Open (More or Less) Post on Covid 162

[ecosophia]

We are now in the fourth year of these open posts. When I first posted a tentative hypothesis on the course of the Covid phenomenon, I had no idea that discussion on the subject would still be necessary more than three years later, much less that it would turn into so lively, complex, and troubling a conversation. Still, here we are. Crude death rates and other measures of collapsing public health are anomalously high in many countries, but nobody in authority wants to talk about the inadequately tested experimental Covid injections that are the most likely cause; public health authorities government shills for the pharmaceutical industry are still trying to push through laws that will allow them to force vaccinations on anyone they want; public trust in science is collapsing; and the story continues to unfold.

So it's time for another open post. The rules have been slightly modified: 

1. If you plan on parroting the party line of the medical industry and its paid shills, please go away. This is a place for people to talk openly, honestly, and freely about their concerns that the party line in question is dangerously flawed and that actions being pushed by the medical industry and its government enablers are causing injury and death on a massive scale. It is not a place for you to dismiss those concerns. Anyone who wants to hear the official story and the arguments in favor of it can find those on hundreds of thousands of websites.

2. If you plan on insisting that the current situation is the result of a deliberate plot by some villainous group of people or other, please go away. There are tens of thousands of websites currently rehashing various conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 outbreak and the vaccines. This is not one of them. What we're exploring is the likelihood that what's going on is the product of the same arrogance, incompetence, and corruption that the medical industry and its wholly owned politicians have displayed so abundantly in recent decades. That possibility deserves a space of its own for discussion, and that's what we're doing here. 
 
3. If you plan on using rent-a-troll derailing or disruption tactics, please go away. I'm quite familiar with the standard tactics used by troll farms to disrupt online forums, and am ready, willing, and able -- and in fact quite eager -- to ban people permanently for engaging in them here. Oh, and I also lurk on other Covid-19 vaccine skeptic blogs, so I'm likely to notice when the same posts are showing up on more than one venue. 

4. If you plan on making off topic comments, please go away. This is an open post for discussion of the Covid epidemic, the vaccines, drugs, policies, and other measures that supposedly treat it, and other topics directly relevant to those things. It is not a place for general discussion of unrelated topics. Nor is it a place to ask for medical advice; giving such advice, unless you're a licensed health care provider, legally counts as practicing medicine without a license and is a crime in the US. Don't even go there.

5. If you don't believe in treating people with common courtesy, please go away. I have, and enforce, a strict courtesy policy on my blogs and online forums, and this is no exception. The sort of schoolyard bullying that takes place on so many other internet forums will get you deleted and banned here. Also, please don't drag in current quarrels about sex, race, religions, etc. No, I don't care if you disagree with that: my journal, my rules. 

Please also note that nothing posted here should be construed as medical advice, which neither I nor the commentariat (excepting those who are licensed medical providers) are qualified to give. Please take your medical questions to the licensed professional provider of your choice.

With that said, the floor is open for discussion.

Comments

Fire Cider Dream

[ecosophia]

I had an odd dream just before waking this morning. In it, I was searching for a recipe for fire cider, while very dark, billowing clouds were gathering overhead and thunder rumbled in the distance. When I woke from it I wrote it down, as I do these days, and a little later in the morning did some dreamwork with it and got a very strong sense that this autumn and winter may be very bad in terms of respiratory illness, and fire cider might be useful for prevention and treatment.

Fire cider? It's a modification of an old folk remedy, introduced by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar about the time I stopped playing with toy trucks. It's made from unfiltered apple cider, honey, and hot spices -- ginger, garlic, peppers, you name it. A tablespoon a day, straight or in water, is traditionally held to ward of colds and other respiratory ailments. One popular recipe is here:

https://www.almanac.com/how-make-fire-cider

Of course this should not be taken as medical advice and no claim is made for any capacity to treat, cure, or heal any illness. But I thought folks here might want to know.

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you for this! I was pondering making a batch. Decision made! 😊

Valerie

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[(Anonymous)]

I bet you could make a soda out of that

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[(Anonymous)]

I top it up with a bit of sparkling water (mineral water with gas). It makes it goes down a lot easier.

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[temporaryreality]

yes, and then it's called switchel (kinda like what Laura carried out to Pa when he was haying). I made fire cider some years back, but couldn't get any of us to actually take it ;). Ginger juice yes, fire cider, nope.

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[ecosophia]

Hmm! It's pleasant stuff -- at least the batches I've made in the past certainly were. Still, to each their own.

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[robertmathiesen]

Switchel usually has molasses in it. Here's one recipe for it (from Old Sturbridge Village):

To 1/2 gallon of water, add
1 1/2 cups of molasses
3/4 cup of cider vinegar
2 teaspoons of popwdewred ginger.

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[(Anonymous)]

My grandfather used to like "hay water" when he was out on his tractor doing hot work.

It was at least 30 years later that I learned his "hay water" was really called "switchel." Water, molasses, ginger, and, I think, a little cider vinegar.
*Ochre Harebrained Curmudgeon*

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[(Anonymous)]

Fascinating dream, John. That's interesting, as I used to do the Apple Cider Vinegar thing for awhile under the influence of reading books by the Bragg's. They are kind of hokie in a way, but I liked their books, and was thinking I should maybe add that into my regimen again. Anyway, FWIW, I know people have been talking about uptick in Covid here and there on this forum, but last night on a weekly 220 Mhz net I get on, before the net some guys from KY were talking about an uptick of covid deaths in the state recently. I do a very precursory internet search on that this morning, but couldn't find anything specific. I don't know where the stats were coming from. In any case, as the weather has turned towards fall in these parts, I was thinking if that trend would continue. Lots of mask wearing happening again too.

I think I might like some firecider with a splash of horseradish myself.

JPM

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[ecosophia]

The Braggs are hokey as all get-out, but their books have a lot of good advice. I use their vinegar exclusively for my fire cider.

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[(Anonymous)]

I just bottled my fire cider 2 days ago after 8 weeks of "brewing". I highly recommend adding horse radish root to the mix. It is fabulous in salad dressings and I use it in a potato salad that people rave about.

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[scotlyn]

This is a lovely recipe, and fire cider makings are part of our every September.

Of course every recipe becomes personal, and mine includes whole slices of grapefruit as well as lemons... It may be "misinformation" of course, but it has been said that grapefruits are a source of quinine, which, serious studies, by serious people, show is absolutely no help at all when it comes to ADVANCED cases of covid...

But, then, who knows how it might weigh up on the prevention side... ;)

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[ecosophia]

...and since I take such things seriously, I went to the grocery today, got the necessary items, and a half gallon canning jar full of fire cider is now busy steeping on my kitchen work table. I went through a serious 1970s flashback in the process: there I was, with the Jethro Tull album Songs from the Wood on the stereo, and the scents of unfiltered apple cider, raw honey, ginger, garlic, and a dozen other things filling the air around me. Just for a moment I was seventeen again.

I've got a David Schnaufer dulcimer CD playing now so I can bask in the afterglow. ;-)

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[(Anonymous)]

Fantastic way to follow up on the wisdom of your dream. Speaking of old-time music, I just drafted an article on Matokie Slaughter between yesterday and today, and was listening to her (banjo). I will have to check out David Schnaufer. I have some Braggs in the pantry, so may at least drink some with water when I get home until I get the other ingredients.

Old time music + old time medicine = timeless health

JPM

[Matokie Slaughter and the Back Creek Buddies here: https://alicegerrard.bandcamp.com/album/saro ]

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[(Anonymous)]

Speaking of ‘70’s flashbacks—the night before last I dreamed of Rick James performing “Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo.” ???

—Princess Cutekitten

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[slclaire]

Which one? (you knew I would ask ...)

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[robertmathiesen]

I've used a local brand of Fire Cider, available from a small store, Farmacy Herbs, just down the hill from our house. (They also sell an Elderberry Syrup.) The other two things that make me feel much better in similar circumstances are Chinese Hot and Sour Soup and what we call "Grog," made from an old family recipe: to a good-sized mug of boiling water add sugar, lemon juice (as much as one can stand), and rum (151 proof, if available). Let cool to a drinkable temperature, then sip slowly. Nap after finishing if you feel like it.

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[scotlyn]

Most years I buy in a box of organic lemons (usually around 36 or so lemons) direct from seller somewhere in Spain, and process them as soon as received, as follows.
1) use a potato peeler to peel off the coloured layer of peel from each lemon, and lay out to dry/dessicate.
2) cut each (now peeled, but still encased in soft, white inner peel) lemon in half and squeeze as much juice as I can out. Pour juice into ice cube trays and freeze.
3) - if I'm not tired by now, this last is optional - scrape and save a few of the bits of white pithy inner peel and dice. Pickle these using a recipe I have for watermelon pickles. (If I'm tired and skip this, all goes into the compost heap and is given to the soil).
4) a few days later, when peel is completely dry and crackly, whizz with coffee grinder to a powder, pack into a jar containing a paper towel, to keep in the fridge and take as needed as a Vit C supplement. (Also flavours food. But I add at the end, so as not to cook out the Vit C).
5) knock the lemon juice ice cubes into plastic bags and put back in freezer to pull out as needed when a cold is coming on. 1-3 cubes in a cup of hot water....

...AND this last is what makes your GROG recipe look very, very enticing! Thank you!

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[boccaccio]

Thanks for sharing your dream and the recipe!

Your intuition about the coming months is shared by several psychics I follow. Several pointed especially to October being a difficult month healthwise and one even saw a (short) lockdown in that month. To me that made that made sense in light of the US election. I'm sure TPTB would like to hold the election by mail-in ballot with all the opportunities for rigging that entails.

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[ecosophia]

Thanks for the heads up.

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[escorcher]

Any sources you'd feel comfortable sharing?
'ello.

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[(Anonymous)]

I appreciate the post. I see the precautions. It is sad that it is necessary when you have basically listed the recipe to make a spicy toddy. Most of the older (100y+) recipes of things that are normalized today had similar promises though now adulterated with corn, syrup, seed oil, and worse. Basics in my pantry like bitters, dr pepper, coke, etc. thank you and don't stop posting. rq

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[ecosophia]

Now's the time to recover as many of those old recipes as possible, and start making things for yourself. We've got unparalleled access to information resources right now, but it's by no means guaranteed that we'll have that indefinitely -- and the sooner we get through the learning curve, the better. That's why I make my own natto and kimchi, and now, spicy toddies!

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[(Anonymous)]

ecosophia. My neighbor (next hill over) prepares SeNiCidEm. Herbal tonics, tinctures remedies and oils, SWITCHEL and Fire cider. I always keep several bottles her Fire cider on hand and share a bottle with my better half when the (gods) put such thoughts in my human mind. For being unaware of our existence, gods do seem like suggestive creatures, don't they? Here now are the ingredients of my apothecarist's Fire Cider:

Raw Apple Cider vinegar, horseradish, ginger, onion, turmeric, garlic, lemon juice/zest, jalapeno, habanero, cayenne, astragalus, rosehips, black peppercorns, burdock, yellowdock, dandelion roots, poblano peppers, nettle, oregano, lemonbalm, holy basil, mullein leaf/flower, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, raw honey, and I believe just a pinch of hippie magic.

Does the body good!
Black Tuna and Hand

Re: Fire Cider Dream

[(Anonymous)]

Vinegar, hot peppers, ginger, garlic - you know that's the basic recipe for hot sauce. Well, maybe not the ginger. But I bet there is a hot sauce out there that has all those ingredients in one convenient bottle.