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Health – Page 15 – Homesteader Depot

Homesteader Depot

Category: Health

  • Essential Oils for Natural Health (Infographic)

    Essential Oils for Natural Health (Infographic)

    I recently shared some recommendations for the best essential oils to start your collection. I found this infographic on Pinterest the other day though and I thought it was an excellent cheat sheet for natural remedies for common maladies and health issues.

    Some of these remedies use the foundational essential oils I had on this list, while others call for more obscure essential oils. This should give you an idea of just how many uses for essential oils there are, and maybe some of the less common essential oils you might want to consider investing in. If you have a recurring health issue that can be helped by cypress oil, for example, it might be well worth your money to invest in a bottle. As I mentioned in my previous article, essential oils are so concentrated, that you usually only need 1-3 drops per use. So even if you use an oil regularly, it will still last you a long time.

    I hope you enjoy this infographic and find some good ideas for ways to use essential oils for your health.

    Essential Oil Remedies Infographic

    Image via: Essential Oil Remedies Infographic

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  • The Best Essential Oils to Start a Collection

    The Best Essential Oils to Start a Collection

    There’s a lot of hype about essential oils out there, and it really is for good reason. Essential oils are a wonderful addition to any natural medicine cabinet.

    But it can be overwhelming trying to get yourself set up with some essential oils, and you can easily get sucked into some of the network marketing companies that sell essential oils for a very high price. or a bundle of several oils at once. You can easily spend up to a few hundred dollars on small bottles of oil that you won’t even use!

    There are literally dozens of types of essential oils out there to get, so how do you know which ones you will actually use? You might have one oil recommended to you for a certain remedy, but if you invest in a bottle, will you use it again?

    Here are some of the most common essential oils, that have the most versatile uses, and are also the easiest to find. There’s a lot of obscure oils out there that have a great place in natural medicine, of course, and can offer great help to certain remedies. But these oils are the best, all-purpose oils, that you will most likely find yourself reaching to time and time again, who have a long list of uses.

    When you are purchasing essential oils for the first time, make sure to pick something you’ll actually use. Good quality essential oils will work wonderfully well, and a little bit goes a long way, so one small bottle actually might last you years. Consider one of these for your starter oil, and you definitely won’t run out of ways to use it.

    A quick note on the term “carrier oil” which I use in this guide. A carrier oil is a non-essential oil that you use to apply essential oils topically. Since essential oils are highly concentrated, you usually only need 1-3 drops for topical use, and if you don’t have the resources to make your own balm, adding the oil to a carrier oil can help to quickly apply an essential oil directly to you skin. Some great carrier oils are olive, almond, or coconut oil, but you can use whatever you have on hand in a pinch.

    Some great carrier oils are olive, almond, or coconut oil, but you can use whatever you have on hand in a pinch. Simply pour some of the carrier oil into your hand, and add 1-3 drops of the essential. Mix it around with your finger, and apply.

    If you are considering starting your essential oil collection, I highly recommend investing in a good carrier oil as well. My personal favorite is almond oil, since it’s great for your skin and generally affordable.

    Now, on to our essential oils!

    Lavender

    I wrote a whole post about lavender alone, so you can refer to that for more detail. But lavender always tops my list for useful essential oils. It smells amazing, has been used for centuries, and has a list of uses as long as your arm. You really can’t go wrong with lavender oil as a staple in your medicine chest.

    Tea tree

    Tea tree oil is another great starter essential oil. It is naturally antibacterial and antifungal, so it’s great for everything from DIY all-purpose cleaner to treating athlete’s foot or dandruff. As a cleaning product, it works amazing well to sanitize and deodorize every room in your house, and it smells really clean and lovely too. Way better than Pine-Sol, and healthier too!

    Peppermint 

    Peppermint is another favorite of mine for many reasons. It is great for diffusing, especially if you’re battling a cold, and can be added to a carrier oil for a natural alternative to Vick’s vapor rub, or to sooth sore muscles and other aches and pains. You can dab a little on a sore tooth or add a few drops to some water for a very effective homemade mouthwash. It is also a great addition to homemade toothpaste if you miss the minty-freshness of conventional toothpaste. It is also great as a natural spider repellent around the house.

    Cinnamon

    Cinnamon is another great essential oil for dental issues, it can numb an aching tooth or flavor mouthwash and toothpaste. If you’re a fan of air fresheners or scented candles, cinnamon is a much safer and chemical-free alternative to these toxic, synthetic scents. It is another great oil to diffuse when you are suffering from a cold, it will deodorize the air and also help break up phlegm or congestion.

    There is also one amazing,  near-miraculous use for cinnamon oil: ant repellant. Nothing banishes ants from your kitchen like a few regular sprays of water with a bit of cinnamon essential oil in it. You’ll be amazed; the ants will never come back. It is on this list for that reason alone, although it’s still a very effective oil in other ways as well! Read more about this in my latest post on banishing ants for good.

    Eucalyptus 

    Eucalyptus, like tea tree oil, is a great antifungal and antibacterial oil that has a lot of medicinal uses. It’s ideal for diffusing when sick, or adding to your chest in a carrier oil if you have a cough, congestion, or to ease asthmatic symptoms. Many people love the fresh, earthy scent of eucalyptus, so it’s not only medicinal when diffused, but a wonderful air freshener. You can also use it topically in a carrier oil to relieve sore muscles or tension.

     

    Essential oils have so many uses around the house, and these are some of the best to start with. You might not even want to buy any more after getting any one of these staples, or you might find yourself hooked! Let us know if you’d like to know more about less common essential oils and their uses, and we’ll be sure to get that posted for you as well.

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  • How to Permanently Get Rid of Ants

    How to Permanently Get Rid of Ants

    Ants are a real drag to have in your home. And if you’re a homesteader, there’s a good chance you’re bringing lots of dirt inside from your garden or pasture, and with that comes ant eggs. Or perhaps you have lots of little nooks and crannies for ants to sneak in.

    Either way, if you’re battling ants constantly, year after year, you’re probably ready to be done with them. Ants are not only a big bother, they can actually pose a serious health risk if not addressed. It’s not common knowledge, but some ant species can actually transfer harmful pathogens into your living space, bringing with them sickness or infection.

    Of course, you could go for the expensive store-bought solutions that promise to banish ants completely. Unfortunately, those are not only highly toxic and dangerous to pets and small children, they also never work to fully rid ants from you home.

    The main ingredient in most commercial ant traps is boric acid, which is mixed with sugary substances to entice the ants. The ants then eat this, and bring it back to the colony, killing the rest of the ants, in theory. However, if you’ve ever tried these, you probably know how ineffective they can be, how quickly they dry out, and how you’re often left with nothing but useless traps and plenty of ants.

    Well, I have found a near-magical solution to banning ants, that has worked for me in several different houses, in several different climates, in fact.

    The secret ingredient is cinnamon essential oil, and the method couldn’t be easier.

    What you need

    • Cinnamon essential oil
    • Spray bottle
    • Tap water
    • Ants you’d like to kill dead

    What  you do

    1. Fill your spray bottle with tap water to the fill line.
    2. Add 5-10 drops of cinnamon essential oil.
    3. Spray.
    4. Banish ants from your home forever.

    Easy right? Very easy to make, and easy to use as well.

    The most crucial factor will be identifying where the ants are entering your home. Spray all around there, liberally, with your newly made ant repellant spray. Then, spray all along the path they normally take.

    If you want proof that this works insanely well, simply spray some in an ant’s path. Heck, you can even sprinkle some cinnamon right in their path to see how it works. They will always avoid it. Not sure why, but ants hate cinnamon.

    Every night as you clean up your kitchen, finish up by spraying the cinnamon oil spray all around. You probably won’t need it for long, but keep it in your kitchen for future use, just in case. You will be amazed at the results, trust me!

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  • Homemade Rosewater Recipe

    Homemade Rosewater Recipe

    Rosewater is exactly what it sounds like: water infused with roses. It’s simple, but it’s incredibly effective to tone, moisturize, and give a wonderful scent to skin and hair.

    You can use it in many different ways, as a toner for your skin, a quick moisturizing spray, to add to homemade lotions or remedies or just as a natural perfume.

    You can make a bottle of homemade rosewater very easily and use for yourself or as gifts, or even as a chic and easy addition to a farmer’s market stand for your homestead.

    Wherever you live, if you happen to grow your own organic roses, this is a great way to use them up once they’ve faded. Or, if you don’t grow roses but still want to make this rose water, try to find fresh cut roses that were grown organically, or buy some dried rose buds or petals online that are certified organic.

    If you intend to use the rosewater on your skin, you definitely don’t want to use conventional rose petals, because as your skin is your largest organ, you definitely don’t want to be absorbing trace pesticides through your open pores.

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    A quick note: this recipe will work with any amount of roses you have, just follow the directions and it will work.

    Ingredients 

    • organic roses
    • distilled water

    Directions

    1. If you are using fresh roses, remove the petals from the leaves completely.
    2. Put your petals in a saucepan, and cover with just enough distilled water to cover.
    3. Bring to a simmer and cover.
    4. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes until petals have lost their color.
    5. Remove from heat and strain the petals out. Let cool, and store in a glass bottle.

    That’s it! You can now use your rosewater to add to luxurious baths, homemade facial toner, or even to cook with; rosewater is a staple in many Middle Eastern dishes. Enjoy!

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  • The Real Benefits of Raw Milk (Video)

    The Real Benefits of Raw Milk (Video)

    I’ve written a bit about the benefits of raw milk on this site, and I’m a big believer in it. Raw milk might give many Americans who have gotten used to pasteurization pause, but the truth is, pasteurization actually reduces many of the natural health benefits of milk.

    Pasteurization has certainly helped with many food safety concerns as far as packaging and transporting food products in the US, but that really might be part of the problem. Or post-industrial world, reliant on national transportation grids to get our food to our door, totally removes the many benefits of a localized food system. Fortunately, many people are waking up to this, and if you’re lucky enough to live near a farm that sells raw milk, right from the cow’s udder, you can help close this gap and improve your health.

    This video from the Wenston A. Price Foundation, one of my favorite resources for nutritional and health information, explains the health benefits of raw milk and how to handle it properly. It is a great introduction to just how good raw milk is for you, and most importantly, why raw is best. Enjoy!

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  • The Right Way to Water Your Plants

    The Right Way to Water Your Plants

    You may not have realized it before, but there are proven best practices for watering your plants and garden. Determining just when and how to water for the healthiest, most productive crops is all about paying attention to a few key factors. It might seem a little silly; is there really a wrong way to water plants? Not necessarily, but there are certainly better ways!

    There are no rules written in stone that apply to water all plants in all situations. You can make your call depending on the type of plant, the soil, the weather, the time of year and other factors. Don’t worry, it doesn’t get too complicated–you can even teach your kids to help!

    When to water:

    For container plants, there’s a simple and accurate test to check their water levels. Slowly and evenly water the soil until it begins to drain from the vessel at the bottom. After the draining stops, lift the pot or basket to get a sense for how heavy it should feel. When it feels light, it’s time to water. Easy as that!

    Now, you obviously can’t use the “lift test” in your garden or landscape. The appropriate alternative is to push a spade into the soil near your plant (but at a safe distance from the roots) and pull it back to get a good look at the soil. If consistent moisture reaches a depth of 6 to 12 inches, you’re in good shape. If it’s bone dry, water!

    You may find that your watering needs become somewhat regular, but don’t rely on timing them too much. You need to account for rainy or dry weather and plan accordingly. On especially hot and dry days check the soil to see if you need to water a second time.

    Always water early in the day. This allows any water that lands on the foliage and stalks to dry in the sun and reduce the risk of disease. Never water after sundown! Not only does this promote fungal disease, but it also attracts unwanted pests like garden slugs.

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    How to water:

    When it’s time to water, always focus on the root zone. After all, it’s the roots that need water, not the leaves! If you water too quickly and flood your plant, it runs straight down the soil avoiding the root ball, leaving the roots at the core of the plant thirsty. Whether you are nurturing seedlings, topping up houseplants, watering a row of tomatoes or soaking shrubs and trees, slow and steady watering is the key is to ensure that water soaks the root zone.

    Grasses and annual plants concentrate their roots in the first six inches of the soil. The roots of perennials, shrubs, and trees are found as deep as twelve inches into the soil. In dense, heavy soil, it can take hours for the water to percolate down through six to twelve inches. Check with a shovel or trowel to see just how deep water has traveled after you’ve finished being sure roots are sufficiently watered.

    Watering tips and tools:

    One word: MULCH! Mulch acts as insulation for your soil by reducing surface runoff and slowing evaporation from the soil.

    Use the right tools for the job. For efficient watering at the root zone, use a soaker hose or even a drip irrigation system instead of a regular sprinkler hose.

    A sprinkler is the best option for watering a larger garden or several containers, but it is not the most efficient. Roughly 40 percent of the water ever reaches the root zone. For more efficient watering in vegetable gardens and flower beds, install a soaker hose early in the season, before the plants become too big.

    While there is technically a science to properly watering the flora around your homestead, it doesn’t need to be difficult. Examine your watering habits if your plants are unhealthy or unproductive. You might be pleasantly surprised at how a couple of simple changes to your watering routine can positively affect your gardens!

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  • 7 Brilliant Uses for Table Salt…Other Than Flavoring Food

    7 Brilliant Uses for Table Salt…Other Than Flavoring Food

    Regular old table salt actually has a whole lot more uses than simply flavoring food. Even if you’ve gotten into healthier salts like Himalayan pink salt, you should still be buying regular table salt for the many household applications it has.

    Salt lasts virtually forever and can be used medicinally, for cleaning, even for the care of animals and in the garden.  It should definitely always be a staple in your home, like baking soda or vinegar.

    Here are just a few of the many things you can use salt for:

    Soothe bug bites

    You can use salt to reduce itching and irritation from pesky bug bites. Simply moisten a bit of salt with some water, making a paste, and apply to the irritated area.

    Shine copper

    Salt and lemon juice mixed into a paste can work wonders for dirty or oxidized copper cookware. Just use the paste to polish up your copper and it will shine like new.

    Reduce oil splatter 

    Add a dash of salt to oil when frying, and it will absorb any moisture in the oil and prevent splattering.

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    Non-drip candles 

    Soaking candles in a salt solution for a few hours will dramatically reduce any chance of wax dripping. Just make sure to let your candle dry completely before lighting!

    Put out grease fires

    You should know by now that you should not use water to put out a grease fire, but you can use salt. Throw as much salt as you can on the blaze and if you’re able to cover it, it will put the fire out.

    Keep milk fresh

    This is a great one for homesteaders-you can actually prolong the freshness of milk by adding a dash of salt to it. Don’t worry, you won’t taste it!

    Shell nuts easily

    Nuts that are tough to shell can cause much frustration. But if you soak them in a solution of salt water before shelling, it can help ease the process.

    These are just a few of the many ways you can use salt around the house. Do you know of any uses we didn’t cover?

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  • How to Use Bentonite Clay

    How to Use Bentonite Clay

    If you don’t already have bentonite clay stashed away in your natural medicine cabinet, you should.

    Bentonite clay, which is a sedimentary clay made up of weathered and aged volcanic ash, is an amazing natural health tool with a wide variety of uses around the homestead. It’s strong electromagnetic pull naturally draws out toxins, heavy metals, and impurities and can be used both topically and internally.

    Here are just a few of the ways you can use bentonite clay for your natural medicine chest

    Toothpaste

    Bentonite clay can be used as a base for natural, homemade toothpaste, including this tooth powder recipe.

    Deodorant

    Many natural, DIY deodorant recipes call for bentonite clay, and it can actually help reduce the negative impact of commercial deodorants by drawing out toxins they can leave behind.

    Facial Mask

    Mixed with any number of other beneficial ingredients or simply made into a smooth clay with water, bentonite clay masks can help smooth and condition skin and reduce acne and other imperfections.

    Drawing salve

    As part of a healing drawing salve, bentonite clay is wonderfully beneficial for many skin irritants and conditions.

    Hair mask

    You can actually use bentonite clay as one method for cleaning your hair with the no-poo method, or as an occasional hair mask to help minimize residue left by commercial hair products or to combat dandruff or chronically oily hair.

    In Soap

    When added to homemade soap, bentonite clay can help create a very soothing, medicinal soap.

    In Calamine Lotion

    We posted about homemade calamine lotion awhile back, and bentonite clay works great as a base for this.

    Detox Drink

    You can actually drink bentonite clay either in conjunction with other detox recipes or on it’s own, and it can do some serious detox in your body (just make sure to drink enough water and eat enough fiber to filter all the toxins out).

    Detox Bath

    Probably one of the easiest and most effective ways to use bentonite clay is to throw it into a bath and soak for 10-15 minutes. This will draw toxins and heavy metals out of your body and into the water, so follow with a quick shower to rinse it off!

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