Knowledge Weighs Nothing

How To Make Foaming Hand Wash With Dish Soap

Dish soap foaming hand wash

It’s the end of March 2020 and most of us are stuck at home trying to slow down the spread of coronavirus. Regardless of the country we live in, we are all getting the same basic information and instructions – stay at home – social distancing – frequent hand washing – disinfect common points of contact in the home (door handles, taps, countertops etc).

The problem with the frequent hand washing is that due to panic buying, most stores have been sold out of soap and liquid hand soap for weeks now… You can still buy dish soap (washing up liquid) in most stores though. You could obviously use a squeeze of dish soap to wash your hands in a pinch, but neat dish soap is very strong. Using it more than a few times is likely to dry out and make your hands very sore.

The good news is — you can make a simple foaming hand wash from diluted dish soap! It is probably not the best thing to be washing your hands with longterm, but if you cannot get any soap or liquid hand wash, it’s a good alternative in the short-term.

**If you need a hand sanitizer for when you are out of the home (work or grocery shopping etc), check out our simple DIY hand sanitizer post.**

How To Make Foaming Hand Wash From Dish Soap

  • You will need an empty foaming hand wash dispenser. Either rinse out an old one or you can purchase foaming pump dispensers from Amazon.
  • Some dish soap (washing up liquid)

Instructions

  • Pour some dish soap into the foaming hand wash dispenser. The amount will vary depending on the size of the dispenser. Usually, around 10% will be about right.
  • Top up with water so that’s approx 90% water and 10% dish soap.
  • Screw the pump top on and shake to mix the water and dish soap.
  • Once mixed depress several times until the foam soap starts to come out.

Note: depending on the size of hand wash dispenser and the dish soap you use, you may need to slightly alter the dish soap to water ratio to get the best foam.

**If you are also struggling to find spray disinfectant in the shops — check out our post on how to make spray disinfectant from household bleach.**

The Rocket Mass Heater: Everything You Need to Know

DIY rocket mass heaters

Looking for the most efficient way of heating your home? Perhaps you’ve heard all about rocket mass heaters and just how clean they are? Whatever the reason, this guide takes a closer look at these heaters, explains how to build them, and covers all of their benefits (of which there are many!).

Wait A Minute… Just What Are Rocket Mass Heaters?

You’re likely here because you know all about rocket stove mass heaters and the benefits that they provide. However, for those who may be less than completely up on everything that these handy heaters can offer, here’s a quick summary.

Rocket mass heaters can:

  • Heat up your home with 80% to 90% less wood than is required with a traditional fire or log burning stove.
  • Exhausted output is practically all steam and CO2 (this is minus a little smoke at the beginning).
  • Heat from a single rocket mass fire can burn and heat your home for days on end.
  • A rocket stove mass heater can be easily built within the space of one or two days (less if you have a helping hand from friends or family).
  • When being particularly careful, you can build a rocket mass heater for under $20!

Rocket Mass Heaters… What Are People Saying?

 Rocket stove mass heaters have great reputation amongst the survivalists and off the grid living crowd. Here are some of the most common comments that you’ve likely heard:

“I burn nothing but dead branches, and the heating within my home has never been warmer”.

“They burn cleaner than any other form of heating… and are a lot more efficient to boot”.

“I’m a city dweller who uses rocket mass heating to cut down my bills”.

 So, now that we know that these really are the most efficient forms of heating on the planet, let’s get down to the nitty gritty of how they work, and what you’ll need to build one.

Example of a rocket mass heaterRustic rocket mass heater used to heat a permanent tipi

The science behind a rocket mass heater

OK, so you may be wondering just how rocket stove mass heaters work, particularly as they seem to buck all the trends and go against all of the fire guidance that you’ve ever been taught (e.g. they output no smoke and the wood burns sideways).

What’s more, with a 75% efficiency rate you’d think that the most wood you could possibly save on would be the remaining 25%, right? And to top it all off, just how on earth can such a contraption not emit a plume of smok,e given that there’s a gaping big hole right in the top of it?

Well many of these questions are answered as soon as you see a rocket mass heater in action, here’s a quick overview…

How rocket mass heaters work – In detail

With the sticks within a rocket mass heater stood straight up, it’s only the bottom ends that burn and, what’s more, as they are at a junction within the heater, they burn sideways. The heat within is also insulated, which is why rocket mass heaters get so hot. As this naturally has a strong convective current, encouraging hot gasses to hit the barrel where they then expel much of their heat, consequentially cooling the gasses and making them easier to push around the heater. The gasses that finally exit are then simply made up from steam and carbon dioxide.

The main magical act that makes a rocket mass heater super special, and the main working of the rocket mass heater that we should be in awe of, is found within the heat riser. Here this open ended combustion chamber, coupled with a strong convective current, ensures that the smoke never gets sucked upwards and instead the air is continuously sucked in from the wood filled hole, meaning that no smoke escapes at all. In fact, it’s so hot within this top region that most of the smoke gets burned up!

How to build a rocket mass heater

2 Rocket mass heater plans from the tried, tested and completely trusted experts

Bonny rocket mass heaterThe ‘Bonny Convection Bench’ rocket mass heater

The first  tutorial is based upon one of the most popularly referred to designs for rocket mass heaters there are. Constructed by Ernie and Erica Wisner, this is a roadmap that has been carefully put together by two engineering veterans (who reassuringly have over 700 rocket mass heater builds under their belt).

Here’s the link for the ‘Bonny Convection Bench’ rocket mass heater professional build plans. It currently cost $25 but they are professional quality build plans that could save you $1000s

Rocket Mass Heater Annex6‘RocketMassHeater-Annex6’ rocket mass heater

Need a pretty large rocket mass heater for your home? Well, the second tutorial below are for a heater that’s more than capable of heating a 3 storey, multi-level family home, even in cooler regions such as right by the coast. The reinforcement within the plans along with the in-built air flow channels ensure that any flooring, hardwood or otherwise, is completely protected whilst providing for effective circulation that heats the whole house.

Here’s the link for the ‘RocketMassHeater-Annex6’ rocket mass heater professional build plans. It currently cost $25 but they are professional quality build plans that could save you $1000s

If you need an adapted plan to fit within your cabin then here it is. This design maps out an eight inch diameter rocket mass heater which takes up just 3.5 foot by 9 foot on the floor.

Rocket mass heaters versus the traditional wooden stove

There may be many readers out there who are avid fans of the conventional wooden stove, and who may be seriously pessimistic about just what a rocket mass heater may be able to offer them. So this section is dedicated to demonstrating just how a rocket mass heater compares when talking about heating efficiencies between the two.

“They say that a current wood stove is 75% efficient… so if the most improvement that can be seen is 25%, and rocket mass heaters can heat the home with a tenth of the wood… isn’t a rocket mass heater then 750% efficient? And why wouldn’t 100% be the maximum efficiency rate at which you can operate?”

The statement above sets out both a confusing landscape as well as a few common misunderstandings. And there are two ways in which this conundrum can be answered.

First, you should measure the temperature and volume of smoke that leaves your traditional wood stove (in short, it’s both extremely hot and of a large amount) and compare this to the exhaust found within a rocket mass heater (where there is a trickle of output that has a temperature of a little more than room temperature). This shows that there is far more heat that is retained by the rocket mass heater than by the conventional stove.

Second, we should look at the figures. Being 75% efficient does not consider the heat that escapes up through the chimney in smoke form. If we were to test a conventional oven within the lab we’d find that between 14% and 16% of the heat were escaping in smoke form alone. So then the 75% rating then becomes 64%. The higher rating is simply marketing spiel helping the big stove companies in their quarterly figures.

Lastly, we must consider that this original 75% may not be all that it seems in any event. This is a rating that was found within a laboratory with experts who were focused on getting the very best rating (and therefore skewing the results). So even though a wood stove may be able to achieve 75% when in ideal laboratory settings with a bunch of experts, the rating that you’ll receive within your home is likely to be far less. In fact it’s been found that on average the operating efficacy of a conventional wood burning stove tends to level off at around 35%, which becomes ever less efficient for those who are opting to burn damp leaves (where efficiency can run at something like 5%!). Now in comparison we take rocket mass heaters, which have no way of losing their inner air flow, and thus never lead to a slow, inefficient burn.

If you liked this post, but you’d like something a bit simpler to build first, why not check out our DIY rocket stove post?

(Images from: Wikipedia & Ernie and Erica Wisner)

Coronavirus — When You Can, Reach Out & Help Elderly / Vulnerable Neighbours

Coronavirus Help Vulnerable Neighbours

This coronavirus (Covid 19) pandemic will be difficult and worrisome for us all. It is a particularly scary time for the elderly, disabled, and those with living with existing medical conditions.

Similarly to the oxygen mask instructions on aeroplanes (put the mask on yourself first, before trying to put them on your children), in the first instance I think it is important to care for and secure you and yours. Once all reasonable preparations are taken care of, we should all then consider what we can do to help and support the elderly and vulnerable in our street and the local community.

Many old and disabled people experience loneliness and difficulties at the best of times. These are not the best of times. In many countries, people over the age of 70 are, or will soon be asked to self-isolate at home for several months. It seems sensible for people with pre-existing medical conditions to do likewise.

I know you have your own priorities and worries, but once you are sorted and in good shape, please consider reaching out to the elderly and vulnerable in your street and the local community.  It’s not just the elderly or vulnerable living in isolated areas who will struggle, people living bunched together in towns and cities can feel just as isolated and alone.

If you know anyone who might appreciate some help or support during this global pandemic, let them know you are available to help.  Just letting someone know they can call on you if needed could make all the difference…

IMPORTANT — stay away if you are ill. When offering help/support, it is important not to spread the coronavirus to those we are trying to help.

There are many ways you can help without direct contact. For example, swap phone numbers (or email addresses) and talk on the phone rather than in person. Even if you seem well, it is sensible to drop off food/supplies etc by their front door, to keep your distance. They can get it after you have left.

It is vital that you always follow hand washing protocols etc so that you do not pass on the virus on food/supplies you take around.

At all times you want to balance providing support whilst limiting contact as much as possible.

Some Ways To Help The Elderly & Vulnerable

  • Phone and say hello. Tell them to call if they need anything. Phone every few days to keep in touch. Tell them to call even if they just want some company.
  • If you don’t know them personally, talk to them at distance or leave a note (see down below) with your name and phone number. Tell them to phone if they need anything at all.
  • If they are internet savvy — swap email and messaging contacts. Keep in contact online.
  • Offer to help with errands and groceries. Offer to do their shopping and drop it round.
  • Offer to go to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions etc.
  • Some people cannot afford to spend much on heating and food etc. Check they are staying warm and eating well. Local charities and organisations can help.
  • Offer to walk their dog if appropriate and safe.
  • Help clear snow and ice from around their home.
  • If they become unwell, recommend they seek appropriate medical advice. If required do this for them.

Reach out, connect, show compassion and respect dignity.

Viral Kindness Cards

A lovely woman from the UK, Becky Wass, created these excellent postcards below. You can download and print them out here.

Simply print some out, fill them in and post them through elderly/vulnerable neighbours’ letterboxes. *Be mindful to wash your hands etc before printing and filling in these cards.*

ViralKindness note
DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE POSTCARD TEMPLATE

Simple DIY Stink Bug Trap (Works Fast) Build One Today!

How to make a DIY stink bug trap

Stink bug traps are perhaps the easiest and most environmentally-friendly way to deal with these troublesome insects. Although you can purchase pre-made traps, they are usually overly expensive, poorly made, and some are not all that effective.  Luckily, you can easily make a very effective DIY stink bug trap for next to nothing. In fact, you may already have everything you need to make one at home for free!

Below you will find step-by-step instructions on how to make your very own homemade stink bug trap. Additionally, there is an infographic with step-by-step images, and there is also a video tutorial showing how to build your own DIY trap. Further down, we have also included some additional specific information on stink bugs.

(You might also want to check out our ‘how to get keep spiders out of your home‘ post. It contains two techniques for keeping your 100% house spider free!)

How To Make A Stink Bug Trap

Stink Bug Trap Materials

To make a homemade stink bug trap, you’ll need to gather the following items:

1 | A 2-Litre Soda Bottle
2 | Razor Blade or Box Cutter
3 | LED Lights (RECOMMENDED: pack of three LED lights on Amazon for around $7)
4 | Black Electrical Tape
5 | White Masking Tape

Stink Bug Trap | Step-by-Step Instructions

Step One | With the razor blade, cut off the soda bottle just above the label, which is typically 1/3 of the top portion.

Step Two | Wrap the lower portion of the bottle with black electrical tape. This helps focus the light beam for maximum effectiveness.

Step Three | Put the LED light at the bottom of the bottle.

Step Four | Put the freshly removed top portion of the bottle upside down into the bottom portion of the bottle to create a funnel. (See Video for Visual Description)

Step Five | Add 4 strips of masking tape from the bottom to the top of the bottle so the stink bugs have a rough surface to climb. However, do not place the tape on the interior portion of the bottle as you don’t want these critters climbing out of the trap.

Step Six | With a pen or stick, press down on the LED light to turn it on.

Step Seven | Place the stink bug trap in a dark room at night, and in the morning review your collection.

There you have it! This is perhaps the easiest – and most effective – stink bug trap.

How To Make A Stink Bug Trap INFOGRAPHIC

make a sink bug trap infographic

 

 

DIY Stink Bug Trap Video Tutorial


Stink Bug Prevention is Better than Elimination

Establishing a stink bug trap is essential to catch bugs that are in your home; however, prevention is a key player in overall elimination. According to many pest experts, exclusion is the most important method to keeping stink bugs at bay. Review your home to look for cracks in doors, windows and siding. Make sure to repair damaged screens on windows or doors and seal all unintended openings with a high-grade silicone caulk.

While many pest control companies recommend using pesticides to help control stink bugs, this is not the wisest choice. Although these chemicals can help deter stink bugs from entering your home, should they already exist, insecticidal products can kill stink bugs but then only provide other pests, such as carpet beetles, with a food source. Therefore, these harmful chemicals not only enhance the likelihood of a secondary infestation, but also cause extreme harm to the environment.

The most effective way to eliminate these pests from your home is through a stink bug trap.

Brown marmorated stink bug image

What Are Stink Bugs?

Regardless of where you live or what your climate is like, there’s an infestation coming your way – stink bugs, or brown marmorated stink bugs to be exact.

These creatures are not only determined to find their way into your home, but as its name suggests, they stink! Let’s take a few moments and learn more about these odorous bugs.

Before building a stink bug trap, it’s important to know what exactly is a stink bug? In the most fundamental sense, stink bugs are a member of the Pentatomidae insect family and feature a large, oval (or shield) shape. Its average length is 17 mm and adults typically feature varying shades of brown on both the lower and upper portions of their body. Due to its shield shape, stink bugs feature nearly the same width as its length.

To identify a stink bug, lighter shades of brown form bands around the antennae while darker shades of brown are location on its membranous, as you look toward the rear of their front wings, these two bands seem to overlap. On the head and pronotum of the stink bug, copper or blue-metallic coloration is typically found.

As you may already be well-aware, its name is derived from the odor produced from its abdomen and along the underside of its thorax. This odor is the result of a chemical reactions scientists believe is a defensive mechanism. Upon first glance, you may not immediately smell its odor; however, should the bug become startled or feel as if it’s in danger, it will release its strong odor, which can quickly fill a room.

Unlike many other insects found throughout the region, scientists are not sure which seasons are “prime” seasons for the stink bug. However, during fall and winter months, stink bugs seem to gravitate toward the warmth of a home. This is evident during nighttime when they are drawn to the heat emitted from lights, computer screens and televisions.

While stink bugs are annoying should they enter your home, they also pose a serious threat to agriculture; both small and large. Stink bugs feed on a wide array of plants; however, they seem to be drawn specifically to fruits, such as peaches, apples, citrus fruits and mulberries. They are also prone to feed on weeds, soybeans, ornamental plants and other human food sources.

Although stink bugs are not a serious threat to humans, some people can develop an allergic reaction to the chemicals found within their odor, which means stink bugs have an aeroallergen tendency. It’s important to note that individuals who crush or smash stink bugs with bare skin may develop an allergic reaction within their skin, because of this, it’s not advised to crush stink bugs, but rather use a stink bug trap. Also, should you crush this stinky creature, its glands produce a vast amount of the odorous chemical, which can be quite unpleasant, to say the least.

Be sure to check out our related post: 6 Mosquito Repellent Plants To Grow

(Image from: Wikipedia & Fyn Kynd Photography)

How To Get Old Commercial Solar Panels For FREE (UPDATED!)

How to get free solar panels

That’s right, there is a way you can get solar panels for free! I know someone who did it and so can you. Here’s how it’s done…

Solar panels are used everywhere these days. They are often used by construction crews and traffic systems (signs, cameras & emergency signal lighting etc) and these are where we are going to focus because they quite often have contracts with the solar panel providers. Whenever a solar panel becomes cracked or damaged, they are replaced under contract, even when they are still serviceable.

UPDATE: We have several solar farms locally, that generate and sell electricity as a business. I reached out to two of them. Both had old, in some cases slightly damaged solar panels, which still functioned. Both said I could have some of these panels for zero cost. In fact, one of the solar farms offered to deliver some for a small fee.

I enquired about the efficiency of these panels. It was explained that these old or slightly damaged panels were not as efficient as new solar panels (hence why they were replaced). With a solar farm, everything is about efficiency at generating electricity. They are a business. That said, for home use (and at zero cost) these panels have years of life left in them. Additionally, if you have space you can simply have more panels, to make up for any lower efficiency with these older solar panels. 

The solar panel provider ends up with a whole load of damaged but working solar panels. They can’t sell them so they usually have to pay to have them disposed of. What you need to do is find the contact details for the solar panel providers and give them a call to see if they have any damaged but functioning solar panels you can take off their hands.

The person I know who did this got around $800 of working solar panels for free, just for a bit of detective work. He saw a solar panel on a road sign and noticed the sign had a sticker with a phone number on it to report a problem. He simply phoned the number and asked for the solar panel provider’s details and gave them a call. A few phone calls later and a trip to their facility and he had a load of free solar panels.

I guess you could also try researching and directly contacting solar panel manufacturers too. They must get loads of panels that are damaged or defective that still work but can’t be sold. Even solar panel stores must get loads of damaged but working solar panels returned, or have panels that get damaged in storage etc. No one wants to pay to have to dispose of damaged goods.  Take advantage of this and you could get free or heavily discounted stuff that works just fine.

Just a little thinking outside the box can save you a huge amount of money. Give it a try, all you have to waste is a little time and a phone call.

5 Turmeric Tea Recipes – Plus The Health Benefits Of Turmeric

Turmeric tea recipes & turmeric health benefits

You can use turmeric to reduce inflammation and pain related to inflammation. Make a tea from it is one of the easiest ways to consume turmeric. In fact, turmeric tea is often known as anti-inflammatory tea! Making turmeric tea is nice and simple, and there are all sorts of variations and adaptations of the recipe, allowing you to customize it to suit your personal tastes. Whichever recipe you use (or even if you get creative and make up your own version), it’s important that you only use good quality turmeric powder, or alternatively, you can use grated fresh turmeric root for a stronger flavour. There are numerous turmeric health benefits, and you can read more about the benefits of consuming turmeric regularly, further down the page.

Turmeric should be easy to find in your local grocery store or supermarket. Additionally, Amazon has the most extensive range of turmeric powder. We use and recommend Starwest Botanicals Organic Turmeric Root Powder from Amazon as it is organic, high quality and exceptional value.

***Please note that, despite turmeric’s benefits, you shouldn’t drink tea made from turmeric, or take turmeric supplements whilst you are pregnant or breastfeeding. If in doubt please contact your doctor first.***

Turmeric Tea Recipe Infographic

Turmeric tea recipe infographic

Check out the recipes below and discover how to make turmeric tea. Many people are concerned that making tea with turmeric is difficult, but that is not the case at all. Give one of these anti-inflammatory tea recipes below a try and see.

Basic Turmeric Tea Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 cups of water
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • Lemon or honey (or both!) to serve

How To Make the Tea

  • Heat 4 cups of water, bringing it to the boil.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric.
  • Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for around 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and strain using a fine sieve.
  • Pour into serving cups and add lemon or honey to taste.

Turmeric Tea With A Twist Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 inch fresh ginger root, minced
  • 2-teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1-teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 lemongrass tea bag
  • 6 peppercorns (you can leave these out if you prefer!)
  • Pinch of sea salt

How To Make the Tea

  • Bring the water to the boil in a small saucepan.
  • Add the peeled, minced ginger root, turmeric, cinnamon, peppercorns (remember, these are optional!), sliced oranges, and sea-salt.
  • Allow the mixture to simmer on a medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes.
  • Add the lemongrass teabag and allow to steep for around 3 minutes.
  • Remove the teabag and pour the mixture into a mug.

Creamy Turmeric Tea Recipe

 Why not give your tea a creamy twist with some coconut milk?

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coconut or almond milk
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • A pinch cayenne pepper
  • ½ inch finely chopped ginger root
  • 1 ½ teaspoon of honey (or an alternative sweetener)

How To Make the Tea

  • In a pan, gently warm the cup of coconut or almond milk.
  • Mix together the turmeric, cayenne pepper, finely chopped ginger root, and the honey.
  • Add a small amount of the warmed milk and stir it into the mixture.
  • Mix well until all of the lumps have disappeared.
  • Add the rest of the milk and mix.
  • Strain and then serve.

Sweet Turmeric Black Pepper Tea Recipe

 Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
  • Lemon
  • Freshly ground black pepper

How To Make the Tea

  • Mash the turmeric and honey into a paste (you can then store this in a jar to ensure you have it on hand whenever the need arises).
  • For each cup of sweet turmeric black pepper tea, take a heaped teaspoon of the turmeric and honey paste.
  • Top with boiling water.
  • Add a squeeze of lemon and a few generous twists of freshly ground black pepper.
  • Stir and enjoy!

Turmeric Lemon Tea Recipe

 Turmeric lemon tea combines the sweet, tangy flavours of lemon and ginger, with a gentle kick from the cayenne pepper.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/8 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 tablespoon turmeric
  • Cayenne
  • Honey to taste

How To Make the Tea

  • In a mug, mix together the lemon juice, turmeric, ginger and cayenne.
  • Top with boiling water.
  • Stir well.
  • Add honey to sweeten to your personal taste.

Additional Serving Suggestions

There are numerous ways to serve your turmeric tea, here are a few of our favourites…

  • Add a slice of orange, a dash of honey, the juice of 1 lemon, and 1 teaspoon of coconut oil.
  • Turmeric also works perfectly with a slice of apple or cucumber.
  • If you want a milder taste why not add extra water.
  • Serve chilled in the summer for a refreshing and healthy drink.

Now that you have some turmeric tea recipes to try, let’s find out a bit more about turmeric itself and the many health benefits of turmeric.

What Is Turmeric?

For centuries, turmeric has been widely used as a spice, medicine, food, and colouring agent across large parts of Asia. In India, it has been considered holy and auspicious for hundreds of thousands of years, not only due to its eye-catching colour and unique flavor but also because of the extensive range of health benefits that are associated with it. In fact, it is often referred to as the ‘Queen of Spices’!

Recent research has seen it promoted in the eyes of western science and it has been deemed as highly effective for treating osteoarthritis and various other health issues such as Crohn’s disease, stomach ulcers, skin wounds, kidney inflammation, and many, many more. It is also full of plenty of healthy nutrients such as protein, dietary fibre, niacin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc.

A member of the ginger family, turmeric is a root that usually comes in a powdered form, although it is also available in capsules, tincture, fluid extracts, and tea.

turmeric rootTurmeric Root

Turmeric is used in many recipes, especially in curries and other Asian dishes but it’s earthy, spicy, and often bitter taste can be an acquired taste for some (although once they’ve acquired the taste, many people become addicted!). Additionally, turmeric can be consumed as a super healthy, anti-inflammatory drink – turmeric tea!

Turmeric Benefits

Turmeric health benefits

 

Turmeric contains curcumin, which is a potent antioxidant with many health benefits, most notably its anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric and tea made from turmeric are renowned for the multiple health benefits it offers, particularly when it comes to inflammation and many people use turmeric for inflammation related pain relief – helping to treat health issues such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. It can also help patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and high cholesterol, to name but a few.

Turmeric can also help to prevent the blood from clotting and reduces the often-painful inflammation caused by wounds, acne, and various other skin conditions. In fact as research progresses, more and more turmeric health benefits are being discovered.

Anti-inflammatory

When it comes to pain relief, so many people across the globe call upon anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and aspirin, to relieve the symptoms of everything from headaches, backaches, and other muscular aches and pains. Whilst these medicines are really effective at relieving the pain and inflammation caused by a whole range of conditions, they can cause many adverse side effects, especially with long-term use.

In fact, the side effects of the long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs include, but are by no means limited to, nausea, diarrhoea, gastrointestinal bleeding, hypertension (high blood pressure), increased risk of heart attack, increased risk of kidney cancer, and erectile dysfunction.

But the truth is, natural home remedies such as turmeric (anti-inflammatory tea) for pain relief can often deliver the same effects as these medications, without many of the potential side effects.

Turmeric-powderTurmeric powder used for the tea

So, how does Turmeric help with inflammation?

Well, in exactly the same way as anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. These drugs work by inhibiting an enzyme, COX-2 (Cyclooxygenase 2), which causes inflamed areas of the body to become painful and more inflamed. By blocking this enzyme, the medication blocks the pain and reduces the inflammation.

Turmeric works so well because it contains high levels of a compound called curcumin, which is a COX-2 inhibitor too. Curcumin is a potent antioxidant with many health benefits, most notably its anti-inflammatory properties. However, whilst turmeric has the same positive effects as anti-inflammatory drugs, it rarely causes side effects. After all, it has been eaten and drunk across most of Southeast Asia for thousands of years without causing any problems. These anti-inflammatory properties are also at least partly responsible for all the other turmeric health benefits listed below.

Liver cleansing

As well as being a great anti-inflammatory, another turmeric health benefit is that it is also a powerful liver cleansing spice. In today’s toxin and chemical-filled world, it’s easy for your liver to become stressed and overworked. Think about it, there are toxins all around us, in our air, our food, and our water. If your liver can’t keep up with the level of toxins feeding into it, they start to accumulate in the body and can have a serious effect on your health.

As well as avoiding processed foods and using lots of natural personal care and cleaning products, you can also help your liver out by incorporating herbs and spices into your diet to support your body’s detox pathways. As well as being a great anti-inflammatory, turmeric is also a powerful liver cleansing spice. So, if you’re looking to give your liver a boost, then a daily cup of this anti-inflammatory tea could offer the perfect solution.

Prevents Cancer

It is believed that turmeric can help to prevent prostate cancer, slow or even stop the growth of existing prostate cancer, and even destroy cancer cells. Research has also shown that the active components in turmeric make it one of the best protectors against radiation-induced tumours, and it also has a preventive effect against

Relieves Arthritis

Turmeric has also been linked to arthritis, providing an effective form of pain relief to those who suffer from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as many other forms of the disease. This is because the anti-inflammatory properties that can be found in turmeric work to destroy the free radicals in the body that are renowned for damaging body cells. In fact, case studies have proven that those suffering from arthritis who consume turmeric on a daily or regular basis, experienced far more relief from symptoms such as joint pain and inflammation, compared to those who didn’t consume turmeric. Given the benefits of turmeric for those with arthritis, it is definitely worth trying turmeric tea for a week or two to see if symptoms improve.

Controls Diabetes

Turmeric is also regularly used to treat diabetes. It works by helping to moderate and control insulin levels in the body. But not only does it assist in the moderation of insulin levels, it is also renowned for improving glucose control, whilst increasing the effect of the medications that are used to treat diabetes.

Another significant benefit of turmeric in treating diabetes is that it is able to reduce insulin resistance in the body, and it’s also been suggested that it could even prevent the onset of Type-2 diabetes! It’s important to note though that, if combined with other strong medications, turmeric can cause low blood sugar, so it’s always best to check with your doctor before using it alongside any other medications.

Reduces Cholesterol Levels

It’s highly likely that, at some point in your lifetime, you will suffer from high cholesterol, especially as you grow older. However, research has proven that, by regularly using turmeric as a food seasoning, it can significantly decrease cholesterol levels. Maintaining a healthy cholesterol level is paramount, as it is a well-known fact that high cholesterol notoriously leads to a whole host of serious health problems such as heart disease and stroke. If you have high cholesterol, it may be time to start seasoning your food with turmeric, or drinking some turmeric tea, especially given all the other turmeric health benefits list here.

Immunity Booster

Also known as lipopolysaccharide, turmeric can help to stimulate and strengthen your body’s immune system. This is because it is full of antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents that work together to fight against colds, flu and coughs, ensuring that your immune system is healthy and strong.

If you do find yourself suffering from cold or flu-like symptoms, try one of the turmeric tea recipes above, or simply mix one teaspoon of turmeric powder into a glass of warm milk, and drink daily until you feel better.

Heals Wounds

It’s inevitable that, from time to time, we all find ourselves nursing a cut or graze caused by a silly accident. However, even the smallest cuts or grazes can cause infection or take a long time to heal.

Both a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, turmeric can also be used as a highly effective disinfectant, protecting your skin or graze against infection whilst speeding up the healing process. All you need to do is sprinkle a small amount of turmeric powder onto the affected areas and you will instantly be protected. But that’s not all, turmeric can also be used to help to repair damaged skin, treat burns and even be used to effectively treat psoriasis along with a whole host of other common inflammatory skin conditions. See also: How To Stop Bleeding With Black Pepper.

(Turmeric tea image credit: Jules)

Emergency Car Kit: 17 Items To Have In Your Car This Winter

Emergency car kit for the winter

There’s not a single person who foresees themselves needing a car emergency kit; however, should the unfortunate occur, these kits can mean the difference between surviving harsh winter nights or succumbing to the icy touch of Father Winter. While there are many items you should have in your emergency car kit, the following 15 items are essential when traversing the roadways during winter months.

Item #1 ­ Flannel or Fleece Blanket

Should you become stranded in your vehicle, a fleece or flannel blanket is essential to keep your body temperature in the acceptable range. While any type of blanket will do, flannel or fleece blankets are designed to trap heat better than cotton or polyester blankets.

Item #2 ­ Water

Make sure you have at least four litres of water stored in your vehicle, ideally it should be in several smaller bottles, so if one leaks, you haven’t lost all your water in one go. Water is a vital item for your emergency car kit, whatever the time of year.

Item #3 ­ Hand Warmers

Hand warmers are essential as they not only keep your hands warm, but you may place them inside your clothing to maintain ideal body core temperatures.

Item #4 ­ Matches and a Butane Lighter

Should you be trapped for an extended period of time, it may be necessary to manufacture heat outside of blankets and hand warmers. Matches and wind ­resistant butane lighters provide instant access to starting a heat­ generating fire.

Item #5 ­ Fire Starters

If you’re stuck in snow or wet conditions, finding acceptable wood or other fire starters can be difficult, if not impossible. Gather at least 10 old newspapers or several fire starting logs to help start a fire when stranded.

Item #6 ­ Portable, High ­Protein Food Source

Every vehicle emergency kit should contain at least 10 protein bars to keep energy levels high should you need to vacate your vehicle and traverse to shelter.

Item #7 ­ Foghorn

While every kit should contain a whistle, foghorns provide a much louder noise capable of being heard miles away. This item could mean the difference between being heard, and subsequently rescued, or being left among the frozen vegetation.

Item #8 ­ Neon Orange Flags

Should your vehicle slide off into a ditch where other travellers are unable to see, neon orange flags provide the ideal contrast to the white snow. The most important element when stranded is becoming as visible as possible by both land and air rescuers.

Item #9 ­ Pepper Spray or Taser

Unfortunately, we live in a dangerous world. Whether another human wishes to take advantage of your vulnerable state or a wild animal desires to investigate the warm creatures in the metal box, defence items, such as pepper spray or a Taser, could mean the difference between staying safe or being placed in harm’s way.

Item #10 ­ LED Lantern and Flashlights

While a flashlight is a necessity for any emergency kit, an LED lantern provides far more illumination, which may be required when walking around at night or investigating the condition of your car in low ­light situations.

Item #11 ­ Waterproof Jacket & Footwear

Should you need to vacate the vehicle to seek assistance or other shelter, waterproof clothing and  footwear are essential to keep you warm and dry whilst outside.

Item #12 ­ Bag of Sand

A bag of sand is necessary to create traction to help navigate a vehicle out of an ice and snow covered ditch. Moreover, if you must walk down steep slopes, throwing sand in front of your path reduces the likelihood of slips and falls.

Item #13 ­ Portable Shovel

Shovels are essential for any winter vehicle emergency kit as it assists in digging your car out of snow or creating pathways should you need to navigate through deep snow.

Item #14 ­ Extra Clothing

Prepare for the worst by keeping three pairs of thick socks, several scarves and a few pairs of pants in your emergency kit. Should your clothing become wet, it’s essential to
replace with dry clothes to prevent hypothermia, or worse.

Item #15 ­ A Good Book

While an emergency kit is designed to keep your body safe, a book can help preoccupy your mind should you be stranded for long durations. Avoid digital book readers as they’re only useful when powered.

Item #16 ­ A Small First Aid Kit

For obvious reasons!

Item #17 ­ A Good Quality Multi-Tool

A good quality multi-tool such as a Leatherman Sidekick is worth it’s weight in gold. It is useful for a whole range of things from repairing your vehicle, first aid, rescue and survival. Everyone should have one in their car.

How To Stay Warm: 25 Tips For Saving Money & Keeping Warm (UPDATED 2020)

Tips for keeping warm

In the quest of saving money without sacrificing your comfort, many homeowners and renters alike are searching for ways to stay warm this winter without turning on, or turning up the heating at home. If you’ve been searching for how to keep warm on a tight budget, save on your energy bills this winter whilst remaining warm and cozy with these 25 effective ways of staying warm sans your heating unit.

If you heat your home via a wood fire or wood-burning stove, be sure to check out our post: How to get totally free firewood to heat your home. I can honestly say that we have more than enough firewood to get us all the way through the winter, and it didn’t cost a penny. Combine free firewood with the ways to stay warm below, and you’ll be warm and cosy in even the worst weather.

How To Stay Warm This Winter: 25 Tips And Tricks

1.) Wear Multiple Layers of Clothes – now is not the time to strut around in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Dress in multiple layers to keep your core temperature comfortably warm.

2.) Don’t Forget Your Socks – according to the University of San Diego, if you have cold feet, you’re going to be cold. Keep warm by wearing thick wool socks

3.) Keep Your Oven Door Open – after baking, keep your oven door open to let its heat circulate throughout your kitchen. The smaller your home, the better this technique works.

4.) Eat Hot Soups – raise your core temperature by consuming hot soup on cold winter days.

5.) Don’t Skip the Coffee or Tea – along with the caffeine boost, hot coffee or tea keeps you warm from the inside. Want to avoid stimulants? Drink decaffeinated coffee or tea.

6.) Open Your Window Curtains or Blinds – during the day, open curtains or blinds to let warm sunlight naturally heat your home.

7.) Treat Windows to Capture and Safeguard Heat – install special window treatments to capture and retain heat within your home. Improperly treated windows can let a vast amount of heat escape into the cold winter nights.
homemade thermal curtains
8.) Close Window Curtains and Blinds at Night – prevent Father Winter from stealing your heat by closing window blinds and curtains at night when temperatures drop. Making some thermal curtains from an old comforter is one of the best low-cost ways to keep warm and stop heat from escaping from doors and windows.

Sure it’s a very simple solution, but often the simple things are worth talking about and focusing on. Sometimes things like making some DIY thermal curtains are so simple they are often overlooked, but if you have a cold, draughty house, some thick thermal curtains will make a huge difference if you hang some over your doors and windows. This is a good project to get working on now before it starts to get really cold.

Making your own DIY thermal curtains doesn’t really get much easier than this – an old comforter, a bit of sewing and a few hooks and you are all but done. You can pick up old comforters from Craigslist and thrift stores etc, you can probably even get them for free if you ask around… Check out a tutorial here: Cheap DIY Energy-Saving Thermal Curtains

9.) Stay Active – clean your home or exercise whenever you feel the sting of coldness. By staying active, you’ll naturally increase your core temperature.

10.) Increase Humidity in Your Home – humidity increases the temperature within your home. Therefore, skip your space heater and turn on an energy-efficient humidifier

11.) Reverse Ceiling Fan Circulation – instead of keeping your ceiling fan turned off, reverse its circulation to push warm air down into your living space. This is effective after you’ve run your heater for a little while.

12.) Buffer Hard Floors With Blankets – while rugs are best if your budget doesn’t allow for this purchase, place blankets on bare floors to keep them warm.

13.) Keep Bathroom Doors Open When Showering – let the warm, humid air seep out into the rest of your home while showering by keeping your bathroom door open.

14.) Don’t Run Bathroom Ventilation Fans – while ventilation fans draw out unpleasant smells after using the bathroom, it also sucks out warm air. Light a candle to eliminate smells to keep your bathroom warm throughout winter months.

15.) Use Towels to Block Chilly Air – roll up a towel and place along the bottom of a door to stop drafts and heat leaks. Alternatively, you could make some homemade door snakes/draft stoppers.
DIY door snake

Here is an excellent tutorial showing how to make your own door snakes/draft stoppers. These door snakes are an excellent way to reduce the draft and cold which can come in through the gap at the bottom of your doors. These draft stoppers are cheap and easy to make, so now’s a great time to get making and sort out those drafty doors.

Full tutorial here: How To Make A DIY Door Snake (Draft Stopper)

(Photo from: 17 Apart)

16.) Keep the Fireplace Flue Shut – prevent winter drafts by keeping your fireplace flue tightly shut.

17.) Enhance Your Bedding – change out your sheets for flannel and use a down comforter to stay warm during frosty winter nights.

18.) Warm a Bag of Beans – heat up a bag of beans in the microwave and place in your bed or against you while lounging on the couch. This is one of my favourite ways to keep warm and snug on a cold evening.

Another similar old school alternative is to use a soapstone to warm things up

Soapstone is an incredibly dense stone that is great for absorbing, storing and radiating heat back. It can be warmed up in the fire/oven and unlike a hot water bottle etc, it will radiate heat back and keep you warm for most of the night.

Unlike many rocks that hold moisture that can be dangerous to heat up, soap is so dense that it doesn’t absorb water, so it is perfectly safe to heat up, as demonstrated in the video above. If you don’t have heating, or you are lucky enough to have a cabin somewhere remote, this is a great way to warm your bed up and keep warm. Get some soapstone and give it a try!

(Image from: engineer775 Practical Preppers)

19.) Cover Your Head – much like your feet, heat escapes through your head. Wear a wool hat or beanie to keep your body toasty. It might seem strange to wear a hat indoors, but so much of your heat is lost through your head, so wearing a hat indoors is an excellent way to keep warm and retain your body temperature.

20.) Keep Door Shut – keep all the doors in your home shut. The smaller space, the easier it is to keep warm.

21.) Stay Away From Windows – move furniture away from large windows to keep warm. Even treated windows emit cooler temperatures during the peak of winter.

21.) Stay Cozy – when lounging on your couch, cover with a warm blanket or sleeping bag.

22.) Wear Slippers – in addition to wearing wool socks, keep your feet extra toasty when doing chores by wearing slippers.

23.) Install Clear Shower Curtains Over Windows – allow your home to absorb heat, and keep it in, by installing clear shower curtains over windows that receive direct sunlight.

24.) Add Insulation in Your Attic – keep heat from leaking out of your home by adding insulation to your attic or crawl space. Your house loses heat through the attic in a similar way in a similar way to how people lose heat through their head. If you can afford it, insulating your attic is one of the best investments with regards to staying warm this winter, you can make.

25.) Light by Candles – along with saving on energy costs by keeping your light off, candles also produce a decent amount of heat. While not as warm as a fireplace, these small heaters can keep your immediate area warm. Candles can be especially good for warming hands.

Your Phone’s Camera Might Be Revealing Your Location(s) & Routines

Android & iPhone cameras revealing photo locations in EXIF metadata stored in photos

The cameras on our iPhones and Android smartphones are amazing. I use mine for everything from snapping quick photos whilst out and about, to precious family moments, through to snapping business cards, flyers, and device instructions etc.

In short, the cameras on our smartphones makes life easier and better. That said, there is a fairly major issue that not many smartphone users are aware of when they are happily snapping away and sharing photos here, there and everywhere.

Your iPhone Or Android Camera Could Be Violating Your Privacy & Security

Did you know that every Android and IOS phone geo-tags and shares location, and time/date information for each and every photo? This location information is stored in each photo’s EXIF metadata, stored within the photo itself.

This feature is TURNED ON BY DEFAULT. If you have never specifically turned it off, it is on.

I see this as a huge issue as most people are unaware that the location and time and date of their photos is included in the EXIF metadata on each and every photo they take.

Not only is this information stored in the EXIF data within the photo, but it is also incredibly easy to view.

  • On a desktop, simply ‘right click’ and view the photo’s ‘properties’ on a desktop.
  • On Android, you simply view the photo and click on the ‘menu’ and choose ‘Info’.
  • On the iPhone, you simply view the photo and click on the ‘Details’ button.

Surely, this location sharing feature should be OFF by default? AT least then, if you turn it on, you know it’s on.

I See Two Reasons This Is Problematic

Sharing Photos On Social Media

Firstly, when you share photos online, on social media or online photo albums, every photo shared is providing the date it was taken together with the specific location it was taken from.

Sure… You might think your Facebook and Instagram security settings are dialled in (are they though?), but what about when friends, families and followers share your photos. Who else is seeing them?

For Example

Example of an android camera giving away location of photo in EXIF metadata
Just chilling at home with Barney!

You’ve just posted a cute photo of your dog sleeping. You add some text -‘ just chilling at home with Barney’. Boom! You’ve potentially just given away your location AND mentioned it’s your home as well. Now friends of friends or followers (or who knows who) can see where you live.

Similar scenarios can be imagined for other locations such as your parent’s home, your place of work, your favourite family leisure/vacation places or even some secret spots, that you didn’t realise you were giving away the location of.

Not only do these photos potentially show people where you are, or where you have been; they can also tell people where you are not… If you share photos when you are away from home, people can check the EXIF data on the photo and they can see where you are specifically, and then know, for example, you are not at home at present…

With all these photos including the time/date and location, a quick scroll through your social media someone can begin to uncover your routines. Criminals must be using social media and utilizing the EXIF time/date and location data from photos to determine where people live/work and when they are not at home.

The Apps That Have Access To Your Phone’s Camera

Secondly, lots of phone apps require and are granted access to use your phone’s camera. Did you really read their terms & conditions? Do you know what they might be doing with this data, or who they might be sharing it with?

To highlight this issue, programmer, Felix Krause, created a simple ‘proof of concept’ app to demonstrate the access and information these apps are given by your Android or iPhone camera. It can literally be years worth of time, dates and locations where you have taken photos.

The Good News Is – You Can STOP this in about 20 Seconds

Turn Geotagging off on Android phones

Depending on the age and model Android phone, try these options:

Open the Camera app. Tap – the Menu button and choose – Settings. Disable the – Save location option here.

Alternatively, open the Camera app. Tap – the Menu button and scroll down until you see the setting call Geo Tag or Tag Locations (or similar) and disable it.

Some Android phones might be slightly different, but if you dig around you should find the setting.

Turn Locations Services off on iPhones

On an iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services. Choose Camera and now choose – Never, to turn off location tagging.

If you want to make sure you have disabled geo-tagging/location sharing, take a new photo and then check the EXIF data.

To do this:

On a desktop – simply ‘right click’ and viewing the photos ‘properties’ on a desktop.

On Android – you simply view the photo and click on the ‘menu’ and choose ‘Info’.

On an iPhone – you simply view the photo and click on the ‘Details’ button.

Sorted! Your phone camera will now continue to document the highlights of your life without revealing where and when they happened.

How To Perform CPR & ‘Hands-Only’ CPR (Infographic)

CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) saves lives. If someone experiences a cardiac arrest or is not breathing, performing CPR until medical help arrives can dramatically improve their chances of survival.

If you have not attended a first aid or CPR course, and you have no intention of doing so, at the very least save and study the two CPR infographics below. Better yet, print them out and place them on your refrigerator so the whole family will have a basic knowledge of what to do in event of cardiac arrest or a breathing emergency.

The CPR infographics below provide basic, step-by-step instructions on how to perform CPR. The first infographic covers CPR for an adult. The second infographic covers ‘hands-only’ CPR for an adult. CPR for children is broadly the same, but check out the Red Cross advice on giving CPR to children and infants for key differences.

How To Perform CPR On An ADULT


How to Perform Adult CPR - CPRCertified.com - Infographic
How To Perform ‘Hands-Only’ CPR On An ADULT


How to Perform Hands Only CPR - CPRCertified.com - Infographic

Everyone should know how to perform basic CPR. People experience breathing emergencies and cardiac arrest in every situation imaginable. For more information on CPR, CPR courses and certification check out the Red Cross’s information and advice pages.