Venezuela Faces the Return of Forgotten Diseases

This report was originally published by J. G. Martinez D. at The Organic Prepper

Dear fellows, I want to tell a little story of this last week.

My son had a rash in his little armpits and other parts. So his mom took him to the doctor, within walking distance from our subdivision (our SUV is still busted). After the subsequent blood test (according to my wife it was a real spectacle. He is a strong kid and a task force between my wife, the doctor and a nurse was needed to get the blood sample…well at least we know he is able to defend himself.) The lab result (freaking expensive because the reactants are scarce) was salmonella.

I started to worry a lot, as it is logical. That was Thursday. I got immediately into fast-forward mode, and found the money, while I was extremely concerned about the availability of the needed antibiotics. My wife woke up early, and with a neighbor in his car went with the kiddo to the pharmacy. After visiting two pharmacies with negative results, they headed up to a state-owned pharmacy next to the state hospital, controlled by Cubans or party members, who betray the hospital personnel that dares to report malnutrition deaths or similar events. This is happening.

She was finally able to find the medicines on Saturday morning, at a really inflated price, but the neighbor works for an official government, with a flash of his badge she could buy them without the employees giving it a second look.

I emailed a copy of the doctor’s report to Daisy, so she can confirm my history for those who feel the need to do so.

To me, this was a major achievement under the actual circumstances. I used some of the money from your donations, to exchange it for the needed Bolivares to buy the medications, but the important thing to note here is that they were found. And that is not easy in this country.

Forgotten diseases are returning

Recent reports from these last few days have been, for someone who understands the importance of the endemic diseases that had been under control, spreading quickly.

I am talking about serious stuff: Tuberculosis, Diptheria, Leishmaniasis. There have been adults and children who died because of these things. The diseases themselves, under normal conditions can be healed. But without the appropriate medications and proper nutrition, they become deadly.

Leishmaniasis

One of the worst endemic diseases that has been reported (this information arrived via social networking from confirmed, known sources) is Leishmaniasis. This is a parasite to which you should pay a lot of attention. With the lack of proper balanced feeding, a person’s natural defenses get lower, and it is much easier for them to get sick.

Traditionally there were programs all over the country to fumigate and keep the vectors under control. However, the last fumigation was a long time ago and this allowed the vectors to spread themselves again, reaching densely populated areas, and now without any modern medication to contain it.

Rodents, canines, are affected too. The main transmission vector is the mosquito, and their first manifestation is a skin lesion in the place of the bite. There are several forms of the disease, and most of them are deadly. This is a disease associated with the malnourishment, population displacement, poor living conditions, weak immune systems, and a general lack of resources. This is the exact scenario we have been living through and the description of an SHTF situation. It affects the liver and has permanent consequences if not treated properly.

Ehrlichiosis

Another disease we have present in our area is the Ehrlichiosis, a tropical variation of Lyme disease. Fortunately, we could find the antibiotics for this as well, but of course at incredible prices. Thankfully with a 2^nd income, it could be obtained. My wife got better after weeks of feeling sick once we knew what it was.

In a funny side note, we had to go to a veterinary lab, as it was the only one in town that was able to do such testing. This gave me floor for a LOT of imaginative, creative jokes to her. Lol.

We used the recipes to buy some extra blisters packs of medication, just in case, for our medicine box will be donated once the family can come with me.

Tuberculosis

Another disease that had an incredible increase is tuberculosis. It is known that tuberculosis is linked to malnutrition (source) and it is becoming increasingly widespread in Venezuela. As it is more or less known,  improper nutrition is the main cause of this once-eradicated sickness in Venezuela. The cases were very few, and widely spread, mainly among drug addicts, homeless people, or even patients of psychiatric hospitals. This is a bacteria, and the infection damage is located especially in lungs.

A weakened immune system makes it easy for the disease to take hold. There are a lot of ways to prevent our defenses from getting too low, but proper nutrition is the best prevention. Whole foods, of course, provide more leverage to our immune system than processed foods.

Mosquito-transmitted diseases

Another important and significant increase has been in the mosquito-transmitted diseases. With the main insecticides factories financially strangled, their production is scarce, and the well-known government mafia takes over whatever they can.

Finding a can of insecticide is not easy. This is another item that should be stockpiled. It is not going to lose efficiency. I could afford to buy a fumigation machine, able to provide a clouding of droplets with a very small size, the needed size to float in the air for hours (I don´t remember how many microns, I think about 0.5 or so). It is useful for house fumigation as well as greenhouse or crops, despite being electrical. It does not use a heating element, so it is much more simple to maintain and fix, and this allows to use a wider variety of insecticides that do not need to be burned to remain as a cloud for keeping their effectiveness.

Salmonella

Our recent experience with salmonella last week opened our eyes to how bad sanitation conditions have become. Of course, this is to be expected. There are no cleaning products at affordable prices, and therefore the hygiene decreases significantly, and salmonella is a disease very closely linked to hygiene.

According to my research for this article, salmonella can be transmitted by infected hens, even before teggshellell is formed, and this seemed to us something very likely because the chicken farmers can’t afford the mandatory vaccines or medications for the animals.

Another salmonella infection source is raw poultry. We noticed that in the place we buy our fresh poultry and cheese, these are stored in the same freezer. This is not what we could call ideally sanitary, but it is our first time facing such an illness.

According to our doctor, that same day there were 2 other cases of salmonella before our son. This is alarming, to me. Never had seen even one case, except very rare instances, and suddenly three persons in a row in a doctor’s office?

This is highly suspicious, at a minimum.

What can we do given that we are not regular people but preppers?

Let’s see.

My first thought is, given that the readers are spread worldwide, is research what diseases are endemic to your area. Statiscally speaking, the probability of picking up a disease that is not typical of your region should be low.

Once the hazard your group maybe exposed to is identified, then proceed with the neutralization measures by finding out which medications would be needed if the normal supply is no longer available.

Some prepper-friendly doctor could extend the needed prescriptions, and your stashed medicines would be one of the stuff that should be already in your secluded BOL, under the proper conditions. [Alternatively, if you can’t get those, look for herbal remedies you can create yourself – this book is a reference every prepper should own ~ Daisy]

Given what we have experienced, I would not try to save money on this issue. It will be worth every penny if you need it. Oh, and I don’t work or have any relationship with any medical company other than swallowing their stuff from time to time if needed.

This said, I would calculate, depending on the medical history of the family (for example, urinary infections, bacterial stomach infections like amoebas in my case) and the endemic disease information, then go about stockpiling two complete treatments a year, for each family member.

Other possible treatments could be those for botulism. Some antidote against this toxin should be stockpiled. This is very serious, and the probability of appearing is not because it is endemic, but because of things like decomposing canned food.

Skin burn ointments and other common medications would be needed, too. Our scarcity began about 4 years ago, but mostly because of the inflation. If you have the money, you can find anything you need, even under these conditions.

Therefore, I strongly suggest you find a good, suitable way, optimized for your particular conditions to store wealth.

This is worst case scenario and you may adjust it to your own medical knowledge and location. It would be great to receive comments from people in the know.

Thank you.

I give special thanks to those who have prayed for my family, because your prayers, my fellow preppers, really worked.

I don´t have words to describe how grateful I am for all of you.

We faced this issue, came through the other side almost unharmed, knowing this could have become serious if the medicine were not found, and I am sure your prayers for us were heard…

I don’t have words to thank you. God Bless you all, people!

Jose

About the Author

Jose is an upper middle class professional. He is a former worker of the oil state company with a Bachelor’s degree from one of the best national Universities. He has a small 4 members family, plus two cats and a dog. An old but in good shape SUV, a good 150 square meters house in a nice neighborhood, in a small but (formerly) prosperous city with two middle size malls. Jose is a prepper and shares his eyewitness accounts and survival stories from the collapse of his beloved Venezuela. If you’d like to donate to help Jose get his family out of Venezuela, you can do so here: paypal.me/JoseM151

Please feel free to share any information from this article in part or in full, giving credit to the author and including a link to The Organic Prepper and the following bio.

Daisy Luther is the author of The Pantry Primer: A Prepper’s Guide To Whole Food on a Half Price Budget.  Her website, The Organic Prepper, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca

WARNING: Resistant Head Lice On The Rise, Docs Urge Prescriptions Meds

Head lice: a giant pain in the backsides of parents taking their children into public and an annoyingly itchy irritating parasite that must be eliminated. But the new super lice could present a problem with treatments and has become much more daunting over the past years. Yet, there’s a solution…

According to Today,  the effectiveness of over the counter preparations had declined to 25 percent, a level described as being “no better than placebo.” Even with “nit combing,” the process of removing some of the younger and recently hatched lice from the hair follicle, according to a  review article published in Pediatric Dermatology late last year found that the tedious process is as effective as a placebo. Worse, even higher doses of the over the counter product aren’t any more effective, researchers said.

But a prescription doesn’t necessarily equate to efficacy, and there is something that can help.  Doctors are now saying that the treatments are not effective because they aren’t done properly and with dedication.  They are done with lazy impatience making prescription medications the only avenue for frustrated parents.

Dr. Kenneth Polin became aware of the growing problem of “head lice” resistance more than two decades ago (20 years) when his 5-year-old daughter came home with lice. “We used the over-the-counter stuff and it didn’t work,” said Polin, a pediatrician at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. “When we called the company, they blamed us, saying that the patient just didn’t know how to use the product.” But it does appear that working thoroughly to rid your child of lice without prescription interference will work in a very vast majority of cases. But this isn’t something a doctor wants one to know.  They obviously make money when a parent succumbs to the prescription method.

“We used the over-the-counter stuff and it didn’t work,” said Polin, a pediatrician at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. “When we called the company, they blamed us, saying that the patient just didn’t know how to use the product.” As the percentage of resistant lice has increased, Polin has adapted his advice to patients. “I tell families not to bother with the over-the-counter stuff,” he said. “It’s not consistently effective. I recommend prescription medications.” The prescription medications are “very safe,” Polin said. “And they are all very effective. I’ve not seen any resistance personally and I’ve not seen anything about resistance in the medical journals either.”-Today

What most parents miss, however, is that cleaning of all bed sheets, clothes, and rugs should be done as well to ensure there is no passage of lice to other family members or visitors. A thorough treatment of all possibly infected areas will kill the lice. 

It’s also important to clean up all bed linens and coats, Polin said, adding that sometimes lice [is often]spread by jumping from one child’s coat to that of another. Another solution to the problem of lice that have jumped from the child onto household furniture and fabrics is to spend the night in a hotel. “Off the human body lice they can’t live more than a day,” he explained.

There may be some good news on the horizon, said Kyong Sup Yoon, an assistant professor in the department of biological sciences and environmental sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Yoon was coauthor of a 2016 study showing that resistant strains had spread to nearly every state as well as the 2016 review. “Currently, several companies are in the process of developing new pediculicides,” Yoon said. “I hope this will give us some options to implement more efficient resistance management.” -Today

Doctors want parents dependent on the medical system to treat lice on children.  With diligence and a dedication to your child’s health, however, you should be able to help your child beat the odds and become lice free without medical interference.

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Author: Mac Slavo
Views: Read by 184 people
Date: September 11th, 2017
Website: www.SHTFplan.com

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USDA Report: Bee Populations FINALLY Rising After Years of Decline

The decline in bee populations and the many threats bees face have been well-publicized. Scientists have been frantically hunting for solutions to the problem. Without bees, we lose much of our food. Without food, well …we don’t want that. Thankfully, there is a bit of good news on the conservation front: honeybee populations are finally on the rise. [1]

A report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released August 1, 2017 shows that as of April, 2017, an estimated 2.89 million bee colonies existed across the U.S. – an increase of 3% from 2016.

Beekeepers started to notice several years ago that fewer and fewer honeybee colonies were surviving the winter. On average, 28.7% of hives survived the winter months. But during the 2014-2015 winter, that number dropped 23.1% and hovered there.

Source: Vox

2015 Beekeeper Survey: “We’ve Lost Almost Half Our Bee Colonies in the Past Year”

The USDA report suggests that the tide may have started to turn. Only about 84 honeybee colonies were lost in the first quarter of 2017 – 27% less than the number of colonies reported for the first quarter of 2016.

The latest numbers are encouraging, but honeybees still face substantial threats. According to the report, the top stressor responsible for colony deaths is the varrora mite, little bloodsuckers that were reported in more than 42% of commercial bee hives.

There is even good news there, however. The USDA noted in the report that instances of varrora mites, which first proved lethal to honeybee colonies in 1987, were still down by 11% compared to the 53% of hives ravaged by the bloodsucking insects in 2016.

Still, other threats to colonies persist, including pesticides – particularly a class known as neonicotinoids. The increase in colonies in 2017 is largely due to the constant replenishment of losses, according to the report. [2]

Source: Greenpeace USA

Tim May, a beekeeper in Harvard, Illinois and the vice-president of the American Beekeeping Federation based in Atlanta, said:

“You create new hives by breaking up your stronger hives, which just makes them weaker. We check for mites, we keep our bees well-fed, we communicate with farmers so they don’t spray pesticides when our hives are vulnerable. I don’t know what else we can do.”

The EPA is currently reviewing neonicotinoids, and could ban the spraying of them and dozens of other pesticides in farm fields where bees have been brought in to pollinate crops.

Additional colony stressors identified by beekeepers, among others, include pests other than varrora, diseases, poor weather, starvation, insufficient forage.

May says it’s difficult to figure out for certain what kills bees in any given location. He pondered:

“Maybe it’s pesticides, maybe it’s not. But when I eliminate everything else, it’s a distinct possibility.”

Sources:

[1] Newsweek

[2] Bloomberg

Greenpeace USA

Vox

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About Mike Barrett:
	Mike is the co-founder, editor, and researcher behind Natural Society. Studying the work of top natural health activists, and writing special reports for top 10 alternative health websites, Mike has written hundreds of articles and pages on how to obtain optimum wellness through natural health.