Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Everyone Should Know About Medicinal Uses Of These 22 Common Foods & Spices

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If you would prefer to use natural remedies instead of pharmaceutical medicines, this is something you don’t want to miss out on. This information is also particularly important for preppers and those concerned about what the future may bring… If there is ever a total collapse or SHTF event, it will become difficult, if not impossible, to get hold of medicines from the pharmacy/doctors etc.

This list details the medicinal properties of 22 common foods and spices and it also includes advice on dosage and preparation of many of the remedies

Everyone Should Know About Medicinal Uses Of These 22 Common Foods & Spices

(Photo from:  Chugy)

Sage: The Must-Grow Plant (Find Out How & Why To Use It)

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Wow, I knew sage was good for you, but it didn’t realize how many medicinal properties and medicinal uses it has. I did however know that sage plants are very easy to grow, as we grow our own sage as a herb for recipes… I think I might have to grow several more sage plants now so we can make our own homemade remedies.

I am particularly interested in making the sage tea now that I know about its sedative and relaxation properties. It could be just the thing after a stressful day. Anyway, check out the link below and find out more about the many uses for sage.

Sage: The Must Grow Plant (Find Out How & Why To Use It) 

(Photo from: Wikipedia)

5 Natural Ways To Lower Cholesterol

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71 Million adult Americans have high cholesterol, with around a third of them being treated with statins to lower their cholesterol. Having high cholesterol means LDL, or (the bad one!) cholesterol is too high, which leads to plaque forming on the inside of your arteries, which puts you at significantly higher risk for heart attack and heart failure.

Luckily there are some fairly simple and natural things you can do to lower your cholesterol. James Hubbard, MD, MPH (The Survival Doctor) has laid out five simple and natural things you can start doing today, to reduce your cholesterol. He also includes a secret natural supplement which contains the same ingredient as statins, which could be taken if statins were not available.

This is all useful information for everyone with high cholesterol, but it is particularly useful for preppers, so they can improve their health and reduce their dependence on prescription medications now, before the SHTF.

5 Natural Ways To Lower Cholesterol

(Photo from: The Survival Doctor)

Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer

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Do you remember the avian/bird flu epidemic a few years back? If so you’ll probably remember that all the hand sanitizer and soap disappeared from stores overnight… One of the most common things people prep for is for some kind of global viral flu pandemic. If this is a concern of yours, now is a good time to stock up on the simple ingredients to make your own hand sanitizer.

Even if you don’t consider yourself a prepper, you might just want to make your own hand sanitizer (without the artificial colors, fragrances or preservatives) to get you through the winter flu season. Below is a post from ‘One Good Thing By Jillee’, which lists two hand sanitizer recipes, one alcohol free recipe and one alcohol based recipe. Personally I would go for the latter as I would imagine it is more effective.

Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer

(Photo from: One Good Thing By Jillee)

Do Food Expiration Dates Really Matter?

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So do expiration dates matter? Firstly there are so many different types of expiration dates… Sell By, Best Before, Born On, Use By, to name a few. If you are unsure what these dates mean, you’ve come to the right place… We’ve also got you covered if you’d like a list of common groceries, together with how long each is generally safe to eat. There is also some advice on how to stretch expiration dates through proper storage.

But we are not just talking food expiration dates, there is also information and advice on medicines (many people believe drug companies put short dates on medicines to make you bin them and buy more…)

Do Food Expiration Dates Really Matter?

(Photo from:  aesop)

Venomous Scorpion – State By State List

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A while back we did a poisonous spider state by state post (use the site search: spider). Since the spider post went live, I have received several messages asking for a state by state guide to scorpions. I haven’t been able to find a full state by state guide to all scorpions, but I have found one for the venomous scorpions… There are also some excellent photos to help you identify scorpions.

Most scorpions are  all but harmless, but if in doubt steer clear of any you come across. Better to be safe than sorry!

I’ll be doing a post about fire ants shortly, so stay tuned for that…

Venomous Scorpion – State By State List

(Photo from: Wikimedia Commons)

4 All Natural, All Purpose Healing Salve Recipes

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Sometimes it is just nice to use what nature provides to help us heal, at least when we are talking about minor cuts, scratches and burns etc. Below is a tutorial from ‘One Good Thing By Jillee’, which hows how to make not one, but four natural healing salves.

There is an all purpose healing salve, an anti-allergy (with natural anti-histamine properties), an aches & pains salve and finally an natural anti-ageing salve.

4 All Natural, All Purpose Healing Salve Recipes

(Photo from: One Good Thing By Jillee)

Chia Seeds: A Tiny Powerhouse For Sustainability

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Chia seeds have remarkable nutritional value, they are one of the very few foods that contain the full protein profile; this means you can get all the protein you need from just chia seeds alone. Usually you would need to combine two or more protein sources over several days to get all the vital amino acids require for health.

It’s not only the protein which makes chia seeds special, they are also full of omega 3 oils, iron, antioxidants, fiber and magnesium and potassium, and many other important vitamins. In short – chia seeds are a nutritional powerhouse!

Chia seeds are easy to prepare and as they don’t really taste of anything, they can by added to any meal to improve its nutritional value. Chia seeds store well, and take up hardly any space in the cupboard/pantry. When you take all of the above into account, I think it’s an excellent idea for preppers to start storing chia seeds, to add a much needed nutritional boost to all the processed and canned food which is typically stored. You can read more about the benefits of chia seeds below.

Chia Seeds: A Tiny Powerhouse For Sustainability

(Photo from:  ljguitar)

Snakebite Symptoms And First Aid Advice

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Firstly, before the snake bite first aid and treatment advice, brownie points for anyone who can identify the snake species AND sub-species…

It’s a fact – most people who get bitten by snakes are bitten because of their ignorance or stupidity. They were either not taking the appropriate precautions in snake country, or they were plain stupid and picked up an unidentified snake.  In fact one of the most common snake bite victims are drunk people who stumble across a snake and try messing around with it. That said, even the most experienced outdoors person can, and do, get bitten by snakes.

Regardless of why you got bitten, the questions is, what should you do?

Well firstly you should know that the vast majority of snakes worldwide are non-venomous, BUT, if you cannot identify the snake that bite you, you should assume it was venomous and follow the snake bite first aid and treatment advice below. You should also pay attention to the list of things you should not do; there are a lot of myths about what to do when bitten by a snake, and some of these can get you into even more trouble.

Snakebite Symptoms And First Aid Advice

(Photo from:  Michael Hodge)

Blisters – To Pop Or Not To Pop?

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Firstly, let me tell you, blisters are serious business! You should never ignore that hotspot you feel in your boot, take action right away and get a band-aid or some improvised cushioning on the to stop the rubbing. I did a 35 mile day hike once in some new boots (big mistake!), and I ignored the hotspots and blisters; it got to a point at around 25 miles that I knew I was in trouble, but I also knew that if I took off my boots and saw the damage, I probably wouldn’t continue. Anyway the long and short of it is – I made it home, but my feet were a mess and I couldn’t walk for two days afterwards…  They were so bad, they took weeks to heal completely.

If you are bugging-out or in a survival situation, not being able to walk for two days could kill you… Blisters caused by friction from boots and packs are entirely preventable; as soon as you feel discomfort, stop and treat.

Now with blisters themselves, everyone has an opinion on how to treat them…. But medically who is right and who is wrong? Is the best blister treatment to leave it alone, or to pop it? Does it depend on what kind of blister it is, for example a friction blister or a blister from a burn? Does it matter where the blister is located on your body? Thankfully the Survival Doctor aka James Hubbard, MD, MPH has written a post on his website on just this topic.  Check out Dr James’ thoughts below.

Blisters – To Pop Or Not To Pop?

(Photo from: Phil and Pam)