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USES & REMEDIES OF DANDELION
Dandelion can be used liberally as it's non-poisonous. Each of the parts of the plant are edible: the roots, leaves and blooms. Healthy kidney, urinary tract and liver function are helped by Dandelion. Select plants to collect that haven't been around chemicals or toxins. For more information, click here.
Regarded historically as a hepatic herb, Dandelion supports healthful liver function. Dandelion is abundant in vitamin C and it is beneficial in the treatment and also prevention of scurvy. Additionally it is beneficial in treating skin eruptions and warts. The white liquid that exudes from the bruised stem can be applied directly to treat blemishes on the skin.
Dandelion helps to relieve water retention in soft tissues. As it replenishes the vitamins and minerals shed as water exits your body, there isn't the mineral depletion associated with pharmaceutical diuretics. Lung ailments that cause wasting of the body are treated with Dandelion.
Classified as a bitter herb, Dandelion is useful in treating heartburn or acid stomach due to a lack of muscle tone. It works as a moderate laxative in chronic constipation. A decoction or extract of Dandelion used three or four times daily can calm an irritated stomach. It has a very good effect in improving the appetite and promoting digestion.
INFUSION/TEA
Pour 1 pint of boiling water over one ounce of Dandelion and permit it to steep for ten minutes.
Strain and sweeten by using honey. During the day, drink several cups of this. This tea is useful in treating edema and nausea.
DECOCTIONS
A decoction is produced by putting an herb into gently simmering water and allowing the amount to reduce a specified amount.
1st Version
Simmer 2 cups of sliced Dandelion root in twenty parts of water for fifteen minutes. When cooled off, strain the liquid and sweeten with honey. Have a small teacup full one or two times daily.
2nd Version
Simmer a couple of ounces of the herb or root in 1 quart of water until the amount is diminished to 2 cups.
Use 6 ounces every 3 hours as a therapy for a number of maladies that include scurvy (disease resulting from vitamin C deficiency), scrofula (tuberculosis of the lymph glands most usually within the neck), eczema and all sorts of eruptions on the skin.
3rd Version
Decoction for jaundice in small children:
one oz of Dandelion root
A half ounce of each: Cinnamon bark, Caraway seed, & Ginger root
A quarter ounce measure of Senna leaves
Bring all to boil gently in six cups of water until it is reduced to 3 cups (1 1/2 pint). Strain. Pour 3/4 cup of honey into the hot liquid and re-heat to a simmer. Any foam that rises to the surface should be skimmed away as these are impurities. Allow to cool. Give frequently in teaspoonful doses.
Version 4
Decoction for Gall Stones
One oz each of: Dandelion root, Balm herb and Parsley root
One half ounce each of Ginger root and Liquorice root
Place in two quarts of water and gently simmer down to one quart Strain. Take in 6 ounces every couple of hours.
TINCTURE OF DANDELION
Find a place free of herbicides and pesticides to collect Dandelion plants, including roots and their tops.
Good quality dried Dandelion may be used also. Collect several more plants than you believe necessary because the plants wilt somewhat in the course of processing. Use the directions here to wash the plants.
Thinly slice the roots. Place enough plant material inside a canning jar in order to fill it 2/3's full. Pour just enough boiling water over the herbs to cover. Fill the rest of the space in the jar with vodka, 100 proof. Tightly seal the jar and shake it in order to combine the contents completely.
Put the jar within a warm spot with good sun exposure. Sunshine isn't detrimental to the tincture. Shake the jar twice daily. In two weeks, the tincture will be ready. Make use of a nice, clean cloth or coffee filter to filter the liquid. Press the solid matter to express all of the fluid. Fill up a glass bottle which is tinted dark amber with your freshly made tincture. Leave almost no space at the top to expose the fluid to air in the course of storage. Cap tightly. Store in a cool, dark cupboard till needed.
Take a spoonful of the tincture every day to aid with health issues.
Several herbalists utilize dandelion leaf in addition to the root to make tinctures. Dandelion leaf tinctures are usually taken by placing ten to fifteen drops into a spoon filled with water, taken 3 times daily.
This information is not meant to be taken for medical advice. This post is for the benefit of the person who reads, not in place of the care of a medical professional. Readers applying this information will need to proceed with discernment, common sense and take on all liability.
CRICKETS FOR SURVIVAL
Crickets live in shallow tunnels dug beneath stones or dirt or in clumps of plant matter. Males can often be heard calling females for mating at night when they are more active. Most species are found in grasslands and forest, but many others can also be found near seashores, in marches, trees and caves.
TELLING THE TEMPERATURE WITH A CRICKET
LIVE BAIT
Using crickets as live bait, you can catch fresh fish. Cricket fishing is well suited to shoreline fishing as it is most effective within 15 feet of the banks of small lakes.
A discarded can will serve well as a fishing reel. Anchor the free end of your fishing line and cast the baited hook into the water. Wrap your line around the can to bring the hook back. Continue to cast and reel in your line until you have a fish.
A SOURCE OF FOOD
Crickets reproduce twenty times faster than cattle raised for food. Over the span of three or four weeks, over 1,000 eggs can be laid by a female. Crickets require a fraction of the space and food needed to raise other forms of meat. These insects are twice as efficient at meat production as pigs or chickens. They can supply meat at a rate that is four times that of sheep and six times that of cattle, after deductions for trimming and dressing.
The meat from crickets provide protein and other nutrients. One hundred grams of cricket meat contains 3% carbohydrate, 6% fat and 21% protein in addition to 21 mgs calcium. For each gram dry weight of cricket meat there is 63 to 122 milligrams of fatty acid (linoleic acid & a0linolenic acid), copper, magnesium and iron. All of this is available for the cost of vegetable table scraps.
HERDING CRICKETS
A series of large trenches would be dug by the Paiute people as a means of catching crickets. Dry straw would be placed over this. Then the crickets would be driven into the trenches. Next, the straw was set ablaze and the crickets were roasted. Bushels of the roasted crickets were then gathered to be ground into flour used to bake protein-rich bread.
FARMING CRICKETS
PREPARING TO EAT
Place in a colander your selection of crickets. Use cheesecloth or wire screening to quickly cover this and keep the insects contained. Run water over the top to rinse them thoroughly. Shake the excess water from the container. Seal the crickets in a container and place this in the freezer for 15 minutes. While this length of time will be enough to kill the crickets, it will not be enough time to freeze them. Take them out of the freezer and rinse the crickets once more. Depending on your personal preference, the legs, wing cases and heads can be removed. The legs can be painful to swallow and will sometimes get stuck in the teeth. Crickets can be consumed raw, but they can also be dehydrated or roasted and incorporated into your recipes.
TAKE PRECAUTIONS
Be careful when selecting crickets for food. Avoid those found near or in residential areas as these might have been exposed to chemical insecticides or herbicides.
Below Ray Mears demonstrates using a can as a fishing reel.
It's towards the end of this short video:
SEEDS FOR SURVIVAL
broadcastseed
Genesis 1:29
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Vigorous animal and plant life were created with the ability to generate similar offspring. Gardeners began to collect seeds and hold them in reserve for the next seedtime. Seed was harvested from the healthiest plants.
US corporations now exist that specialize in marketing seeds to farmers. The farmer was relieved of the time he used to spend to manually secure seed while the corporations gained a profit. Concerned only with the collection, storage and sale of seeds, these corporations flourished.
With new developments in science, it became possible to modify seeds and increase profits. However, the farmers, consumers and food quality did not always benefit from these new methods. Hoping to eliminate other sources, seed corporations set into motion a plan to become the only suppliers of seeds for farmers. Seeds were altered so that the resulting plants produced flawed seeds that either did not germinate, or did so in an unpredictable manner.
Today, there are 3 commonly used methods to accomplish this: Terminator Technology, genetically modified (GM) seeds, and hybrid plants.
Because hybrid plants are a cross of differing varieties, their seeds aren't likely to produce a similar plant. Genetically modified seeds (GM seeds) are designed to withstand many chemical applications. These GM plants allow farmers to use stronger chemical treatments that affect the microbes and nutrient content in the soil which, in turn, affects the nutrient content of the crops. Plants grown from seeds that have Terminator Technology will produce seeds which are sterile and cannot produce crops the following season.
A seed bank is one way that an individual can insure fertile seeds are available in the future. Farmers aren't the only ones that can participate in this project. Find sources for your seeds that state they sell only NON GM seeds. Limit your purchases to unaltered, heirloom seeds. Choose from the foods and ingredients you normally find in your kitchen for cooking and medicinal uses.
Dry your seeds from vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs at room temperature on stiff paper. Make a notation of the date and the variety of seed on the paper as a reminder. Place the dried seeds into a labeled paper envelope. The envelopes can be kept in a glass jar in the refrigerator for great lengths of time. For most purposes, seeds will store well in a cool, dry, dark place. Seed balls are a good choice for grasses and grains that will be used to plant large areas.
Is there a reason that a person would store seeds that he isn't planning to grow?
The United States Congress is currently considering a piece of legislation named H.R. 875 which could potentially make it impossible for you to get produce from organic farmers or backyard gardeners. So far it is unknown whether the bill will pass or how it will be enforced. With this in mind, it may be best to store seeds while it is still legal to do so.
While you may not grow them yourself, think about saving a variety of seeds. The botanical name and the common name should both be used on the label; you may have to do a little research. On the internet, people regularly trade seeds through the mail. By trading your surplus seeds, you could secure the seeds you do want in an equal exchange.
If heirloom seed companies shut their doors, the seeds they offer might no longer exist. Current politics and the economy make this an uncomfortably realistic possibility. Having your own source of heirloom seeds may be one way you can insure a steady source of good organic foods, whether you normally grow your own or purchase from the roadside stand.
A bi-monthly publication, No Greater Joy Magazine features articles on simple living and building strong families. Get your free subscription at Mike and Debi Pearl's web site www.nogreaterjoy.org.
LIFE BENEATH THE SURFACE
Havre Beneath The Streets
Lost Sea at Sweetwater, TN
As long ago as the 1970s the USSR sponsored research into the nutrient value of several types of algae. Today, that research is the foundation for techniques that are being used to produce some brands of nutritional supplements. In order to have a large area that is climate controlled, some companies utilize underground caves. Additionally, several niche businesses have begun to spring up which produce both fish and vegetables in a self-sustaining system. These methods utilize the filtered water from the fish to provide nutrients to the vegetables which are grown in trays of irrigated pea gravel. Solar energy provides full spectrum growing lights for both the plants and fish, which are fed automatically. And, yes, it is conceivable that these techniques could be used to provide food, clean air and water within a cave environment.
Michael & Debi Pearl
An imaginative writer from rural Tennessee managed to put all of these pieces together and use it as one of the elements in her new book, The Vision. Debi Pearl and her husband Michael Pearl reside in an area where many of these caves exist. Together, they operate a ministry known as No Greater JoyThe Vision
Debi delivers on her promise to both entertain and inform in The Vision, the first in a series. Order your copy of The Vision today.
PINING FOR NOURISHMENT
- Jacques Cartier
It was winter 1535 . . . Canadian winter. The French expedition, led by Jacques Cartier, had reinforced their fort, stacked firewood and salted and packed the meat they had harvested. For six months, the river was frozen solid. The snow was 4 feet deep.
The men began to succumb to scurvy. Lacking vitamin C, they lay sick and dying. By mid-February, not even ten men were able-bodied enough to help care for the others. Spring was months away. Time was running out. They were dying. In a forest full of vitamin C, they were suffering.
Lacking knowledge
PINE NEEDLES:
Pine needle tea is high in vitamins A and C. The needles, inner bark and sap are the most medicinal and nutrient dense parts of the tree. You would have to eat more than five lemons to consume the amount of vitamin C found in a single cup of pine needle tea.
O Tamiflu: Turning Christmas trees into flu drug -- Needles contain high concentration of key ingredient
By Marsha Walton, CNN 2006
The needles of pine, spruce and fir trees contain a fairly high concentration of shikimic acid, the main ingredient in Tamiflu. Countries all over the world are stockpiling the drug in anticipation of a bird flu pandemic.
~ * ~ WARNING: ~ * ~
PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD NOT consume this tea! Do not consume if you think you may be pregnant. It has been known to cause the death of an unborn child within 24 hours! This also happens in pregnant cows that have eaten pine needles. They will drop a dead calf within a couple hours or days after consuming pine needles.
HOW TO MAKE PINE NEEDLE TEA
* Select pine needles that are nearest the end of a branch and light green in color. These are the newest (baby) pine needles.
* Bring 1.5 pints of water to a rolling boil and add the chopped needles.
* Boil for 10 to 15 minutes. The liquid should be reduced by about 1/3.
* Allow this to steep, covered for 20 minutes (or overnight).
* This makes a reddish colored tea with a mild taste. A small amount of oil will rise to the top.
* Store in the refrigerator (or in cool storage).
TIPS:
* Honey and lemon can help improve the taste.
BENEFICIAL PROPERTIES OF PINE NEEDLE TEA
Continue to drink 1 pint (500ml) of Pine Needle Tea every day for one month.
* Promotes heart health
* Relief of varicose veins
* Helps muscle fatigue
* Relief of Sclerosis
* Relief of Kidney Ailments
* Promotes strengthening of nerves in eye
* Relief for eye relate ailments that concern connective muscles in the eye
* Relief of Gangrene
* Reacts with smooth muscles that line blood vessels
VARIATION, TO MAKE AN EXTRACT:
Place the hot, boiled mixture into a thermos and let sit overnight (12 hours). Remove the needles the next day and drink the warm extract throughout the day.
Pine Tree Needle Extraction is a traditional remedy that may be used in the treatment of many human diseases. The remedy is effective for working with the smooth muscles that line the blood vessels and other muscular related diseases such as sclerosis. Sclerosis is a condition in which soft internal tissues (and sometimes organs) inside the body become unusually hard.
This extraction is a helpful preventative and a support in the treatment of cancer. Its benefit is greater when the cancer is in the earlier stages. Pine needles exhibit strong antioxidant, antimutagenic, and antiproliferative effects on cancer cells and also antitumor effects.
ALTERNATIVES TO TEA
You may choose to chew on several fresh pine needles. Swallow the juice produced and spit out the needle fiber. This remedy has been used to:
* fight fatigue and maintain one's youthful vigor
* promote the discharge of waste from the body
* stimulate brain activity
* strengthen the heart
* as effective for treating anemia (rich in iron)
* to satisfy thirst and relieve hunger pains.
* to prevents cold and flu
* to relieve dry cough
* rids you of heart burn
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
INTERESTING TIDBIT OF INFORMATION
I found these passages referring to the value of trees:
Deuteronomy 20:19
When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege:
Isaiah 41:18-20
I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. 19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: 20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.
Revelation 7:3
Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
