Hesperian Health Guides

September 9, 2014 by Chris Ray

Many of you will have heard of some of their books, mainly Where There is no Doctor and Where There is no Dentist But I’d wager you haven’t seen their full selection, many of which are given away free as electronic copies! Hesperian Health Guides has agreed to give the Prepared Christian readers a 30% discount on all hard copies for a limited time! See the bottom section of this article, titled “Discount,” for details.

Author of Where There is No Doctor, Mr. David Werner, is a trained biologist and, in 1965, he was a teacher at a small alternative high school. With his students, he visited a small town in western Mexico and noticed people suffering from a lack of basic healthcare. He soon took a year off from his teaching position to dedicate a healthcare project mainly with the interpretation of basic medical information into a language that the local people could understand. He later left his teaching career and has dedicated his life to this cause. To learn more about the author, and the history of Where There is No Doctor, you can listen to this Off Grid Solutions Podcast or read the transcribed here.

Where There is No Doctor was the first Hesperian Health guide. There are a total of nine they’ve published, of which I own four. They sell several other health related books, of which I own one. The below descriptions come from the Hesperian Health Guides website.

The full Hesperian Health guide list is:

• Where There is No Doctor – I own
• Where There is No Dentist – I own
• Where Women Have No Doctor – I own
• A Book for Midwives
• Helping Health Workers Learn
• A Community Guide to Environmental Health – I own
• Disabled Village Children
• Helping Children Who Are Blind
• Helping Children Who Are Deaf
• A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities
• HIV, Health, and Your Community
• Where There Is No Animal Doctor – I own

Where There is no Doctor

Hesperian’s classic manual, Where There Is No Doctor, is perhaps the most widely-used health care manual for health workers, clinicians, and others involved in primary health care delivery and health promotion programs around the world. With millions of copies in print in more than 75 languages, the manual provides practical, easily understood information on how to diagnose, treat, and prevent common injuries and illnesses. Special attention is focused on nutrition, infection and disease prevention, and diagnostic techniques as primary ways to prevent and treat health problems.

Where There is no Dentist

The author uses straightforward language and careful instructions to explain how to: examine patients; diagnose common dental problems; make and use dental equipment; use local anesthetics; place fillings; and remove teeth. There is also a special chapter on oral health and HIV/AIDS, which provides the dental worker with a detailed, well-illustrated discussion of the special problems faced by people living with HIV/AIDS, and appropriate treatment.

Where Women Have No Doctor

Where Women Have No Doctor combines self-help medical information with an understanding of the ways poverty, discrimination and cultural beliefs limit women’s health and access to care. Developed with community-based groups and medical experts from more than 30 countries, Where Women Have No Doctor is an essential resource for any woman who wants to improve her health, and for health workers who want more information about the problems that affect only women, or that affect women differently from men.

A Book for Midwives

Originally published in 1995, A Book for Midwives has proved a vital resource for practicing midwives and midwifery training programs around the world. The revised edition is now available, and has been extensively updated and revised to reflect new WHO/UNICEF guidelines and standards for mothers and newborns. This book covers the essentials of care before, during, and after birth, providing a variety of designs for low-cost equipment and training materials.

Helping Health Workers Learn

Helping Health Workers Learn is an indispensable resource for all health educators. This heavily illustrated book shows how to make health education engaging and effective, while emphasizing a people-centered approach to care. It also presents strategies for effective community involvement through participatory education.

A Community Guide to Environmental Health

From toilets to toxics, from watershed management to waste management, from raising crops to rising temperatures, how we use natural resources affects our health and well-being.

This book contains activities to stimulate critical thinking and discussion, inspirational stories, and instructions for simple health technologies such as water purification methods, safe toilets, and non-toxic cleaning products.

Disabled Village Children

Disabled Village Children contains a wealth of clear and detailed information, as well as easy-to-implement strategies for all who are concerned about the well-being of children with disabilities. This manual, written especially for those who live in communities with limited resources, explains how to create small community rehabilitation centers and workshops run by either disabled people or the families of children with disabilities. More than 4000 drawings and 200 photos make Disabled Village Children understandable to all.

Helping Children Who Are Blind

Children develop faster during their first five years than at any other stage in their life. And while children who are not visually impaired learn to move around, communicate, and understand the world “naturally” as they interact with people and things they see, children who are blind need extra help learning how to rely on their other senses – hearing, touch, smell, and taste – to explore, learn and interact with the world around them.

Helping Children Who Are Deaf

Helping Children Who Are Deaf supports parents and other caregivers in building the communication skills of babies and young children. Packed with activities on how to foster language learning through both sign and oral approaches, this groundbreaking book explains ways to adapt activities and exercises for both a child’s specific abilities and needs, and a family’s unique circumstances. The book also explores how deafness affects a child’s ability to learn language, as well as develop mentally and socially.

A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities

Women with disabilities often discover that the social stigma of disability and inadequate care are greater barriers to health than the disabilities themselves. A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities will help women with disabilities overcome these barriers and improve their general health, self-esteem, and abilities to care for themselves and participate in their communities.

HIV, Health, and Your Community

HIV, Health and Your Community is a thorough, easy-to-understand guide for health workers throughout the world. Designed as a manual for people confronting the HIV pandemic in their communities, it is easily accessible to those with little medical or technical knowledge. Topics range from the biology of the virus and the epidemiology of the disease to the mechanics of designing prevention programs and writing grant proposals.

Where There Is No Animal Doctor

This simply written, heavily illustrated manual was developed to benefit people in the many areas of the world where livestock play an important role in daily life, and animals are crucial to peoples’ survival. Used for food, transportation, work, and wealth, when someone’s animal is ill or unhealthy the whole community can suffer.

Why Do I Own These Books?

To me, the worst possible time to have a medical emergency is when…there is no doctor. Yes, we live in a first world country with emergency healthcare just a 911 phone call away; but what if one day it’s not? I can foresee a scenario where 911 isn’t coming due to severe budget cuts, it being too dangerous or in a worst case scenario, I am the healthcare system.

These guides are very well written, in a manner that a layperson can easily understand. The drawings are very well done as well.

I own a few first aid manuals, but a first aid manual is for what to do until the ambulance or doctor arrives. These books are for when there is no doctor coming, or there is going to be a long delay.

I think these would be a great item for people going on mission trips to have as well.

Discount

As I mentioned, Hesperian Health Guides has agreed to give the Prepared Christian Readers a 30% discount for a limited time! When you check out, use code PREPAREDCHRISTIAN, which will expire at midnight on 9/23/2014. This discount covers all of the books listed above but NOT the ones Hesperian sells but did not publish with the exception of Where there is no animal doctor.

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Filed Under: Medical and First Aid, Reviews

What You Need to Know About a Pandemic

August 6, 2014 by Chris Ray

I have covered this topic in the past, but with the outbreaks of Ebola popping up and the number of new readers, I decided I would cover it again. A true pandemic is one of the “big ones” that scares me the most, partly because we are so limited by what we can do to prepare for it, and partly because I think it has a better chance of happening then an EMP over American soil.

I used the word “true” because the last pandemic we had, H1N1, aka the swine flu, wasn’t a true pandemic. It had the “morbidity rate” or rate of infection, but the mortality rate was actually lowered compared to past requirements.

Modern Day Pandemic Dangers

The last worldwide pandemic was the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, killing 20-50 million people, including 675,000 in the United States. The population of the United States in 1918 was 103,206,000, meaning that roughly .65% of the population was wiped out.

I believe that if we were to see a pandemic today, we would be in much worse shape. In 1918, if someone wanted to come to America, they had to take a boat. I don’t know the travel time of a vessel in 1918, but I would guess 10-14 days. With modern day air travel, an infected person could make it stateside in 24 hours, infecting everyone onboard in the process. In turn, those passengers would infect everyone on their connecting flights and eventually their families. One infected person could literally infect people travelling to the majority of states within in 24 hours.

The scare right now is Ebola. While Ebola is incredibly nasty and I mourn for the families who’ve been affected by it, it isn’t what scares me the most. Ebola most often comes from West Africa and patient zero is infected by direct contact with infected animals, some of which are used as a food supply, such as bats. It is then possible for human to human infection via the exchange of bodily fluids. Some of the numbers I have seen for mortality rate of Ebola are 50%-90%. However, I found data that suggests there have been less than 4,000 cases since Ebola was discovered in 1976, including the cases from the recent outbreaks.

What scares me is the illness that doesn’t exist yet or a mutation of an existing one that takes on more deadly qualities. For example, if a form of SARS, which has a high mortality rate, married a version of H1N1, we could then be faced with something that infects a large percentage of people and kills 15%-25% of those infected. To be clear, I am not saying that Ebola isn’t a threat. It is decimating countries in Western Africa, killing civilians and healthcare workers. We need to be vigilant and stay informed on any local cases of it. I’m just not sure Ebola has the same threat level as a more virulent strain of the flu. Here is an article from Canada published on June 23, 2014 where a physician and professor stated the following:

“If we had a case in Canada we’d isolate the case, the patient would live or die, and we’d be highly unlikely to have it transmit,”

While it is true that medical care has made incredible strides since 1918, there were no antibiotic resistant superbugs either, such as the recent Resistant ‘Nightmare Bacteria’ Increase Fivefold in Southeastern U.S. While we have far advanced scientific ability and equipment, for a vaccine to be developed, the scientists first have to be able to reproduce it, successfully test it, and then get FDA approval. This could take three months or more.

In case you were wondering, current US population is 318,559,000. If we saw 6.5% of our population die, that would be 2,100,000. When you consider the number of people taken out of the workforce, not just from death by pandemic, but those who are sick, those who are taking care of the sick and those self-quarantining, you can begin to see how quickly essential services could be overwhelmed and collapse.

What Can We Do?

In Flu and Pandemic Preps to Buy Now, I list three items that I own and believe you should as well; Hibiclens, Surgical N-95 NIOSH-certified masks and latex free gloves. Read the article for in depth information. Below are the highpoints.

Hibiclens was prescribed to me during an MRSA scare a few years back. Not only does Hibbiclens kill viruses and bacteria on contact, it will protect you for up to six hours after use.

Surgical N-95 NIOSH-certified masks are not the same as the N-95 masks you can buy at the big box store. These are the masks OSHA requires for medical personal exposed to potential pandemic victims.

After the masks, Latex free gloves are quite possibly the most important PPE (personal protection equipment) you can own. The two most common ways to spread a virus are through the air and through contact. If you wash with Hibiclens and wear gloves, you’ve greatly reduced the risk of direct contact.

We can also be prepared to hunker down and shelter in place to ride things out until we’re sure there is either nothing to worry about or there is a vaccine. This is one event I believe bugging out might be best, if you live in an urban environment and have somewhere else to go.

To either shelter in place or bug out before things take a bad turn, you need to stay on top of current events and be alerted for any stateside outbreaks, especially those in your local area.

One of the best resources for this is one of my sponsors, AlertsUSA. I have received alerts from AlertsUSA for quite some time now and they consistently provide news faster than I can find on mainstream media. They have important connections who pass information along to them, which they in turn pass along to their subscribers. As a reminder, Preparedness Club Members get a 25% discount at AlertsUSA.

Another site you can keep an eye on is the page that the CDC is keeping up to date on the Ebola outbreaks.

My personal plan would be to put the entire house in quarantine when I either a.) hear of multiple cases near me or b.) see local cases announced on the local news. I am lucky enough to be able to work from home occasionally, so I can pull the trigger faster than if I had to go in every day. If I had to go in, I might still impose quarantine and take a couple days of impromptu vacation time.

As stated above, it could take 90+ days to develop a vaccine. For this reason, I think we should have a minimum of 90 days’ supply of food and medicine on hand. The water will probably continue to run, but we should be prepared for waterborne illnesses as well. Having that much water stored is not realistic for 99% of us. Have some stored as well as a means to purify more.

Around the time I started blogging 4 years ago, I read an article that spoke of how woefully ill prepared large communities were for a pandemic. Since that time, some state governments have started taking action. Minnesota is just one of many. I attended a conference on how local hospitals will respond. They said that if any clinic or hospital begins to see an increase in patients with the same symptoms, they activate a call center who then calls other local clinics and hospitals to make them aware and to see if they have any patients to report with those same symptoms.

There are several sites that have been predetermined to use for housing patients. Cots and medical supplies will be brought in quickly. There are caches of medicine scattered around the area, which can be distributed to these locations very quickly when needed. The local media will be kept up to date so they can relay information to the public. There are also various locations around the area that have been chosen as mass vaccine distribution centers. I was also invited to attend a meeting at my church, with high ranking law enforcement officials, local Emergency Managers and medical personnel to discuss the church being one such center. The discussion focused on the best way to quickly and safely distribute the vaccine. One potential option was drive thru style; with people pulling their cars up, vaccine given and they go on their way.

My first thought is that a mass vaccine center is the last place I would want to be. However, when looking at this from a logistical standpoint, it is the fastest way to get the vaccine to the public.

Here is an article from the CDC with information on the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). While this isn’t a perfect solution, I am glad to see that government is being proactive on this topic.

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Filed Under: Medical and First Aid, Signs of the Times Tagged With: awareness, Pandemic

Dental Preparedness

February 18, 2014 by Chris Ray

Dental Preparedness

I don’t like the dentist. I know, I know, most people don’t! But I dislike the sadist…err dentist so much that the thought of writing this article has given me the heebie-jeebies for some time. However, a recent dental problem resulting in a toothache spurred me to write this.

Prevention

Brush, floss, yada, yada, yada. All kidding aside, this is absolutely one area where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This being a preparedness related article, here are some tips to help you be prepared for a future where going to the dentist isn’t an option.

Toothpaste has a 1-2 year shelf life, so we could effectively keep a year’s supply on hand, rotating and restocking as it is used. Toothbrushes obviously don’t have an expiration date, but should be rotated every few months. Dental floss is another item that has no expiration date, nor do the dental flossers. Dental floss is an item I put in each BOB. It can be used for floss, cordage, snares and anything else lightweight rope could be used for.

Baking soda is an item with an infinite shelf life that can be used as toothpaste. Simply put some in a smallish container, add water and stir into a paste…mmm tasty (sarcasm). Hydrogen peroxide is an item that, according to the ADA (American Dental Association), is used in many commercial tooth whiteners.

Dental Pain When the Stuff Hits the Fan

To me there is no pain like a toothache. It can make me miserable like almost nothing else! We’re lucky to live in a time where we get care fairly quickly to help us if we have dental pain. Imagine having to use an ice skate to remove your own tooth (a reference to the move Castaway)! Seriously, what would you do if, for some reason, you had a toothache and couldn’t get to the dentist? Here are some suggestions.

There are several over the counter numbing agents one could use and I personally think they are a must have.

Natural Tooth Ache Remedies

Here are three links that I think are worth sharing, all containing natural remedies. Because what works well for one person, might not for another, I think it is wise to have a few of these on hand. Many of the ingredients listed in these two articles can be used for other purposes as well.

20+ Toothache Remedies For Pain Relief

12 Home Remedies for Toothaches

Worst Case

What if the problem is worse than a tooth ache and you can’t get to the dentist? There are a few things that you can do now to prepare for this. The Hesperian Foundation offers a book called Where there is No Dentist. You can download a free PDF copy or purchase a book for $17.00. Amazon has used copies a little cheaper, but I think supporting the Hesperian Foundation is worth the extra dollar or two.

This book is fantastic! Like all Hesperian books, it is meant to educate villagers in third world countries with no formal education or training. Topics range from learning and teaching about teeth and gums, treating and diagnosing different dental problems like toothaches, loose teeth, cavities, cementing fillings and removal of teeth (without an ice skate). It has illustrations on almost every page to help explain the different topics.

There are a few supplies that you could stock now that could be of great use in a dental emergency. From Duluth Trading Company: Duluth Trading Company Dr. Click’s Kit: Dental Tools with 101 Uses. As the title suggests, this kit has many other uses besides dental tools, one being a great lock picking set. One of the Prepared Christian sponsors, Camping Survival, carries Dr. Stahl’s Emergency Dental Kit. as well.

Final Thoughts

Sure, we should be brushing and flossing now, but like I said at the beginning, to me there is no pain like a toothache. Dental preparedness requires some forethought and preparations to make sure we can take care of dental emergencies should they ever occur when we cannot get to a dentist.

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Filed Under: Medical and First Aid

Living Ready Pocket Manual: First Aid

January 6, 2014 by Chris Ray

Today I am going to talk to you about Dr. James Hubbard’s (AKA The Survival Doctor ) new book, Living Ready Pocket Manual: First Aid, which is being released today. I received an advanced copy and am really impressed with it. This isn’t the typical first aid book that just explains how to stop bleeding, how to do CPR or how to address burns. This book is clearly written by a person, in this case a doctor, who is a prepper. Dr. Hubbard covers the usual topics you would expect but he also covers how to disinfect water, bone and joint injuries, how to treat gunshot wounds and bites from a variety of animals and insects.

The main thing I like about this book is how he covers the supplies you should have in your first aid kit. He not only lists the item and quantity he thinks you should have but also gives notes on the item, and also lists alternative items. For instance, he lists cotton balls; in the notes he says that cotton balls are great for packing a nosebleed, and that adding petroleum jelly will make for easier insertion. He adds that cotton balls with petroleum jelly make great fire starters as well! For alternatives he lists tampons or strips of cloth for nasal packing.

He does list some items that are fairly advanced, and I asked him about this. You can read his response in the Q and A section.

I like that he lists multiple ways that items can be used with alternatives because many of us who don’t have the training might not think of using duct tape or super glue to close small cuts.

Dr. Hubbard does a fantastic job of explaining symptoms, as well as how to treat a wide variety of wounds, bites, burns, illnesses and reactions. Like any book, the information does you little good after or during an emergency. I highly recommend getting some basic training and reading books like this one now. That way you have the information and can use the book as a reference during treatment if needed.

I had the chance to ask Dr. Hubbard a few questions, here they are.

Chris: What would you say are the top five medical emergencies the average person should know how to treat?

Dr. Hubbard: Good question. They may vary according to the situation you’re most likely to be in—for instance, a car accident, a flood, a snowstorm, a camping trip, or just hanging around the house. And, of course, there are situations where expert help is a 911 call away and times when it’s not. Here are five pretty common problems no matter the situation.

First, a cut. The immediate lifesaving treatment here is to know how to stop the bleeding. Everything else can wait.

Second, a burn. Know that the first thing to do is cool it. Then what to do afterward.
Then there are sprains and broken bones. Many times it’s impossible to tell the difference, but the initial treatment is the same.

For head trauma, you need to know the danger signs of a really bad trauma and how to properly move someone if they’re not fully conscious and you can’t rule out a concurrent neck injury.
Finally, chest pain. Know the warning signs of a heart attack, and know CPR and how to use an automatic external defibrillator—AED.

I’d like to add that the odds for which type of emergency will happen can depend on what diseases you or the people you’re around might have, such as diabetes, heart disease, seizures, etc.

Chris: I really like how you laid out the first aid supplies; listing the amount and the alternatives. If someone is just starting to build their first aid kit, what are the most important items to purchase?

Dr. Hubbard: Forgo anything fancy and make sure you get items you know how to use. Some of the basics would be gauze, tapes, Band-Aids, antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone ointment, scissors, a lighter or matches, and safety pins. There are so many things you can do with a few safety pins. And, of course you know I’d say a good medical manual. Equipment that you don’t know how to use is useless.

Chris: Some of the items you listed are a little more advanced than someone with basic first aid knowledge. Something I have thought about was having more advanced gear on hand, in hopes there might be someone with advanced medical training who just needs more gear. What are your thoughts?

Dr. Hubbard: That’s a great idea. In fact, if you know someone like that around, ask what they’d advise you to have. I’d say, some scalpels, suture and a suture holder. It would be nice to have syringes with needles, IV fluids—with tubing and catheters or butterfly needles to start the IV—injectable antibiotics, and lidocaine, but all of those require prescriptions. And, like in the question about common emergencies, if someone has a specific disease, there might be specific supplies that you’d need.

Chris: Once someone has taken a basic first aid, CPR and AED class, what would you recommend for the next level of training?

Dr. Hubbard: The basic, hands-on courses go a long way. Be sure to take a refresher course every few years. Next, you could check with your local fire department about what training is available if you volunteer. And, early this year, I’m going to have available several multimedia courses I’m really excited about. Just stay tuned to my blog.

Chris: One of the big events that most concerns me is a pandemic. I believe that imposing a self-quarantine is one of the best defenses. How can we know when the time is right to impose a self-quarantine? If we go too early, as many did during H1N1, we risk taking sick days and pulling kids from school. If we do it too late, we run the risk of exposing ourselves while we wait.

Dr. Hubbard: Well, you could check the CDC.gov website which could tell you their statistics on how widespread the disease is and how fast it’s spreading. And just be aware of what’s going on around you. One more thing would be to check any local websites you trust.

Every few years there’s a flu scare, but most don’t become pandemics. However, there have actually been about five flu pandemics over the last 100 years. The last was in 2009 to ’10—H1N1. And, of course, there’s always a chance of other new viruses that are even more dangerous.

If you have the luxury, I’d suggest staying in as much as you can any time a lot of people around you start getting sick or you start hearing reliable news that something bad is going around. Keep your kids home from school a day or two. Either the scare will blow over quickly and they can catch up, or you’ll find enough facts to keep them, and you, in longer.

Closing

I have a few first aid books and am glad this one is in the collection. I’ve followed Dr. Hubbard for a while, and am not surprised at all by the high quality of this book. If you are wondering what supplies you should have at home, in your BOB, or are in the marked for a solid book on first aid, I recommend looking into this one for sure!

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Filed Under: Medical and First Aid

Herbal Medicine Kit – Bites, Stings, Splinters Parts 2 and 3

October 25, 2013 by Chris Ray

Here are parts two and three of Herbal Medicine Kit – Bites, Stings & Splinters written by Kat Yorba, of Simply Living Simply.

“The air was fragrant with a thousand trodden aromatic herbs, with fields of lavender, and with the brightest roses blushing in tufts all over the meadows…”~William Cullen Bryant

Herbal Medicine Kit – Bites, Stings & Splinters Part 2

Bites, Stings & Splinters….continued!

We have already looked at the milder forms of Bites or Stings…our very industrious Ants and annoying Mosquitoes…now we take it up a notch with Bees; whom we love for what they do for us and provide for us (honey), and Spiders…well…we will just say some are beneficial and some are very beautiful and leave..it..at..that!

For the more severe stings and bites of Bees, Wasps, Spiders and also ticks we are going to be making a Poultice of Lavender, Echinacea and Bentonite Clay. You could also add a little Tea Tree to the mix as well.

Here are the ingredients in the Poultice and what affect each has:

Bentonite Clay: Pulls the poisonous material from the bit or sting to the skins surface and keeps it from spreading.
Echinacea: Dramatically reduces any allergic response that might occur.
Lavender: Stops the itching and reduces the swelling.
Tea Tree: If you include this essential oil it will aid in the antibacterial properties of your poultice.

And here is your recipe:

Bite and Sting Poultice Tips

*Remember that applying a poultice is only the first step in treating bites and stings that might cause an allergic reaction. Give anyone who I susceptible to these reactions half a teaspoon of Echinacea Tincture every ten minutes.

*Often times an allergic response will begin then retreat as the herbs take effect.

*REMEMBER that allergic reactions can have serious consequences. If you know that someone is highly allergic to a bite or sting, do NOT depend solely on herbal first-aid. Immediate medical attention is required.

*Wheezing, swelling, and hives are all indicators of serious and possibly even fatal consequences of an allergic reaction that require IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION!

And here is another recipe

You will need this to make your Bite & Sting Poultice

Recap: Today we learned a bit more about Bites and Stings, a recipe for Bite & Sting Poultice, the How To’s of making and using a Poultice, and a recipe for Echinacea Tincture.

Looking ahead: Next post we will be the last in our series about Bites and stings, we will be making a recipe for Ant Bite/Nettle Remedy, Insect Repellent and learning about the Yellowdock plant and a variety of Essential Oils including Citronella, Eucalyptus, Pennyroyal, Cedar and Rose Geranium.

Reminder: Have on hand these Essential Oils and the Yellowdock, containers for all your remedies, Vodka or Everclear and Baking soda.

Herbal Medicine Kit – Bites, Stings, Splinters Part 3

“When daisies pied, and violets blue, and lady-smocks all silver white. And Cuckoo-buds of yellow hue, do paint the meadows with delight.” ~William Shakespeare, 1595

Today we continue our 4 part look at Bites, Stings and Splinters with Part 3. We will be looking at how to treat Splinters, looking more in-depth at the herb Yellow dock, and working on a couple more recipes!

You cringed, didn’t you??!! We all do, splinters or burrs may be small, but they are NOT fun at all! The easiest of all remedies is a Plantain Poultice. Do not pass go…do not collect $200.

Just make and apply a Plantain Poultice and your good to go!!

Ant Bites & Nettle Stings…

How many times have you been out walking in the meadow or field or alongside the roadway, perhaps even out harvesting herbs or medicinal plants and you brush up against…you guessed it…NETTLES!!

Now, we love Nettles for their medicinal uses. But we don’t like the effect they have on us unawares!

And what about our lovely Ants, how much do we love them? Not when they get into our house and cupboards and food and certainly not when they bite us!

The pain that arises from being stung by Nettles or bitten by Ants is caused by formic acid. This acid can be neutralized by a poultice of yellow dock leaf tincture and baking soda. Yellow dock has long been popular in treating formic acid stings.

“Nettle in, dock out, dock rub, nettle out!”

Ant Bite/Nettle Remedy

Yellow Dock Tincture

You Will need this tincture to make the Ant Bite/Nettle Remedy

Yellow Dock

Yellowdock

Description:
Yellow dock is a perennial herb belonging to the Polygonaceae family, commonly referred to as the knotweed family. This family also includes rhubarb, buckwheat, and sorrel. Mature yellow dock stands no more than 4 feet tall and is reddish brown in colour. Its common name refers to the yellow taproot rather than the flowers or leaves. Its other common name, curly dock, refers to the willowy, undulating leaves. The leaves are grouped around a central point at the base of the stem. Plants produce light green floppy flowers between early spring and late autumn. The flowers are arranged in loose clumps along a stalk above the leaves.

Therapeutic and Traditional Uses, Benefits and Claims of Yellow Dock:
It is the taproot of yellow dock that is most commonly used in herbal remedies as it is rich in many compounds known to have cleansing and calming qualities as well as minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorous. The root is dug up in autumn, chopped and then dehydrated for storage.

Yellow dock contains a number of anthraquinones, including emodins, which are known for their laxative action. Though small doses of yellow dock can be used as an herbal remedy for diarrhea, higher doses actually cause diarrhea. The herb acts to stimulate peristalsis, and increase mucous production and secretion of water in the colon, alleviating the discomforts associated with constipation.

This herb also has diuretic properties, which makes it a natural remedy for water retention, inflammation of the bladder and urinary stones.

Both the laxative and the diuretic properties of yellow dock make this herb a natural cleanser. The toxins are flushed out of the system through the urine and stool. Yellow dock has been used to cleanse the circulatory system, liver, spleen, kidneys and bladder. It is often blended with other cleansing herbs, such as burdock, red clover, or dandelion, to flush the body of toxins and clear the path to healing the primary inflictions such as acne, boils, eczema, psoriasis and fungal infections.

When prepared as a poultice, yellow dock has a calming effect and is used as a natural remedy for boils and burns as well as skin problems such as weeping eczema, psoriasis, nettle rash, boils and abscesses. It has even been used as an herbal remedy in the treatment of syphilis and other venereal diseases with skin outbreaks as it alleviates itching and inflammation.

Yellow dock has been used extensively to resolve issues associated with menstruation. It is a traditional remedy for menstrual pain and heavy bleeding and has also been known to be helpful for unbalanced menstrual cycles.

The root of yellow dock is rich in iron and often used as an herbal remedy for anemia. The laxative effect of this medicinal herb also reduces issues of constipation often associated with iron supplements.

Yellow dock, like many other Rumex species, contains the antibacterial compound, rumicin. This makes this herb a natural remedy for treating bacterial infections of Escherichia, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, and Bacillus.

Glycosides found in yellow dock can help stimulate the liver, which helps heal poor absorption of nutrients and increases bile production which has further detoxifying effects.

Yellow dock is an herbal treatment for the relief of symptoms associated with upper respiratory disorders such as emphysema, asthma, and bronchitis.

The list of illnesses that yellow dock has been used to treat is extensive. Besides what has already been described, this medicinal herb has been used in the treatment of anthrax, anorexia, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, common cold, cramps, depression, fever, general weakness or loss of strength, headaches, hepatitis, high cholesterol, leprosy, malaria, menopause, mental stupor, mouth sores, oral hygiene, ring worm, and tuberculosis.

Dosage and Administration:
Dosage is critical as always as it can mean the difference between a natural remedy for diarrhea and severe vomiting, or worse. The root is generally taken as tea up to three times daily. One to two teaspoons of dried root in approximately two cups of water is steeped for ten minutes. The root can also be found as a tincture with the recommended dosage up to 2 tsp, three times daily.

Another good recipe using Yellow Dock

Potential Side Effects of Yellow Dock:
As with all herbal remedies, allergic reactions to yellow dock are possible. If there are signs of allergic reaction, stop treatment and seek medical advice. Yellow dock should not be taken in conjunction with medication for controlling calcium in the blood as excess use can lead to calcium deficiency in the blood. As it has diuretic effects, it should not be take with other diuretics. Nor should it be taken if there are pre-existing kidney or liver problems as it may only aggravate conditions.

Yellow dock, like any herbal laxative, should not be taken in combination with Lasix or any other brand name furosemide used for treatment of congestive heart failure and edema as it can cause potassium depletion. In high dosage, yellow dock can cause vomiting and lead to peristalsis and acute intestinal pain and if eaten in excess, even death.

A medical practitioner should be consulted immediately if any of the following symptoms are experienced after treatment with yellow dock: intestinal pain, vomiting, nausea, confusion, fatigue, seizures, and mouth numbness

The oxalates found in the leaves of this medicinal herb can cause kidney stones and gout if consumed in large quantities, though oxalate levels in the root are safe. Yellow dock should not be used without medical supervision if pregnant or breast-feeding and should not be given to children.

Recap: Today was the third in our series of Bites, Stings, and Splinters. We took an in-depth look at the herb Yellow Dock, and made three recipes with Yellow Dock; Tincture, Ant Bite/Nettle Remedy and a Yellow Dock Syrup.

Looking ahead: Next post we will be the last in our series about Bites, Stings and Splinters. We will making Insect Repellent and learning about a variety of Essential Oils including Citronella, Eucalyptus, Pennyroyal, Cedar and Rose Geranium.

Reminder: Have on hand these Essential Oils and the Yellowdock, containers for all your remedies, Vodka or Everclear and Baking soda.

Disclaimer

Nothing in this post is to be construed as medical advice, simply a sharing of things that have worked for me & my family. If you have any symptoms of serious illness, taking medication, pregnant or nursing, or have never worked with herbal materials before, please consider consulting a medical professional before use. I am unable to offer advise for your particular medical situation; please ask your doctor, nurse practitioner or naturopath for further guidance. The statements made here have not been approved by the Food & Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act.

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Filed Under: Medical and First Aid Tagged With: Herbals

Herbal Medicine Kit 101

October 18, 2013 by Chris Ray

Herbal remedies aren’t something I know much about but it’s a topic I am interested in. My friend Kat from Simply Living Simply has written a series of articles on the subject that I thought I would share from time to time with you. Today’s article, originally written by Kat, is called Simply Living Simply, and can be found at that link below.

Why Go Herbal?

As Homesteaders, Preppers and people that just want to eat and feel right….we have learned that “Whole” foods are best for us. If we nod our heads in agreement with that statement, then why do we continue to use man-made chemical pills, syrups and drugs when we get sick?

The best course of action in my opinion would be the “whole” route…granted the road less traveled, but getting busier everyday! Your bodies were created to break-down, metabolize and use effectively whole foods, plants, spices and the like….so, let’s look at several reasons why it would be good for us to “Go Herbal!”

Herbs are nature made…so they are really and truly natural.

We know what’s in them; they have a very small ingredient list!

Very inexpensive to grow, harvest, create and use.

They work!

I am sure there are many more very good reasons but this is an awesome start! Let’s take a peek at #2 for a minute: The ingredient list….have you looked at that cough syrup you take, lately? I have been dealing with allergies this season quite badly…and instinctively reached for a leading name brand allergy syrup to relieve my symptoms. But lucky for me, I have been on this reading labels kick so I did! Wow…take a look:

”Diphenydramine HCI, anhydrous citric acid, D&C red #33, FD&C red #40, flavors, glycerin, monoammonium glycyrrhizinate, poloxamer 407, purified water, sodium benzoate, sodium chloride, sodium citrate, sucrose.”

Some of the ingredients I actually know like glycerin and purified water, but the ones I cannot pronounce I am quite sure I don’t want in my body!!

The foundations of your Herbal Medicine Kit

The Herbal Medicine Kit – Your Basic First Aid

So let’s create an Herbal Medicine Kit that you can have in your home for any minor medical emergency and everyday aches, pains and illnesses. The beauty of this kit is YOU make it; so you know what’s in and YOU customize it for you and your family! This also means YOU can decide how far you want to go in deploying your Herbal Medicine Kit; bit by bit or cold turkey!

Herbal Medicine Kit 101 will deal with just the basics to get us all started. But look for future postings for information and recipes for specific ailments, and issues that come with the changing seasons. These postings will help you expand your Herbal Medicine Kit and create a very personalized kit just for you and yours!

What’s In the Herbal Medicine Kit?

Thought you would never ask. Here’s a run down for you:

Dried Herbs

Herbs we will look at and use in-depth:

Arnica

Lavender

Tea Tree

St. Johns Wort

Yarrow

Astragalus Root

Baptisia Root

Echinacea Root

Comfrey

Calendula

Yellowdock

Grindelia

Goldenseal

Oregon Grape Root

Essential Oils

Essential Oils we will look at and use in-depth:

Lavender

Peppermint

Eucalyptus

Cinnamon

Clove

Marjoram

Chamomile

Lemon

Tea Tree

Citronella

Pennyroyal

Cedar

Rose Geranium

Oils, Tinctures, Salves & More!

What products will I make?

Aloe Burn Spray

Arnica Tincture

Herbal Compresses

Herbal Healing Salves

Herbal Liniment

Homemade Aloe Vera Gel

Insect Bite Oil & Repellant

Lavender Smelling Salts

Antiseptic Spray

Poison Oak, Ivy & Sumac Past

Ant Bite Remedy

St. John’s Strain & Sprain Oil

Wound Healing Tincture

Yarrow Tincture

Here is the first article in a series Kat wrote called:

Herbal Medicine Kit Bite, Stings & Splinters, Part 1

“Here’s flowers for you; Hot lavender, mints, savoury, marjoram; The marigold, that goes to bed wi’ the sun,

And with him rises weeping…”

~William Shakespeare, 1611.

Welcome Back…

…to another posting of the Herbal Medicine Kit. Today we begin a 3 part look at Bites, Stings and Splinters. In the process we will look at many different herbs, essential oils and clays as well as make various herbal preparations.

Ready to get started?? Here we go:

Bites, Stings & Splinters…Oh MY!

Summer brings many pleasures…sunshine, long days, playing in the water and…MOSQUITOE’S!

If those pesky mosquitoes keep you from enjoying your summer fun…fear not, mother nature is here! Minor bites from mosquitoes and other insects respond very quickly to a wonderfully easy to prepare herbal oil.

Insect Bite Oil Recipe – Printable!

Click HERE to print

One more recipe for you…courtesy of Frugally Sustainable!

(This is a more advanced recipe for later use)

Itch Relief Stick

Ingredients

-1 ounce (approx. 2 tablespoons) olive oil infused with calendula flowers, chickweed, nettle leaf, lemon balm leaf, plantain leaf, and goldenseal root

-1 ounce (approx. 2 tablespoons) Shea butter

-1 ounce (approx. 2 tablespoons) cocoa butter

-1 ounce (approx 2 tablespoons) beeswax

-1 teaspoon Neem oil

-2 teaspoons essential oil blend (You can use a blend of clove, lavender, rosemary, peppermint, tea tree and/or ginger)

Method

1. Infuse your oil with the herbs.

2. In a double boiler, or small pot, over very low heat slowly melt the olive oil, butters, beeswax, and neem oil.

3. Once melted remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before adding the essential oils.

4. Pour mixture into a clean roll-up or lip balm tube and allow it to cool on the counter overnight.

Notes

-This Homemade Itch Relief Stick contains herbs that have been well-known for their strong antihistamine, analgesic, and antibacterial properties. Not only will this stick stop the itch, but it may reduce the risk for infection!

-The butters act as skin protectors to provide instant relief of itchiness and pain due to all sorts of insect bites and stings.

-This recipe makes quite a bit — approximately 4 ounces of product — so go in with a friend or two and share resources!

Let’s talk about some herbs and essential oils for a bit, to prepare us for our next posts recipe.

Echinacea

Echinacea is native to North America, with most of the research on this King of Immunity Herbs being done in Germany…and it’s early use gleaned from native healers. Now it is the herb of choice being one of the handful of medicinal herbs that are well known by the general public.

There are several species of Echinacea that can be used: E. angustifolia, E. purpurea, and E. pallida. All 3 species can be used and are interchangeable, however E. angustifolia lasts longer after its been dried.

We mainly harvest the root, but it’s common to see medicine made from the aerial portions of the plant as well. To harvest the roots and obtain the most medicinal qualities, harvest them in the fall after the plants have been growing for at least 2-3 years. The aerial portions can be harvested in the summer not matter the age of the plant. Remember when harvesting the aerial portions to leave enough of the

Plant for it to gather enough energy for next years growth.

Without a doubt, Echinacea is one of the most popular herbs today. With over 300 echinacea products being sold worldwide. Nearly 400 studies have shown that Echinacea can be used to improve the immune system in numerous ways. These include increasing activity of three of the immune systems workhorses-T-cells, Interferon and Natural Killer Cells. Echinacea also destroys many types of viruses and bacteria. Echinacea even makes cells stronger and more resistant to invasion.

Also known as

Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea pallida, Echinacea angustifolia, Coneflower, Snakeroot, Purple Coneflower, and Blacksamson.

Constituents

The complex sugars of the herb are its immune stimulants. Polysaccharides and Echinaceoside.

Parts Used

The root, leaves, stems and flowers, of Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, or Echinacea pallida.

Typical Preparations

The above-ground parts of the plant are used to make fresh juice, infusions (warm-water teas), and tinctures. The roots are used in either cut or powdered form for capsules, fluid extracts, teas, and tinctures.

Precautions

Use with caution if you are allergic to ragweed.

*Courtesy of Mountain Rose Herbs

Lavender

Lavender was widely used in ancient Egypt for its fragrance, and it was also a favorite in the homes of Greeks and Romans. Even its name is derived from the Latin, lavare, meaning “to wash”, because it was used in scented baths.

In Arab medicine, Lavender was used as an expectorant and antispasmodic, while European folk medicine regarded it as essential for healing wounds and as a worm remedy for children.

This fragrant plant is also famous for its wonderful aroma, which is used much in the perfume industry. It is also widely used medicinally and is a staple of aromatherapy to promote relaxation.

Lavender has been used for centuries as a tonic to ease conditions of the nervous system. It is a relaxant that calms nerves, relieves fatigue, depression, migraine and tension headaches, nervous exhaustion, irritability and excitement.

Also known as

Lavandula (spp- intermedia, pendunculata, officinalis and angustifolia) English lavender, Broad-leaf Lavender, Grande Lavander and True Lavender

Constituents

Essential oil containing borneol, camphor, geraniol, and linalool, also coumarins, caryophyllene, tannins, and other antioxidant compounds.

Parts Used

Flowers.

Typical Preparations

Teas, tinctures, and added to baked goods. Cosmetically it has a multitude of uses and can be included in ointments for pain and burn relief.

*Courtesy of Mountain Rose Herbs

Bentonite Clay

What is it? Bentonite, also referred to as Montmorillonite, is one of the most effective and powerful healing clays. Bentonite can be used externally as a clay poultice, mud pack or in the bath and, in skin care recipes. A good quality Bentonite should be a grey/cream color and anything bordering “pure white” is suspect. It has a very fine, velveteen feel and is odorless and non-staining. The type of bentonite offered by Mountain Rose herbs is a Sodium Bentonite.

How does it work? Bentonite is very unusual in the fact that once it becomes hydrated, the electrical and molecular components of the clay rapidly change and produce an “electrical charge”. To state it another way… “Bentonite is a swelling clay. When it becomes mixed with water it rapidly swells open like a highly porous sponge.

Where does it come from? Bentonite clay is sedimentary clay composed of weathered and aged volcanic ash. The largest and most active deposits come from Wyoming and Montana. (Mountain Rose Herbs stocks a Wyoming variety).

How is it manufactured? Bentonite is usually quarry mined from deposits that can range anywhere from 100 feet to several thousand feet. This depends on the health and vitality of the land it is processed from and how far a producer will go to find the right clay with the proper characteristics and consistency. From here it is mined from the earth and brought out into the sun to remove excess water and moisture and, to make it easier to work with. After the initial drying begins the final transformation. It gets processed (ground) with huge hydraulic crushers and it then goes through the final process of micronization, or “fine granulating”. This is usually done with the assistance of sophisticated and expensive granulators. Upon completion of this final process it gets inspected by a quality control team and is sent off for consumer use.

Recap: Today we learned a bit about Bites and Stings, how to make an Insect Bite Oil and another wonderful recipe by Frugally Sustainable for later use! We also learned about Echinacea, Lavender and Bentonite Clay. Information provided is of general nature, there is much…much more out there to learn!

Looking ahead: Next post we will be learning further about Bites and stings, learning what a Poultice is and how to make one, learning what a Tincture is and how to make one.

Reminder: Have on hand Echinacea root and Vodka/Everclear, Lavender Essential Oil, Bentonite Clay, containers for all your remedies.

Disclaimer

Filed Under: Medical and First Aid

Flu and Pandemic Preps to Buy Now

August 26, 2013 by Chris Ray

We’re turning the corner on summer with fall and winter not far off. The colder seasons bring with them a host of illnesses, including the flu. I have covered “How a True Pandemic May Look” previously. In it, I point out that the H1N1 pandemic wasn’t a true pandemic. The WHO lowered the mortality and morbidity rate. If we see a pandemic the likes of the 1918 pandemic, it will spread farther and faster and, in my opinion, have more of an impact on our society than the earlier pandemics have.

For this reason, I highly recommend that you consider purchasing the items I will list below. They may not keep you and your loved ones from becoming infected but they will offer a lot more protection.

Hibiclens

I had an MRSA scare a few years ago. I saw an Infectious Disease Specialist, who introduced me to Hibiclens. Hibiclens can be used for hand washing, surgical site prep, skin wound, general cleanser and surgical scrubbing.

You can read more about it on the clinical information page. Part of the information you will find there is the following:

“Hibiclens kills germs on contact and continues to lower skin microbial counts with repeated use. Its 4.0% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bonds with the skin to create a germ-killing field that keeps killing long after washing/scrubbing.”

In fact later in the clinical information we’re told:

“Hibiclens (4.0% CHG) is the most effective antimicrobial wash providing the longest protection – up to six hours per use1 – that is not neutralized by blood or other organic material.2”

I believe we purchased ours from Amazon but you might be able to find it cheaper elsewhere. There are several sizes but, in my way of thinking, if there is a pandemic, the chances of me being able to order another bottle quickly isn’t high, so I might as well buy a gallon.

I like Hibiclens over any of the hand sanitizers for a few reasons. First, Hibiclens is more than just a hand cleaner. Second, it doesn’t just kill things on contact. It protects for up to six hours after use. Hibiclens is also used to treat MRSA, so it may well be useful against whatever nastiness we see in the future.

Surgical N-95 NIOSH-certified mask

I covered this mask pretty thoroughly in “The N95 Face Mask”. Not all n95 masks are created equal. The kind you find at the home improvement stores are most likely not Surgical N-95 NIOSH-certified masks. Will they work as well? I honestly don’t know, but if OSHA is suggesting that the people who will be in direct contact with the illness wear the Surgical N-95 NIOSH-certified mask, then I tend to think there is a difference.

As I mention in the article, the N95 masks aren’t really tested against a pandemic because we haven’t had a true pandemic since before the masks were created. While it might not help, it’s not going to hurt. You could give it to the ill to keep their sputum from flying when they cough or sneeze, as well as have the healthy wear them as a precaution.

Latex Free Gloves

One of the major ways viruses are transmuted is through touching something infected and then touching our faces. These gloves are cheap enough that I can’t see a reason not to have them as a preparation. I would recommend using them in conjunction with Hibiclens to reduce your risk even further.

Some people might want to take things a step further and buy more personal protective equipment (PPE), such as disposable gowns and the like and I can’t see any problems with that.

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Filed Under: Medical and First Aid Tagged With: Pandemic

Prepepping with a chronic illness : Tips to help you cope and prepare

August 23, 2013 by Chris Ray

This article was written by Red C.J. and originally posted here, on The Survivalist Blog.net I am reposting it with permission from M.D. Creekmore.

My prepping challenge is preparing with post-disaster chronic illness or chronic pain, and this is for the many others with chronic illness(es) or their loved ones. My situation is far from unique, as one-third to one-half of Americans live with chronic illness or chronic pain. Millions of us live with high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s or dementia, heart disease, depression, arthritis, osteoporosis, pulmonary disease such as COPD, diabetes, cancer or stroke. So how can we prepare to survive in a post-disaster world?

First, a bio: At age 36, I started seeing chiropractors regularly for spinal problems. At age 40, a rheumatologist diagnosed me with fibromyalgia, and daily pain medicines began a year later. My pain gradually affected almost every aspect of my life. After living with daily pain for 5-8 years, it became like my shadow; I could not escape it.

In a grid-down situation, I fear that I would not be able to be productive and perhaps be seen as a liability for my family and community. In a post-disaster setting, without the support of the medical system, my productivity would be very limited. Will there be a place or role in a post-disaster world for a person who is disabled, or unable to function physically or mentally? The fictional stories I’ve read describe local social settings in which everyone can work and contribute, even the elderly. What would happen to those who could not work or contribute only minimally?

I read about others preparing to bug out by carrying a 50 lb. backpack and shudder, as that’s physically impossible for me, given my degenerative spinal problems. Thus I’ll be hunkering down with family at home, rather than suffering on the road. Your decision to bug out or stay home depends on your situation.

I learned to be ACTIVE in maintaining my health. I exercise 5-6 days per week, because exercise releases endorphins that are natural pain relievers, and because exercise improves my sleep level. Exercise is recommended for some kinds of chronic pain. I watch my diet and have lost over 15 lbs. this year. I read about my chronic conditions, and change my lifestyle when appropriate. Become as active as possible to maintain or improve your health.

My regular treatments include electronic stimulation, chiropractic adjustments, and massage therapy. In a post-disaster situation, I hope to trade or barter for massages and chiropractic treatments, but realize that electronic stimulation may not be available at my chiropractor’s office where I receive it. Planning to barter means stocking things that others will need in a post-disaster scene.

Medical preparations I’ve made:

Having been taking daily meds for years, I learned to get refills early, to prevent any days without meds. So I’d order my prescription refills 2-3 days early, before it expired. Gradually, I discovered I could get refills 4-5 days earlier. Doing this every month for about 7-8 months would result in an extra month’s worth of pills. Than another 7-8 months resulted in a 2nd extra bottle. I have a 3rd bottle of a few meds I’ve been on for years. I did not feel a need to tell my doctor or pharmacist. This method of collecting extra prescription meds has worked well with our health insurance from a major insurance company. It does, of course, require extra copays, and attention paid to securely storing them at room temperature.

This method is limited to long-term meds. A word of caution: If your doctor has reason to suspect you of drug abuse or meds shopping, then this strategy will fail. My wife is the only one who knows of my extra meds, because I don’t want our home to become a target for meds theft. Only my current meds would be seen in our bedroom; the extras are hidden in a secure place.

We have a supply of low-cost Over-the-counter (OTC) stuff like Capzasin, Stopain, Salonpas pads, 024 Pain Neutralizer (see www.024zone.com) and Epsom salt for my chronic pain.

Dry mouth is a common problem for us who take meds. Our food stocks include a supply of cough drops, hard candy butterscotches for the dry mouth caused by my pain meds. Oralbalance Biotene (www.biotene.com) and OraHealth XyliMelts (www.OraHealth.com) are OTC products for dry mouth.

Electronic stimulation and electronic therapy are proven to reduce fibromyalgia pain and stiffness, as well as other muscular pain or tension. I have extra 9-volt batteries for my electronic alpha-stim unit (see www.alpha-stim-com), plus rechargeable batteries and 2 small solar rechargers.

I purchased a Duracell Powerpack 600 for my cpap, to use when the electrical grid fails; testing it showed that it provided electric power for one and a half nights for just my cpap.

Future medical preps:

-Get a solar unit to recharge my Duracell Powerpack 600 for my cpap. We’re live in an area that gets lots of sunshine. Beyond that, an extra power pack & solar unit to recharge would provide enough power to run my cpap for 3 nights.

-Growing herbs for my health conditions is a possibility I need to research more. In my experience, herbs are not enough for my pain level, but they may be better than nothing after my meds run out.

Despite all these medical preparations, I realize that my life will be much harder if a disaster results in long-term loss of electricity and the medical system, given my physical limits and dependence on the U.S. medical system

I may never need to use my medical preps. But if and when needed, my medical preps are there to cushion the hardships of a post-disaster, grid-down situation. If you or your loved one lives with chronic pain or chronic illness, I sincerely hope a few of these ideas will help your medical preparations.

Since the specific medical problems you or your loved one faces may be different from mine, customize your prepping for your specific illness(es). May God bless and may His Spirit guide you.

Filed Under: Medical and First Aid

Two New Deadly Viruses to Be Aware of

May 17, 2013 by Chris Ray

Yahoo news has an article called “2 new viruses could both spark global outbreaks” that details two new deadly viruses. One is a coronavirus related to SARS, about which they had the following to say:

“The coronavirus related to SARS spread to France, where one patient who probably caught the disease in Dubai infected his hospital roommate. Officials are now trying to track down everyone who went on a tour group holiday to Dubai with the first patient as well as all contacts of the second patient. Since it was first spotted last year, the new coronavirus has infected 34 people, killing 18 of them. Nearly all had some connection to the Middle East.”

Here is what they had to say about the other virus:

“At the same time, a new bird flu strain, H7N9, has been infecting people in China since at least March, causing 32 deaths out of 131 known cases.”

Some of what I find concerning is that, as of the time of this writing, there are some theories but it is unknown how the virus is transmitted. The thing I find most alarming is the high mortality rate of each. The coronavirus is killing 50% of those infected and the H7N9 bird flu variant is killing roughly 25%.

The article goes on to say:

“WHO, which is closely monitoring the viruses, says both have the potential to cause a pandemic — a global epidemic — if they evolve into a form easily spread between people. Here’s a crash course in what we know so far about them:”

f you think back a few years to the H1N1 or swine flu, you might remember it was classified as a pandemic. However, the morbidity (infection rate) and mortality (death rate) were lowered to classify it as one. H1N1 had a mortality rate of 9.6%. It did, however, have a much higher morbidity rate than either of the two new viruses.

I have covered pandemic in other articles, so I’ll not rehash it all, but just link to it. First, in “How a True Pandemic May Look”, I explain what we can expect if a true pandemic, similar to those we have seen in history, sets in. In “Review of After Armageddon”, I review a History Channel show that explores what life may look like during and after a pandemic-like event.

Lastly, I covered “The N95 Face Mask”. There are many who push the N95 as a means to limit exposure to contagions. As I explain in that article, health professionals use a variation of the N95 called NIOSH certified. Keep in mind that health professionals use these as a precaution and do not know for sure if it will stop the spread, as they have not been tested against a pandemic.

If you want to keep up-to-date with these or other virus outbreaks, you can do so at WHO Disease Outbreak News (DONs).

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Filed Under: Medical and First Aid Tagged With: Pandemic

Stopping Blood Loss

April 26, 2013 by Chris Ray

bandage

One of the most dangerous medical conditions in an emergency is uncontrolled bleeding. Having the knowledge to stop bleeding is something each of us should have. It can take minutes for an ambulance to get to the scene when times are normal. In a large scale emergency or a survival situation, you may not be able to wait for the ambulance. If it were not for the emergency first aid given to people who lost limbs and had other horrific injuries, there would have been many more than three tragic deaths in Boston.

Perfect Circumstances

In perfect circumstances, you would try to reduce or stop the bleeding until the ambulance arrives and you would have access to a well-stocked first aid kit. You would also be able to wash your hands and put on gloves to avoid contact with the blood and spread of infection to the patient.

Basic Training

I think everyone should have some basic first aid training. The Red Cross offers First Aid, CPR and AED training. Our community education offers classes for a small fee as well. American Academy of CPR & First Aid, Inc. is a web based company that offers several first aid and CPR related classes online.

Basic first aid to stop bleeding; if possible have the person lie down and elevate the legs as well as the site of the bleeding.

If possible, flush the wound to remove any obvious dirt or debris. Don’t try to remove any large debris or more deeply embedded things.

Apply pressure to the wound, using clean bandages if you have them. If you find yourself in a place where you don’t have many clean bandages, make do with what you have; use your hands if nothing else is available.

Do NOT remove the bandage to check on the wound! If the bandage gets soaked through, add another to it and continue to apply pressure.

Arterial bleeding might not stop with applied pressure. In that case, you can apply pressure to the closest pressure point. The pressure point in the arm is on the inside of the arm, just above the elbow and below the arm pit. Pressure points for the leg are behind the knee and in the groin. Press the pressure point with your fingers flat, pushing against the bone. Keep applying pressure directly on the wound with your other hand.

Tourniquets have a sort of bad rap, as complications from them can lead to tissue damage or even a loss of limb. They should only be used when arterial bleeding cannot be stopped with direct pressure and as a last resort. A proper tourniquet should be 1”-2” wide. Any narrower and you may cause more damage or even cause a new cut. The wider the tourniquet the more pressure needed to stop bleeding. Here is a guide to applying a tourniquet.

Supplies

The average first aid kit is great for stopping small amounts of blood but won’t be very effective against severe bleeding. You can add some items to beef up your first aid kit that will make it much more effective. Members of the Preparedness Club get a 10% discount at First Aid Products.com and they carry almost everything I am going to list. Rolls of gauze and 4″ x 4″ bandages are great for stopping bleeding, as are feminine hygiene products.

Quikclot Sport Pack and CELOX

These two products are hemostatic agents that are very effective at stopping blood loss. There was some controversy when they first came out, as they sometimes caused tissue damage in the process. They have since improved greatly and are in use at hospitals and clinics. In fact, I cut my leg pretty badly a few years ago. I applied a bandage and used an ace wrap as a pressure bandage. When I got to the clinic for stitches, the bleeding started again as soon as the bandages were removed. They used Qwik Clot to stop the bleeding and then stitched me up. Trudee underwent heart catheter ablation at a local hospital last year. When they pulled the catheters out, Qwik Clot was used to stop the bleeding.

Both companies sell a variety of products. I personally bought these Quikclot Sport Pack pads but another type might fit your needs better.

Israeli Battle Dressing

This is a type of patented pressure dressing that can be used for stopping bleeding, splinting or as a tourniquet if needed. Using it is hard to explain, hence the video below. I have purchased these as well and will be making a trauma kit for the vehicles and one for the house, as an add-on for the primary first aid kit.