsley
* marjoram
* bramble and blackcurrant leaves
* juniper berries.

Chewing juniper berries, peppermint, or parsley will kill the odors of onion, garlic, or alcohol; rubbing the teeth with sage will clean them and sweeten the breath. Strawberries will whiten and clean the teeth, and remove plaque. You can make an effective mouthwash with a normal infusion of sage, mint, thyme, or marjoram. Another useful herb for the mouth comes from the tree Salvadora persica. Its stems are traditionally used in Africa, India, and the Middle East to clean the teeth and gums. Some of the herbs used for oral hygiene should not used under certain circumstances.
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Leaf Mouthwash

Source: page 147 The New Age Herbalist. (1988 edition) Richard Mabey ed.

* One large handful of blackcurrant or bramble leaves
* 1 pt (1/2 litre) water
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice.

Pick the leaves when they are young and fresh, taking the bramble leaves from the tops of the stems. Put the leaves and water into an open saucepan and boil until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the lemon juice, strain, and use immediately.

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Herbal combinations for bones, teeth, and calcium deficiency

From Today’s Herbal Health (2nd Edition) By Louise Tenney

* No. 1 Comfrey, Horsetail, Oat Straw, and Lobelia
* No. 2 Comfrey, Alfalfa, Oat Straw, Irish Moss, and Lobelia
* No. 3 White Oak, comfrey, Mullien, Black Walnut, Marshmallow, Queen of the Meadow,
Wormwood, Lobelia, and Scullcap

I don’t know where it came from, but we have used Horsetail, Yellow Dock, and Rose hips in a capsule against gum disease. Worked well, too.

HTH
Joyce

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Osteoporosis/Calcium

From: sonshine
Date: Sun Jan 2, 2000 0:50am

Melana: you are correct, diet has much to do with our general health. And Henrietta is 100% correct, one cannot give general “one size fits all” recommendation via email based on very general data. And there is a belief that milk or increased calcium will “build strong bones” which is not really the case. For an interesting article on the subject of calcium see http://www.notmilk.com/deb/092098.html

Below are some quotes from the referenced webpage:

Society stresses the importance of calcium, but rarely magnesium. Yet, magnesium is vital to enzymatic activity. In addition to insuring proper absorption of calcium, magnesium is critical to proper neural and muscular function and to maintaining proper pH balance in the body. Magnesium, along with vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), helps to dissolve calcium phosphate stones which often accumulate from excesses of dairy intake. Good sources of magnesium include beans, green leafy vegetables like kale and collards, whole grains and orange juice. Non-dairy sources of calcium include green leafy vegetables, almonds, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, oats, beans, parsley, sesame seeds and tofu.

Osteoporosis is NOT a problem that should be associated with lack of calcium intake. Osteoporosis results from calcium loss. The massive amounts of protein in milk result in a 50 percent loss of calcium in the urine. In other words, by doubling your protein intake there will be a loss of 1-1.5 percent in skeletal mass per year in postmenopausal women. The calcium contained in leafy green vegetables is more easily absorbed than the calcium in milk, and plant proteins do not result in calcium loss the same way as do animal proteins. If a postmenopausal woman loses 1-1.5 percent bone mass per year, what will be the effect after 20 years? When osteoporosis occurs levels of calcium (being excreted from the bones)in the blood are high. Milk only adds to these high levels of calcium which is excreted or used by the body to add to damaging atherosclerosis, gout, kidney stones, etc.

Rosie

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Rosehip Tea

I gather and use rosehips all the time. However, the best time I have found to gather them is after a frost (if you live up north that is).

I dry them (they should be hard when gathered and turned to either a brown or red color.

You can then make a tea with them that is one of the best sources of vitamin C. We try to drink at least one cup a day during the winter months and have not had a cold for years. You just crush up about 1 teaspoon full (I use wild rose hips, from the multiflora rose, so it would be hard to say by the number count of rose hips) Put them in a pot on the stove and boil gently for about 5 minutes. It can also be stored for a day or so in the refrigerator if you like making more at a time.

God bless and be well,

Sandra

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Sunburn Spray

Quick Sunburn Spray recipe—it’s quite soothing:

* 20 drops lavender essential oil
* 20 drops geranium essential oil
* 2 drops rose essential oil (expensive; can also use tea tree oil)
* 4 ounces aloe vera juice

Add the oils to the aloe in a spritzer bottle. Shake before using. Other optional oil, peppermint.

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Water Tonic to reduce bloating

* 2 T fresh parsley leaves
* 2 T dandelion leaves
* 2 T chicory leaves
* 2 t corn silk from fresh corn

Steep for 15 min in 2 C of boiled water and drink 1 C daily.