I've talked of this before, but it is worth mentioning again. Every Saturday, a neighbor of ours, Fred, and I take a drive down to our local Amish neighbors. The Amish live in about 20 of the states, as well as Canada and some are moving or have moved down to South America, too, I believe. Wikipedia has a good article on the Amish if you're interested.
The Amish family we visit with and buy from are Old Order Amish. That is, no electricity, no phone at home (they can use a phone if they need to, in emergencies, but otherwise don't), travel by foot, horse and buggy, or horseback (or hire a driver and van to take them somewhere). It's a simple, 19th century sort of life, maybe even 18th century. Fred and I really enjoy our trips to the farm. There we get milk, cream, buttermilk, eggs, butter (sometimes churned as we watch and have coffee in the kitchen), fresh garden produce, meat occasionally if they've just butchered cows or pigs or chickens, baked goods, homemade cider and things like that. We buy the dairy products as "pet food" since you cannot sell raw milk in Indiana. Our "pets" love the dairy products. :) Joaz and Lydia run an organic farm, and we pay a lot less at the farm than we would in the local whole foods/organic coop place a few towns away. It's a good deal for us, and a good deal for them. We buy for all of our neighbors in the valley who want the eggs, etc.
I admire these folks. They have kept their lives simple so they can focus on matters important: their families, their church, their fellowship with God and each other. They speak a dialect of German but all of the school-going kids and adults speak English as well. I've started learning German, so I can talk to them in their language, but the immersion German CDs I got from the library didn't give me much more than "Wo ist die Goethe strasse, bitte?" However, since I've made the effort, Joaz and Lydia and Emme, the oldest girl, usually help me along with the lingo, at least in between laughter at my feeble efforts. Ah, well. It's fun. Wait til I learn some Spanish and start teaching it to them. :)
At most of the Amish farms along the way there are signs for eggs, or fresh produce, or lumber or firewood, and sometimes there's a harness shop, tack store, handmade baskets, etc. When we go to the Troyers (Joaz and Lydia), we often also go to the Bulk Store, which is run by family in their church group. The bulk store is an interesting set up. Here you can buy your necessities--sugar, flour, oats, pasta, sauces, etc. It is mostly food, dry goods, but not produce, with a few other handmade items. Either the bulk food is shipped to the store, or they go into the local Aldi's and Walmart and buy in bulk. I've seen two or three Amish guys buying 4-6 stuffed carts full of groceries at Aldi's. This purchase may be for the bulk store, where it will be measured into smaller portions, repackaged and sold to either other Amish families or to outsiders like Fred and I.
The bulk store makes a lot of sense--a trip to Walmart may be short for automobile drivers, but it is a long way and many hours for the Amish horse and buggy. If you are an Amish farmwife, and you need some dry goods, you can get it from the bulk store a few miles away, rather than an all day trip to the town with the Aldi's/Walmart.
The reason I mention the bulk store is because I bought some oats for oatmeal at this store yesterday. I got 6 lbs for $3. That's a much better price than the $2.39 I'd spend at Aldi's for 2lb10oz oatmeal. I realize I could buy in larger bulk and get even better prices, and I will when we have the room to store it. You can get excellent deals at the bulk store. Honey, blackstrap molasses, maple syrup, various homemade jams, jellies, pickles etc. are also available at good prices.
If you live in Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Tennessee, Wisconsin and possibly a few other states, there may be Amish near you. I cannot vouch for every Amish farm, but we've found the produce to be outstanding. The dairy is very good, ditto with the veggies and grains and meat. Good food at a good price. Keep in mind that not all Amish farms are organic. You'll have to ask around.
Fred and I also go to the local herb store--well, it is actually more of a pharmacy, Amish style. They don't carry bulk herbs, but they do carry herbal tinctures, salves, ointments, medicines for man and beast, as well as kitchen equipment, some tack, and other items (canning jars and lids, for example). The Amish doctor themselves with herbs and herbal extracts for the most part. They have access to mainstream medicine if they want it or need it, but mostly, for simple problems, they stick with herbs. Lydia and I often sit for a time and talk about physical ills and what to do about them. I traded them some of my elderberry syrup and elderberry extract for some baked goods not long ago. I'm preparing a salve for one of the kid's hands--he burned it on the stove and the scar tissue has tightened up his fingers and has lost flexibility and strength.
Joaz and Lydia are also a resource for us for otherwise hard to find or very expensive items--working cookstoves, lanterns, that sort of thing. They'll know if there's an auction or who might have something used and in good shape.
If you have Amish families and farms in your area, it's worthwhile getting to know them. They're shrewd barginers, but fair and honest. At least all my dealings with them have been excellent.
HM
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
From Lucifer's Hammer
I just finished reading Lucifer's Hammer (by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournell) for the second time. Just as good a read as the first time! As SHTF novels go, this one scores the gold. A meteor hits the Earth. China attacks Russia, nukes flying right after all hell breaks loose with the meteor, which has calved and hits all over the world. Massive tidal waves. Rain for weeks. A seriously bad scenario. . . and yet, some folks survive (or we wouldn't have the pleasure of reading how they do it...).
It is a well-written novel, very entertaining at the same time it is pretty scary. Many millions don't survive, of course, and for those that do survive the meteor hits, there are zillions of ways for them to perish.
There is not much that is useful for the survival-minded, really. I mean, if you're in the right place, right time and incredibly lucky, you might have had a chance. In this scenario, there's not much you could do to increase your chances of survival without that supreme luck. So, there's no info on which tool would serve best, nor hints on how best to set up a latrine in a camp, or to live in the woods or even in the cities--there's too much calamity inherent for that.
But towards the end, I did come across a couple of paragraphs which seems worthy to me of copying and keeping. And here they are:
(This is set in the surviving valley belonging to a Californian senator. All the folks in the valley are on his side--lots of bad guys on the outside.)
The children had adjusted quickly to the new conditions. One elderly adult as a teacher, a dozen or more children, two working dogs and a herd of swine: school and work. A different sort of school with different lessons. Reading and arithmetic, certainly, but also other knowledge: to lead the pigs to dog droppings (the dogs in turn ate part of the human sewage); and always to carry a bucket to collect the pig manure, which must be brought back at night. Other lessons: how to trap rats and squirrels. Rats were important to the new ecology. They had to be kept out of the Stronghold's barns (cats did most of that), but the rats were themselves useful: They found their own food, they could be eaten, their fur made clothing and shoes, and their small bones made needles. There were prizes for the children who caught the most rats.
Closer to town was the sewage works, where the animal and human wastes were shoveled into boilers with wood chips and sawdust. The heat of the fermentation sterilized everything, and the hot gases were lead out through pipes that ran under City Hall and the hospital to form part of the heating system, then condensed. The resulting methanol, wood alcohol, ran the trucks that collected the wastes, with some left over for other work. The system wasn't complete--they needed more boilers, and more pipes and condensers, and the work absorbed too much skilled labor--but Hardy could be deservedly proud of the start they had made. By spring they'd have a lot of high-nitrogen fertilizer from the residue in the boilers, all sterilized and ready for the crops they'd plant--and there should be enough methanol to run tractors for the initial heavy work of plowing.
Those are the two paragraphs I found useful and worth keeping. I'll keep the whole book of course, it is a great read and a good novel. Thought-provoking as they say. I'll also hope that no meteor hits the earth, but in the meantime, I found the sewage use interesting.
HM
It is a well-written novel, very entertaining at the same time it is pretty scary. Many millions don't survive, of course, and for those that do survive the meteor hits, there are zillions of ways for them to perish.
There is not much that is useful for the survival-minded, really. I mean, if you're in the right place, right time and incredibly lucky, you might have had a chance. In this scenario, there's not much you could do to increase your chances of survival without that supreme luck. So, there's no info on which tool would serve best, nor hints on how best to set up a latrine in a camp, or to live in the woods or even in the cities--there's too much calamity inherent for that.
But towards the end, I did come across a couple of paragraphs which seems worthy to me of copying and keeping. And here they are:
(This is set in the surviving valley belonging to a Californian senator. All the folks in the valley are on his side--lots of bad guys on the outside.)
The children had adjusted quickly to the new conditions. One elderly adult as a teacher, a dozen or more children, two working dogs and a herd of swine: school and work. A different sort of school with different lessons. Reading and arithmetic, certainly, but also other knowledge: to lead the pigs to dog droppings (the dogs in turn ate part of the human sewage); and always to carry a bucket to collect the pig manure, which must be brought back at night. Other lessons: how to trap rats and squirrels. Rats were important to the new ecology. They had to be kept out of the Stronghold's barns (cats did most of that), but the rats were themselves useful: They found their own food, they could be eaten, their fur made clothing and shoes, and their small bones made needles. There were prizes for the children who caught the most rats.
Closer to town was the sewage works, where the animal and human wastes were shoveled into boilers with wood chips and sawdust. The heat of the fermentation sterilized everything, and the hot gases were lead out through pipes that ran under City Hall and the hospital to form part of the heating system, then condensed. The resulting methanol, wood alcohol, ran the trucks that collected the wastes, with some left over for other work. The system wasn't complete--they needed more boilers, and more pipes and condensers, and the work absorbed too much skilled labor--but Hardy could be deservedly proud of the start they had made. By spring they'd have a lot of high-nitrogen fertilizer from the residue in the boilers, all sterilized and ready for the crops they'd plant--and there should be enough methanol to run tractors for the initial heavy work of plowing.
Those are the two paragraphs I found useful and worth keeping. I'll keep the whole book of course, it is a great read and a good novel. Thought-provoking as they say. I'll also hope that no meteor hits the earth, but in the meantime, I found the sewage use interesting.
HM
Uber Amazing Blog
Wow! Tammy over at the Witchen Kitchen awarded me the Uber Amazing Blog award--not that I really deserve it, but thanks, Tammy! I blush because I've been neglecting to post for a while.
The rules of this award are:-
* Put the award logo on your blog or post (right click on award, save as)
* Nominate at least 1 blog that you consider to be Uber Amazing!
* Let them know that they have received this Uber Amazing award by commenting on their blog
* Share the love and link to this post and to the person you received your award from.
Tammy has a wonderful and informative blog, and people interested in herbs should check it out. I can't consider myself an herbalist, though I've been using herbs for ages. I am more a beginner forager, but I certainly pay attention to all information herbal as well. My thanks to Tammy.
Two of the biggest of my current interests are how to survive in an increasingly difficult world and wild plant/herbs/nutritional medicine. So I'm passing this award on to Treesong, at The View from Treesong's, a woman whose advice I heed on how to live and live well on very little. I learn a lot from her blog, and recommend it to all. Life just got sweeter! My thanks to all...
HM
Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Healing Herbs & Spices
As you can see, I copied the picture from Amazon's listing. Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Healing Herbs & Spices is a simply wonderful resource. I ordered it used and received it quickly and I've been reading in it ever since. I had first gotten a copy from the library, but it was so good and useful that I had to get my own.
As with most encyclopedias, this isn't something you sit down to read through. There's too much information for that. It is a book to browse, or to check for certain information.
Here's what the back cover had to say about John Heinerman;
John Heinerman is a medical anthropologist whose research has taken him to 33 countries, where he has worked with folk healers as well as top doctors and scientists. Widely known for his lectures throughout North America, Dr. Heinerman has appeared on television and radio and has written hundreds of articles in the area of folk medicine, herbs, and nutritional healing for The Herbalist, Folk Medicine Journal, and Vegetarian Times. He is also the author of over two dozen books, including the bestsellers Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Healing Juices; Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Nuts, Berries, and Seeds; and Heinerman's New Encyclopedia of Fruits and Vegetables...
Considering that the book is so inexpensive bought used through Amazon (and my copy is truly as good as new), everyone interested in herbs and nutritional medicine should get a copy. I'm finding it very interesting as well as containing tons of information, great stories of how herbs have helped heal many physical problems, case histories, examples from scientific/medical journals, anecdotes from folk healers around the world, and all kinds of recipes--nutritional and medicinal.
Here's a section on using juniper berries for flu that is representative of many entries:
Knocks the Flu for a Loop
When influenza hits, it usually spells a long period of aggravating miseries, which seem to change with the infection going through its several different stages of activity. The worst part about the flu, however, is that it is usually tends to linger for days, even weeks, after the worst symptoms have passed.
There are a number of herbal remedies for coping with the flu. But none of the herbalists I know or the books they have written have ever suggested hot jumiper tea for this problem. In fact, I didn't even know myself how good it was until an old Navajo shaman years ago acquainted me with it when I was an invited guest in his hogan, located out in the middle of nowhere.
I somehow picked up the flu "bug" before I got there, and it didn't take very many hours to aggrfessively dominate my body. In plain words, I felt like hell! But my friend, Ned Many Sheeps, boiled me up some tea by throwing a handful (probably one-half cup) of juniper berries into an old coffee pot sitting on top of an old iron stove situated in the center of the dirt floor and filled with one quart of boiling water. A series of black stove pipes snaked their way up through a hole in the rounded clay roof firmly packed down on top of sawed juniper planks laid next to each other in a circular fashion and expertly supported together in the middle without the benefit of a center column.
Between the strong juniper scent and the hot tea he kept pouring into me every couple of hours, I got better in a big hurry. I can assure you. The warmth of the tea felt good going down and induced the perspiration I probably needed to throw off the excess poisons within me. The strong disinfectant properties within the berries themselves went a long way in killing the viruses responsible for my miseries.
Not only did I quickly recover, but I fully recuperated. I'm not being redundant with this statement. Remember earlier how I said that remnants of the flu usually tend to hang on for days or weeks after most people have gotten over the worst parts of their infections? Well, in my case, there was no additional eveidence of anything lingering; when I got well, that was it, period.
There are nearly 500 pages of information like that--plus scientific studies done on rats or mice and reported in the medical literature. Heinerman not only reads about folk remedies, but he obviously keeps tabs on many medical specialities.
The introduction discusses how herbs can and should be incorporated into daily use: The Ten Cardinal Rules of Herb Usage. Then there's a symptom index, where readers can look up their symptom, and the herbs to use for it are listed; an Herb and Spices content list, and hundreds of pages on the herbs and spices themselves.
Here's a tidbit from the entry on cayenne pepper:
Brings Down Blood Sugar Levels
A report in the West Indian Medical Journal (31; 194-97) mentioned how a pack of mongrel dogs picked up off the streets in Kingston, Jamaica were given powered cayenne pepper. The result was a dramatic plunging of their blood sugar levels for up to several hours at a time.
If you're diabetic an average of 3 capsules of Nature's Way or any health food store brand of capsicum will help bring down high blood sugar levels very nicely. If you're hypoglcemic, you'd better avoid cayenne altogether, both in food and in herbal formulas as well.
Cinnamon can help prevent cancer, elderberries is great for constipation, rosemary oil can make a wonderful linament for sore muscles--there is a world of information here.
This is an excellent resource. I highly recommend it.
HM
Thursday, November 13, 2008
How To Survive Disasters with Natural Medicines
by Cass Ingram, D.O.
I have no idea when I bought this book--must've been during my Y2k prepping mode. At that time, I was gathering in lots of books on survival, homesteading kinds of topics. Everything from armed self defense to citizen soldier to Carla Emory's Country Living to health topics.
This book is quite short, took me less than an hour to read it. It is available used at Amazon, though one seller has it listed for $129 something. Don't buy that copy. :) Another seller has it for $9--and even that is high for such a short book.
The book has many dire predictions--many of them true, if discomforting to consider. We live in a world made toxic by chemistry-gone-wild. There are nasty chemicals everywhere we turn. One scenario mentioned by the author is a chemical factory torn in two by an earthquake. Damn--that would be tough if you live in the neighborhood.
But the advice given in the book is good too. Did you know pure, raw honey is an excellent antibiotic? I have been reading of its use on wounds infected with MRSA, that dread staph infection. Raw honey is also useful in treating diarrheal diseases--something we can expect after a natural or unnatural disaster.
The Chapters are as follows:
Introduction
It Could Happen at Any Time
Are You Prepared to Survive/
Natural Remedies for Treating Infection
Injuries
Internal Disorders
Antioxidants
Water Treatment and Accessories
Conclusion
Appendices
Bibliography
The remedies that Ingram recommends you have on hand in your survival medical kits are:
Raw, unfiltered honey (antibiotic)
Bee propolis (antiseptic and anesthetic)
Tea Tree Oil (excellent antiseptic--killer of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites)
Whole Leaf Aloe (for burn treatment)--"whole leaf aloe possesses potent antibacterial, anti-pain, and wound regenerating powers"
Organic Sulfur Drops--"most potent anti-inflammatory agent"
Bromelain--also anti-inflammatory
Microcrystalline hydroxyapatite (MCHC) for healing fractured bone
Liquid Trace Minerals to stop bleeding (I'd use cayenne myself)
Ginger (for nausea)
Antioxidant Vitamins
and so on. Of course, there is a company that sells all of these items recommended by Dr. Ingram, and the address and phone number is provided. This book provides enough good advice that I could ignore the hard sell for the company--in fact, for some of these items, I'd be willing to give the company a call myself.
Ingram strongly recommends good antioxident vitamins to help combat the toxic fumes that may be present after a disaster. Vitamin E, beta carotene, Vitamin C, folic acid, B12, zinc, selenium, glutathione, N-acetyl cysteine, and chlorella are his specific recommendations. These should be taken regularly BEFORE any disaster occurs to help your body deal with whatever may come.
Appendix A lists some typical problems that happen with disasters, and how to treat these medical problems both internally and topically with the honey, tea tree oil, etc. This is a useful section. Appendix B is lists symptoms caused by specific diseases and toxicities--also useful. Since I own the book, I won't have to photocopy these pages, but I would if it was a library book. The bibliography is a list of papers published in medical journals that show the research conducted by Dr. Ingram.
All in all, this is a useful little book. I don't think it is really worth $9 (let alone $129), since the copyright is 1995 and the research could be a bit dated. But if you can find a copy used at the right price, it is good information to have on hand--along with the raw honey, tea tree oil and vitamins.
HM
I have no idea when I bought this book--must've been during my Y2k prepping mode. At that time, I was gathering in lots of books on survival, homesteading kinds of topics. Everything from armed self defense to citizen soldier to Carla Emory's Country Living to health topics.
This book is quite short, took me less than an hour to read it. It is available used at Amazon, though one seller has it listed for $129 something. Don't buy that copy. :) Another seller has it for $9--and even that is high for such a short book.
The book has many dire predictions--many of them true, if discomforting to consider. We live in a world made toxic by chemistry-gone-wild. There are nasty chemicals everywhere we turn. One scenario mentioned by the author is a chemical factory torn in two by an earthquake. Damn--that would be tough if you live in the neighborhood.
But the advice given in the book is good too. Did you know pure, raw honey is an excellent antibiotic? I have been reading of its use on wounds infected with MRSA, that dread staph infection. Raw honey is also useful in treating diarrheal diseases--something we can expect after a natural or unnatural disaster.
The Chapters are as follows:
Introduction
It Could Happen at Any Time
Are You Prepared to Survive/
Natural Remedies for Treating Infection
Injuries
Internal Disorders
Antioxidants
Water Treatment and Accessories
Conclusion
Appendices
Bibliography
The remedies that Ingram recommends you have on hand in your survival medical kits are:
Raw, unfiltered honey (antibiotic)
Bee propolis (antiseptic and anesthetic)
Tea Tree Oil (excellent antiseptic--killer of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites)
Whole Leaf Aloe (for burn treatment)--"whole leaf aloe possesses potent antibacterial, anti-pain, and wound regenerating powers"
Organic Sulfur Drops--"most potent anti-inflammatory agent"
Bromelain--also anti-inflammatory
Microcrystalline hydroxyapatite (MCHC) for healing fractured bone
Liquid Trace Minerals to stop bleeding (I'd use cayenne myself)
Ginger (for nausea)
Antioxidant Vitamins
and so on. Of course, there is a company that sells all of these items recommended by Dr. Ingram, and the address and phone number is provided. This book provides enough good advice that I could ignore the hard sell for the company--in fact, for some of these items, I'd be willing to give the company a call myself.
Ingram strongly recommends good antioxident vitamins to help combat the toxic fumes that may be present after a disaster. Vitamin E, beta carotene, Vitamin C, folic acid, B12, zinc, selenium, glutathione, N-acetyl cysteine, and chlorella are his specific recommendations. These should be taken regularly BEFORE any disaster occurs to help your body deal with whatever may come.
Appendix A lists some typical problems that happen with disasters, and how to treat these medical problems both internally and topically with the honey, tea tree oil, etc. This is a useful section. Appendix B is lists symptoms caused by specific diseases and toxicities--also useful. Since I own the book, I won't have to photocopy these pages, but I would if it was a library book. The bibliography is a list of papers published in medical journals that show the research conducted by Dr. Ingram.
All in all, this is a useful little book. I don't think it is really worth $9 (let alone $129), since the copyright is 1995 and the research could be a bit dated. But if you can find a copy used at the right price, it is good information to have on hand--along with the raw honey, tea tree oil and vitamins.
HM
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Chickweed Delight
Ahhhhhhhhhh. I'm writing in Southern Indiana, hilly country. It's November, just beginning to get cold. And foraging for wild plants has gotten a bit sparse. Many plants have died down for the winter, and the trees have lost their leaves.
Chickweed, surprisingly, likes this time of year, and thank goodness that it does! When visiting a neighbor the other day I noticed some large dandelion leaves sticking out from a ditch, so I returned to investigate. Sure enough I found enough dandelion leaves to fill a bag for the fridge. And since there was a large, frisky, friendly dog, I went on ramble with the pooch to see what else might be around. I found a large amount of some kind of hardy, viney plant with small black berries, but I don't know what it is. Research is required for that one.
And walking even further down an old lane, I found a large, lush patch of chickweed.
(These pictures are from Prodigal Gardens.)
Chickweed is a nutritious, medicinal plant. It grows low to the ground, usually in a sort of mat of thick green growth. It's a lovely little plant, looking very delicate. But for all that, it is a hardy weed and grows all over the place--lawns, fields, gardens. Once you have identified it, you'll begin to see it everywhere. The patch I found is extensive, but you will also see smaller patches growing in your lawn, your neighbor's lawns, around sidewalks, etc. It is difficult to get a good picture of chickweed, but google images for chickweed and you'll see enough different pictures that you'll be able to ID it clearly. One clue for chickweed--it will have tiny hairs running up on one side of the stalk, and on one side only. When it comes to a pair of leaves (opposite), the line of tiny hairs will be on the other side of the stalk. You'll need a magnifying glass to see the hairs. :) It is worth doing this to be sure you'll looking at chickweed.
This time of year, I doubt you'll find it flowering, but when it does, it will have small, white star- like flowers. Stalks, leaves and flowers are all edible/medicinal.
You can easily pull it up with your hand, or take a pair of scissors or a knife and cut off the top few inches. You can get a lot of it with little effort. It makes a nice mild tea, it is good in salads, and it can be lightly steamed as well. Doesn't take long to cook it, just a few minutes. I like the tea and the salad options best. I'll be heading back to the patch for more, because I've also decided to make a salve with it.
Chickweed is full of vitamin and minerals: Vitamin C, A and B, calcium, magnesium, niacin, riboflavin, potassium, thiamin, and zinc. Botanical.com's entry says chickweed is an old wives' remedy for obesity--and I have read many other herbalists say it is good for losing weight. If it is all you are eating, I'm sure it would be! It can be made into a very healing salve, good for sores and skin problems, chapped hands and the like. The tea is laxative, but also good for coughs and colds. You can also use the tea to apply it to rough areas of skin or sores. It's a good, all around useful herb.
If you get a chance to head out doors, keep your eyes open for chickweed. Nature's salads can cure a lot of ills, including the colds and flus that come this time of year. Best of all, chickweed is around when lots of other plants are gone for the winter.
HM
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Weird Skin Mole Treatment
I am sorry that I don't do pictures, or at least haven't yet developed the habit. I tend to prefer low-tech these days, since low-tech, 19th century is what I expect we'll be seeing a lot of in the future. Peak oil and all that. But a picture or two might have helped here.
Anyway, a while ago I was posting on the myriad uses for garlic, and I put up a long quote from a book called Garlic: Nature's Super Healer on using garlic for melanoma. And later I said that I'd try sliced garlic on my husband's weird mole.
This is an interim report. Michael has a small mole on his upper thigh. It was grayish, papery looking, pretty ugly. We have no idea if it is melanoma or what it is. For us, it's a weird mole. Three days ago I started putting a slice of fresh garlic I bought from the Amish farm I go to. I put the slice over the mole and then put a bandaid over that with some medical tape over it to hold it in place. I've changed the garlic each day.
The mole seems more tan now. Paler than it was before, and not papery-looking any more. It might be a tad smaller--I didn't measure. Is the mole disappearing? We'll see. Garlic can't hurt Michael, so this "treatment" can't harm the "patient." We'll see if it does any good.
I'll report again in a week or so. BTW, there is a very cool page on folk remedies that people use. It is called Earth Clinic and they have a huge database of home cures that people are using, reports both positive and negative if something worked for them. If you're interested, check it out. I find it fascinating and I'll be trying some of these myself. My thanks to Ra for sending me there!
HM
Anyway, a while ago I was posting on the myriad uses for garlic, and I put up a long quote from a book called Garlic: Nature's Super Healer on using garlic for melanoma. And later I said that I'd try sliced garlic on my husband's weird mole.
This is an interim report. Michael has a small mole on his upper thigh. It was grayish, papery looking, pretty ugly. We have no idea if it is melanoma or what it is. For us, it's a weird mole. Three days ago I started putting a slice of fresh garlic I bought from the Amish farm I go to. I put the slice over the mole and then put a bandaid over that with some medical tape over it to hold it in place. I've changed the garlic each day.
The mole seems more tan now. Paler than it was before, and not papery-looking any more. It might be a tad smaller--I didn't measure. Is the mole disappearing? We'll see. Garlic can't hurt Michael, so this "treatment" can't harm the "patient." We'll see if it does any good.
I'll report again in a week or so. BTW, there is a very cool page on folk remedies that people use. It is called Earth Clinic and they have a huge database of home cures that people are using, reports both positive and negative if something worked for them. If you're interested, check it out. I find it fascinating and I'll be trying some of these myself. My thanks to Ra for sending me there!
HM
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