Knowledge Weighs Nothing

How To Prevent Or (If Too Late) Kill Bed Bugs

bedbugs

We’ve been fortunate enough not have had bed bugs, but I have read enough about them to know they are nasty… Once you are infested, they are incredibly difficult to irradiate.

Bed bugs are nocturnal, they hide in bedding, furniture and other dark places during the day. They come out and feed on you whilst you are sleeping and they can cause itchy bumps and welts, with some people having quite severe reactions to bed bug bites. As with most things – prevention is better than the cure; it is easier to keep them out, then get them out once they are in. Check out the link below to find out more on identifying bed bugs and how to prevent and kill bed bugs, either DIY or via a bed bug extermination service.

How To Prevent (Or If Too Late) Kill Bedbugs

(photo from: Medill DC)

Originally posted 2013-08-10 13:41:12.

17 Alternative Uses for Alka-Seltzer

alka-seltzer-19

When I started Knowledge Weighs Nothing, one of the things I decided to do was to track down lots of alternative uses for common household products; I have found that there are some truly versatile products such as baking soda, vinegar, coconut oil, salt and now Alka-Seltzer! These items have so many alternative health, beauty, household and gardening uses, I recommend that all preppers and homesteader should have some stored.

Apart from easing  upset stomachs and hangovers, some of Alka-Seltzer’s other uses include: various cleaning uses, unblocking sinks, catching fish and laundry whitening.  Check out the other uses and HOW to use it for each, below.

17 Alternative Uses for Alka-Seltzer

(Photo from: One Good Thing By Jillee)

Originally posted 2013-08-08 16:18:03.

Field Treatment of Diabetic Shock

diabtic-shock

I often get asked about what diabetics should do in survival or SHTF situations… If you are prepping and getting caught up with all the if, buts and hows, imagine for a moment, how much more difficult it would be if you or a family member had a illness or condition which requires regular treatment.

I don’t have all the answers, but below is a post detailing the symptoms of diabetic shock, and how to treat it in the field. It is especially important to know the symptoms as one of the main one is confusion, so the affected person might not be able to say – hey I am diabetic and going into shock.

Field Treatment of Diabetic Shock

(Photo from: Outdoor Self Reliance)

Originally posted 2013-07-22 17:37:10.

How To Make Homemade SPF 30 Sunscreen

diy-sunscreen-copy

This is a follow up post to: Some Great Home Remedies For Sunburn which I did a few days back. Several people asked for homemade sunscreen recipe, so here it is!

I’ll be honest, we generally buy sunscreen, but two things bother me about it – one, it’s expensive and two, have you ever tried to read the list of ingredients? There are dozens of chemicals, preservatives and fragrances.

The recipe below says to use diaper rash cream for the zinc oxide, you can do this, although there are additional chemicals in the diaper rash cream. An alternative would be to buy  pure powdered zinc oxide, like: 1lb Nature’s Oil 100% Pure Zinc Oxide which you can purchase for less than $6. You could make a huge amount of sunscreen with this 1lb bag of zinc oxide. Make sure you adjust the percentage of zinc oxide to get the required sun factor.

How To Make Homemade SPF 30 Sunscreen

(Photo from: One Good Thing From Jillee)

Originally posted 2013-07-10 19:42:17.

Some Great Home Remedies For Sunburn

home-remedies-for-sunburn

We all know prevention is better than the cure, but everyone gets caught out from time to time. Also if the SHTF one day, sunscreen simply won’t be available (note to self – do future post on natural sunscreens!)

Anyway if you do get caught out and get sunburnt, ‘Common Sense Homesteading’ have done a great post on 10 home remedies you can use to help sooth and treat sunburn. We have used aloe vera for years, we actually grow our own plants and break off a stem, squeeze out the gel/juice and use it fresh.  I would highly recommend growing some aloe vera plants, as aloe vera is useful for so many different health and beauty things…

Some Great Home Remedies For Sunburn

Related book: Medicine for the Outdoors: The Essential Guide to Emergency Medical Procedures and First Aid, 5e (Medicine for the Outdoors: The Essential Guide to First Aid &)

(Photo from: Common Sense Homesteading)

Originally posted 2013-07-08 11:55:15.

Sugar As An Effective Wound Antibacterial

sugar

(Sugars; clockwise from top left: White refined, unrefined,
brown, unprocessed cane)

Given that I run a prepping and self-sufficiency website, it came as a bit of a surprise when I cut my hand a while back and went to the first aid kit and there was no antibacterial cream… Luckily I survive the cut without the antibacterial, but it got me thinking.

100s and 1000s of years back, what were people using to clean and disinfect wounds? Sure, loads more people died from infection, but they still must have had some form of antibacterial ointment for wounds. This is when I stumbled on the fact that sugar is a very effective antibacterial and has been used for 1000s of years to treat open wounds and prevent/fight infect.  I don’t think this is widely known, probably because big pharma can’t patent it and license it for medical use, but sugar’s antibacterial properties are proven.

The use of sugar as a wound antibacterial is even covered in the U.S Army Field Manual 3-05.70 Survival; quote: sugar—  place directly on wound and remove thoroughly when it turns into a glazed and runny substance. Then reapply.

The next time your or a family member cuts themselves and you are without pharmaceutical antibacterial, give sugar a go.  Its use is proven and it is certainly better than nothing. It would also be worthwhile adding a small bag of sugar to your hiking, camping or bug-out bag; it can flavour your food and drinks and possibly save your life should you injure yourself far from home.

Originally posted 2013-06-29 19:19:22.