SOCORRO, New Mexico (STPNS) -- This spring and summer we have received the gift of rain, and we haven’t had to water our yards and gardens as much. Many of us are enjoying some home-grown organic veggies even now.

Are we keeping ourselves as hydrated as we should? Our bodies are at least 90 percent water. Urinary tract infections and other problems and conditions develop easily when we are dehydrated.  When it is hot and dry, drink four to eight glasses of water a day. If you are drinking enough water, your urine should run almost clear.



Water and air are nature’s prime gifts of life. They are basic to our existence, but they are not nature’s only gifts. There are many other natural wonders to explore and use for health and well being. Our choices and use of these natural gifts should be well considered.

For example, wild sage and garden sage have been used for centuries as a calming tea. However, some people are allergic. Medical botanist Jim Duke reports that sage contains thujone, which can cause convulsions if consumed in large quantities by some people. Yet sage bundled and dried makes a wonderful incense. Many Native Americans have enjoyed the tea for centuries. Explore and enjoy with caution.

Some herbs and foods have been proven again and again to be great for our bodies, true gifts from the natural world. Garlic and it’s “kissing cousin,” onion, for example. Rosemary and its relative oregano have rosmaric acid. Garlic and onion are said to lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol. Rosemary and oregano are antioxidants. They are reported to ward off some cancers, heart disease and the effects of aging.

Green tea, peppermint, turmeric and ginger are among nature’s best gifts. Blueberries, cranberries, bilberry and huckleberry, with compounds called anthocyanssides, are great antioxidants. Personally, when I eat blueberries, I have less arthritic pain.

None of these can replace modern medical care when you are ill.  Some may help prevent illness. Always be aware of personal allergies. Summer is a great time to explore nature’s gifts. If you do not have a garden, visit the local farmers markets. Check your library, as well as your garden and kitchen, for information.

Two of nature’s superheroes are raw honey and apple-cider vinegar. In 1946, Folk Medicine was written by Dr. DC Jarvis of New England. The book is a classic on the benefits of apple-cider vinegar and raw honey. Raw honey can relieve pain and cleanse a small cut or wound. It can “pull” out a stubborn sliver. It makes a good natural bandage and aids in healing.

Vinegar as a gargle with water can relieve a sore throat. Dr. Jarvis recommended a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of vinegar daily for health. Both were suggested to relieve dizziness.

Besides the health benefits of apple-cider vinegar, it has many other uses. Here are just a few.

Relieve insect bites and stings and even dry skin itch with dabs of vinegar and water. Kill weeds with full-strength vinegar. Clean glass and chrome to a great shine with vinegar and water.  Sprinkle vinegar where you don’t want cats exploring. Clean odors, even skunk, from dog fur. Just put some vinegar on a cloth and rub fur gently. Vinegar in a drain or sitting in a dish will remove household odors, including smoke. Clean and disinfect wooden cutting boards and kitchen counters with vinegar. That confuses the smelling abilities of ants and sometimes keeps them off your counters. Put vinegar down ant hills you’d like to see the last of.

Remove stains and odors from hands with a few drops of vinegar rubbed gently on them. Vinegar rubbed gently into stains and smells on clothing before washing is a great help. Cut grease and odor by adding vinegar to your dish water. Run a cup through the dishwashing machine and clothes-washing machine to cut and remove soap buildup. Clean bathroom tiles. And on and on.  

It’s worth it to keep a big bottle of apple-cider vinegar in your cupboard. The natural world offers so many gifts; do explore.  

Margaret Wiltshire lives in Magdalena and shares this column with her husband, Don. Mrs. Wiltshire’s views do not necessarily represent the Mountain Mail.