Wednesday, November 22, 2017

A dirty issue!

You must stay clean!  Dirty feet can lead to all kinds of health issues.  You need to wash regularly or you could face skin problems by the score.  Fungus can take hold in feet even when you do wash.  You need to have some supplies that will keep you clean or learn how to make the equivalent for yourself.  Not just for your feet.  You would be surprised what can happen to all parts of your body if you are not clean. 
Everyone would love to own a still I will bet, but even if you do not drink, you should learn how to make fairly pure alcohol for use as a disinfectant.  You can use all kinds of fruits and vegetables and grains to make alcohol and vinegar.  Both essential for life on you own.(Of course the alcohol is a real BITCH on an open cut, but there may be times when it is essential.)  Vinegar for preserves and lots of health issues(I think that some of the claims for vinegar are a bit exaggerated, but who knows).
Make it from apples easily...just make wine and eventually you will get vinegar. 
Alcohol is a good thing to have as a disinfectant in the case of cuts etc., and also for skin issues.  Building a still is no great accomplishment.  Fruits can be preserved nicely with alcohol and sugar...maybe some spices would help as well.  Vinegar and wine can be boiled down to almost a syrup and is a pleasant sweet and sour, which can be used in fruits, cakes and many other sweetening situations.
Soap is just a matter of saving your fats from cooking and butchering.  Lye can be made in an old stump full of wood ashes...You will do well to have a source of salt as well, for preserving and for soap making.
You will need large metal containers for doing laundry and many other applications.  Stoneware crocks of various sizes will be helpful for all these activities.

Another cleanliness issue is your clothing.  Doing laundry is a no brainer, but storing your laundry especially till laundry day is important.  Do not keep laundry still damp from your body inside your living area if there is not a lot of air circulation.  We are always thinking of sealing ourselves in a Tupperware container to stay warm or away from people, but mold and mildew will become rampant if you do not keep it dry or in an airy place.  Health problems will soon follow.
These are all topics for research before you commit to a lifestyle away from people and civilization.
You need to find sources of all the supplies you will need other than ordering on the Internet...there may come a time when you will not have access to many of the things you take for granted.
I always recommend the Foxfire books as essential reading for anyone planning an independent life. Good luck finding them.

No comments:

Post a Comment