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Natural Antibiotics and Medicinal Herbs

June 5, 2018 By ParkerMama 2 Comments

In a long emergency, getting to a doctor could take a few days…or weeks.  Natural antibiotics may be your first defense against infection until you can see a health care professional.   Here are some ideas on  natural antibiotics and medicinal herbs to store  for emergencies and every day use.

Natural Antibiotics and Medicinal Herbs

What Is An Antibiotic?

An antibiotic is a medicine that inhibits the growth of or destroys harmful microoganisms.  Antibiotics can be taken internally or applied topically.   Unfortunately, many don’t know that there are natural versions of antibiotics that don’t require a prescription.

Did you know, almost every pharmaceutical medication originally came from plants?  After they were proven effective in treating various ailments, the pharmaceutical industry then created synthetic variants which they could patent….and charge a fortune for.

Herbal Antibiotics

Golden Seal

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Golden Seal is a natural antibiotic that has the ability to prevent bacteria from adhering to cell walls.  Because of this,  Golden Seal is used as a treatment for irritations and inflammation of the mucus membranes.  Also, Golden Seal has a long history of being used during the winter and it’s associated respiratory ailments.

Echinacea

Used in combination with Golden Seal,  echinacea also works to boost the immune system.

Mullein

Mullein is useful for respiratory infections, bronchial infections, and asthma.

DIY Homemade Cold Syrup

1 part dried echinacea root.
1 part fresh ginger root, grated.

Add 2 ounces of the this herb mixture to 1 quart of cold water. Simmer over low heat until the liquid has reduced to 1 pint, creating a very thick tea.

Using cheese cloth or a fine mesh strainer, strain herbs from syrup. Return syrup to pot.

Next,  to each pint of liquid, add 1 cup honey, maple syrup, vegetable glycerin, or organic brown sugar.

Warm the sweetener and liquid together just enough to mix it well.  Finally, remove the syrup from heat and bottle for use and store in the refrigerator.

If the syrup is too strong, add it to a cup of warm lemon water to drink as a tea.

Mullein Flower –  Garlic DIY Herbal Ear Infection Oil

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
2-3 Tablespoons Mullein Flowers
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

*this post contains affiliate links

1. Place the garlic and mullein flowers in a double boiler with just enough extra virgin olive oil to cover the herbs. Warm for 20 to 30 minutes over very low heat.

2. Strain well, using a fine mesh strainer lined with cheese cloth. Finally, store oil in a covered glass jar in the refrigerator.

When it is time to use the oil, warm a teaspoon of it over  a stovetop burner. Only warm it to body temperature. Suction the oil into a dropper, and add 3 drops into each ear, massaging the outer ear around the base. Apply as needed.

More Botanicals For The First Aid Kit

Olive Leaves are said to contain powerful antioxidants, thus promoting  general health in the event of colds, flu or infection.   Olive Leaves act as a natural antibiotic, inhibiting the growth of bacteria, viruses and fungi.

Elderberries

As you may already know, the minute flu season nears, I crank out the Elderberry Syrup !  Check out our post on how to make your own Elderberry Syrup. 

Andrographis

Well known in  Chinese medicine, Andrographis supports healthy immunity including lungs, heart and kidneys.

Natural Antibiotics

Medicinal Herbs You Can Grow In Your Garden

Nettle

Struggling with seasonal allergies?  Drinking Nettle tea regularly is a great way to reduce the symptoms of seasonal allergies.  Believe it or not,  Nettle’s histamine content reduces inflammation caused by seasonal allergies.

Nettle can also be taken in capsule form.

Holy Basil

Incredibly easy to grow in most gardens, Holy Basil helps to strengthen and modulate the immune system.  Herbalists use this natural antibiotic  for lung issues such as bronchitis and pulmonary weakness.  Use Holy Basil to treat and prevent respiratory viruses.

Finally, Holy Basil has expectorant qualities that help move stuck mucus out of the lungs.

The easiest way to prepare basil is as a tea. First,  add 1 teaspoon dried Holy Basil leaves to 2 cups of hot water.  Steep for 5 minutes.  Adding Ginger and Honey will help soothe a sore throat.

FYI:  It is believed that Holy Basil may have an anti-fertility effect on both men and women.  Do not use if you are pregnant or trying to conceive.

 

Why Lemon Balm Should Be In Your Emergency Kit

A must have to treat insect bites and stings, Lemon Balm is also very calming and relaxing.  Relieve painful cold sores and other herpes outbreaks with this simple plant you can grow in your garden.

To treat insect bites and stings crush fresh Lemon Balm between your fingers, and apply to affected area.

Infuse Lemon Balm into jojoba oil and used as a salve, lip balm, or other treatment.

To infuse oil with Lemon Balm,  fill an 8 ounce mason jar with dried and crumbled Lemon Balm Leaves.  Cover with jojoba oil and stir well.  Keep in a cool dark place stirring daily for 2 weeks.  Finally, strain and use the oil as desired.

FYI: In it’s essential oil form, Lemon Balm is known as Melissa.  While expensive, I always have this essential oil on hand.   Here’s how to order Melissa Essential Oil.  

Topical Natural Antibiotics

Manuka Honey  Unfortunately, many believe that any kind of honey can be used as a natural antibiotic, but really it’s only Manuka Honey that has this.  And we have a DIY Manuka Honey Recipe for you to try!

Essential Oils With Antibacterial Properties

What, you haven’t heard that there are essential oils that have antibacterial properties?

Well, according to this  study on oregano essential oil done by the Journal of Medical Microbiology, they sure do!

Next,  there is the study from the Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice showing how cinnamon essential oil eliminated bacterial growth after a procedure.

I’d love to not only share with you where I get my family’s essential oils, but give you a $25.00 Discount as well:  How To Order Young Living Essential Oils.

Want To Learn More?

If you’d like to learn more about natural antibiotics and medicinal herbs,  I recommend the following books:


Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use

Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients into Foods and Remedies That Heal

The Herbal Medicine-Maker’s Handbook: A Home Manual

PS:   Check with your doctor before starting any of the natural antibiotics mentioned above to be sure nothing will interact with any medications you are currently taking.  This is important!

 

Filed Under: Beginning Prepping, Herbs for Health Tagged With: #DIY, essential oils, herbs

Two Tone Honey Calendula Melt And Pour Soap Recipe

May 4, 2018 By ParkerMama Leave a Comment

Wondering how to make a two tone melt and pour soap recipe?  Well, I’m happy to tell you that it’s much easier than you think.  My two tone Honey Calendula Melt and Pour Soap Recipe will show you how to make a vertically layered soap.

Honey and Calendula Melt and Pour Soap Recipe

Ingredients For Two Tone Melt and Pour Soap Recipe

*this post contains affiliate links

1 pound Organic Translucent Melt and Pour Soap Base

1 pound Honey Melt and Pour Soap Base

Calendula Petals    (Now, most botanicals wind up looking like dead bugs in melt and pour soap. While Canlendua Petals do the best, they aren’t perfect. This is a soap you are going to want to USE, not sit out as a decoration. Just sayin’. And with all the goodies in this bar, why wouldn’t you run off to the tub with it asap?)

Manuka Honey    Opps…  No Manuka Honey?  That’s okay.  Take a look at our DIY Manuka Honey Recipe.

3×2 Rectangular Soap Mold (This recipe makes approx. eight bars of soap using this mold.)

Small Spray Bottle filled with Rubbing Alcohol

Pyrex Measuring Cup

Bread Dough Scraper

Young Living Orange Essential Oil

Young Living Lemon Essential Oil

$25.00 OFF Your Young Living Essential Oil Purchase

It’s no secret that I only use Young Living Essential Oils. I believe in these oils so much, that I’m running a special offer giving you a $25.00 REBATE when you purchase your first Young Living Premium Starter Kit.  Learn all about this deal in our How To Order Young Living Essential Oils post.

The Method For Honey Calendula Two Tone Melt and Pour Soap

Chop the translucent melt and pour soap into chunks and put them in the pyrex measuring cup. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat until soap is totally melted.

Organic Melt and Pour Soap Base

Add calendula petals. (I added about 3 Tablespoons, you can add more or less.) Stir the calendula petals and soap until soap cools down enough to allow the petals to be suspended. (About 60 degrees.) Add Young Living Lemon Essential Oil and stir.  Pour soap into molds and allow to set up and harden.

Pop out the bars of calendula soap. Using a *this post contains affiliate links bread dough scraper, cut each bar evenly in half. The dough scraper will help you make sure your cut is straight and even. I find this is MUCH  easier done with the scraper than with a knife.

Let the soap halves dry overnight.

Two Tone Honey Calendula Melt and Pour Soap Recipe

Pouring The Honey Side Of This Melt And Pour Soap Recipe

Put the halves of calendula soap back into the mold, one half per mold. Press the soap halves tightly into each mold.

Cut the Honey Melt and Pour Soap Base into chunks and microwave in 30 second bursts until melted. Add in 2 teaspoons of Manuka Honey and stir until melted. Add Orange essential oil.

OPTIONAL: Add ONE drop of yellow soap colorant to enhance the color of the honey melt and pour soap base.

When the honey base is about 120 degrees, use the finger of one hand press down the calendula soap half down as you pour the honey side of the soap. Spritz with alcohol to remove any bubbles. Continue with the rest of the soap.

PRO TIP: Spritz the cut side of the calendula soap before you pour the melted honey base.  This will help both sides stick.

Two Tone Honey Calendula Melt and Pour Soap Recipe

 

Lookie There!  You Did It!

See, it’s easier than you thought, isn’t it? Okay, so it took a minute to get that pesky honey soap base temperature thing nailed. But, it was SO worth it! And when someone asks you how you made this bar, just smile and reply; “Magic”.

Hosting A Make And Take?

I think these two tone bars would be terrific for a Make And Take. What I would do, is pour the calendula side the night before and cut the halves. Then the next day your guest will only have to melt the honey base, add the honey, scent and pour! Viola!

Do You Love To Pin?

Would you (pretty please) share this melt and pour soap recipe on Pinterest for us?  60 seconds and your good deed for the day is DONE!  Thank you!

Filed Under: Essential Oil Recipe, Essential Oils Tagged With: #DIY, essential oils, Homemade, melt and pour soap

Homemade Organic Brown Sugar Scrub Bar

April 12, 2018 By ParkerMama Leave a Comment

I’m not a big fan of taking jars of sugar scrub into the shower with me. Water gets into handmade items and can cause all kinds of grief.  Instead, I love bringing a Homemade Organic Brown Sugar Scrub Bar with me.   Super simple to make, I just break off a piece of the bar and take that with me  into the shower.

Organic Brown Sugar Scrub Bar

What Makes Our Organic Brown Sugar Scrub Bar Terrific?

The exfoliation from the brown sugar smooths the way for the avocado oil to sink in and soften and nourish skin.

The combination of scents from the organic brown sugar combined with vanilla extract and orange essential oil is a favorite of mine. I also used a honey based melt and pour soup. Don’t hesitate to skip the vanilla extract and replace the orange with your favorite essential oil blend.

Ingredients For Organic Brown Sugar Scrub Bar

*this post contains affiliate links

1/3 Cup Avocado Oil

1.5 Cups Organic Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Honey Melt and Pour Soap Base

5 drops vanilla extract

20 drops Orange Essential Oil  ( Here’s how you can order Young Living Essential Oils)

Silicone Soap Mold

 Organic Brown Sugar Scrub Bar

Method For Organic Brown Sugar Scrub Bar

1. Melt soap base in microwave safe container (I use a Pyrex Measuring Cup) 20 seconds at a time, stirring well, until it’s melted. Watch carefully as scorched soap stinks, and you can’t scent over that.

2. Stir in Avocado Oil until well blended.

3. Continue to stir soap until it cools to the point of thickening. This is the hard part to explain. If you add your brown sugar to soap that is too hot, it will melt the brown sugar.

The soap needs to be cool, but still moldable. I stir until a skim starts to form, then I add just a bit of brown sugar and watch to see if it melts. If it stays pretty much solid, pour in the rest and then add vanilla extract and orange essential oil.

4. Scoop mixture into your silicone mold. Allow your organic brown sugar scrub bar to totally firm up. Remove bar from mold, and allow to dry out for at least a day before you use it.

PRO TIP: Depending on your skin type you may want to increase the oil to 1/2 cup or decrease it to 1/4 of a cup. After I add in the brown sugar, vanilla extract and essential oil, I have to scoop the mixture into the mold, it is too thick to pour. Play around with it until you hit your perfect mix of oil and brown sugar to meet your moisturizing needs.

 Organic Brown Sugar Scrub Bar

Like Making Your Own Bath And Body Stuff?

I love making my own bath and body products, along with my own skin care items. I like knowing exactly what is in them. Custom blends are a must for me too. So, if you like making your own stuff too, here are some other essential oil recipes I think you will really like!

Homemade Herbal Milk Bath Essential Oil Recipe

Simple DIY Facial Toner With Essential Oils 

Homemade DIY Gardener’s Soap With Essential Oils

How To Order Young Living Essential Oils

Filed Under: Essential Oil Recipe, Essential Oils Tagged With: #DIY, essential oils, Homemade, recipe, young living

DIY Manuka Honey Recipe For Preppers

March 6, 2018 By ParkerMama Leave a Comment

Manuka Honey is gaining in popularity today.  Unfortunately, it’s expensive.  Really expensive.   This DIY Manuka Honey Recipe is a homemade alternative I use and enjoy.

Properties of Manuka Essential Oil

Steam distilled from the leaves and stems of the plant, Manuka oil has a woodsy, slightly sweet scent. Manuka essential oil can be compared to Tea Tree essential oil, as Manuka oil benefits the skin in a similar way. 
The benefits of raw honey in our DIY Manuka Honey Recipe

 

DIY Manuka Honey Recipe Ingredients

*this list contains affiliate links

* Raw Honey  Preferably organic.

* Young Living Manuka Essential Oil

* A tight fitting lidded glass jar. I really like these jars to store my Manuka Honey Recipe in.  I love the labels and pen they come with.

DIY Manuka Honey Recipe

Pro Tip: New to Essential Oils?  We’ve put together a way to help you learn about essential oils for prepping. 

Steps To Make  DIY Manuka Honey Recipe

In a 4 ounce glass jar combine 4 ounces of honey with 8 drops of Manuka Essential Oil and stir.  Keep tightly covered.

Lookie there!  You’ve just saved yourself a LOT of money!

Pro Tip: Let Me Show You How To Order Young Living Essential Oils, AND save $25.00!

A Word Of Caution!

Unlike the store bought Manuka Honey, our DIY Manuka Honey Recipe is meant for TOPICAL USE ONLY! 

No Time For A DIY Manuka Honey Recipe?

Life’s busy. Sometimes a little bit of convenience is worth the cost. Have no fear! Manuka Honey is available for purchase. It comes in different UMF Levels of UMF 5+ (Authentic),  UMF 10+ (Premium),  UMF 15+ (Super Premium) and UMF 20+ (Ultra Premium).

PRO TIP: The higher the UMF rating, the stronger the taste of the Manuka Honey. If you plan on using this brand internally, you’ve been forewarned.

Medical Grade Honey

Looking for other types of honey for your Emergency Preparedness and Prepping needs? We’ve done the research on Medical Grade Honey for you!

How do you use honey for prepping and self reliance?

Pro Tip: Essential Oils aren’t just for honey!  We’ve got a couple of fabulous soap recipes using Essential Oils just for you!  Check out our Embossed Soap Making Tutorial and  our DIY Lavender Charcoal Soap Recipe. 

Filed Under: Alternate Uses, Essential Oils Tagged With: charcoal lavender soap, embossed soapmaking, essential oils, medical grade honey, raw honey benefits, remedies, uses, wounds

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Why Worry About Preparing?

Preparedness for a disaster makes a lot of sense. With recent and predicted events like Hurricane Sandy, The Colorado Wildfires, Fiscal Cliffs, and rising food and gas costs just in 2012 there is no denying that things are changing in our world. Whether or not you believe "The End of the World As We Know It" is near there are plenty of everyday things to worry about: loss of a job, health emergency, local weather events to name a few.

I find that I worry less about the big "what if's" out there the more emergency planning my family does to deal with the unexpected. I will share the survival tips and tricks I have learned while on this preparedness journey and hope that you join in with lots of comments. We all have a lot to learn from one another.

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