Ellis - Preppers natural medicine : life-saving herbs, essential oils and natural remedies for when there is no doctor

Copyright 2015 Cat Ellis. Design and concept 2015 Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic devices, digital versions, and the Internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Published in the U.S. by

ULYSSES PRESS

P.O. Box 3440

Berkeley, CA 94703

www.ulyssespress.com

ISBN: 978-1-61243-463-6

Library of Congress Control Number 2014952014

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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Managing Editor: Claire Chun

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Editor: Susan Lang

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Distributed by Publishers Group West

NOTE TO READERS: This book has been written and published strictly for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical advice or to be any form of medical treatment. You should always consult your physician before altering or changing any aspect of your medical treatment and/or undertaking a diet regimen. Do not stop or change any prescription medications without the guidance and advice of your physician. Any use of the information in this book is made on the readers good judgment after consulting with his or her physician and is the readers sole responsibility. This book is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition and is not a substitute for a physician.

This book is independently authored and published and no sponsorship or endorsement of this book by, and no affiliation with, any trademarked brands or other products mentioned within is claimed or suggested. All trademarks that appear in ingredient lists and elsewhere in this book belong to their respective owners and are used here for informational purposes only. The authors and publishers encourage readers to patronize the quality brands mentioned in this book.

This book is dedicated to my best friend, soul mate, and loving husband, Eddie. Thank you for your love, patience, and humor. You are my hero, now and always.

CONTENTS

Have you ever wondered what you would do if there were no pharmacy? What if access to health care were suddenly cut off? Are you concerned about the rise of drug-resistant bacteria? Do you have a backup plan? Preppers Natural Medicine can help you put your plan in place.

Natural medicine is everywhere, even growing up through the cracks of sidewalks and occupying vacant lots. The addition of a medicinal herb garden at home and some simple stored items can provide you and your family with a wealth of effective remedies as well as valuable barter items in the event our current systems fail.

This guidebook teaches the basics of crafting natural medicines, gives detailed information on the therapeutic properties of 50 different herbs (plus a few extras), and shares some time-tested remedies for emergencies, first aid, and common complaints. Everything you need to learn how to make your own formulas for your specific needs is in this book. Ive also provided a list of books, suppliers, and other resources for your further study.

As an herbalist who is also a prepper, I am concerned about antibiotic resistance, emerging viruses, and the risks posed by chronic disease. I am concerned that the United States currently ranks #60 in maternal mortality in spite of (or because of) the many interventions now considered part of normal birth in our hospitals. I am concerned about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that one of every two adults in the United States has a chronic illness. I am concerned about the political shenanigans over health coverage and the suppression of natural medicine and nutrient-dense foods by our governments regulatory agencies in favor of corporate food. I am also concerned that we are moving to a system in which access to health care and type of treatment are determined by our government rather than health care professionals.

I wrote this book to help others get ready for a number of scenarios. During a crisis, pharmacies and hospitals will be among the first places raided. Millions of people on maintenance drugs will suddenly be without medicines that their bodies depend on for normal functioning. Even now, before a crisis, antibiotics that once easily treated common infections are no longer working, and pharmaceutical companies are not interested in developing newer generations of antibiotics because they make more profit by investing research and development funds in maintenance drugs instead. Antibiotics are typically taken for a mere 10 to 14 days. In contrast, maintenance drugs like blood pressure medication and cholesterol-lowering drugs tend to be taken for the rest of the patients life. This provides a far greater return on their invested research and development dollars.

Most important, I wanted to share my love of herbalism and natural medicine. My hope is that this love and appreciation for plant-based medicines will translate easily through this book and inspire you to learn more. Get outside, go on a weed walk, identify the vegetation in your area, plant some herbs, and begin to take a new, more active role in creating your own traditional medicine:

Traditional medicine refers to health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being.

China has maintained its more than 5,000-year-old traditional healing practices alongside a modern biomedical system. The two are not in competition. Instead, the Chinese use modern science to explore how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) works from a biomedical perspective. The Chinese have done much to study and document the antiviral properties of TCM herbs. This information may prove lifesaving given the emerging viruses for which biomedicine currently has no treatment. India has also retained its traditional medicine, known as Ayurveda, alongside modern biomedical practices. In fact, traditional medicine has been practiced all over the world.

In the West, traditional medicine is often referred to as alternative medicine or sometimes complementary medicine. Alternative medicine implies instead of orthodox medicine. Complementary medicine conveys a sense of in support of or in conjunction with orthodox medicine. Within alternative and complementary medicine are modalities like reflexology, massage therapy, chiropractic care, and herbalism. Germany has led the way in both research and an evidence-based health care system that incorporates natural, herbal, and other alternative or complementary therapies with pharmaceutical options.

Although it might seem that we in the West have no traditional form of medicine comparable to TCM or Ayurveda, herbalist Matthew Wood has pieced together what he terms traditional Western herbalism from nearly forgotten folk traditions and drawn correlations between the worldviews of various Western cultures regarding health and medicine. His book on the subject, The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism: Basic Doctrine, Energetics, and Classification, is an interesting and worthy read.

WHY USE NATURAL MEDICINE?

If youre a prepper, you understand the value in planning ahead and having backups for vulnerable systems. You grasp the importance of growing a garden, storing food, and saving seeds for the following year. You have multiple ways of heating and powering your home if utilities fail. You are ready for almost anythinga layoff, severe weather, economic collapse, and maybe even an electromagnetic pulse (EMP).