Pine Tree Resin for Those Awful Cracks in Winter Skin

A cure for cancer is all very well and good, but what can you do for the truly annoying wintertime problem when the skin on your fingertips crack and bleed?

A bit of research turns up that winter cold, a lack of humidity, dry skin and perhaps other underlying medical conditions can all be part of the problem. This cracking in the skin around the fingertips can be worse if you often have your hands in water--washing dishes, for example.

Some of the remedies I found using google were bag balm, other dry skin lotions, using a good lotion at night and putting on cotton gloves and wearing them to bed, Vicks Vaporub, and superglue. I've done the strong emollient at night with the gloves, and that does help. But it doesn't always heal the little cracks.

I don't have a dishwasher, just Ms. Right and Ms. Left to help out, and I wash dishes as they get dirty--which is often throughout the day. So not only do my fingertips crack, but they don't heal very easily. These cracks can be very painful, and occasionally bloody. Is there a good cure for this?

I was over to Fred's house, making him dinner or breakfast, and he had just gotten a box of some health food supplements and stuff. Included in that box were six tiny samples of pine tree resin (made with olive oil and petrolatum, whatever that is). He gave me one and I've been using it on the two little cracks I have in my thumb tip. They are responding very well--they'd probably be healed already if I could keep my hands out of water for a few days.

Here's some information on this ointment I found on the website that sells it:

PAV OINTMENT Trees could never live as long as they do, or be as resilient against fires, molds, fungus, cancerous growths, insect infestations, wounds, etc, without their precious resin. It is the healing power Nature puts in their pitch that gives the tree it's resilience to calamity and extreme conditions. Put Nature's healing power to work for you today! Learn what thousands now know about PAV, and why they now call it the "miracle salve" that challenges ALL skin problems!

PAV , Anti-fungal, antibacterial, anti-viral, topical formula. All natural, highly effective on ALL fungal conditions, itchy feet, foot odor, and infections! For most skin problems, PAV does the job! Dermatologists & Chiropractors LOVE PAV ! PAV contains rare, natural Tree Resin, Petrolatum & Olive Oil Note: petrolatum is a FOOD GRADE thickening agent!

This stuff is amazing. It is by far the best thing to put on pimples, blemishes, insect bites, etc. Nothing clears them up faster. It also works great for poison ivy, poison oak, spider bites, eczema, gum infections, diaper rash, genital warts, acne, gangrene, athletes foot, nail fungus, and the list goes on.

Hmmmm. This newsletter that published this was dated 2005, and when I did a search for PAV ointment at the website, PAV didn't come up. However, as they were selling a 1/6 oz. sample of PAV for $9.00 (yikes!), I wouldn't have bought the stuff anyway. Once I get my hands on some pine tree resin, I'll make my own salve with it.

The other salves I have on hand are calendula, which is working great for my dry winter skin, but it still not enough to heal the fingertip cracks, and plantain salve, which might or might not do the trick.

If the pine tree resin salve doesn't heal the cracks, then I will try this: I'll make sure I get enough PAV into the cracks, and then put a layer of superglue or New Skin over the salve, then gloves at night for a couple of nights.

BTW, my tone in the first paragraph is rather flippant about my last post, on the old gentleman's letter about his cancer cure with red clover blossoms. I don't mean to be: I found that testimony extremely moving and powerful. And if I were afflicted with cancer, I'd certainly turn to herbs and good nutrition, without a doubt. But there ARE other little crummy problems in life that herbs and good nutrition can help with as well.
HM

Remarkable Case of Cured Cancer

From Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Healing Herbs and Spices

A Very Remarkable Case of Cured Cancer

Without a doubt the most controversial application for the internal use of red clover has been as an alternative cancer treatment. It was originally included in the famous Hoxsey formula and more recently in Essiac, another popular herbal cancer remedy. Scientists who've evaluated the herb extensively now believe it is the flavonoids present in the plant which account for its dramatic anti-cancer activity. One study published in Cancer Research (48 (22) 6256-61, 1988) found that the total flavonoids from the blossoms inhibited by 40% the activity of a common laboratory carcinogen called benzopyrene, a compound always found in charcoal-broiled foods. An even earlier study in the same journal (30: 1922-25, July 1970) observed that one of these flavonoids, in particular quercetin, kept this same benzopyrene from becoming active in the liver and small intestines, where liver and colo-rectal cancers frequently occur.

However the real proof for red clover's effectiveness in fighting off cancer comes from letter that appeared in the New York Evening Post sometime in the last century, but was originally printed in the Phrenological Journal of December 1867. It is reproduced here in its entirity and was submitted by the recovered cancer patient himself, one Truman Woodford of West Hartford, Connecticut:

"When about fifty years of age (AD 1836), there appeared near the outer corner of my left eye a small scab, which slowly enlarged and soon became painful, attended with constant itching, or rather a twitching sensation.

"Feeling anxious about it, I applied to a physician in Hartford, Conn., who said it was a cancerous affection, but advised me to let it alone and give it no medical treatment. As the affected place continued to enlarge and the irritation increased, I applied to another physician, who attempted to cure it by applying caustic, which treatment proved an injury instead of a benefit.

"The sore increased in size, spreading over the temple, eating off both lids of the eye, discharging matter constantly, destroying the sight of the eye, and causing almost insufferable pain. Thus matters stood at the end of twenty years' affliction, and I had reached the age of seventy. I had up to that time consulted six physicians, from none of whom did I receive any relief. The cancer now assailed the substance of the eyeball, eating it out entirely. The sore spread over the temple to the size of the palm of my hand, and below the eye to about three-quarters of an inch.

"I then applied to an eminent physician in New York (Dr. Blake), and remained under his treatment one year without any benefit, but rather grew worse. I now gave up all hope of recovery, ceased taking medicines, and merely washed the affected part in cold water. During the summer of 1865, it had become so painful that I slept but little, was very weak and nervous, was confined to my bed most of the time, and expected soon to die; my friends thinking I could not live until the following spring.

"In the month of August, 1865, I heard of a remarkable cure of cancer by the use of a tea made from common red clover. Thinking it was at least harmless, I used it as a common beverage, making it very strong, and also washed the eye with the same. In less than two months, to my utter astonishment, the pain entirely ceased, and the sore began to heal at the inner corner of the eye. The healing process went on rapidly until the eye socket was healed over, forming a skin as smooth as that on my cheek, and the redness is now gone.

"There is not over my eye even the semblance of a scar, and but a few scars remain on the temple. My sleep is now sweet, my appetite good, am more fleshy than before, my general health has never been better, and I think I have as few infirmities, and am as hale and hearty as any man of my age, which is now eighty years."

The New York Evening Post introduced the old gentleman's letter with this brief testimonial gathered by one of its correspondents:

Mr. Joel Reed, son-in-law of Mr. Truman Woodford, has a cousin residing in Great Barrington, Mass., the wife of a hotel-keeper, who had cancer in one breast, which became so serious that the whole gland was removed by a surgeon and the wound healed.

"About a year after the cancerous tumor broke out in the other breast and was beginning to be serious. Mr. Reed, seeing the good effects of the clover tea and wash on his father-in-law, Mr. Truman Woodford, wrote to his cousin informing her of the fact, and urging her to try the remedy. She adopted it at once, and in a few months was entirely healed, and at the time of receiving this information, which was a year or more afterwards, no reappearance of the tumor has occurred."

The sum and substance of everything presented conclusively points to just one thing: so long as red clover blossoms are available for making a tea, there should never be any reason why cancer victims need to go to medical doctors to have their bodies poisoned by chemotherapy drugs and/or to have their entire immune systems nuked into oblivion with lethal doses of cobalt radiation.

And in the event that the cancer is too well advanced for even this herb to do any good, then may I suggest that the individual make his or her peace with God and spend whatever time remains at home instead of the hospital. By doing so, one passes on with his or her dignity and respect intact, rather than enduring the horrible pain of barbaric medical practices. At least this way it is natural and more humane than the other.

*************************

There you have it, folks. BTW, that is Heinerman's thoughts, not my own. I don't give medical advice as I am not a doctor. However, I thought I should share this story with you all, because I consider it important information for readers to have. Much preferable, would be for all of you to buy this book, as it is full of anecdotes and stories like the above. If you get a used copy, it is very affordable, and it is a remarkable book. One of the best on herbs that I have found, not especially in depth, but definitely encyclopedic. Most herbs- for-diseases books are set up in chapters by the complaint or disease. This one is set up in chapters by the herb or spice, and is very easy to read. My apologies to Heinerman and his publishers for citing such a large portion of text, it is undoubtable more than fair use.

A bit more on red clover. This is from a Peterson's Field Guide, Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs, by Steven Foster and James A. Duke.

Red Clover

Trifolium pratense

Uses:

Historically, flower tea has been used as an antispasmodic, expectorant, mild sedative, "blood purifier"; for asthma, bronshitis, spasmodic coughs; externally, a wash has been used as a folk cancer remedy, including the famous Hoxsey treatment, and for athlete's foot, sores, burns, and ulcers. Flowers formerly smoked in anti-asthma cigarettes. Science has not confirmed traditional uses. However, Red Clover contains many biologically active compounds, including phytoestrogenic isoflavones, such as genistein, diadzen, formononetin, and biochaninA, among others. Phytoestrogens activate estrogen receptors in mammals. Epidemiological studies provide evidence that certain dietary components can have a significant effect on the incidence and location of cancers in humans. Standardized extracts of Red Clover, produced in Australia, are now sold in the US. One tablet contains 40 mg of phytoestrogens, 8 times the amount consumed in the typical American diet.

Onwards,

HM

Lentil and Barley Bake

This recipe is from Eating Better for Less, edited by Ray Wolf (and put out by Rodale), available from Amazon for $0.01 used! I wanted to make this dish for Fred, who has a broken elbow if you haven't been following the blog lately. It sounded interesting and very nutritious. Here's a couple of items from Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions cookbook in the interlineal notes on the food value of lentils:

Since the beginning of civilization, the lowly lentil has nourished healthy peoples across a wide portion of the globe. Dr. Weston Price considered the lentil the most nutritious of all legumes, due to its high phosphorus content. Lentils are also rich in calcium, potassium, zinc and iron as well as vitamin B complex. Lentils have a high molybdenum content, a mineral that plays a role in protein assimilation, iron absorption, fat oxidation and normal cell function. They are low in phylates as well and thus need only be soaked a few hours rather than overnight.

. . . .

You would be interested to know that while you would have to eat 7 1/2 pounds of potatoes or 11 pounds of beets or 9 1/2 pounds of carrots to get the daily phosphorus requirement, all of which would provide too high a number of calories, you would obtain as much phosphorus from 1 pound of lentils. This would also provide the calcium.

So, dear readers, lentils are good for you. Here's the recipe:

Lentil and Barley Bake

1 cup lentils

6 Tablespoons barley

3.5 cups water

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, diced (I added 1 stalk celery diced as well)

1/2 tsp salt

1 bay leaf

Sauce: 3 Tablespoons molasses

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

1/3 cup reserved cooking liquid

1 clove garlic (I used 2)

1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

(I also added 1 tsp tumeric)

1/2 tsp salt

Topping: 1 egg

6 tablespoons cornmeal

1/2 tsp salt

Wash lentils and barley in cold water and drain well. (If you were soaking, you'd wash and then soak the lentils and barley--I didn't soak them.) Combine lentils, barley, water, onion, carrots, salt and bayleaf in large saucepan. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat, and let simmer 45 minutes. Strain, reserving 1/3 cup of the liquid, and transfer cooked grain and vegetables to a casserole dish.

Prepare sauce by combining molasses, vinegar, reserved cooking liquid, garlic, dry mustard powder and salt. Pour over vegetables in the casserole. (I also added some roast venison we needed to use up since neither we nor Fred are vegetarians. And, because I have a bag of recently harvested chickweed, I added a handful of chopped chickweed too. I also skipped the topping.) Mix remaining ingredients for topping and spread over vegetables.

Bake in 350 degree oven until liquid is absorbed and topping browns lightly, about 20 minutes.

Yield: 4-6 servings

As you can tell, I have a hard time sticking to exact recipes. In fact, to me a recipe is simply an idea for a dish. I usually follow the main lines, but I don't hesitate to make additions or subtractions. Sometimes I will follow a complicated recipe exactly to be sure I get it right, but that's only the first time I make it. From then on, it's fair game to mess around with it. This is the joy and fun of cooking. Even when I've screwed up and have to compost the resulting mess of whatever it was that didn't turn out (a rare occasion :), I still manage to have fun in the kitchen. Everyone should!

The sauce makes this a very tasty dish which could easily feed a family of four. We'll have it a few times and so will Fred. YUM.

Enjoy, HM

Tidbit on Medicinal Value of Spices

From Eating Better for Less: A Guide to Managing Your Personal Food Supply
Edited by Ray Wolf

I borrowed this book from Fred today, and came across this paragraph in a section on Indian Cooking:

Spices are more than just a seasoning, and Sanskrit writings which are 3,000 years old stress the importance of spices for their preservative and medicinal value. Pepper and chilis were recommended for treating digestive ailments; ginger was thought to cure liver complaints and to counteract flatulence. Tumeric apparently was made into a paste and applied to skin to stop itching or to clear up skin diseases. Cardamom is served today in modern India at the end of a meal along with cloves and the betel nut and its leaf to freshen the breath and help with digestion. In the Sanskrit treatise, cardamom was described as a remedy for halitosis, nausea, headaches, fevers, colds, piles and eye diseases. Coriander was recommended for constipation, insomnia, and childbearing. Many of these ideas persist today, and ginger is still added to lentils or peas when they are cooked in order to counteract flatulence. Refrigerators even today are a rarity in India and the preservative function of spice is of obvious importance.

This is an excellent book--look for a review of it here shortly.

Now I gotta go finish up dinner: chicken and dumplings today, in a rich broth with lots of tasty vegetables. YUM.
HM

Herbs for Broken/Fractured Bones

About a month ago, our friend and neighbor Fred fell and hurt his arm and ribs while we were at the Amish farm. Fred is 80, and getting fragile. He's a health nut, so he eats well and takes (probably too many) supplements--but he IS healthy. He holds the same opinion of modern mainstream American medicine as we do (scary and nearly worthless when it comes to actual health, drug purveyors for Big Pharma, etc.) and has stayed away from doctors most of his life. He has an advanced case of rheumatoid arthritis which has nearly crippled his hands, but he is still in better shape than most 80 year olds.


We were just leaving the Amish farm and were out on the porch. We turned to watch an older Amish man back up a team of horses and a wagon. It's an interesting sight, watching how he got these huge draft horses to back up. Unfortunately, Fred didn't watch his step because of the distraction and he took a fall against the porch. Well, that time, he badly bruised his arm and his ribs hurt, but he thought he was OK. Home we went and I brought him over some comfrey tea and calendula salve for his arm.


Last Saturday, coming back from the Amish farm again, we stopped at the Fayetteville store (a little grocery/convenience store with a gas station) on our way home. Fred fell again, he tripped over a parking curb. This time he really smashed his arm and his hip. I dropped what I was carrying to grab him, hoping to stop his fall, but I missed and down he went. A couple of guys filling their trucks with gas came over to help. After checking him to see that he hadn't banged his head or broken his neck, we gently raised him to a sitting position, then stood him up. He thought he was badly bruised, but nothing broken, and he didn't want to go to the Emergency room. So home we went and I got him safely into his house and set him up for the rest of the afternoon. We buy eggs for lots of people from the Amish and Fred delivers them on Saturday afternoon. I offered to do it, but no, he wanted to. OK. And he did deliver them, thinking he was alright.


Turns out, though, that we had to take him to Emergency the next day. His leg was going out on him and he thought he might have broken his hip. At the Emergency room, they did Xrays and found that he hadn't broken his hip, but that his right elbow had a compound fracture with a fancy name I can't recall. Sigh. They would need to operate on it to fix the elbow.


This is terrible news to a guy with no health insurance and no extra cash lying around. I don't know how much the emergency room visit cost, but the orthopedic surgeon visit yesterday costs him 700+ dollars. And that's just for casting his arm. Decided not to operate (Fred doesn't have much use of that arm anyway with the RA), and cast it instead. And he must get a platform thing for his walker so he can lean his casted arm on the walker and take the weight off his hip, which might have a fracture in it. He will have the cast and have to use the walker for at least 6 weeks.


So, I've started doing what I can to help him out. I go over and make him breakfast and get him settled for the day. Ditto with dinner. I can do any of the cleaning and errand running that might need to be done. Other ladies here have already joined in cooking for him (I think the problem will be too much food, not too little!)


What herbs can be used for this? For broken bones? Well, the good news there are some very good herbs for this kind of thing. Horsetail is one of them. Here's what Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Healing Herbs and Spices has to say:

No other herb in the entire plant kingdom is so rich in silicon as is horsetail. This trace element really helps to find protein molecules together in the blood vessels and connective tissues. Silison is the material of which collagen is made. Collagen is the "body glue" that holds our skin and muscle tissues together. Silicon also promotes the growth and stability of the skeletal structure.

A few European clinical studies have determined that fractured bones heal much more quickly when horsetail is taken. The incidence of osteoporosis is, likewise, more greatly reduced when some horsetail is added to the diet. A few folk healers I'm aware of have recommended this herb to athletes who've suffered sprains, dislocated joints, pulled hamstrings or torn ligaments.

He also recommends cactus, marshmallow, tumeric and wormwood. I don't have cactus or marshmallow on hand, but I do have tumeric and wormwood.

Tumeric

Tumeric has manifested remarkable anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting induced edema and subacute arthritis in rats and mice. These positive results are comparable to the same effects achieved by popular anti-inflammatory drugs like hydrocortisone acetate and phenylbutazone. Two half teaspoonfuls taken morning and evening in juice can help somewhat.

Additional relief may be obtained for this disease, contusions, sprains and fractures by mixing together 2 tbsp. tumeric with 1 tbsp. lime juice and just enough boiling water to make a nice, smooth, warm paste. This can then be applied directly to the area of swelling and pain, and then covered with some plastic food wrap to retain the heat and moisture longer. The consistency of the paste should be similar to that of creamy peanut butter so that it can be spread on the skin easily.

Hmmmm. Well, that won't work in this case, since his arm is now in a cast. However he can take the tumeric in juice and let it work that way. And I'll make a tincture of the wormwood with some vodka and he can use that as a pain-reliever when he runs out of the strong stuff the docs have him on now. Meanwhile, I'll see if anyone has some marshmallow. It grows around here, but this is the wrong time of year to go hunting it. I'll also make him some comfrey tea. Of course, I'll do a little more research to check for contraindications or drug/herb interactions, but I think these additions to his treatment with help his body with healing the broken bones and torn muscles.

As Fred says, getting older is a bitch. Well, better than the alternative in most cases, sez me. :)

Onwards,

HM

On Comments

Most bloggers I know value their readers' comments. I want to thank everyone who has commented, whether in praise or in criticism. Constructive criticism is absolutely necessary, and I value it. As a writer and editor, I know what it is to be on both sides--as a writer, and as an editor. For a brief time I wrote a weekly 500 word column and had the best editor in the world: Claire Wolfe, the libertarian writer. Man, she could tear up something I'd written and with a few choice words, have me busily re-writing the damn thing over and over again. But it helped me immensely and I'm grateful for that. I regard readers' comments the same way: one of the best ways to improve a product is to listen to the customers.

Readers are customers here, and this product, Handmaiden's Kitchen, can and will be improved by what you have to tell me. What to see different kinds of posts? Let me know. Want to tell me I'm an idiot for some reason or another? Feel free. I might or might not agree with any particular form of idiocy I reveal, but I'll relish your wit in pointing it out if that's the case. Flames can be fun too, as I'm not extremely thin-skinned (can't hang around with the Gruff Lord and be thin-skinned... :)

If you find things interesting, or blah, or hey, what about ??? Drop me a comment and we'll take it from there. Thanks for checking in here. Tis appreciated.
HM

Home Remedies from Amish Country

Home Remedies from Amish Country
Revised 5th Edition
Published by Abana Books, Ltd.
6523 Township Rd 346
Millersburg OH 44654


I purchased my copy from the Amish bulk store. It is available used from Amazon for a couple of bucks (+shipping at $3.99). It is a very interesting book, heavy on the use of apple cider vinegar, which is all around great stuff. Garlic is big in the book as well. And there's lots and lots of home remedies, all submitted by Amish folks.

The copyright info does say that no part of "this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form ... except for brief excerpts in reviews." I'm including these short paragraphs in my review here as it is a very good synopsis of how disease, toxemia, germs and and unhealthy body work. This section is called Body Cleanser I:

Cleansing the soul if just as important for good health as cleansing the body. Man has been held in the bondage of misery and suffering with negative, destructive influences from licensed and unlicensed witchcraft. [Wonder if the author of the quote is talking about mainstream medicine here?? HM]

Cleansing the body is basic for the elimination and correction of every kind of disease. When we become sick of being sick, then we will learn the truth and it will teach us that we can be free from any disease. Deficiencies in the raw materials our bodies assimilate and use for cell building produce deteriorated cells which in turn will produce toxins. Disease, aging and death are the result of accumulated toxins and congestions throughout the entire body. Germs and virses exist in excess only when we provide a breeding ground in which they can survive and multiply. They are in the body to help break down acculmulated toxins and congestions. Do you think that a microscopic microbe which will make you sick when you are well and strong, that you will ever become strong enough thereafter to throw it off? Infection and fever are not caught; they were created to burn off the excess wastes and toxins our bodies have accumulated. With this understanding, all diseases are varied expressions of the one disease called toxemia. This is briefly defined as a saturation of toxins and congestions in the body. As a person reaches of limit of what the body can tolerate, a good house cleaning is started, and one of nature's most effective methods is to start loosening and eliminating these toxins and congestions with bacterial or viral action. As this action progresses, we become sick and feverish, and the body's other resources kick into action to clean us out as fast as possible. As disease-producing toxins are expelled from our bodies, deficiencies must be restored. Thus a cleansing diet must also incude the proper material for building healthy cells.

.....

Lemons and limes are the richest source of vitamins and minerals of any food known to man. This lemon juice diet has been in use by many thousands of people since 1940 and may be used with complete safety for every known type of sickness. Other reasons to use this diet are for resting the digestive system, losing excess weight, and better assimilation of nutrients from food. Using this diet 3 or 4 times per year will do wonders for your health. Follow the diet for a minimum of 10 days and up to 40 days for extremely serious conditions. All the nutrition needed during the cleansing period is supplied in the diet. This diet does not have any dangerous side effects. Do not substitute any ingredients and make it exactly as shown.
2 Tablespoon lemon or lime juice from fresh fruit only (about 1/2 lemon)
2 T pure maple syrup (less if more weight loss is desired)
1/10 tsp cayenne powder (may start with a dash and increase amount)
Combine the above ingredients and add enough medium hot or cold water to fill a 10 oz glass. Pure sorghum may be used as a lesser substitute when maple syrup isn't available. About 6-12 glasses per day are sufficient. Extra water or mint tea may be taken if desired. When you get hungry just have another glass of lemonade. No other food, vitamins or supplements should be taken during the full period of the diet. If you do, you may defeat your efforts at cleansing the body.

End quote. Also recommended is a herbal tea laxative every morning, aiming at 2-3 bowel movements a day. To come off the diet, drink a glass of orange or grape juice for the first 2-6 meals, adding raw and cooked veggies in small portions after that.

I can vouch for this fast (I call it a fast, they call it a diet) as being very beneficial. Your body will rid itself of toxins, which will make you feel pretty sickly: headaches, dizziness, weakness, vomiting might occur. This is a sign that the fast is working--as your body dumps toxins into the bloodstream on route to elimination, you feel sick--that's the toxins being kicked out and released. Be patient, pray, and let your body do what it knows will work and rid you of excess rotten crap in your system.

The book carries the all important disclaimer that this information is presented only for historical and educational purposes: it is NOT medical advice. Readers should always consult with their physician before trying any home remedies, and etc. That disclaimer applies to this blog as well.

The book is divided into Baby Care, Health Care, Weight Loss, Salves, and an Index. A majority of the remedies include one or more of the following: apple cider vinegar, lemons, onions, garlic, cayenne pepper, honey, and baking soda. The herbs include: ginger, feverfew (for migraine), plantain, boneset, red clover blossoms, goldenseal, echinacea, aloe vera, and more.

Here's a typical remedy that is repeated by many Amish in the book:

The way to stay healthy and alert, well into old age, is to combine one teaspoon of cider vinegar, one teaspoon of honey, and a full glass of water. Take this tonic three times a day, 1/2 hour before meals. Sylvia Shetler

Here's another one, also repeated many times:

1 tablespoon [baking] soda in a glass of water for 3 day, never more than 3 days, the body would become too alkaline. The body is in an acid state when flu strikes. Simon S. Schwartz

The body's acid/alkaline balance is very important. Disease strikes when your system becomes too acidic. Assisting your system to become more alkaline is important.

Here's another remedy for kidney stones:

Wash six ordinary size red beets. Do not slice them. In 3 quarts of water, boil them slowly so as not to boil the water away. After an hour, strain the water and bottle it, placing it in the ice box to prevent souring. Drink 3 glasses of this a day. The drink simply dissolves the stones, and you don't even pass them. Mrs. Lloyd Kuepfer

In our household, we use a lot of home remedies. We do not have health insurance and tend not to use the mainstream medical system much. For one, it has priced itself out of our range. For another, we don't agree with allopathic methods or theory. It is not enough to supress symptoms. Far more important is to get to the root cause of the problem. So Home Remedies from Amish Country is a natural for us, and we have used and will use many of the suggested remedies.

This is an excellent little book, full of interesting ideas. For about $5, used from Amazon, it can't be beat. Then all you have to do is follow the educational and historical non-advice. :)
HM