Letters To The Editor

Dear Editor,

There are so many things that we take for granted in our modern world that if we ever did face an “end of the world as we know it” situation, we’d be lost. There are so many conveniences that we have that we don’t think about in a disaster situation. Let’s just take the common cold or flu, for example. Right now, we can go to a store, find a pill or liquid for any symptom we have, and dose ourselves back to health. What if those stores are no longer there? What if they run out of supplies? Can you give me an idea of some natural remedies or therapies for common ailments?

Thanks,

Dear BG,

You’re right – it’s hard to imagine a world without Tylenol Sinus® or even aspirin. Of course, you’ll want to have a supply of common over-the-counter pain relief put away for a TEOWAWKI event. Keep them in a cool, dark place, away from heat and humidity. However, many modern medications find their basic structures from nature, and you can substitute common herbs for medicinal purposes.

For example, the common herb thyme is wonderful for many things. It can help treat sore throats, colds, and congestion. A tea made from the herb is a wonderful expectorant, and a German study of one of the active ingredients in thyme (thymol) found it effective for bronchitis, coughs, and colds.

It’s also great for use on the skin as its antimicrobial properties make it an excellent choice for blemishes. Simply use a cool solution of tea brewed from the leaves and flowers and swab over affected areas.

It’s difficult to give you all the herbs and their uses in such a short space. There are so many other herbs that can help with many different ailments. Rosemary can be added to a bowl of steaming water. Simply drape a towel over your head and the bowl and breathe in the vapor. It’s a wonderful relaxant and opens up the sinuses. Peppermint teas are excellent for stomach conditions, and garlic is an excellent antibacterial and immune system enhancer.

For additional resources, you should check out the books at the Solutions From Science website. There is The Herbal Home Remedy Book and another titled Herbal Antibiotics. In fact, in the book section, simply type in “herbs” in the search box and you’ll see a scad of available material that can help you educate yourself about alternative therapies.

The Editor

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Dear Editor,

I’m new to gardening. I’m trying to read everything I can get my hands on so that I can make a successful attempt with all the work I figure I’m going to be putting into this thing. However, there’s one thing that has me perplexed – and just a little aggravated, to be honest.

Everything I read tells me to “attract beneficial insects,” yet nothing tells me what those beneficial insects are! It’s as if every writer heard the phrase from another writer and just copied it down as one more piece of advice to give without giving any thought that just maybe the reader had no clue what insects were beneficial! Please help… what insects do I want in my garden?

Dear DP,

Don’t you just hate advice that leaves you more confused than ever before? And I feel your pain. After reading about the hundredth article and several books that all suggested beneficial insects for the garden (but didn’t say what those insects were), I wanted to scream.

However, to ease your pain we just ran an article on what a beneficial insect is and how to attract or procure them. Go to our February 7^th article, “The Scoop on Beneficial Insects” and learn all about these helpful bugs.

The Editor

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