Oh, and keeping an aloe vera plant in the house can't hurt, either.
Dutch oven for fire cooking, magnesium fire starter...am I getting too carried away?
Greetings and welcome to the thread... We look forward to having you join in...
>>>I have also been studying herbal medicine.<<<
Good skills to acquire! Here is an article you may find interesting.
An All Natural Medicine Chest
By Dr. Lon Schultz D.N.M.
Natural medicine has a different approach to maintaining and regaining health.
Allopathic medicine waits until there is a clinical disease process and then treats the symptoms, only occasionally curing the disease if it is an infection.
Natural medicine seeks to prevent the clinical manifestation of disease. If it occurs we try to see to the underlying cause all the while supporting the bodies natural curative process.
First: See to basic nutrition and stress reduction if possible.
Basic nutrition will involve eating as many unprocessed foods as possible and excluding grains as much as possible (too many reasons to list).
DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS:
Follow the recommendations in the book, Eat Drink and Be Healthy by Dr. Walter Willett M.D. Dr.Willett is with Harvard University.
To simplify his recommendations:
Avoid white foods ( refined grains), unnatural fats (hydrogenated oils, margarine etc) and processed foods.
Eat primarily green foods with adequate protein at 2-3 oz per serving. Approximately one serving of protein and 3-5 servings of vegetables, per meal And one to two tablespoons of good fats or oils per meal, this is optimum.
Eat only good oils such as olive, sunflower, safflower, limited amounts of animal fats and butter.
SUPPLEMENTS: ( natural versions only)
Vitamin- A B- Complex, C- Complex, Vitamin D-3, Omega 3 fats, Calcium Magnesium, Iodine and trace minerals in therapeutic doses, or
2-8 times the RDA.
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
We seek to support the bodies own immune system and healing process. This is a three prong approach.
First, Immune support:
*Echinacea, preferably a tincture that has a tingling effect on the tongue.
Mushroom complexes, more expensive but stronger.
Colostrum and thymus are often helpful.
Second, Probiotic support (good germs):
Acidophilus and bifidus several times per day or a *Spectra biotic, which is a combination of many different beneficial germs, again several times per day.
http://standeyo.com/NEWS/08_Health/081022.natural.med.chest.html
Third, natural antibiotics at therapeutic doses: bacterial (B), viral (V), fungal (F) and parasitic (P) products:
PRODUCTS: *d-Lenolate, (B,V,F) Grape seed extract, (B,V,F) *colloidal silver (B,V), Pau D’ Arco (F), *Black walnut hulls tincture (P) and Oregano oil (V).
Most of these products can be found in any good health foods store.* Preferred products
http://standeyo.com/NEWS/08_Health/081022.natural.med.chest.html
>>>May be a stretch, but along with buying guns, ammo, emergency survival kits and seeds,<<<
Not a stretch at all... My usual local general store visit includes some of this, some of that, and oh - a couple of boxes of shotgun shells.....
A word of caution though.... survival kits are good - IF you are practiced in using their contents... 50 pounds of wheat are great, but not very good if all you are going to do is try to chew on them... Practice using them!
Seeds are essential - particularly open pollinated heirloom seeds. However, practice growing them - learning how to do it by doing. Then when you need to do it, it is not a total surprise... It is kind of like buying surgical tools but skipping the medical training.... Ummmm where is that cecal appendix and how do I remove it??? Being prepared requires practice...
But, you are very definitely on the right track! These threads contain a wealth of information to help people not only survive, but to do it well!
Hang in there - we are all in the same boat... And the water is getting really rough...
Hope I wasn’t discouraging... You Can Do It! Keep the Boy Scout Motto in mind - ‘Be Prepared’.
I have also been studying herbal medicine. If I run out of something, I will know what to use from the great outdoors to relieve pain, treat a fever, and fight infection. Even going to plant some penny royal to keep the fleas away. ; )<<<<
Excellent planning and I agree it is smart to know how to get along without a doctor.
Plant some common peppermint also, for tea, or for baths and other uses. Also keeps ants out of the house, if planted around the foundation.
I suspect it would be a good bath for measles, poison ivy and whatever itches, as the bath that has a strong peppermint tea in it sure feels good.
Boil 2 cups of leaves for 10 minutes or so, cover and let steep until it cools and strain into the bath tub.
I am a cancer survivor, largely due to an herbal/organic approach. Thank God for the Internet! I hope you share your knowledge with us. The magnesium thing sounds interesting!