Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - Look for the Helpers

As a mom, I love helpers. Nothing makes me smile more than when one of my kids says (un-proded of course) "I did ______. What else can I do?" Every time this happens, I think I get a little tiny taste of what God feels when he sees his children do similar things for each other. 

During all of the heated debates about politics recently, it is easy for a person to share their feelings and say things that are oversimplified, incorrect, unkind or character bashing of an individual instead of the issues. The world is in commotion at every turn. Wars, famines, refugees...this all must hurt Him. Why do His children do these types of things to each other?

I recently watched the movie "World Trade Center" with my kids for our history video. Yeah, there might be inaccuracies in it, but I think it was done really well. I have heard other children say, "What's 9/11?" I want to be very clear to my children what it is and the significance that it plays in American History. A quote from the movie has been ringing in my ears since we watched it.   

John McLoughlin (played by Nicholas Cage) says as the movie comes to a close:

" 9/11 showed us what human beings are capable of. The evil, yeah, sure. But it also brought out the goodness we forgot could exist. People taking care of each other for no other reason than it was the right thing to do. It's important for us to talk about that good, to remember. 'Cause I saw all of it that day." 

Recently in our little valley we had a crazy hail storm that ripped through and left some pretty serious devastation in it's wake.  The storm didn't last long, but it displaced several families. Then the vultures came to town from several states to prey upon the people who didn't know better and they lost their insurance money too. What do you do when schools are flooded? You put the kids to work. For several days after the storm, the youth leaders in our church sent armies of texts, Facebook posts and phone calls to rally the kids to help out. They pulled carpets, removed dry wall to the flood line, and followed trash trucks that went along the streets. The City didn't have enough man power to get it all done fast enough and the refuse was starting to smell. And they had a great time doing it. Why? No other reason than it was the right thing to do...and sometimes people feed you. :)

As I teach my children the things they are seeing today, I try to balance it out the bad with the good. I strongly believe our children NEED to know the good because they need to have faith in the future (as do all of us, but especially the children). Sometimes the media will catch those who are doing good. Most of the time they don't because goodness doesn't sell as well as fear. As we see bad things unfold, look for the helpers. They are always there. (None of these should have happened, but they did. How did people respond?)

Benghazi attack   

Navy Seals went and gave their lives to try to save Ambassador Stevens

Police sniper shootings in Dallas            

Officers running toward the gun fire to rescue the injured

                     

 Flooding in Louisiana                             

 60,000 damaged homes, 11,500 volunteers helped with relief efforts

                     

Fires in Canada                                      

Thousands of evacuees ran out of gas and rescued by Ford owners who delivered fuel
                      

Orlando Nightclub Shooting                    

Various reports of strangers helping strangers - Josh McGill, Ray Rivera etc.
                      

San Bernardino Shooting                        

Various reports of strangers taking bullets for others - Shannon Johnson
                      

Millions of Refugees                                

Governments, Churches, and Humanitarian Aid working together to help these displaced peoples   

No matter how hard I try, (ok, I don't really try that hard) I am drawn to stories from WWII about those who sacrificed everything to save some of the Jewish people. They risked personal injury, imprisonment and surely death if they were caught. This website is dedicated to those stories. I could get lost for hours...there are literally hundreds of stories. 

http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/righteous/stories/index.asp

There is so much good in the world, when we look for it. If you may ever be in a situation where there are no helpers, you might have to be the first to stand. Sometimes people are just looking for an example. When we look past our own problems, we may find when we step out of our comfort zones and reach out to help someone else, our problems start to shrink just a little bit. One of the most amazing "aHah!!" moments that my kids observed while watching "World Trade Center" is how many people were working so hard to save just these two officers from the Port Authority. There were only 20 people pulled from the wreckage after the towers fell. Mr. McLoughlin was number 19. When I see my children help because they want to, I like to bless them with a little treat. Heavenly Father has done the same for me when I step outside my box a little and lend a helping hand. 

justserve.org

Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - Look for the Helpers

As a mom, I love helpers. Nothing makes me smile more than when one of my kids says (un-proded of course) "I did ______. What else can I do?" Every time this happens, I think I get a little tiny taste of what God feels when he sees his children do similar things for each other. 

During all of the heated debates about politics recently, it is easy for a person to share their feelings and say things that are oversimplified, incorrect, unkind or character bashing of an individual instead of the issues. The world is in commotion at every turn. Wars, famines, refugees...this all must hurt Him. Why do His children do these types of things to each other?

I recently watched the movie "World Trade Center" with my kids for our history video. Yeah, there might be inaccuracies in it, but I think it was done really well. I have heard other children say, "What's 9/11?" I want to be very clear to my children what it is and the significance that it plays in American History. A quote from the movie has been ringing in my ears since we watched it.   

John McLoughlin (played by Nicholas Cage) says as the movie comes to a close:

" 9/11 showed us what human beings are capable of. The evil, yeah, sure. But it also brought out the goodness we forgot could exist. People taking care of each other for no other reason than it was the right thing to do. It's important for us to talk about that good, to remember. 'Cause I saw all of it that day." 

Recently in our little valley we had a crazy hail storm that ripped through and left some pretty serious devastation in it's wake.  The storm didn't last long, but it displaced several families. Then the vultures came to town from several states to prey upon the people who didn't know better and they lost their insurance money too. What do you do when schools are flooded? You put the kids to work. For several days after the storm, the youth leaders in our church sent armies of texts, Facebook posts and phone calls to rally the kids to help out. They pulled carpets, removed dry wall to the flood line, and followed trash trucks that went along the streets. The City didn't have enough man power to get it all done fast enough and the refuse was starting to smell. And they had a great time doing it. Why? No other reason than it was the right thing to do...and sometimes people feed you. :)

As I teach my children the things they are seeing today, I try to balance it out the bad with the good. I strongly believe our children NEED to know the good because they need to have faith in the future (as do all of us, but especially the children). Sometimes the media will catch those who are doing good. Most of the time they don't because goodness doesn't sell as well as fear. As we see bad things unfold, look for the helpers. They are always there. (None of these should have happened, but they did. How did people respond?)

Benghazi attack   

Navy Seals went and gave their lives to try to save Ambassador Stevens

Police sniper shootings in Dallas            

Officers running toward the gun fire to rescue the injured

                     

 Flooding in Louisiana                             

 60,000 damaged homes, 11,500 volunteers helped with relief efforts

                     

Fires in Canada                                      

Thousands of evacuees ran out of gas and rescued by Ford owners who delivered fuel
                      

Orlando Nightclub Shooting                    

Various reports of strangers helping strangers - Josh McGill, Ray Rivera etc.
                      

San Bernardino Shooting                        

Various reports of strangers taking bullets for others - Shannon Johnson
                      

Millions of Refugees                                

Governments, Churches, and Humanitarian Aid working together to help these displaced peoples   

No matter how hard I try, (ok, I don't really try that hard) I am drawn to stories from WWII about those who sacrificed everything to save some of the Jewish people. They risked personal injury, imprisonment and surely death if they were caught. This website is dedicated to those stories. I could get lost for hours...there are literally hundreds of stories. 

http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/righteous/stories/index.asp

There is so much good in the world, when we look for it. If you may ever be in a situation where there are no helpers, you might have to be the first to stand. Sometimes people are just looking for an example. When we look past our own problems, we may find when we step out of our comfort zones and reach out to help someone else, our problems start to shrink just a little bit. One of the most amazing "aHah!!" moments that my kids observed while watching "World Trade Center" is how many people were working so hard to save just these two officers from the Port Authority. There were only 20 people pulled from the wreckage after the towers fell. Mr. McLoughlin was number 19. When I see my children help because they want to, I like to bless them with a little treat. Heavenly Father has done the same for me when I step outside my box a little and lend a helping hand. 

justserve.org

Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - Who Eats Leg Warmers Anyway?

There is very little that cracks me up quite like fads. Don't get me wrong, I lived my childhood in the 80's and have great memories. It gave us some of the greatest music. The fashion however cracks me up. How could something that was so cool 30 years ago look totally ridiculous today? Those leg warmers!! They had no purpose but for looks. They were a total fad. I remember wishing as a young girl to have them, but now I'm so glad I didn't fall for it.

I do not wish to start a fight with those who still might be stuck in that decade, again...it had some great things to offer. Journey, Mork and Mindy, VCR's, and hair wings. Priceless. There were some crazy food fads though.. what was it back then? Oh, that's right. Fat free. And the other? The introduction of aspartame.

Clothing fads will come and go. Food fads will come and go. Many food fads leave much more damage to our bodies than all that Aquanet and high bangs ever did. Those fads can also effect the generations that come after. Fat free sounds like it would help us loose weight. Sadly, depression skyrocketed in the 80's because our brains...are made of fat. Aspartame (bless its little heart - it sure tries) has been proven to be linked to a lovely list of nasty side effects like:

"...

migraines/headaches, weight gain, rashes, fatigue, insomnia, hearing and vision problems, anxiety attacks, loss of taste and speech, memory loss, respiratory problems, muscle spasms and heart palpitation. Aspartame could also increase the chances of chronic diseases such as Parkinson's disease, alzheimer's, birth defects, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome and brain tumors." - See more at: http://www.seattleorganicrestaurants.com/vegan-whole-foods/aspartame-saccharine/#sthash.ti8AAUaU.dpuf

There is so much misinformation about what a good diet is and what it is not. Even "whole food" people will argue until the sun goes down what is good and what isn't. Food can divide almost as much as the current political arenas. This brings me to my next question.

What does God say about what we should eat? I often go to the story of Daniel in the Bible. I found this interesting take on Daniel's experience of being captured and taken to the be educated in the king's court:

"Now seeing that Daniel was a prisoner, one could reason that he should settle in and count his blessings. For the most part, it appears that is what he did. But there was one issue over which Daniel risked his life. It wasn’t the insulting new name he was given that attempted to negate his allegiance to his God. It wasn’t the education he was to receive for 3 years which would fit him to better serve the goals of the Babylonian ruler. It wasn’t even the fact that he was made a eunuch. The issue that Daniel chose to risk his life over was none other than the issue of not eating the king's food.

This was not a hunger strike. It was a well thought out decision based on the type of food being served. The King's diet was rich in wine and meat. Daniel, a likable fellow, went to the man who was in charge of the prisoners and requested pulse and water. He was flatly refused. He persisted and received permission to trial his request for 10 days."
http://www.retreat2restorehealth.org/danieldiet.html

Pulse literally translates to vegetables. It is also known as seeds and legumes.

Does that mean that we never eat things like meat? I feel a riot starting boil among some readers. Meat tastes sooooOOooo good!! Especially BBQ chicken, slow roasted pork, and a good ol' fashioned medium well steak with all the trimmings and a little A1 sauce are a meat lover's heaven!! A little more clarification to the question of meat might be needed. I am so thankful for the Word of Wisdom found in Doctrine and Covenants 89. Meat is said to be eaten "sparingly". What does that even mean? In our Standard American Diet (or SAD), we are encouraged to eat meat two to three times a day! If I were to eat Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake that many times a day, it would not be sparingly (it would taste good, but would not be good for me).

Here are verses 12 and 13:

12 Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;  13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.

John A. Widsoe (a scientist and Apostle in his day) and Hyrum Smith both suggested part of sparingly meant to spare the life of the animal. It was ok for Noah and Lehi's family to eat meat more often than "sparingly" because, that's all there was.  Plants were not available. President Ezra Taft Benson said this :

"To a significant degree, we are an overfed and undernourished nation digging an early grave with our teeth, and lacking the energy that could be ours.... We need a generation of young people who, as Daniel, eat in a more healthy manner than to fare on the 'kings meat' ---and whose countenances show it." (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson pp. 476-7) 

So, not to eat a dead horse...I mean beat a dead horse, I would like to touch on the number ten. Why was ten days so important? Is that number significant for some reason? My eight year old son has chosen to learn Hebrew for his foreign language. So we are working together to sift through this unique language. Every little piece of each letter represents something. The smallest letter is called "Yod" (pronounced "yode"). Yod is small to suggest "humility" but is a part of every letter in their alphabet. It is also part of each number. Ten shows up in the scriptures often and is a symbol of things that will affect all people. For instance:

- God gave ten commandments

- God asks us to pay "tithing" or a "tenth"

- There were ten plagues preceding the Exodus from Egypt (How would the Exodus affect all people?)

- Ten things were created on the First Day, Ten things were created on the sixth day

- There were ten virgins

If you do a search on lds.org for how many times ten shows up in the scriptures, you'll likely be blown away. Ten was not a number used by chance. The way that we eat is so important, and Daniel set an example for all people by standing up.

I love that our food storage suggestions are things that fall very nicely into this category of eating as Heavenly Father would have us eat. We are encouraged to purchase and store:

- wheat

- rice

- a variety of other grains

- beans/lentils

- seeds (for planting too)

- dried and canned fruit

- dried and canned vegetables

- and more

Fads will come and go be it food or fashion. If the "world" tells us, "no fat, no carbs, high protein, blah blah blah" we know that they Lord has prepared for the people who will listen a way to eat from the beginning. Leg Warmers might have been fancy back in the 80's, but I am so glad today that I never partook. I've heard they don't taste very good.

Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - Fear or Faith?

My kids and I just watched this amazing documentary on Netflix called "Emperor's Ghost Army". This PBS show was very eye opening in more than one way. It is the story of the Terracotta soldiers found in one of the most ancient burial spots in China that covers many, many square miles. Over 8,000 clay soldiers have been exhumed and pieced together. This army is equipped with everything a real army would be armed with from 2200 years ago swords, chariots, and horses. The technology and workmanship that these people displayed is utterly mind-blowing. The main body was made in a very similar manner that Native Americans, Africans, Australian Aboriginal people and many others across the globe made clay pottery. They had huge kilns to fit several of the 400 pound clay figures to bake for days.  Total numbers for artisans and workers totals around 700,000 . The legs and arms were made in a mold, and the heads first molded and then carved by hand and no two faces are exactly alike. There is even speculation that these soldiers were copied after actual people. 

Why would someone go to such lengths to create something of this magnitude? What was the purpose? According to this documentary, Qin Emperor was a cruel ruler. The historical documents found said that life for the people in this part of China was very hard. Imagine the most strict Communistic life and multiply it times 10. Torture, prison, and even death was used to keep everyone in line. War after war to conquer Chinese lands made it virtually impossible to live a normal life. When Qin Emperor died, he was buried in the mount near to where these soldiers were discovered. The reason the Emperor was so afraid of what people would do to him after he died, he wanted an army to protect him. He knew the way he ruled would likely come around and bite him in the hind end. The Emperor's actual burial site has yet to be excavated. You can bet there are so many hoops that archaeologists are going to have to jump through before they open excavation because he has such a high profile (kinda beside the point...but you know)...

What does this have to do with the price of strawberry crepes in France? 

The point I would like to make is that sometimes we make decisions based on fear. We can waste precious resources. We can waste precious time. Even if we aren't the ones that made a bad decision, other people's bad choices can affect our lives in a negative way. How can we make decisions based on faith instead? 

Here are a few ideas:

#1 "They Hushed Their Own Fears"  In a post  last year I reviewed how we can "hush our own fears" with advice given by Elder David A. Bednar. He gives GREAT advice. http://runningfoxes.blogspot.com/2015/05/self-reliance-tip-of-week-i-aint-skeered.html

#2 " Be of Good Cheer"  In 2007 Elder Quinten L. Cook gave a conference talk entitled "Live by Faith Not Fear" He shares this scripture, Doctrine and Covenants 68: 5-6: 

“Behold, this is the promise of the Lord unto you, O ye my servants.

“Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.”
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/live-by-faith-and-not-by-fear?lang=eng&_r=1 

I love watching videos on Facebook that highlight something good someone has done. When I see others doing good, it influences me to want to do good. When we focus on good, it lifts us and then we in turn can lift others. 

#3 " Do Not Fear" President Boyd K. Packer delivered a talk called, "Do Not Fear"He says that if we are constantly looking to keep the Holy Ghost with us, fear fades. Pure love casteth out all fear. In order to do that, we must keep the commandments. We must hold strong to the values that are being tossed aside so easily today. It is an excellent talk. I strongly encourage you to read/ listen to/ watch it. 
 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2004/04/do-not-fear?lang=eng&_r=1 

#4 One of my favorite quotes of all time is given by President Monson. He repeated it more than once during General Conference. It goes like this: 

We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues.

We already know the things we need to be preparing. Make sure that your money, time and energy are being put toward things we have already been told to prepare. The basics. Food, water, fuel, alternative cooking, medicines, and other necessities (deodorant for sure). Follow the Spirit and then you'll be coming from a place of faith. Its better up there. 

So, what if the conclusion that the documentary makes is wrong. What if the Emperor was just a little (ok, alot) eccentric and it wasn't because he thought this army would protect his resting place? These soldiers were facing east which was the direction of his kingdom. East is significant in the scriptures. It is the symbolic direction in the scriptures where God resides. Kind of a cool thought. Who knows for sure? What I do know, that in a coming day the King of Kings will rule and it will be a much better place to live. That's the future I want to focus on.   

Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - Nasty Little Nits

 

They're driving me crazy mom!!

In fourth grade either my little sister or I brought lice home from school. Not on purpose mind you. Man that itched like crazy! My older sister and her friend Debbie spent much of their free teenage time helping us get rid of them.The skin across my body crawls to think about the time I spent with those nasty little things crawling on ( and biting )my head! They are miserable to have, and miserable to get rid of. So, how do you get rid of them?

Well, the way we got rid of them was to use the commercial "RID" product. In my experience, we had to do more than one treatment because the first time didn't completely get them. This is actually a pesticide...on your brain. If used often can cause health problems. Is there another way?

Here is one mom's experience:


Treating lice in my home was a detour in our summer to say the least. After some research, I made up an effective solution of apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, lavender oil and water.

• Apple cider vinegar helps restore natural pH to the scalp.
• Tea tree oil is reported to be the most effective in repelling and eliminating lice.
• Eucalyptus and rosemary also are considered to be effective.
• Lavender is great to sooth itching.
• I first washed and rinsed the hair, and then, without adding conditioning agents, I poured this solution through each of my family member’s hair. The solution actually has a rather nice smell. The lavender seemed to calm down the apple cider vinegar smell. I then put coconut oil on the hair.
• Coconut oil is reported to suffocate the lice so that they cannot live nor grasp onto the hair.
  I combed through my daughter’s oiled hair with a nit comb and braided about 20 strands in her hair so I could keep a watch on things. Throughout the day I would spray the hair with the apple cider essential oil solution I had made. I also sprayed couches and my car. All bedding and clothing worn was put in a hot water wash to sanitize them. These parasites can’t live in temperatures of extreme heat or cold. You can also bag items for 24 hours to ensure lice are killed if you cannot wash these items.

http://herballegacy.com/Scratching%20My%20Head%20Over%20This.pdf
Here is her recipe for the spray:

Lice Hair Rinse

3/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar (with the “mother” in it)
1tsp. Tea Tree Oil
1tsp. Eucalyptus Oil
½ tsp. Lavender Oil
3 1/2 C distilled water.
 
Mix and it’s ready. I used about 1/3 of the solution on each head of hair for the initial dose. Do not rinse the solution out. Let it dry. I later applied coconut oil to the hair. After using the hair rinse, letting it dry and applying the coconut oil (and in my case braiding) I would spray the hair wet with a spray bottle a few times a day to moisten the scalp. Spray bedding and furniture down to deter lice. Note: this is to be used externally, not internally.  We did this rinse twice, a few days apart, and for a total of about a week of spraying and monitoring. Be sure to close your eyes when spraying the solution so as to not bother your eyes.

Recipe by Kelly Pomeroy
Printable Version:  http://www.herballegacy.com

It is nice to know that there are natural alternatives because my experience was miserable. All of the ingredients are easy to store for emergencies also. Thank you Kelly Pomeroy for Knixing those Nasty Little Nits so we could benefit.

Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - Jason Bourne Is Like An Apple

My fork gonna do some Jiu Jitsu ....

My husband and I like good action flix now and again. The Jason Bourne Series is no exception. By the time it's over the viewer might feel like they have been on an upside down train ride mixed with a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu wedgie (all except for Bourne Legacy...sorry...lets pretend that one never existed) and the burning desire to learn seven languages...like right now. 

His versatility is unparalleled by anyone and has the ability to squeeze out of tight places better than a chameleon with the speed of a cheetah. His skills likely put Captain America to shame...except they are both imaginary. So sad...I know. 

But, what isn't imaginary is the versatility of apples. With the seasons moving along, it is getting time for apple harvest. It is easy to say, "I don't have time to process any apples." If we take the extra time, we will realize that apples are like Jason Bourne.

So, what kind of culinary treasures can apples be turned into? Here are just a few.

#1 Good ol' fashioned apple sauce!!!

Here are instructions on how to process your own. You can make unsweetened or sweetened. 

http://www.pickyourown.org/applesauce.htm#.V6GCGlUrKVM

#2 Dried apples

Dried apples are so awesome because they are a very versatile snack that kids and adults love because of the condensed sweetness. 

http://www.pickyourown.org/apples_dried.htm

#3 Apple Butter

Do not underestimate the skills that apple butter brings to the table. So so so yummy!!!

http://www.pickyourown.org/applebutter.htm#.V6GDkFUrKVM

#4 Apple Pie Filling

Home made apple pie filling kicks the shazbot out of the stuff you buy at the store. It makes making apple pie a cinch! And no artificial ingredients to boot!!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/15942/canned-apple-pie-filling/

#5 Apple Fruit Leather

"Fruit roll ups" can't touch real, sweet, melt in your mouth apple leather. 

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_fruit_leather/

I am just getting warmed up too! There are SO many more things you can do with apples to preserve them. Here are 27 ways!!!

http://thesurvivalmom.com/27-things-you-can-do-with-apples/

So the  next time you're up for an adventure, break out the apples from your nearest orchard or farmer's market and get crackin'!! You've got an upside down train to catch!!

Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - Cha Cha With the Charcoal

Cha-Cha Charcoal...even cooler than Cha-Cha Chia

There are few times dancing around a fire has great merit. However, when the fire is down and gone, what is left over and the uses it has may make you want to do a cha cha...for the charcoal.

Once upon a time...in a land not too far away...someone I knew as an adult decided it would be a good idea to eat the beans (about 6 pods worth) of a Yellow Bird of Paradise plant. This person ended with severe diarrhea and vomiting for the next 24 hours. Not a pretty picture. The young offspring of said individual not too many days after brought me a seed pod of the very same plant and said the beans tasted great. I knowing the body's reaction to this bean acted quickly and gave him several capsules of charcoal to absorb and lessen the effects of the poison contained in the beans. No adverse reactions came of it. Charcoal is a life saver. 

I recently read this article written by Master Herbalist Joe KuKucka that opened to me other reasons why we might want to look a little more closely at this little wonder from nature that may have been previously viewed as waste: 

Charcoal is the black remains of fire consisting of carbon and ash.  It is obtained by burning off the water and other volatile constituents from animal or plant substances.  Ash consists of the noncombustible contents of whatever was consumed by the fire.  It is high in minerals and metal content.  Ash is also a disinfecting agent.  If we look at the remains of a campfire that used wood from oak, elm or ash trees it would appear that the logs had been completely consumed by the fire and there was nothing further to use. Yet that plant (herb) is born again as charcoal with new attributes.

 For instance, when camping, good water may be hard to find, but by adding a chunk of charcoal - that is not Kingsford or similar briquette that is pressed together with chemicals - from your campfire into a pot of boiling water it will make the water safe to drink.
Charcoal:

• is used in the purification processes, respirators, air conditioning systems and in the clean-up of waste gases. 
• is used to clean the soil of contaminants and also acts as a soil conditioner.
• acts as a substitute for lime because of its high pot ash content. 
• A lump of charcoal in a toolbox will help keep tools dry and rust-free. 
• can be used anywhere in the house that there is a problem with odor, mildew or mold. 
• inhibits bacterial & viral growth.
• is a very good treatment for nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and controlling flatulence.
• Works well in conjunction with herbs.
• Can relieve tooth ache, whiten teeth and help infected gums.

For treating little ones with diarrhea a good remedy is to mix charcoal powder with bananas.

Charcoal may be given internally to help detoxify individuals for a variety of toxic conditions. In fact, it is an excellent detoxifier for the whole body cleansing as it has the ability to adsorb most drugs, excess cholesterol and triglycerides.

Charcoal is rated Category I, safe and effective by the FDA for acute, toxic poisoning. Virtually every hospital across the country has charcoal on hand to deal with drug overdoses, food poisoning and other poisoning from toxic substances. Charcoal is superior to anything else for poisoning and this is proven by clinical evidence.

Time is of the essence when it comes to poisoning and activated charcoal is more likely to reduce poison absorption if given within an hour of ingesting a poison. Charcoal effectively neutralizes Prozac, acetaminophen, caffeine, strychnine, morphine, nicotine and aspirin.  However, it works poorly or not at all for strong acids and bases, alcohols and hydrocarbons such as petroleum distillates like gasoline, paint thinner and cleaning fluids.

What is commonly called stomach flu is technically not the flu.  Rather in most cases it is gastroenteritis which is an acute inflammation of the lining of the stomach. This calls for a charcoal slurry. 

Charcoal is neither absorbed nor metabolized by the body but the charcoal adsorbs toxins before these poisons could compete with oxygen and nutrients that were trying to pass through the cell membrane. Instead of absorbing essential food elements, charcoal removes toxins that are competing with nutrients for intestinal and cellular absorption thereby promoting efficient nutrient uptake.

Charcoal may also be used externally in poultices. The human skin has the amazing ability to allow the transfer of liquids and gases through its permeable membrane. By the application of moist charcoal compresses and poultices bacteria and poisons are drawn through the skin into the charcoal. Poultices have been found to be effective for itchy skin, infections, gangrenous ulcers, insect bites and stings. That includes the bites from brown recluse spiders, rattlesnakes, scorpions and ants. Charcoal poultices have also been found good for the pain associated with sore throats, earaches, toothaches, irritated eyes, sprains, inflammations and bruises. Any area that is red, painful, swollen and hot responds to charcoal. Pain produced by cancer, whether in the bone, abdomen or elsewhere, may be controlled with a charcoal poultice. It is reassuring to know that when one is unsure about what remedy will work and what will not that there is no worry of compounding problems with charcoal as there is with most drugs. Charcoal powder acts like a sponge to quickly eliminate most toxins from the body allowing the body to better handle the much lower amounts of toxins which remain.

The combination of flaxseed and charcoal is one popular way to make a poultice. The flaxseed, when powdered or boiled, acts as a binder for the charcoal. Flaxseed also has its own healing virtues. A poultice can also be made with just plain water, K-Y Jelly, hand lotion or herbs such as Hops, Slippery Elm or Golden Seal.

While charcoal may greatly benefit some as a general detoxifier for a couple of months, it is not meant to be taken as a daily supplement. It only helps to restore health if used along with good health practices and a nutritional diet.  
So all in all, charcoal is a pretty amazing substance. I have one more example.

We only have a few stories from my husband's grandfather while he was a POW in 1944 - 45, but here's one. Airmen who had been shot down over German controlled territory were put into prisons called a "Stalag Luft". The day after Christmas day the and were separated into groups of around 500 men and forced on a march. The front line was getting too close and prisoners were one of the last bargaining chips fancy pants Hitler had left. Stalag Luft IV held about 10,000 prisoners. 

These men had already endured months (or years, depending when they were shot down) of near starvation and unsanitary conditions. They had poor health care, if you could even call it that. They were after all, prisoners. The coldest winter Europe had seen in nearly 50 years met these already weakened men with bitter chill and still nearly no food. The "bathroom facilities" were trenches that they were forced to dig. You can imagine how quickly dysentery became a huge problem. Sanitation is so important and they didn't have anything close to it. The severe cramps, diarrhea, exposure, and lack of food were literally killing these heroes. They discovered that if they chewed the burned part of the sticks (charcoal) left over from campfires it would coat their stomachs, calm the cramping and slow the diarrhea. Sometime in March his group was liberated by the Russian Demski Desert Rats. Other groups weren't so lucky.

Charcoal was literally a life saver. 

Charcoal in the event of an emergency, may some day save the life of someone you love because of its amazing properties. See, I told you it may give you a reason to cha-cha. 

Much of the information for this article came from Charcoal Remedies.com by John Dinsley

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