Thursday Open Thread 6-29-2017
Taking control of your health care is an essential part of any personal resilience plan. I will be adding health care as part of my contribution to our weekly discussion. Encouraged by the focus on quality food and eating habits being shared in various diaries and comments.
The medical system we currently have to navigate sees us simply as consumers that need to be locked into transferring our personal assets the medical industry. Providing healing is done by individual health care practitioners who often get burnt out by the system. Older treatments get over shadowed by more profitable ones. Interaction with a medical practitioner generally occurs at the diagnostic stage of a condition. Preventative measures provided are for minimizing complications not preventing the condition in the first place.
The corporate model of medicine was created during the great depression to prevent a national health care system based on a pre-paid physician model.
Under this political pressure, AMA leaders invented the insurance company model. After decades of stymieing the health care sector, association officials concluded that they needed a program they could pitch as an alternative to government intervention. AMA leaders decided that insurance companies—not labor unions, physician groups, consumer cooperative, or mutual aid societies—were their best hope.
Doctors gambled that they could restrain corporate power by requiring insurers to grant them autonomy to practice medicine as they saw fit.
The critical thing to understand about the insurance company model is that it developed so that insurance companies no longer simply finance medical services—now they also influence the way medicine is practiced. Over several decades, the insurance company model evolved to weaken the position of doctors while endowing corporations with enormous power over health care. Today’s insurers oversee physician work, both in their capacity as private-sector financiers and as they help administer government programs like Medicare. Insurers decide which drugs and procedures receive coverage and compel physicians to follow treatment blueprints in exchange for reimbursement. If insurance companies refuse to cover a medical procedure, it might as well not exist.
Single payor is not a total solution, but it will give us the opportunity to actively improve the health of our fellow citizens.
Farm Report
No plantings or preserving this week, simply helping food grow by providing water, food and medicine.
apples
plums
Feeding willow leaves to ewe for pain control. She is healing nicely and providing some pain relief will not interfere with my assessing her condition. Her mobility does not need to be hindered by that painful reminder of an injury that is healing.
The homemade peppermint spray has been more effective than the commercial products I had been using for flies. The spray was also effective on the spider mites that showed up on the indoor orange trees. Peppermint is a food product and feel comfortable using it on the plants grown for food. If anyone tries it on other fruits or vegetables, please let us know your results. (earthling1 - might work on the broccoli)
The mullein leaves are ready to collect and dry for use as an expectorant for colds or respiratory issues. I found the tea to be more effective than guanefesin found in Robitussin. My father used to regularly drink a cup a day for his COPD.
Need to collect grass seeds for the cockatiel. He enjoys the fresh treat. Not sure of the species of grass. It grows by the ditch and is currently almost 4 feet tall.
Comments
Good morning, SOE ~~
I like the idea of giving herbal medicinal information. My mother, born in 1908 (she adopted me when she was 45), and her sister, were the queens of herbal medicine. I rarely took my kids to the dr for something my mom or her sister could help me address via teas, salves, etc. unfortunately, I did not have the foresight to write anything down in those younger years of mine and regret it. Their knowledge died with them in the early 90's. Such a shame.
Hoping for showers this weekend.
Have a beautiful day, folks!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
A selection of herbal resources
Herbal source for herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is starting to have ads (ignore) and obligatory facebook/twitter trackers.
Herbal information in western tradition from the early 1900's
For more modern information Wikipedia usually list commonly known active chemicals and herb2000.com is a good bridge source.
Herbal information presented in drug data base model.
None of these discussing easing herbs into your life or non-health uses of an herb.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
Many thanks, SOE!
I appreciate the links!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
A couple of useful herbs
Feverfew and lemon balm are used in traditional remedies and are extremely easy to grow.
https://plantcaretoday.com/lemon-balm.html
http://www.naturalremedies.org/feverfew/
Lemon balm is supposed to be an insect repellent similar to citronella and is used in aromatherapy. It can reduce symptoms of stress and has antiviral properties. A combination of lemon balm and feverfew tinctures is documented to help with migraines. Feverfew is a traditional antiinflammatory/antiprostaglandin similar to aspirin, with some of the same caveats: it interferes with the clotting action of platelets so should be used with caution with any other anticoagulant. Regular long-term use can cause rebound headaches and joint pain if it is suddenly discontinued. There have been indications that feverfew may have anticancer properties. For those interested in the in-depth version, this link is informative:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3210009/
My Grandmother had both those herbs in her garden
She would add the lemon balm to the iced tea. Thanks for the reminder -they will grow in my temperate zone.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
Lemon balm all over the place here
I don't have to do a thing, it just grows wherever it pleases. Wish it was a groundhog repellent, though - I could use something to roust that furry pest!
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
Showers again today here.
Two tumbles yesterday, neither further destructive. I feel a piece of shrapnel near a spot on my new scar on my face. Ignore for now, not worth the co$t and more digging in my face. Hey, it's not magnetic!
Still on a soft diet, I have found some nice veggie smoothies online, a temporary plant-based solution. Beautiful colors, green to yellow. No kale AFAIK. Beats jars of baby food! Habanero in many of the veggie drinks. Nom.
It's been so wet here that many berry farms have a smaller-than-usual crop. Local strawberries are hard to find. Otherwise, verdant and green. Roadside grasses are high and seeding. Corn in the fields looks low.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
the capsium in the Habenaro peppers may be
helping you reduce the face pain. Regular topical use causes the pain transmitter substance P to become depleted and the nerves are unable continue sending the pain message to your brain.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
Showers here too.
The summer, what there's been of one, hasn't been great. Lots of rain and cool temps. We are headed north about 250 miles and mostly packing long t-shirts and long pants. Highs mostly around 70. Being on Lake Huron, who knows what the water temps will do to the weather. We would have had a beautiful flower landscape this year if the fucking deer wouldn't have eaten it. Have a whole row of hydrangeas around my deck - they all ended up on the deer's salad bar. Our backyard. We've seen as many as 20 at one time.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Your yard looks like an overgrazed field
With that heavy of a hungry deer population fencing maybe your only option. If you have restrictive CC&R's (Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions) in a homeowners association it may not be possible.
The picture with the ewe has fencing to keep the sheep in field. One to two welded 16 foot panels secured in a circular shape around the trees with carbine clips so they are easy to open and close. Originally I used fence posts, but have found them unnecessary if I get a true circular shape. In pinch I have used dog kennels to keep critters out of a garden.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
It is wild woods.
I am in a subdivision 20 miles north of Detroit. That is one of three parks in the sub surrounded by homes. I don't know how many acres it is, but it isn't all that big. It isn't maintained or groomed in any way. It is woods. There are restrictions. All I can do is bitch.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Tulsi Gabbard honoring Śrīla Prabhupāda, Hare Krishna founder,
at a 50th anniversary celebration marking the start of the revered swami’s missionary work in the U.S. and other Western countries in 1966.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._C._Bhaktivedanta_Swami_Prabhupada
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXmz3n-gVRU]
Awareness is spreading of evidence that Srīla Prabhupāda’s death in 1977 was due to foul play, specifically poisoning by one or more persons in his inner circle.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIBqNBMbPvY]
Loyalty without question can allow an indivdual or small
group to overreach in power. My local experience in the community interaction of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh in central Oregon.
I am enjoying learning from the links you provided.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
The 12 disciples of Jesus included one Judas and eleven faithful
At the end, I wonder if Śrīla Prabhupāda realized he was up against eleven Judases. Not that the thought would have fazed him. Such was the strength of his faith in Krishna, i.e. in G~d. A real-life Dumbledore, defending his Hogwarts against Death Eaters within its very walls.
Maybe that grass is a wildrye variant?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leymus_cinereus
Thanks studentofearth you made me remember Elemus Glaucus, a really pretty wildrye grass that is native to California. Those blades look too wide though, and four feet sounds too big. Maybe it is just blissful near the ditch and that is how big it really gets.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elymus_glaucus
My friend populated the meadow below her back deck with it, in Willits where the weather is pretty extreme, hot hot hot in summer and sometimes snow in winter. She was a native grass enthusiast, with 160 acres of invasive plants. LOL we kept busy that's for sure, I never pulled so many "weeds" in my life, mostly Italian and Star Thistle. I now know how to eradicate start thistle from a patch of land in three years without herbicide, which I repeated on a small lot in Petaluma. It takes a lot of work but worth it. Then beautiful drought-resistant native stuff can poke up and survive, if there's not too much oat grass. lol Yay Sysiphus.
Did you ever try to walk through a meadow of spent start thistle? Ouchy! I mean you could end up in the hospital I think. Don't know how the skunks, foxes and other low riders did it around her place. They'd still cut a path, it is the one we'd take too. Tough skin and fur for them, leggings for us.
https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/yellow-star-thistle.htm
..
Meet Ken, my herbal remedy provider:
JHFC on a bicycle those are big! He is the only "compassionate" provider I can find in Sonoma County believe it or not. The industry is in a real turmoil right now, that's all I can say. Lots of people "exiting" and consolidation for the rest. Everyone must be BIG now to compete is what it looks like. Certified medical patient going on four years, all for-profit medicine is too expensive that's all, even the least harmful most helpful palliative remedy around has been absorbed.
Anyone who can grow a little cannabis on the side in California should, that's what I think. Then give it away at cost if you don't want it, one ounce at a time why not. Prop.64 legal! That would undercut the rent-seeking capitalists who are currently bribing the system for their own personal permanent profit stream. $300 an ounce are you kidding me? No, just say no to expensive legal weed. Say yes to cheap herbal medicine, think different.
California: Our Crisis is Brand
peace
Now I am curious to know the names of the grasses
Found this reference on local grasses that should help. The plant in the picture might be Great Basin wildrye discussed on page 16 of the pdf. I do have the blue rye grass growing in another location.
You are probably aware of this information of marijuana found with a mummy in Central Eurasia. Humans keep relearning and forgetting the same information over and over.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
Thanks a lot for that link, it inspired me
to search and find this ted talk by a Canadian psychologist: Making peace with cannabis | Zachary Walsh | TEDxPenticton Like all Teds, take what you want and leave the rest. heh
Around 10m or so he is talking about a study that confirmed all my biases about cannabis, so thanks for that.
They've "discovered" the human endocannabinoid system again, it's been here all along. Yay, keep going. I am not ready to try psilocybin or ayahuasca but maybe some day. Rather that than electric shock therapy or a frontal lobotomy. Or a bottle in front o' me. lol
peace
acetaminophen pain relief activity probably uses the
human endogenous cannabinoid system. Until recently the mechanism of action was unknown. The mysterious but effective prescription drug ingredient introduced in the mid 50' to treat pain with few to no side effects. Ignore the liver toxicity problems.
If the body has a built-in system, it generally has a methods to create, modify and eliminate the chemicals needed for the system to work. We just do not know how to consciously make it function on demand. Probably why certain exercise programs, special diets, music and herbs work for different people. Keep exploring what is right for you, Just do no harm.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
Thanks, SOE. How long can you store a batch of
peppermint spray and have you tried it on aphids and whiteflies?
Yesterday we made apricot jam and it is still rining apricots plus many unripe. Also our second mini harvest of green beans (one meal's worth at a time).
My grapes are about 1/4" diameter, which is as big as they will get, but exceedingly green, so there's a long wait for them, but the cherry tomatoes are looking good.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
The essential oil will stay viable
for several years if stored in an light protective, air tight container. Usually make enough for 1 to 4 weeks. I have used the 70/30 oil emulsion up to 7 months after it was made.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
Provacative
Russia and Syria has not attacked a US plane yet, trying
for Lebanon. Our military leaders are showing the whole world they are trying to provoke a war.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
Can you imagine *someone* (cough) pulling another U.S.S. Liberty
style attack right now, given the current atmosphere of tension and mistrust?
https://usslibertyveterans.org/
http://www.gtr5.com/
Trump delegating military policy desicions increases
the possibility of another U.S.S. Liberty style attack. It appears a similar incident is being planned. Historically the most reliable method to switch public opinion to go to war.
James Mattis now has authority to set troop levels in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Expanded area now includes countries on the east and west border of Iran.
One of the Saudi Arabia demands to end the isolation (siege) of Qatar is to close the Turkish base. Another is to cut ties with Iran.
Our largest conventional bombs do not need presidential permission to be used in the area.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
Our medical system is good
Our medical system is good for trauma and acute conditions but not for chronic conditions. As far as preventive care is concerned....forget about it, our medical system for the most part does not help with that. Individuals have to be proactive about preventive care as well as their own chronic conditions. That's not necessarily easy, it requires figuring out what to do. The information on these topics can be conflicting and the research is not always dependable, available, or even conducted.
That means we are often left to experiment on ourselves with what works (or seems to work) and what doesn't. We also have to be careful what information we use as a basis for our care plans because so much of it is not good information. It's a bit of a minefield out there but I'm committed to figuring it out because the alternative is very bad.
I try to stay away from foods with added chemicals, especially
carcinogens.
What I don't understand at all: pickling, canning, freezing and preserving (as in jam) were all invented as ways of preserving food. So, why are preservatives, almost all of which are carcinogenic and/or irritants, added to pickled, canned, frozen and jarred foods?
Adding preservatives increases shelf live a product can
be sold. Once opened by the consumer it last longer with no changes in taste or texture than homemade. It becomes obvious commercial must be better for you.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
Great info on the history of health insurance
I think this is exactly what is needed to get to real universal healthcare in this country - education. People need to understand that the insurance industry is the real enemy in this fight. To focus on the right targets and inoculate the mind against the inevitable propaganda to create fear about a "government takeover" and higher taxes... yada yada.
Love all the info on natural medicines too, great stuff and so helpful to know about. I used to study this kind of thing a lot when I was a young hippie chick.
I've let it drift away over the years, need to take a refresher course for sure!
I'm very jealous of all of you with land and water ... sigh. The Sonoran desert where I live is very beautiful in its own way, but I do sometimes miss abundant greenery and lush plants.
Good morning CS in AZ.
It looks like we have a candidate in CD-2, Billy Kovacs. I haven't met him yet but my wife has. She asked him the two critical questions: 1) Are you a progressive? and 2) Do you support single-payer? He answered Yes to both questions.
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
Bigger question: is he a democrat?
I'm assuming yes, but his website doesn't say anything about a party affiliation and doesn't even say who he's running against. It's also quite sparse regarding issues. I read the "about" page, which is all it has, and I have to say it doesn't sound particularly progressive to me (focused on promoting business) and it says nothing about healthcare, or really any issues.
Thanks for the info, but I would need to know a lot more before having any interest. I'm sorry to say it, but I feel shades of 2010 and Rodney Glassman here ... a memory I'd rather forget, but it was actually the turning point for me, the point when I realized that the Democratic Party in Az is worse than useless. Which, it turns out, reflects the national party quite well. I'm done with democrats.
I think anyone running for congress here needs to stop being vague on what party they belong to. If they don't want to identify as a dem - good, but then they need to go all the way and say who they are, not just "don't mention it" timidity.
For me, independent candidates who will take a clear stand against both parties, and who are willing to advocate for universal healthcare (at the least), are the only kind I'm at all interested in now. This guy seems milquetoast based on that website. If he's serious, he's going to need to beef up his stand and say specifically what he's for, and against.
Yes, he's a Democrat.
Click the little birdie icon to see his twitter feed, that's where he admits he's a Dem. You'll also see photos of his kick-off event at Tap and Bottle which is where my wife met him. Single-payer is the important thing for me. It's early yet, but we know where Corpo-Dems stand on that issue and it ain't with us. We'll see what happens.
We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.
Ah, yes. Thank you
Man, I miss a lot by not doing twitter. Haha. Apparently simply putting information on a website is passé and very last-century now. (I like how you use the word "admit" re identifying as a democrat.)
I do like him better on twitter.
Good to know. I'll take a look at him. Thanks! I really wish he was an independent though.
No lush green in the winter -
then the houseplants take center stage.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
Enjoyed your farm report
I've never consider myself as having a "green-thumb" but I've always loved and respected trees. Then two years ago, I moved into a guest house on a beautiful piece of property here in Southern California and found myself surrounded by a number of fruit bearing trees. It was here where I got my first taste of "gardening" when I took a sad looking lemon tree and a fig tree under my care during the drought by just watering it, and while I didn't get them to bloom that year, I did keep both of them alive. Then the rains came, and they perked right up. Wonderful to see. I've already made good use of the bumper crop of lemons I had this year, but will have to find some uses for the figs when they ripen. Ideas?
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
@Anja Geitz I too receive figs from
I too receive figs from a borrowed fig tree. They tend to ripen pretty much all at once so I often have way more than I can use at one time. So the ones that aren't given away I'll put in the freezer and make a compote out of them when I have time. Then I'll freeze the compote in very small batches to use in my yogurt....less than 1 Tblsp/serving. Figs are high in sugar so I use a minimal amount and only rarely.
Appreciate the tip
Wasn't sure if they froze well. But that helps. I was thinking of making batches of fig butter for Christmas presents, but the compote sounds lovely as well.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
How fortunate to have trees where you are living
Tasted fresh figs in Florida once, unbelievably good. Looks like some good ideas were provided to try. If you make the compote it can be used when you are ready to make the fig bars. Before canning the heavy syrup was used to discourage spoilage, spices added for flavor and preservative properties.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
@studentofearth Fresh figs are the
Fresh figs are the best. They are a beautiful fruit. They grow abundantly in parts of Texas and one tree can feed a whole lot of people, they are pretty prolific. They are also hardy and tend to do well here, just like pomegranates.
I don't add any sugar to my compote since I don't 'preserve' it, I just freeze it. I cook it down until it's like a pie-dough filling and then I add spices like cardamom, or cinnamon, or nutmeg. You can add a splash of rum or just vanilla and then some nutmeats. I keep it moist during cooking with lemon juice and water.
Your apples and plums look fantastic. Your mullein leaves sound interesting. I will have to investigate and see if they grow here. I'm very interested in using plants medicinally. I read somewhere that the First Nation healers of North America used at least 2,582 plants medicinally. That is a lot of knowledge about plants, I hope some of that knowledge has been passed along.
I lived in a pre-war 5 floor walk up in New York for many years
Before moving to Southern California. Each morning when I step out of my front door to water the garden I am greeted by the San Gabriel mountains. Glorious. I feel very fortunate indeed. To say nothing of what it does for the human spirit after spending years surrounded by concrete buildings.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Wonderful OT and comments...
I enjoyed them all. Thanks!
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo