PM's Self Reliance Tools: Safe Fuel Storage Tips, Natural Dental Care, More

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…

ISSN 2161-5543

"For who can endure a doctrine which would allow only dentists
to say whether our teeth were aching,
only cobblers to say whether our shoes hurt us, and
only governments to tell us whether we were being well governed?"
-- C. S. Lewis

Safe Fuel Storage Tips

During the recent days long power outages and ice storms we experienced, my generator got quite the workout and we were unable to leave our compound for any reason. Thankfully, we had plenty of fuel stored to run our generator…

Having fuel on hand can give you the means to stay warm and comfortable, to prepare a hot meal, and even to sterilize water should the need arise. It can also give you the means to escape a bad situation.

Improperly stored fuel can become a safety hazard. And, many types of fuel, including gasoline, lose stability over time, making them difficult to ignite. That means that even if you store your fuel safely, if you don't take proper steps to ensure its long-term stability, you could just be storing canisters of useless liquid – liquid that will let you down when you need it most.

Avoid Fuel Storage Safety Hazards

You should not store fuel in your home or attached garage. If it does ignite, having it that close to your living space presents an obvious problem. Instead, store your fuel some distance from your home in a well-ventilated shed. Storing your fuel in an outbuilding of some sort helps to protect it from heating up due to direct sun exposure and from moisture due to weather conditions. By preventing solar heating, you slow the evaporation process. And by protecting your fuel stores from moisture, you help ensure your fuel isn't contaminated with water.

Keep a fire extinguisher near your fuel tanks. If you run electrical wires in the outbuilding that you're using for storage, make sure the wiring is in a sealed conduit. The last thing you want is for fuel vapors to come in contact with an electric spark. That would be the end of your fuel stores and your outbuilding!

Make sure you always store fuel in a container designed for it. Gasoline, for example is corrosive to many plastics. Storing gasoline in a plastic drum that hasn't been rated for fuel storage will destroy the drum and render the gas useless.

If you're storing more than one type of fuel, make sure you have a system for keeping track of which is which. You don't want to accidentally use gasoline in a diesel engine or to run a propane or kerosene stove! More at:
http://www.poormansurvival.com/Pages/guestcolumn.aspx

NOTE: I keep a fire extinguisher near every area that I work…kitchen, basement, laundry room, garage.

Grease and grime dissolve away with one good wipe-down of WD-40

On the surface of our stovetop. Restores the shine and works on gummy spots.

Make Money Upcycling
"Upcycling" is what you do when you're converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality. What if you could make money upcycling? Today, many folks have to supplement their incomes, but have little money to invest in raw materials or goods to be sold. Clever ones upcycle by finding cheap or free items they can then sell for profit. Read more.

With the dozen plus prescriptions I take due to open heart surgery, my gums have suffered and now I spend time and money visiting our wonderful dentist and oral surgeon remedying my gum loss. I make my own oral rinse which has proved very helpful. To every half bottle of antiseptic mouthwash, I add a several drops of hydrogen peroxide and tea tree oil.

Natural Dental Care

From Mother Earth Living, by Amy Mayfield

When it comes to healthy teeth and gums, keep one word in mind: prevention. Because many dental problems are the result of gum disease, focus on keeping your gums healthy with natural dental care.

An estimated 75 percent of Americans have some form of gum or periodontal disease, according to the American Dental Hygienists’ Association. Regular dental visits (every six months is recommended for most) can treat the disease at its earliest stages, keeping your teeth healthy — and helping you spend less time in the dentist’s chair.

Helpful Herbs

Plaque, the main cause of tooth decay and gum disease, starts building up about 20 minutes after eating. The first steps in reducing plaque buildup and maintaining oral health are basic care: Brush your teeth at least twice daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush and floss under the gumline once a day.

Used in combination with good basic dental care, healing herbs can bolster oral health. Herbalist Christopher Hobbs recommends taking diluted bloodroot tincture to protect teeth and gums against oral bacteria. Myrrh tincture helps strengthen gums and combat tooth and gum infections, and echinacea tincture helps the body fight oral bacteria, he says. Take tinctures of these herbs daily, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Aloe vera gel, a powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial healer, can help treat gum inflammation. Apply a small amount of aloe gel to the affected area several times daily, says Laurel Vukovic, an Ashland, Ore.-based author and herbalist.

Vukovic also recommends neem, an herb with antimicrobial properties that can help strengthen gums and prevent plaque. Neem is found in some natural toothpastes and mouthwashes.

Finally, green tea is another potent herbal remedy. In addition to its antioxidant and other health benefits, green tea’s polyphenol compounds may inhibit the growth of oral bacteria. Drink two to three cups daily.

Supplements to Try

Supplements can also be good for oral health. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may improve circulation to the gums and help prevent gum disease. It’s also a powerful antioxidant. Take 60 to 100 milligrams (mg) daily in capsule form.

A deficiency of vitamin C can cause gum disease, loose teeth and tooth loss. Researchers at the Linus Pauling Institute suggest the current recommended dietary allowance (75 mg for women, 90 mg for men) be increased to 200 mg. But choose supplements you swallow instead of chewable vitamin C tablets, as ascorbic acid can erode tooth enamel.

Also make sure you’re getting 1,000 mg or more of calcium daily (either from your diet or in supplements). Calcium is necessary for building and maintaining healthy teeth, and if blood levels of calcium fall, the body draws calcium stores from the jaw, which can result in tooth loss. Combined with calcium, magnesium also helps keep teeth and bones strong. Aim for 400 mg per day.

Toothpaste Tips

Ever wonder what’s in your toothpaste? Most contain mild abrasives such as calcium carbonate or hydrated aluminum oxides; fluoride to strengthen tooth enamel; humectants such as propylene or glycol to prevent water loss in the toothpaste; flavoring agents such as saccharin or other sweeteners that do not promote tooth decay; thickening agents; and detergents such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) to create foaming, according to the American Dental Association. While these ingredients may not be overly dangerous, most holistic dentists suggest avoiding them. A study at the University of Oslo, Norway, showed a link between toothpastes that contain SLS and recurrent aphthous ulcers (more commonly known as canker sores). Fluoride remains a controversial ingredient that, when used in excess, may make developing teeth more brittle and may be linked to immune dysfunction and other diseases.