home treatments for common medical issues?

[Brent S]

I'm fighting an ear canal infection right now, and it got me thinking how a minor ailment could become serious without modern medicine. Allready, doctors are seeing bugs that don't respond to treatments from the overuse of antiobiotics. I'm going to begin seeking more knowledge for home treatments of minor issues. I got some wax buildup that kept water in my ear canal, which led to an irritation. Walmart had a wax removal kit with a drop solution and ear bulb syringe for 4 bucks. After flushing the canal I figured it would be fine, but it is raw and swollen. I next tried with just keeping my ear canal dry for several days. Sometimes just that can clear up an irritation. It's a little difficult to shower and keep water out of it, but just keeping your head tilted a little will work. No luck yet, so I just put a 50% rubbing alcohol and white vinegar into it. Ouch! Man that alcohol burns an allready irritated area. I'll do this for three or four more days, and let you know. If that dosent work then it's off to the doc in a box at my local pharmacy.
As I said, this just got me thinking about how important home remedies may become if shtf or even a major economic crisis happens. I'd love to hear others treatments for common things. I used to be in the medical field, so leave your dignity and don't be squiemish or shy. Some of this stuff could save your or a loved ones life one day.

 

[jimLE]

The 50% rubbing alcohol and vinager..no water or any thing else? I've tryed the ear wash from wal mart as well..it didnt do much,if any thing.

 

[Brent S]

The 50% rubbing alcohol and vinager..no water or any thing else? I've tryed the ear wash from wal mart as well..it didnt do much,if any thing.

My wife was a nurse, and she told me about it. You don't want to add water to it as that's what started causing the problem to begin with. I did mention that it burned though . So far I've done it once, and can't tell if it's helping or not yet. The alcohol is mostly for drying, as it evaporates quickly. The vinegar changes the ph in your ear so fungus can't survive. Here's hoping it works.

 

[jimLE]

ok.i'll leave the water alone then..but first.you let me know if it works or not..

 

[Roninsensei]

Garlic oil. 2 to 3 drops in the ear for 3 or 4 days takes care of my ear infections. I had tubes in my ears as a child.

Believe me I'm not the type to encourage "hippie cures" but, this one has always come through for me..

http://nourishingtime.com/garlic-oil-for-ear-infections-why-you-should-make-your-own/

 

[Brent S]

ok.i'll leave the water alone then..but first.you let me know if it works or not..

So far the vinegar and alcohol has helped tremendously. It still burns when I put it in, but it's close to cleared up finally. My wife said her primary care dr. recommended it, as well as a pharmacist and an allergy/ENT dr.
I hadn't heard about garlic oil before, but the oil is probably soothing and I've read that garlic is an anti microbial.
The biggest thing that concerns me is if our supply chain is interrupted from any kind of disaster. I think of all the average people in Iraq or Syria that can't just run down to the local general dollar store to buy medical supplies. I have a good stock of supplies for an emergency, but no one can have everything.

 

[jimLE]

so thats 50% rubbing alcohol and 50% vinegar ?

 

[Brent S]

so thats 50% rubbing alcohol and 50% vinegar ?

Yeah, 50/50. I don't leave it in long either. The first couple times I let it sit in the ear canal for several minutes, but you don't need to, espechially since its kind of harsh.

 

[jimLE]

ok great..my ears do need cleaning

 

[jimLE]

Yeah, 50/50. I don't leave it in long either. The first couple times I let it sit in the ear canal for several minutes, but you don't need to, especially since its kind of harsh.

well im at least half way there.i have distilled white vinegar,but i have the wintergreen rubbing alcohol.and unless im mistaken.wintergreen rubbing alcohol,don't need to be used..

 

[Brent S]

well im at least half way there.i have distilled white vinegar,but i have the wintergreen rubbing alcohol.and unless im mistaken.wintergreen rubbing alcohol,don't need to be used..

I probably wouldn't. My ear infection did clear up, but my hearing is just now starting to come back in that ear. I was allready at like 25% of normal, so I can't afford to loose much more hearing. My new hearing aids help me to continue to work for now, but it's a daily struggle to learn new ways to deal with it. I hand people a post it and pen and have them write down important info, like #'s and addresses. I also am working on trying to read lips some. I guess the best thing I can tell anyone, is wear ear protection! I know a lot of us here like to shoot, but don't ever do it without taking care of yourself. You have no idea how hard it is to communicate when you can't hear.

 

[Gazrok]

I should have my medicinal/herb garden going by November this year. We have kind of an entry area outside the front door, where we're doing a little koi pond, with a lion's head fountain (lion is on my family crest), and a little meandering path from the sidewalk to the pond. On both sides, will be different herbs for medicinal and cooking purposes. (and lots of little hidden gnomes and fairies, because the wife wants them, we've got some pretty interesting ones)

Things we'll be growing here: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Cilantro, Basil, Oregano, Peppermint, Catnip, Chamomile, Echanacea, Feverfew, Johnny Jump Up, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Marigolds, St. John's Wart, Yarrow, Ginger, and Poppies. Pretty small amounts of each, but enough for what we should need, plus they are replenishable.

Many of these have (or are) pretty flowers too, so kind of a hidden agenda garden. To visitors, will mostly appear as done for ornamentation, or even culinary purposes (if they read the tags), but also kind of a home remedy pharmacy as well.

At Lowes the other day, we saw where they had taken a pond, and instead of burying it, just had it sitting on the ground, and had stones built as a low wall around it, with a higher stone wall built behind it. We actually like that a lot better, so switched the plan to do that instead, where the fountain will be behind the pond as part of a high wall and empty into the pond.

 

[Brent S]

I should have my medicinal/herb garden going by November this year. We have kind of an entry area outside the front door, where we're doing a little koi pond, with a lion's head fountain (lion is on my family crest), and a little meandering path from the sidewalk to the pond. On both sides, will be different herbs for medicinal and cooking purposes. (and lots of little hidden gnomes and fairies, because the wife wants them, we've got some pretty interesting ones)

Things we'll be growing here: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Cilantro, Basil, Oregano, Peppermint, Catnip, Chamomile, Echanacea, Feverfew, Johnny Jump Up, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Marigolds, St. John's Wart, Yarrow, Ginger, and Poppies. Pretty small amounts of each, but enough for what we should need, plus they are replenishable.

Many of these have (or are) pretty flowers too, so kind of a hidden agenda garden. To visitors, will mostly appear as done for ornamentation, or even culinary purposes (if they read the tags), but also kind of a home remedy pharmacy as well.

At Lowes the other day, we saw where they had taken a pond, and instead of burying it, just had it sitting on the ground, and had stones built as a low wall around it, with a higher stone wall built behind it. We actually like that a lot better, so switched the plan to do that instead, where the fountain will be behind the pond as part of a high wall and empty into the pond.

The spices kind of sound like an old hippie song.

 

[Gazrok]

Yeah, that's why they are in that order...easy to remember. We'll likely have some sunflowers along the wall too. Not for medicinals, but the gals will eat the seeds (and they look good).

 

[Brent S]

So far chives and onions are the only spices I grow. Oh, I did plant garlic this year for the first time. If I could grow black pepper I'd be almost set for flavoring! I thought about basil,but I just don't like the taste of it. Cinnamon might be good, but don't know if it grows here. My herb knowledge is mostly nonexistent. Just as an afterthought, does chocolate count as a spice .

 

[Maverick]

I should have my medicinal/herb garden going by November this year. We have kind of an entry area outside the front door, where we're doing a little koi pond, with a lion's head fountain (lion is on my family crest), and a little meandering path from the sidewalk to the pond. On both sides, will be different herbs for medicinal and cooking purposes. (and lots of little hidden gnomes and fairies, because the wife wants them, we've got some pretty interesting ones)

Things we'll be growing here: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Cilantro, Basil, Oregano, Peppermint, Catnip, Chamomile, Echanacea, Feverfew, Johnny Jump Up, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Marigolds, St. John's Wart, Yarrow, Ginger, and Poppies. Pretty small amounts of each, but enough for what we should need, plus they are replenishable.

Many of these have (or are) pretty flowers too, so kind of a hidden agenda garden. To visitors, will mostly appear as done for ornamentation, or even culinary purposes (if they read the tags), but also kind of a home remedy pharmacy as well.

At Lowes the other day, we saw where they had taken a pond, and instead of burying it, just had it sitting on the ground, and had stones built as a low wall around it, with a higher stone wall built behind it. We actually like that a lot better, so switched the plan to do that instead, where the fountain will be behind the pond as part of a high wall and empty into the pond.

You should add plantain and dandelions given both helps with soothing the stomach (tea form) also helps in preventing dehydration in way of preventing vomiting plus plantain and yarrow together mashed and slightly heated in a cup with a tab of water then rubbing the mashed plants over the skin rid the affects of poison ivy and oak.

 

[Maverick]

I always keep olive oil and lemon juice on hand for many reasons other then cooking, 1 tbsp each eliminates abdominal pain from gas and/or constipation in less then 30 minutes (generally in 15 minutes) and helps with the constipation in 2 to 3 hours plus its more sanitary over other remedies and far more healthier

 

[Gazrok]

We always have plenty of dandelions growing in the pastures, but not a bad idea. Probably more of a side of the house thing. We also have roses growing there, and lots of aloe, already. Not a big fan of plantains, but we would like to do a bananas. But will probably do the dwarf, potted variety here.

 

[Brent S]

No one can understand why I haven't planted any azaleas or other typical landscaping plants. Everything I've put on the two and a half acres here has been something edible. One person at work said "that's wierd". I guess I like being wierd . I've never cared to do things just because everyone else is.

 

[Gazrok]

That's what is nice about many of the herbs and medicinals. Many of them are also pretty, so that garden can masquerade as being more for show.

 

[Brent S]

I was at a Drs appt this afternoon for my wife and found a book in the waiting room called, health benefits and cures from food. I skimmed thru it, some out of boredom and some curiosity. They went into a lot of chemistry behind why, but the main gist of everything was eat lots of unprocessed fruits and veggies, limit meats, processed foods, sodas and alcohol. No big suprises there. I do eat a lot of healthy homegrown foods, but let's see what I had today. Leftover sirloin steak for breakfast, (bad). There were some olive oil roasted garlic potatoes (good). At mid morning I had a salad with mostly stuff from the garden and a piece of blueberry bread. (Good). Then for lunch I had Popeyes fried chicken, spicey three piece, with a side of red beans and rice. (Dosent even need to be rated). Tonight I'm having a chunk of extra sharp cheese, pretzels, mixed nuts and am washing it down with wine mixed with ginger ale. Pretty much a failing grade for today. It's a lot clearer when you write it down, although like me here, you may not like to see what you eat. I am sure I eat better than 90% in this country, but have a problem with not limiting meats and have red wine each evening. Hey, who wants to live forever? Just remember, moderation!
I was skeptical of a lot of the claims in the book about how vegetables can cure specific diseases and such, but common sense tells you that eating fresh fruits and vegetables is good for you.