The big book of self-reliant living: advice and information on just about everything you need to know to live on planet earth

641 Pages·2010·27.314 MB·English

by  Szykitka, Walter

THE BIG BOOK OF
SELF-RELIANT LIVING

THE BIG BOOK OF
SELF-RELIANT LIVING
Advice and Information
on Just About Everything
You Need to Know
to Live on Planet Earth
Second Edition
Edited and compiled by
Walter Szykitka
The Lyons Press
Guilford, Connecticut
An imprint of Globe Pequot Press
Special contents of this edition copyright © 2010 by Walter Szykitka
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmit-
ted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except as may be
expressly permitted in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should
be addressed to Globe Pequot Press, Attn: Rights and Permissions Department, P.O.
Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437.
The Lyons Press is an imprint of Globe Pequot Press.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.
ISBN 978-1-59921-566-2
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Neither Globe Pequot Press nor the author assumes any liability resulting from
action taken based on the information included in this book.
For my daughters, Anya and Kirsten, their husbands,
Joel and Joshua, and the growing community of like-minded
people striving, in ways large and small, to gain greater con-
trol of their lives
Contents
Acknowledgments .....................................................ix
Introduction ..............................................................x
Emergencies at Home .............................................105
Creating a Family Plan .......................................105
1 | First Aid Deciding to Stay or Go ......................................105
At Work and School ..........................................106
Anatomy, Physiology, and Infection Control ...............2
In a Moving Vehicle ...........................................106
Patient Assessment ....................................................6
In a High-Rise Building ......................................107
Artificial Ventilation ...................................................7
Radiation Threat ..............................................107
Dressings .................................................................15
Nuclear Blast ....................................................108
Control of Bleeding ..................................................16
Explosions ........................................................108
Shock .....................................................................20
Biological Threat ..............................................109
Soft Tissue Injuries ..................................................22
Chemical Threat ...............................................110
Burns and Scalds ......................................................32
Family Disaster Supplies Kit ...............................110
Musculoskeletal Injuries ...........................................35
Natural Disasters ..............................................112
Handling and Transportation ...................................45
Survival in the City ............................................118
Environmental and Medical Emergencies ..................48
Heat Safety .......................................................119
2 | Survival
3 | Health
Survival in Areas Contaminated by Radiation ...........56
Exercise and Your Heart ..........................................122
Shelter ...............................................................56
Cancer ...................................................................132
Food and Water .................................................56
Clinical Trials ..........................................................188
Clothing and Equipment ....................................56
High Blood Pressure ...............................................190
Health ...............................................................56
Body Weight and Health .........................................198
Survival on Land .....................................................56
The Lungs in Health and Disease.............................203
Immediate Action ..............................................56
Atopic Dermatitis ...................................................211
Signaling............................................................58
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ...............................216
Decision to Stay or Travel ...................................58
Rheumatoid Arthritis ..............................................221
Shelter ...............................................................59
Osteoarthritis ........................................................226
Fire Making ........................................................61
Diabetes ................................................................233
Survival Weapons ..............................................63
Aging and Your Eyes ...............................................240
Clothing ............................................................64
Alzheimer’s Disease ................................................241
Health and Hazards ...........................................65
Asbestos Exposure .................................................243
Water ................................................................67
Asthma .................................................................244
Food .................................................................70
Botulism ................................................................245
Food Preparation ................................................76
Carbon Monoxide ..................................................245
Arctic and Subarctic ..........................................77
Chickenpox ............................................................246
Deserts ..............................................................80
Cholera ..................................................................246
Tropics ..............................................................80
Cholesterol ............................................................247
Orientation .......................................................87
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ......................................247
Travel ................................................................95
Diphtheria .............................................................248
Local People ......................................................98
Hepatitis A .............................................................248
Survival at Sea .........................................................99
Hepatitis B .............................................................249
Immediate Action ..............................................99
Hepatitis C .............................................................250
Signaling...........................................................101
Genital Herpes .......................................................251
Health ..............................................................101
Gonorrhea .............................................................252
Water and Food ................................................101
HIV Infection ..........................................................253
Survival Swimming ............................................103
Influenza ................................................................255
Seamanship ......................................................103
Contents | vii
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) ........................................257 Kitchen Thermometers ...........................................385
Listeriosis ...............................................................259 Preserving Foods ....................................................389
Lyme Disease .........................................................260 Drying Fruits and Vegetables ...................................399
Malaria ..................................................................260 Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous? ....................400
Measles .................................................................261 The Big Thaw: Safe Defrosting Methods
Meningococcal Meningitis ......................................261 for Consumers .................................................404
Multiple Sclerosis ...................................................262
Mold ....................................................................263
5 | Farm and Home
Mumps .................................................................264
Myasthenia Gravis ..................................................265 The HUD Home Buying Guide ...............................406
Osteoporosis .........................................................265 Radon ...................................................................412
Polio ....................................................................266 What Is Organic? ...................................................412
Rabies....................................................................266 Pruning Trees and Shrubs .......................................416
Ringworm ..............................................................267 A Small Backyard Greenhouse for the
Rubella ..................................................................268 Home Gardener ................................................420
Salmonella .............................................................268 Home Vegetable Gardening ....................................422
Scabies ..................................................................269 Hydroponics as a Hobby ........................................436
Shigellosis ..............................................................269 Hydroponic Systems ...............................................437
Shingles .................................................................269 How to Make Sectional Terraria ..............................441
Syphilis ..................................................................270 Intensive Gardening Methods .................................442
Tetanus ..................................................................271 Raising Livestock on Small Farms ...........................444
Toxic Shock Syndrome ............................................271 How to Plant a Tree ................................................451
Trichinosis ..............................................................272 Selection and Care of Common Household Pets ......452
Tuberculosis ...........................................................272 Chick Brooders .....................................................460
Typhoid Fever .........................................................273 Beekeeping for Beginners ........................................461
Viral Meningitis ......................................................273 Trout Farming .......................................................463
West Nile Virus .......................................................274 Homes for Birds ....................................................465
Whooping Cough (Pertussis)...................................274 Quick ’n Easy Stain Removal ...................................471
Urinary Tract Infection ...........................................275 Housecleaning on a “Shoestring” ............................477
Fever Blisters and Canker Sores ...............................277 Clothing Repairs .....................................................479
Home Nursing Handbook ......................................280 Electric Sewing Equipment .....................................485
Head Lice ...............................................................291 Weaving on a Card Loom ......................................487
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever ...............................291 Caring for Your Lawn and the Environment.............489
Lead Poisoning .......................................................292 Planning Your Home Lighting ..................................491
Health Hints for the International Traveler ...............292 Farm Lighting .........................................................495
Cataracts ...............................................................293 Lightning Protection ...............................................499
Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic
Energy Use ......................................................504
4 | Food and Nutrition
Cooling Your Home Naturally .................................505
Nutritive Value of Foods .........................................296 Energy-Efficient Air-Conditioning ............................509
55 Ways to Save at the Grocery Store .....................340 Insulation ...............................................................513
A Guide to Daily Food Choices ................................342 Weatherize Your Home—Caulk and Weather Strip....524
A Consumer’s Guide to Fats and Cholesterol ..........349 A Consumer’s Guide to Buying a Solar
Recipes ..................................................................353 Electric System .................................................529
Fireless Cookery .....................................................377 Wind Energy .........................................................534
Making Jams and Jellies..........................................380 Guide to Hydro Power ............................................535
Keeping Foods Safe ...............................................383 Tips for Improving Fuel Economy ...........................540
Grill It Safely .........................................................383 Protecting Your Family from Lead in Your Home ......542
Cooking Safely in the Microwave Oven ...................384
viii | Contents
6 | Tools Miscellaneous Gages .........................................590
Fastening Components and Procedures ...................595
Common Hand Tools ............................................546
Woodworking Fasteners ....................................595
Striking Tools ...................................................546
Metal Fastening Devices ....................................597
Turning Tools (Wrenches) .................................548
Safetying Methods ............................................599
Metal Cutting Tools ................................................552
Rivets ..............................................................600
Twist Drills .............................................................556
Grinding Operations...............................................601
Punches .................................................................558
Grinding Wheels ...............................................601
Taps and Dies .........................................................558
Selecting and Using the Wheel ..........................603
Woodcutting Hand Tools .......................................562
Metal Cutting Operations .......................................607
Screwdrivers ...........................................................567
Metal Cutting with Chisels ................................607
Pliers ....................................................................568
Metal Cutting with Drills ..................................608
Vises and Clamps ...................................................569
Threads and Thread Cutting ............................609
Sharpening Stones ..................................................570
Reaming Operations .........................................614
Miscellaneous Tools ...............................................571
Cutting Piping and Tubing .................................615
Common Power Tools ............................................574
Miscellaneous Tasks ..........................................616
Portable Electric Power Tools ............................575
Stripping Insulated Wire ....................................619
Common Power Machine Tools .........................578
Soldering ..........................................................619
Measuring Tools and Techniques ............................580
Lubrication .......................................................621
Rules and Tapes ...............................................580
Simple Calipers .................................................582
Sources ..................................................................623
Vernier Caliper .................................................584
Index ....................................................................626
Micrometers .....................................................586
Squares ...........................................................588
Acknowledgments
Unfortunately, most of the individuals who are responsible for preparing the infor-
mation found in this volume and who deserve at least 99 percent of the credit are
anonymous. (Those few contributors that we could identify are named in the list
of Sources.) Nevertheless, I want to acknowledge their good work and express my
gratitude for the overall clarity of their writing. As a result of the work they have
done in explaining important matters to us—information having to do with our
health and safety, food and nutrition, and a wide range of other useful subjects—I
am confident many readers will benefit, and so I’m thanking them all.
There are several other people whose names I do know who helped make this
book possible. First, Laura Strom, my editor, who recognized the possibilities and
guided me through the process of shaping the material. Next, Libby Kingsbury,
who carried the burden of a long and complicated design challenge and pulled it
off with remarkable good humor. Also, editor Holly Rubino, project editor Imee
Curiel, proofreader Amy Paradysz, and production manager Lisa Nanamaker. To
all I express my sincere thanks. And finally, a special thanks to George Strom, who
set the whole process in motion.