Why You Don't Want to Drink Pasteurized Milk

Posted By Dr. Mercola | March 26 2003 | 88,618 views

There is no substitute for clean, raw milk as a food, so far as children are concerned. Science has not yet succeeded in providing, in the pasteurized variety, those essential qualities that are the only real foundation for a healthy child.

Unfortunately, many grossly distorted statements are current regarding our milk supply. If we are to believe the protagonists of the Pasteurization-of-all-milk-at-all costs Party, raw milk is as good, or rather as bad, as rat poison--although as the Minister of Agriculture recently stated, "the human race existed long before Pasteur was heard of."

The process of pasteurization was debated in the House of Commons and the suggestion made that no raw milk should be sold for human consumption. This would mean installation of expensive machinery by every supplier, and if it should become compulsory there is little doubt that many small firms would shut down and the business pass in the hands of a few big dealers.

If we are to be compelled to drink pasteurized milk, we should at least understand what pasteurization means. It set out to accomplish two things: Destruction of certain disease-carrying germs and the prevention of souring milk. These results are obtained by keeping the milk at a temperature of 145 degrees to 150 degrees F for half an hour, at least, and then reducing the temperature to not more than 55 degrees F.

It is undoubtedly beneficial to destroy dangerous germs, but pasteurization does more than this--it kills off harmless and useful germs alike, and by subjecting the milk to high temperatures, destroys some nutritious constituents.

With regards to the prevention of souring, sour raw milk is very widely used. It is given to invalids, being easily digested, laxative in its properties, and not unpleasant to take. But, after pasteurization, the lactic acid bacilli are killed. The milk, in consequence, cannot become sour and quickly decomposes, while undesirable germs multiply very quickly.

Pasteurization's great claim to popularity is the widespread belief, fostered by its supporters that tuberculosis in children is caused by the harmful germs found in raw milk. Scientists have examined and tested thousands of milk samples, and experiments have been carried out on hundreds of animals in regard to this problem of disease-carrying by milk. But the one vital fact that seems to have been completely missed is that it is CLEAN, raw milk that is wanted. If this can be guaranteed, no other form of food for children can, or should, be allowed to take its place.

Dirty milk, of course, is like any other form of impure food--a definite menace. But Certified Grade A Milk, produced under Government supervision and guaranteed absolutely clean, is available practically all over the country and is the dairy farmer's answer to the pasteurization zealots.

Recent figures published regarding the spread of tuberculosis by milk show, among other facts, that over a period of five years, during which time 70 children belonging to a special organization received a pint of raw milk daily, only one case of the disease occurred. During a similar period when pasteurized milk had been given, 14 cases were reported.

Besides destroying part of the vitamin C contained in raw milk and encouraging growth of harmful bacteria, pasteurization turns the sugar of milk, known as lactose, into beta-lactose, which is far more soluble and therefore more rapidly absorbed in the system, with the result that the child soon becomes hungry again.
Probably pasteurization's worst offence is that it makes insoluble the major part of the calcium contained in raw milk. This frequently leads to rickets, bad teeth and nervous troubles, for sufficient calcium content is vital to children; and with the loss of phosphorus also associated with calcium, bone and brain formation suffer serious setbacks.

Pasteurization also destroys 20 percent of the iodine present in raw milk, causes constipation and generally takes from the milk its most vital qualities.

In the face of these facts--which are undeniable--what has the Pasteurization Party to say? Instead of compelling dealers to set up expensive machinery for turning raw milk into something that is definitely not what it sets out to be--a nutritious, health giving food--let them pass legislation making the dairy farmers produce clean, raw milk--that is, milk pure to drink with all its constituents unaltered.

RealMilk.com

 

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

So don’t waste your money on "organic" milk anymore. This is a waste of your resources. Redirect your energy to find real raw milk sources. Ideally, you can find a local farmer who will be willing to sell this to you. If you find one you will want to encourage him to consider restricting grains from the cow’s feed to improve the quality of the milk.
If you are unable to find a local dairy farmer who will cooperate with you please try this link: http://www.realmilk.com/where.html.
If you are in the Chicago area you can obtain raw milk from Michigan Amish farmers that bring it to the area every week or so.

Canning Tomato Sauce

I just canned my first jars of tomato sauce of the season, and thought that I might share with you how I did it. :-)

First, get some nice, healthy tomatoes. Rinse well in cold water.

Keep in mind that what you start with will decrease almost 50% in volume by the end of the process, so make how much you think you will use. I used about 20 large tomatoes and got four pints out of it. :-)

Peel the tomatoes using which ever method you prefer. Some prefer to blanch and peel, I simply used a paring knife.

Chop the peeled tomatoes and put them in a stock pot.

Then, either blend them with a stick blender, or otherwise mash them. I used my handy dandy, old-fashioned potato masher. :-)

When they are mashed well, set them to simmer, uncovered, on medium-low for 2-3 hours, or until desired consistency is reached, stirring often to prevent burning. Again, volume will likely be reduced by half.

When you've reached that consistency that you like, ladle into prepared jars leaving 1 inch of head space and hand tighten the lids on.

Pressure can for 15 minutes for pints, or 20 minutes for quarts, referencing the following altitude charts. Tomato sauce can be water bath canned if lemon juice is added, just add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice per pint of tomato sauce, or 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice per quart.

You can also de-seed the tomatoes if you want to prepare a base for ketchup or tomato soup. :-)

See Simply Canning for more info as well.

Homemade Deodorant!

I've been browsing the web for the past year looking for a tried and true good homemade deodorant recipe to no avail. Until last week, that is. :-)

I ran across Amy's post over at Homestead Revival where she shared a recipe for a cream deodorant (like what you see in the round container) and she had really great reviews about it not only from her own experience with it, but also her commentators had a lot of great things to say about it! Her recipe is as follows:

"Homemade Deodorant
(Makes one small canning jar - just over  1/2 cup)

1/4 C. baking soda
1/4 C. cornstarch or arrowroot
5 - 6 T. coconut oil
Tea Tree Oil (optional)

Combine the baking soda and cornstarch, then work in the coconut oil. I used my mixer to incorporate the two until well combined. 

If desired, add tea tree oil (anywhere from 5 - 20 drops) which has natural antibacterial qualities. I tried adding some lavender essential oil, but the coconut oil seemed to overpower the scent a bit. Just think of this deodorant as having a tropical scent and leave it at that. 

You can adjust the amount of coconut oil if necessary. I liked mine a bit dryer, but if you want, increase the oil up to 8 T. Also, if your room is warm, the oil might liquify at around 76 degrees, so move it to the refrigerator if necessary or a cooler room. I popped mine in the fridge so that it would firm up a bit after using the mixer.

To use: Rub a small amount on underarms."

But, I needed a stick recipe, at least for my hubby, because that's what he prefers. So I scrounged around a found a few more recipes and pieced something together that turned out pretty well!

As you can see in the picture, I used an old Old Spice deodorant container until I can get some new ones to fill. (The holes are in it because the piece that goes in the bottom has holes in it and even though I put some wax paper down to try to prevent it from going through, it found a way.) The stick recipe made enough for about 2 sticks, so it could probably be cut in half for just one stick.


Stick Deodorant:


6 Tbsp coconut oil
3 Tbsp beeswax
3 Tbsp pure cocoa butter (or shea or any firm butter)
3 Tbsp corn starch
3 Tbsp baking soda
2 Tbsp Aloe Powder
Essential oils as desired
*For his recipe I used about 10 drops of Bay Rum EO and 6 drops of Tea Tree EO.


1- Melt the beeswax in a double boiler over medium-high heat. 
2- Once almost melted, add the coconut oil and cocoa butter and stir frequently until melted.
3- Remove from heat and stir (or whisk carefully) in the powders, one at a time until well mixed.
4- Add the essential oils and stir to mix well and promote cooling.
5- Pour into stick container or mold and set in the refrigerator for a few minutes until firm.
6- Move to bathroom counter to let firming process finish. It should be ready within 2 hours or so.

He loves it! The Bay Rum is the base scent for the original Old Spice, which he likes, and I used the Tea Tree for the antibacterial and antiseptic properties. The Cocoa butter is moisturizing and nourishing to the skin, as is the aloe and coconut oil, and the beeswax has antibacterial properties in itself and helps to firm it up. The cornstarch and baking soda help neutralize odor too. Mind you, this is not an antiperspirant, I would encourage you to read Amy's post explaining how the body was designed to perspire, and it is actually very healthy for the body, but this is a deodorant to help eliminate any foul odor that may come with perspiration.

Now, for myself, I do not mind a cream deodorant so I decided to make mine a bit softer, but utilizing the same basic base. The following recipe yields approximately one cup.

Cream Deodorant:



1/2 cup coconut oil
3 Tbsp beeswax
1/3 cup pure mango butter (or shea or any butter that you prefer. I use Mango for the skin regenerative properties.)
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 baking soda
3 Tbsp Aloe Powder
Essential oils as desired
*For my recipe I used about 1 tsp of Rosewood EO and 1/2 tsp of Lavender 40/42 EO, all purely for the scent.


1- Melt the beeswax in a double boiler over medium-high heat. 
2- Once almost melted, add the coconut oil and mango butter and stir frequently until melted.
3- Remove from heat and stir (or whisk carefully) in the powders, one at a time until well mixed.
4- Add the essential oils and stir to mix well and promote cooling.
5- Pour into a container and stir to cool significantly (because with this being a more liquid-like base the essential oils will separate and float easily, stirring prevents that) and once cooled, set in the refrigerator for a few minutes until firmer.
6- Move to bathroom counter to let firming process finish. It should be ready within an hour.
7- Apply with fingers or cotton ball. (Or if you have one of the stick containers with the little holes in the top, that may work well for this recipe.)

Let me say that I am SHOCKED at how well this recipe has worked for me! I applied it last night before bed and usually I wake up needing to immediately apply more, then by noon I have had to apply it between 4 and 7 times depending on how much I'm doing that day. It is now 2:00 in the afternoon and I've still not had to re-apply it. No signs of irritation yet either, and I have sensitive skin. It's working great for us so far.

Try it and let me know what you think!

Hot Chocolate Recipe from Kim

Hot Chocolate Recipe from Kim over at Homestead Acres.

HOT CHOCOLATE ^FEATURED

Written by  Kim Mills

Our Canadian winters are long and cold.  A favorite treat during that time is our homemade hot chocolate.  Nothing taste better after coming in from shoveling the driveway sledding with the kids.  I’ve found this a much taster and cheaper alternative then buying little cans at the store.

This also makes a wonderful gift!  Fill a quart canning jar with the mix.  Add some pretty ribbon around the top and you have a quick and easy gift.  Hot Chocolate
5 cups powdered milk
1 cup non dairy creamer
2 cups sugar
1 cup coco powder
Combine in a bowl and mix all together.
Place 3 TBS in a mug, top with boiling water and enjoy!

Cows and Collards

Did you know that cows LOVE collard greens? :-)

Look at all that beef.... mmmmmmm
:-)

Preparedness Challenge

A fellow blogger (and a person who has blessed me abundantly) over at Homestead Revival has started a Preparedness Challenge. I have decided to take on her challenge as well, and I encourage any of my readers to do the same! It's never a bad thing to be prepared, and if you have ever thought about getting into storing and putting up food in case of emergency, this would be an excellent place to start!

Below is her post:

A Call To Be Prepared

Well, I've held my peace for about as long as I can stand it. Watching the devastation of the earthquake in Japan, followed by a horrific tsunami, and now a nuclear disaster, it's pretty much a no brainer that it would be wise to be prepared.


Those that were closest to the epicenter, tsunami, and reactors have suffered greatly and now the possibility of hypothermia, dehydration, and starvation are very real perils looming in the horizon. My heartfelt prayers goes out to them and I hope that a hand of mercy reaches them in time! 


Preparedness, Definition: refers to the state of being prepared for specific or unpredictable events or situations. Preparedness is an important quality in achieving goals and in avoiding and mitigating negative outcomes. (wikipedia)


Grant it, you can prepare all you want, but sometimes you can still lose all that you've stored. But imagine with me for a minute... what if everyone in Japan had been prepared ahead of time with food and water? How would this scenario been different? Would it have been?


Is it possible that those who did loose everything could be helped by those somewhat locally that still had what they put aside. Yes, the cavalry would still need to come in and lend a hand, but would they have enough to keep them alive until that time if most had some kind of food and water stored? Let's just say that the odds would certainly have been better!

Photo: USA Emergency Supply

The reality is... in our modern, disposable, consumer minded, global society, storing food and supplies is not the norm. Yes, a few cultures may still do this, but I can't think of any off hand (please let me know if you can think of some!). 


Understand that I am not writing this to be judgmental of the Japanese people! I have been duly impressed with how they've conducted themselves in their hour of trial. (Even more impressive when you know that about only one percent are Christian believers!) Sadly, I'm not sure Americans would have been as self controlled if we had been in their shoes. No looting or rioting; no pushing or shoving in lines... 


Update: I've had a reader inquire as to my statement that non-Christians should act so self controlled. Let me clarify... It is certainly possible for non-believers to act in a self-controlled manner. You're seeing proof of it when you watch the Japanese people. Without the Holy Spirit, this is very impressive, because the flesh is powerful indeed. It is to the shame of many Christians that we often do not act in a self controlled manner; but then again, one can be Christian in name only.


Let me get to my point here. I need to be more prepared than I am. There is more I could and should do. How about you? Anyone need a little push to get prepared? Maybe you've talked about it but have done very little? Perhaps you're well on your way and could encourage others to do some prepping?


I'm going to offer a simple call to do one thing each week to get prepared. Every Saturday, I'm going to put up a post to remind everyone of the challenge, but YOU get to pick what you do. To help hold us accountable, you can leave a comment telling what you've done that week or you can write a post and link up. 

Photo: Big Berkey 

Do not feel like you must do something major each week. Even something small, such as buying a first aid kit, adding some water bottles to the pantry, or buying and planting an extra packet of seeds to grow extra food - it all counts and adds up over time! All I ask is that you clearly state what you did that week. For example, "This week, for the Preparedness Challenge, I bought an extra bag of rice from the co-op and stored it in mylar bags in a bucket". Then you can expound on it more if you'd like. 


Simple enough? I'm already shaking in my boots because I know this is really going to push me to be on the ball! I don't go to town but once or twice a week, and often I'm rushed to get things done, but I need this as much as anybody. Good thoughts of storing food doesn't make it happen. Action does. 


So, are you in? We start tomorrow!

Now, she posted that yesterday as you can see by visiting her WONDERFUL blog, so that makes today the first week of the Preparedness Challenge. :-D


For this week's challenge, all you need to do is complete this sentence...

"This week, for the Preparedness Challenge, I ___________."

You can leave a comment below with more details about how you met the Preparedness Challenge in your home. I would love to hear your ideas!

For me...

This week, for the Preparedness Challenge, I purchased a few extra bags of dry rice and beans for putting up. :-)

What did you do?

Flu & Cold Season "FLU BUSTER"

Recipe courtesy of Modest Handmaidens

 

1 cup of each: grated horseradish root; diced & peeled garlic cloves; diced onion; grated ginger root; finely chopped HOT peppers, without seeds(habanero/jalapeno, or similar)

32 oz. organic cider vinegar(organic is best if you can get it)

 

Place all ingredients in blender and add enough vinegar to be able to puree into a mash.

 

Pour mixture into large glass bowl, add remaining vinegar and cover with lid. (you should have 1.5 quarts) I use my Pampered Chef 8 cup glass mixing bowl with lid and it works just great)

 

Shake or stir daily.

 

Let sit for 2-4 weeks, then strain through unbleached coffee filter.

 

Bottle liquid in glass jar, and store in dark cupboard....this liquid is ready to use....it gets better as it ages!

 

Now, put the reserved 'mash' back into the glass jar and add another 32 oz bottle of vinegar and start the process all over again to get a second bottle of Super Tonic.

 

 Dosage; Drink 1 oz - 3 times daily if you are coming down with a cold or flu. We put ours in a mug; add hot water and honey to taste. But, if you're brave, you can just drink the tonic straight...drink, gargle, swallow :)

As a daily preventative, put 1 Tbsp in a cup, add hot water and honey to taste.

 

RIP Baby Chicks

Well, last night something broke into the "coop" and killed all of our chickens. Well, six confirmed, two we still can't find, but it seems unlikely that they would go far on their own accord. Anyone who owns chickens knows what I'm talking about, especially at night. So goes the life.

8 New Family Members!

We have added eight new family members to the headcount here in the Teasley Household!

We think we have two Buff Orpingtons, two Golden Comets, two Australorp, and two Silver Laced Wyandottes. (Any opinions on which are which? lol) All pullets, and they will be our laying hens. :-)

The children have already adopted them as our own, and are very excited to have chickens again.

These chickens were purchased locally from our own hometown farmers and small business owners.

Looking forward to some nice fresh eggs this summer!

The Best Commercial Soap

I know that I post a lot on this blog about organic soaps, making your own soaps, buying organic, locally made soaps, but rest assured that I am compassionate to situations and I am honest with myself as well. These options just aren't feasible for people on a moderate to low income, especially in this economy. Soap-making is no easy task either, which makes it a bit difficult for the already over-scheduled woman to do.

I get that, I really do.

If you want a glimpse into MY life, there are a lot of organics that we don't buy simply for money reasons. I know that you cant put a price on good health, as they say, but if I can't grow it or make it myself, we usually don't buy it organic. I'm sure a majority of my readers can understand. :-)

SO, It has been laid on my heart to bring to you the best commercial options for soaps and shampoos for those on a non-organic budget.

First we will look at bar soaps:

There are SO MANY dangerous ingredients in soaps today that it is downright scary! Enough to make one (like me) want to wash with just hot water! Let's look at a popular commercial soap first:

The Dove Beauty Bar.

White is the most simple form of this one. It's their "regular" bar soap. The ingredients are questionable. For those looking for a vegan soap, this is not the soap for you. It has Sodium Tallowate in it which is a rendered animal tallow. That's not bad in my eyes, but vegan shoppers be aware. They do not advertise this.

The complete ingredients list is as follows:

"Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Coconut Acid, Sodium Tallowate, Water, Sodium Isethionate, Sodium Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoate, Palm Kernelate, Fragrance (Parfum), Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium EDTA, Trisodium Etidronate, BHT, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Sodium Dodecylbenzene Sulfonate"

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is a fatty acid/coconut oil mixture. It's basically safe. It cleans the skin and hair by helping water to mix with oil and dirt so that they can be rinsed away, basically like a binder.

Stearic Acid is another fatty acid derivation from animal and vegetable fats that is "found commonly in many foods" and is added to soaps as a cleansing and emulsifying agent.

Sodium Isethionate is a biodegradable and high foaming detergent used in soaps to make it lather up well. It is not classified as having an adverse health effect on humans.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a synthetic detergent added to the soap to make it a little milder on the skin, but it poses no great risk in itself.

Fragrance (Parfum) is a BIG deal that looks so small. Fragrance can be ANYTHING added to get the smell that they want, ANY chemical, synthetic ingredient, or chemical combination. There is a lot of undisclosed gray area in that labeling.

Sodium Chloride is salt, plain and simple.

Tetrasodium EDTA is a questionable ingredient. It's "proper" name is Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and it is synthesised from ethylenediamine (1,2-diaminoethane), formaldehyde, and sodium cyanide. WHOA! Formaldehyde?? "Formaldehyde has been classified as a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency" Sodium Cyanide??? Sodium cyanide is "a white poisonous salt (NaCN) used in electroplating." It is a poisonous chemical used to cause one metal to bond to another metal! Ever heard of cyanide poisoning? Look it up. Do you really want to expose yourself regularly and repeatedly to formaldehyde and cyanide?

Trisodium Etidronate is a preservative and a chelating agent also used in water softeners. This ingredient in particular has caused many adverse reactions in people with Eczema because it is a skin and mucous membrane irritant. Even a lot of "all natural" or "organic" soaps have this ingredient, so read the label! And don't get it in your eyes or mouth when using it.

BHA is another questionable ingredient here. It is a preservative used to prevent the tallow and fats from spoiling, and it is used a lot in foods, so check your food labels too. Even Jello. BHA and BHT are used closesly and interchangeably in a lot of formulations. These two closely related chemicals are added to oil-containing foods to prevent oxidation and retard rancidity. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, consider BHA to be possibly carcinogenic to humans, and the State of California has listed it as a carcinogen. Some studies show the same cancer causing possibilities for BHT. Do your own research on this, I encourage, but DO the research. Your skin is like a sponge, absorbing everything that is put on it, and rubbed into it. That's why our fingers get pruney when we swim or bathe too long. Our cells absorb until they can't absorb anymore, and all of this can pass directly into the bloodstream. 

Titanium Dioxide is a naturally occurring compound, and for that reason many think it is safe, but arsenic is also a naturally occurring compound, would you bathe in it? From the MSDS: "WARNING! MAY CAUSE IRRITATION TO SKIN, EYES, AND RESPIRATORY TRACT. MAY AFFECT LUNGS. SUSPECT CANCER HAZARD. CONTAINS TITANIUM DIOXIDE, WHICH MAY CAUSE CANCER. Risk of cancer depends on level and duration of exposure. Health Rating: 2 - Moderate (Cancer) Chronic Exposure: Titanium Dioxide may cause cancer in humans." Do the research, and use at your own risk.

Sodium Dodecylbenzene Sulfonate is classified as harmful. I will let you look into that one yourselves.

There is a lot more in soaps that we originally are led to believe, huh? It's a crazy world.

Now, that Dove is a picture of MOST of the commercial soaps on the market. Some (Like Tone, Zest, and Dial) have waaay more dangerous ingredients in them, but that's when you come in and do your own research. Seriously, just Google "MSDS (whatever ingredient you are looking up)" and you will have a wealth of information at your fingertips. Just make sure you get your info from non-cosmetic sources. Never get info from a site trying to sell something. Common sense, I know. :-) If you are on a REALLY tight budget, and you can stand to overlook the fact that Tetrasodium EDTA has possible cancer-causing agents in it, I would recommend the Simply Ivory bar. It has fewer "bad" ingredients in it, the only one really being Tetrasodium EDTA.

 NOTE:  there WILL be a price difference buying soaps to avoid all of these dangerous carcinogenic chemicals.

Now, in my opinion, sometimes buying the best commercial soap comes down to the "lesser of two evils" type deal, so in my past three or so years of research, I have found what I think is the best choice. Well, two choices actually. These companies are getting bigger and are showing up in more places, even Walmart and local grocery stores. The first is:

Dr. Bronner's All-One Hemp Pure-Castile Soap

The ingredients are so simplistic that it is almost funny! 

"Saponified Organic Coconut, Palm, Olive Oils ([Organic] with Retained Glycerin), Water, Hemp Oil (Organic), Jojoba Oil (Organic), Salt, Vitamin E" 

These bars  usually run close to $4.00 each, but that is a small price to pay, I think, and cheaper than some (okay, most) organic options. This particula Dr. Bronner's bar has eight different scents you can choose from: Tea Tree, Rose, Peppermint, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Citrus Orange, Baby-Mild, and Almond. And they smell GREAT if I do say so myself. :-) The Baby-Mild is the unscented bar, and all fragrances are natural. No "parfum". :-)

Runner up goes to: 


Kiss My Face Organics Olive Oil Bar Soap

The ingredients are:

"Saponified Olive Oil, Water, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender), Sodium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum)"  

While this one does contain artificial fragrance, that is basically personal preference. Compared to the rest "out there" this is a soap worthy of the runner up position for best commercial bar soap. Kiss My Face Organics usually run about ten cents cheaper than Dr. Bronner's, but they are in more places than Dr. Bronner's as well, I have discovered. It's about availability to most people, am I right?

So, there you have it, my take on commercial bar soaps. Remember, don't take MY word for it, read labels and investigate yourselves. You may find some things in your own regular soaps that will shock you!  Especially Johnson and Johnson baby soap and shampoo, if you use that on your babies. 

I will do shampoos in a later blog. Stay tuned! :-) 

 

Whole Foods for Whole Health Part ?

What topics would YOU like to hear about in my next post from Shonda Parker's book; Mommy Diagnostics?

10 Skills Needed to Thrive in a Post-Collapse World

by John Bush

Knowledge is something that no one can take from you. It’s the eternal wealth that will help you thrive in a Post-Collapse world.

By: Jeffrey Green from ActivistPost.com

Some experts see the perfect storm emerging for a dramatic collapse of Western civilization claiming we’ve reached environmental, economic, and geopolitical tipping points. Clearly, some skills will be far more valuable than others if this societal breakdown occurs. Sorry bankers, lawyers, and accountants, there won’t be a need for you in a post-collapse world.

Before we quantify the skill sets that will be viable, it is important to define the severity of a “post-collapse” scenario. When taken as a whole, together these tipping points could potentially converge to create a post-apocalyptic Mad Max-type world for the vast majority of humanity. However, given the advanced technology that we possess today, it is unlikely to ever become quite that primitive ever again. Surely there will be pockets of energy and food independence no matter what possible scenario unfolds, but the vast majority may be left to fend for themselves.

It would take a serious cataclysmic earth event like a super volcano, a meteor impact, major electromagnetic pulse event, or dramatic pole shift to affect the entirety of humanity. Man-made events like nuclear war, environmental damage, or total economic collapse, no matter how devastating, will be somewhat isolated and contained to specific areas and populations. Incidentally, every nation or territory that has experienced these man-made catastrophes has roared back to life in less than one generation. The only example of nuclear survival was in Japan, while the largest recent economic collapse was the break-up of the Soviet Union. In both cases those countries went through a very tough period, but ultimately they persevered.

For sake of this article, let’s assume that some level of devastation is caused by each type of tipping point in the United States. Our ever escalating wars finally reach our shores by way of long-range nuclear missiles, total economic collapse occurs rendering the dollar worthless, and we would likely have less electricity and water than Iraq did after Bush’s “shock and awe” campaign. Gasoline and oil supplies would likely be down to a trickle, halting all supply lines of food and other goods to big box stores. Factory farming will be impossible without cheap oil products readily available. The suffering will be dramatic.

The only question will become, how do the citizens react? Both the USSR and early 1950s Japan were far more agrarian, and far less dependent on big box stores than America currently is. American dependence on long supply lines, interconnected yet vulnerable electric grid, and pharmaceutical-based healthcare may lead to a more severe breakdown of society than witnessed in those countries. Although, innovative technology for alternative energy and agriculture practices will play a part in surviving; but they can only help the few with the knowledge, means, and stability to use them. And stability will be in low supply for some time, resulting in only small groups with relative comfort — those who planned for the worse. However, as an optimist, I believe that after the initial chaos Americans will rediscover solidarity for one-another, much like they did after 9/11, but this time it will be more sustained out of absolute necessity.

Many articles have been written about how to survive the coming collapse, or what is needed to survive, but not many articles have been written about what skills will have value in a post-collapse world. Imagine fulfilling human necessity without consistent fuel or electricity, large-scale food production, or fully-stocked pharmacies and hospitals. The only form of wealth in a collapsed civilization is the knowledge and skills to produce something of human value.

Here are 10 invaluable skills that will likely help you sustain yourself in a hand-made local world:

1. Organic Gardening and Seed Saving: Skills involving food production will be the most valuable in a post-collapse society. Learning to grow your own food is a must. Obviously, it is necessary to feed your family, but you will also be able to trade your abundance for other items. Additionally, learning to save seeds will also provide another excellent means of trade.

2. Food Processing and Preservation: Learning to process and preserve foods will be another huge skill in a post-collapse world. Taking seasonal abundance and preserving it for future consumption or trade will be vital. Remember, learning to do this with limited electricity is a must. This can also include learning to brew beer, mead, vinegar, or other alcoholic beverages from meager ingredients.

3. Hunting, Fishing, and Gathering: Learning to fish and hunt is essential to survival. Having the proper gear and training will be priceless after the collapse of modern civilization. Having reference guides for edible plants in your region, repairing weapons, trapping wild game, and fishing are great tools to have if you haven’t the time to learn them now. In regards to weapons, your ability to use them also gives you the skill of working security.

4. Animal Husbandry: Notice the first four categories are related to food production. It’s that important. Just gaining knowledge of one of these categories will give you an invaluable skill to thrive in a post-apocalyptic world. Knowledge of animal husbandry can provide endless amounts of sustainable meat, eggs, and milk to you and your tribe.

5. Construction: Construction skills will be very important in a shattered civilization. These skills, especially without power tools, are not something you learn overnight. If you have some basic skills it may be worth learning a few techniques for building small structures with crude hand tools. There are many books teaching anyone how to build basic cabins, sheds, and composting outhouses.

6. Alternative Energy and Fuels: Having the knowledge to implement alternative energy systems will make you a wealthy survivor in a “dark” world. You can learn to build your own alternative energy systems, or you can purchase back up solar generators in preparation for emergencies. There are also small fuel refinery systems available like the biodiesel Fuelmeister, and the new invention from Japan that turns plastic into oil. Knowledge of how to create energy would be invaluable when oil is scarce.

7. Water Purification: Since it’s difficult to pump well water without electricity and with surface water likely to be contaminated, clean water will be in very limited supply. Learning to purify waterwill allow you thrive during this time. You can also purchase water filters for your go-bag that will last weeks, and you can have back-up tablets should you need them. However, the skill and knowledge to purify water should be the goal as that can never run out.

8. Basic First Aid and Natural Medicine: This is another skill that can take years to develop and learn, but that will be crucial when supply lines of pharmaceuticals are cut off and hospitals are over-run. Knowledge of growing herbal gardens for making medicine at home will prove to be very important. Learning basic procedures for stitching wounds, CPR, and more will also be of great assistance. Being the tribe’s shaman with a natural medicine chest is a prestigious position.

9. Mechanics: Mechanics for cars, motorcycles, tractors and other machinery will likely be in high demand. In addition, bicycle mechanics will also fair well in world where fuel is very expensive or hard to come by. These are also skills that are not learned over night, but it will be wise to at least have access to books or how-to videos.

10. Soap and Candle Making: With long supply lines decimated and electricity on the fritz, soap and candle makers will provide a valuable product. Clearly some preparation of storing raw materials may be needed to achieve trade-able levels of these goods. Even if you just had the knowledge to make soap or candles just for your immediate tribe, you will be much better off for it.

You’ll notice that many of these skills also fall into the category of what you would need to be self-sufficient. Again, learning all of these skills will be virtually impossible, especially if the collapse isn’t that far off as many predict. Determine which skills that most appeal to you and focus on them by studying and acquiring the tools needed. Since you can’t become an expert in everything it may be wise to recruit tribe members with various survival skills. It will also be beneficial to build up your library of “how to” books and videos for tasks that you are not proficient in. You can download any video from Youtube by using Keepvid.com and build your library into an external hard drive.

Remember, knowledge of and skills to produce human necessities will be the only form of wealth creation in a hand-made world. Knowledge is something that no one can take from you. It’s the eternal wealth that will help you thrive in a Post-Collapse world. Get Prepared Now!

Source:
http://f4fs.org/10-skills-needed-to-thrive-in-a-post-collapse-world/

Funnel Cake Recipe


This is the county fair type funnel cake recipe. Light and fluffy, this gets dusted with powdered sugar and served hot for a fun and tasty treat. Funnel cake doesn't have to be a once a year treat...make it a County Fair night by serving all the fair favorites for dinner!

Funnel Cake

Ingredients:
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Funnel Cake Directions:

1. In a deep skillet, heat about two cups of oil over medium-high heat until hot. Test the temperature by dropping a pinch of flour into the hot oil. If it sizzles right away without smoking, it's perfect.
2. Beat egg and milk. Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl and slowly add to the egg mixture, beating until smooth.
3. Using a funnel, drop into hot oil working from center outwards in a web pattern. (You can use a gallon sized freezer bag instead of a funnel by pouring the batter into the bag, snipping off a small corner of it, and squeezing the batter into the oil.)
4. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, remove from the oil when golden brown and crispy.
5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Natural Home Remedies for Body Odor

This article via http://www.natural-homeremedies.com/homeremedies_body_odor.htm, all content belongs to them.

Body Odor is the term referred to any kind of unpleasant smell associated with an individual’s body. The condition that causes body odor is hyperhidrosis. Perspiration is the part of the cooling process of body. Water on the skin’s surface evaporates and gives a cooling sensation to the body. Perspiration or sweat doesn’t cause odor but the bacteria that gets accumulated on the skin releases unpleasant smelling chemicals. The body odor is strongly associated with the emission from our sweat glands. The armpits and genitals perspire more as compare to any other parts of the body. The use of deodorants worsens the condition as it contains various toxic chemicals and products of heavy metals like aluminum. The sweat glands are responsible for the elimination of toxic matter from the body.

Causes of Body Odor

There are various causes of perspiration and ultimately body odor

* Any prolonged and chronic disease 
* Use of drugs 
* Certain foods and beverages 
* Anxiety 
* Menopause in women 
* Over secretion of hormones 
* Constipation


Home Remedies for Body Odor

*Take 500 mg of wheat grass daily on an empty stomach with a glass of water. The chlorophyll in it will reduce the body odor and is natural body odor remedy.

*Application of baking soda to the armpits and feet will minimize the body odor and is good home remedy for body odor.

*Use alcohol or white vinegar to wash the armpits.

*Put some drops of rose water in the bathtub before taking bath. No deodorant is required after the bath. This is a very simple and one of the effective home remedies for body odor.

*Apple cider vinegar reduces the pH of the skin and eliminates armpit odor when used in place of deodorant. Good Home Remedy for Body Odor.

*Another effective body odor treatment that it’s always better to take 3 showers a day in summers when sweating is more.

*Take Juice from about two dozen radishes and add 1/4 teaspoon of glycerine to it and put in a spray-top bottle. Use this as an underarm deodorant. This is also useful home remedy for body odor.

*Instead of using deodorant use baby powder or talc in the areas with high perspiration.

*Mix some baking soda with lemon juice and rub this mixture on underarms. This is a useful natural remedy for body odor.

Tea tree is an antibacterial herb. Make a deodorant by mixing two drops of the essential oil and one ounce of water.

*In 30 mm of water put 10 drops of the essential oil and apply this on the underarms to reduce body odor. This is another effective natural remedy for body odor.

*Place some white vinegar on a cotton ball and apply to the underarms. The vinegar smell vanish in minutes and you should be smell-free whole day. This body odor remedy is one of the best home remedies for body odor.

*Turnip juice reduces underarm odor for up to 10 hours. Grate a turnip; squeeze the grated pieces and rub the juice on the armpits.

*Drinking a cup of sage tea daily will reduce the activity of sweat glands and ultimately will minimize the odor and acts as body odor remedy.

*Blend tomato juice with fresh sage leaves and apply on the area for 10 minutes before bathing. This is also a very good body odor treatment.

*White vinegar is also helpful. Instead of using deodorant apply white vinegar with a cotton ball on the areas. This will keep the body smell free whole day. It is a one of the best body odor cure.

User Recommended Home Remedies 

Zinc,Ultimate Flora, or Probiotics Billions of them, Dygestive Enzimes - Mindy22

Hydrogen Peroxide, or Peroxil (sold in pharmacies). A tongue cleaner. Ultimate Flora (50 billions) or probiotics and Dygestive Enzymes. - Mindy22

(Above via http://www.natural-homeremedies.com/homeremedies_body_odor.htm, all content belongs to them.)

Photo courtesy of http://goshinkarate.blogspot.com/2009/03/is-apple-cider-vinegar-good-for-karate.html

Goat's Milk Soap *Recipe*

Goat Milk Soap

^ I want a goat like that one!! ^ 

Makes approximately 40 (4 oz) bars.

From The Natural Soap Book by Susan Miller Cavitch

"This bar offers all of the qualities of the Soap Essentials Bar, plus the extra moisturizing quality of goat milk. I add only enough goat milk to affect the bled, because too much makes the soap more vulnerable to premature rancidity. 

Though the inclusion of goat milk involves a bit more precision and fussing, it is fun to experiment with other recipes. I love to scent these bars with a sassafras blend. This soap is homey and fresh"

Ingredients (by weight):

~2 and 1/2 pounds (1.13 kg) cold, distilled water (does not need to be refrigerated). 

~473 grams sodium hydroxide

~4 pounds (1.81 kg) olive oil

~2 pounds 8 ounces (1.13 kg) coconut oil

~1 pound 8 ounces (680 g) palm oil

~30 grams grapefruit seed extract (preservative, optional)

~2 and 2/10 grams tocopherol (preservative, optional)

~1/2 pound (227 g) cold goat milk

~45-50 grams (approximately 15-18 teaspoons combined) pure essential oil (fragrance, optional)

Preparing the Work Area

1) You will need: Goggles and rubber gloves, a 2 quart glass container, a rubber spatula, 2 large sauce pots or double boilers, wax paper, masking tape, and soap molds of your choice (A big, shallow, wooden box does great).

2) Line your mold - a wooden tray or cardboard box (About 25 and 1/2" x 13 and 1/2" x 4") with heavy duty wax paper. Be sure to mitre the corners to flatten the paper against the sides of the box. Use masking tape to secure the paper to the box without waves and wrinkles. 

3) Measure out the essential oils, preservatives, and any extra ingredients, and set aside in tightly sealed containers. 

Mixing the Key Ingredients

4) Put on goggles and gloves. Weight out the sodium hydroxide (lye) and set aside.

5) Set the 2-quart glass container on the scale and zero out, then add the distilled water; remove from the scale. Carefully add the lye while stirring briskly (but not splashing) with the rubber spatula. The fumes will overwhelm you for about ten seconds, so hold your breath while stirring, and then leave the room for fresh air. (I always do this step outside if it's not too windy or rainy.) Return after two or three minutes to finish dissolving the lye (NOTE: NEVER ADD THE WATER TO THE LYE, THIS COULD CAUSE AN EXPLOSION. ALWAYS ADD THE LYE TO THE WATER.) The reaction will heat the lye solution to over 200 degrees F, so set the bowl aside in a safe place to cool down to 80 degrees. 

6) While the lye solution cools, begin mixing the oils (with the spatula). Set the soapmaking pan on the scale, zero it out, and add the olive oil. Then set the other sauce pot on the scale, zero it out, and add the coconut oil,  then zero out again and add the palm oil. Place the sauce pot over low heat until the solid pieces of the oils have melted. Pour the heated oils into the olive oil. If you choose to add the grapefruit seed extract and/or the tocopherol, add it now to the warm oils, mixing thoroughly. Let the oils cool to 80 degrees F.

Making the Soap

7) As the lye solution approaches 80 degrees, gently heat the goat milk to 80 degrees, stirring gently and constantly. At this time, be sure that the oils are at 80 degrees, so the oils will be ready and waiting. If they are too cool, heat the pan over very low heat, removing the pan from the heat when the temperature reaches 76 degrees.

8) Now add the lye solution to the goat milk, drizzling the lye in slowly and stirring the mixture briskly (with the spatula) to avoid curdling. Combining the lye with the milk may cause the mixture to heat up by a few degrees, though no higher than 85 degrees. 

9) Wearing goggles and gloves, slowly drizzle the goat milk mixture into the oils, stirring briskly (with the spatula) as you pour. Continue to stir, circling the pan and cutting through the middle of the pan to keep as much of the mixture as possible in constant motion. Do not beat or whip the mixture, but stir briskly throughout the entire process. DO NOT scrape the sides or bottom of the pan. This soap will be slightly grainy and will take anywhere from ten to forty minutes to saponify, depending on the oils and how closely the temperature directions were followed. 

Once a small amount of soap can be drizzled across the surface, leaving a tracing pattern before sinking back into the mass, the soap is ready for essential oils. And yet, be sure that all oils on the surface have been incorporated, leaving a uniform mixture.

10) Immediately drizzle in the essential oils to scent the soaps, stirring swiftly and thoroughly with spatula, without beating the mixture, Stir for twenty to thirty seconds, or as little time as needed to fully incorporate the essential oils. Too much stirring causes streaking and seizing (a quick setup which makes it hard, if not impossible, to pour soap into frames). Use pure essential oils for a uniform incorporation of product, synthetic fragrance oils are more likely to streak and seize.

Pouring Into the Mold

11) Quickly pour soap into the mold without scraping the sides of the pan. The mixture should be nice and uniform in color and texture. Try to pour from one end of the frame to the other to evenly distribute the soap within the frame for more even bars. If your first attempt is not quick enough, and the mixture begins to set unevenly, use the spatula to spread it out to the corners. Keep in mind that the soaps can be trimmed smoothly once the bars are ready to cut. 

If the last bit of soap mixture at the bottom of the pan is watery and not uniform, the stirring process was not quite complete. Watery or oily puddles signal a poorly mixed solution and will result in pockets of solid lye within the final product. Do not pollute the rest of your batch by adding this unsaponified portion, better leave it out.

Curing and Cutting the Bars

12) Cover the frame with another frame, a piece of plywood, or a piece of heavy cardboard, then finally with a blanket or two. Leave undisturbed for eighteen to twenty-four hours (I always do 24 hours, just to be sure.) This period is critical, as the insulation allows the soap to heat up and complete the soapmaking process.

13) Uncover the frame and set away from drafts and cold temperatures for one to seven days, or until the soap is firm enough to cut. Do not wait until they are rock hard. 

14) Using rulers and a paring knife, lightly (do not cut all the way through) mark the mass into bars. Once the bars seem straight and uniform, cut lengthwise and crosswise through to the bottom of the frame. Holding the sides of the waxed paper, lift the soaps out of the frame. carefully peel the soaps from the paper, then slice a thin sliver off of the top of each bar to remove the powdery white soda ash. Also trim any uneven edges.

15) Lay the soaps, in a single layer, on plain brown paper bags, wor wicker or rattan placemats. Do not use bags with ink on them, because the bars are still alkaline and will pick up the dye. Set the bags in a dry, well ventilated room and do not expose them to temperature extremes. 

16) Allow the soaps to continue to cure for four to six weeks, turning them over once to fully expose the other sides. this is an important period, as the soaps become harder and more mild. Wrap as you'd like, once cured, preferably in a breathable material, and store.

If anyone makes this soap, I would love to see pictures and hear reviews! If you get creative and come up with good variations, feel free to share! And if you are really into natural soap making, I highly recommend Susan Cavitch's book as linked at the top where you will find this recipe, among many other goodies!