Folk Medicine

[MaryN]

I am sure that one of the most important things, post SHTF, will be to maintain a state of good health and what can only possibly be a very stressful and challenging environment. This can also be a bit of a struggle in normal times, and it is my belief that we can all do quite a lot to help ourselves to stay fit and healthy. I say fit – I’ll leave all the body-building stuff to Scythe13 – but I actually mean illness free.

I’ve been a practitioner of a form of “folk medicine” for some years now. I stumbled across the topic some years ago when I read a book on Vermont Folk Medicine written by an old country Doctor. It involved, mainly, the use of apple cider vinegar and honey in the daily diet. I was intrigued and entertained by the folksy style of the book and tried out some of the recommendations. Surprise! Some of it worked very well indeed. I wasn’t exactly plagued by illness, but I found that drinking cider vinegar in a glass of water when my stomach was upset was very helpful, and certainly worked better than the over-the-counter remedies. Better still, I knew what was in my glass. I still drink cider vinegar, and find the tartness very refreshing.

Come forward quite a few years and I still poke around looking for esoteric information – and the internet has made things so much easier – but my wanderings have uncovered more information that leads me to think I have been on the right track. I discovered the pH value of the human body.

Apparently, the pH value for the human body to enable it to maintain a healthy balance is in the range of 7 – 7.45, preferably 7.35 – 7.45. This is a slightly alkaline state. Anything below 7 is heading for acidity and is something that should be avoided. I learned that stress and a restricted diet can result in acidity in the human body, and sickness follows. So, my logical thought would be to try and keep my blood (body) within the nicely alkaline range and hope that this goes some way to keeping illness at bay.
Cider Vinegar is very acidic, and I was certain that it would be an undesirable thing based on the above figures, but apparently the action of the body during digestion results in a nicely alkaline state. Folk medicine : Score 1.

Further research tells me that eating a good variety of vegetables helps with the right level of alkalinity, and most herbs are excellent. Predictably the things you would expect to be on the no-go list – sugars, white flour and all the other goodies of the civilised age – are in the acid-forming groups.

You can do your own research from here!

[Highlander]

Mary, you should have been at our meeting, you would have enjoyed it

I have used apple cider vinegar and honey for years, I first started using it on the dogs, many dog owners have both those items in the dog medical bag

[MaryN]

I am sure I would have enjoyed it, Highlander, but you are so, so far away!

How strange that you also use the cider vinegar principle. I use it in my horses' feed - it helps to balance the gut. I use honey on sore places. Actually, there are so many uses it would be difficult to detail them all.

[Highlander]

Apple cider vinegar takes care of many allergies in dogs, so will most likely do the same for humans, clears the likes of athletes foot, and can be a simple `pick me up`,... apart from being one of the better shampoos [diluted],.. put a little in the bath for the likes of sunburn or sweat rash

Great item vinegar,... any sort, but apple cider vinegar is a lot gentler than white vinegar

Honey has been taken by man for centuries, by dad bred bees and we always had a lot of honey,.. Manuka Honey is usually said to be the best there is but it is expensive,..and its what I have here, but to be honest any natural honey will do the job, it will last forever, when it goes hard and Christal heat it up until runny again,... use it as a pultus [sp],... for almost anything

[Straight Shooter]

Great post mary .......I am getting into this stuff more and more, apple cider , my father in law swore by it, and when I read this brought it all back......old lau ,used to call up to my place to pick elder flower....he would dry it out......any sign of a cold , he would crush it up and pour boiling water on it (to make a tea ) 1 glug of honey squeeze of lemon and drink hot as possible, ..I read a article regarding surgical paraffin ......when I was a kid that was always kept....and used for anything and everything, but you will have a job getting hold of it......a cure for cancer to I am told also.......................Dock leafs , are great for insect bites and stings, I will give more time to this subject as time rolls by, its worth the effort I have no doubt....by now you all know I look back a lot to the past and childhood days ......but.....most people were healthier then ......I wonder why?, I have become a disciple of a simple life.....my hands in the soil.....I feel good mary.

[MaryN]

A son of the soil, eh, S? Glad to hear you are feeling good in yourself. (No naughties in the back garden though, you'll frighten the neighbours!)

[Kenneth Eames]

Cider vinegar and honey is a great restorative and of great benefit for rheumatism and arthritis. Kenneth Eames.

[Arnie72]

Any recommendations for a good book / website I can print which details all these wonderful things?

[MaryN]

(22 July 2013, 15:29)Arnie72 Wrote: Any recommendations for a good book / website I can print which details all these wonderful things?

Just Google Cider Apple Vinegar and take your pick.