Charles Hugh Smith: ‘ALL Currencies Will See A CATASTROPHIC DROP’ In The Economic Collapse

Financial writer Charles Hugh Smith recently sat down for an interview in which he boldly declared that ALL currencies – not just the United States dollar -will see a catastrophic drop during the coming economic collapse. It’s not just the dollar, but every currency backed by government force will fall.

In a video interview with USA Watchdog‘s Greg Hunter, Smith details the eventual collapse and says currencies such as the Chinese yuan will also drop. Smith, the author of the new book Money and Work Unchained and founder of the popular site OfTwoMinds.com says, “All these currencies, by which there is nothing backing the currencies except the government’s force. That’s the yen, the euro, the dollar and the Chinese yuan. They are all going to have a catastrophic drop against real assets because they are all based on too much leverage, too much debt, too much money being pumped into the financial system that ends up in unproductive speculation. You can’t grow your debt at six times the rate of your economy. In other words, if you are creating $6, $8 or $10 of debt to eke out $1 of low productivity growth, you are dooming your currency, and all currencies are doing the same thing. All the currencies are going to take a big drop at some point . . . relative to real stuff. Real stuff is commodities we need: water, grains, food, oil, natural gas, and of course, precious metals. Everybody knows they have been money for 5,000 years, and I personally feel there is a role for cryptocurrencies.”

“Once you destroy your currency, you destroy everybody’s savings, everybody’s purchasing power, everybody’s poor,” says Smith. He then explains that how governments run economies is not how economics works. Most assume we can continue to borrow from the future to pay today for the promises made yesterday. It simply doesn’t work that way. “Most of the households in the US are losing ground,” explains Smith. Hunter then asked a powerful question: “Do you think they [global elitists] are trying to crush the dollar on purpose?”

“Yeah…there’s that idea that we boost our exports if we can reduce the value of our currency compared to the yen and the euro and so on. But then of course, we have to think about the other side of that which is…the Japanese are even more dependent on exports than we are, so they don’t wanna see their currency, the yen, shoot up in value becasue their exports then become more expensive here. It’s kind of a zero sum game…no country becomes great by devaluing their currency.“

The entire system of government is broken at every level. Is it time to evolve beyond the need for rulers and authority and central planning? Smith explains that only the elites have access to the capitalism that will lift everyone out of poverty.

“If you’re in the inner circle, then capitalism works for you,” says Smith. The global elitists and politicians who get rich off the backs of those they force socialism upon don’t want a real free market to emerge because that’s how they will be taken down a notch and forced to compete in a real market scenario. “[The global elites] have protected it [capitalism] and only they get access to the benefits of capitalism and everybody else gets a watered down sort of socialism, like universal basic income. You don’t get any opportunity to do well.”

But of course, as with all government programs (including government employment), there’s always a problem, and universal basic income will create a disaster of epic proportions for human beings. The best single description of the problem, according to Smith, came from Hunter. “The fraud of universal basic income has to basically attach itself to a fraudulent money system.”

“It doesn’t really address the underlying problem which is a lack of productive work that gives a positive social role to people. In other words, they feel like they’re contributing to their family and their community. And just giving somebody a welfare check, I mean, how many people on welfare are writing poetry and really happy? I mean, we already have a test audience of what happens when you give people just enough money to scrape by, but no opportunity. What we really need is not universal basic income…we need to create opportunities to serve their community…the whole idea needs to be localized to the community...in a real free market, everybody has an opportunity to pursue what they want and to contribute and this is what we’ve lost.“

Smith says he’s more concerned, however, that the market will slowly decay rather than just crash because he thinks that the public would let the elitists get away with it.

“The consequences of the weight of our policies would become apparent if there’s a 5,000 or 10,000 point drop in the DOW. People would start asking questions…but if it just slowly erodes, people habituate to it.”

Be prepared to protect yourself and your family financially for the dollar’s imminent collapse.

 

So Cold It Hurts: 6 Cold Weather Injuries and How to Deal with Them

It has been a few weeks since Snowmageddon hit the east coast. The northeast was struck especially hard. We had a “bomb cyclone” snow storm followed by blistering cold from a “polar vortex”. Temperatures were hovering in the single digits. The wind chill brought us well below zero for days. The time was ripe for cold weather injuries.

Plus, there were half-frozen waves flooding downtown Boston and surrounding towns. There was tons of property damage, and people trapped in their vehicles. Luckily, there were no major injuries from the flooding.

Winter brings its own special set of common injuries. Here is what you need to know to recognize, prevent, and treat a serious, cold-related injury.

Cold Weather Injuries

Think of exposure to cold in a similar way as to exposure to the sun. You can only take so much until eventually, the skin will burn (think freezer burn) and blister.

There are a number of common injuries that emergency rooms see each year when the temperature drops. These include:

• Chilblains


• Trench foot


• Frostnip


• Frostbite


• Hypothermia


• Heart attacks

These can be broken down into three types: non-frozen injuries, frozen injuries, and cardiovascular injuries.

Non-Frozen Injuries

Two common cold weather injuries are chilblains and trench foot. Both occur in cold, wet conditions and affect the extremities. Because moisture can wick away heat from the body, you can end up with chilblains or trench foot even in 60°F weather.

Chilblains

You come in from the cold and wet, knowing that you need to warm up. You wrap up in blankets, snuggle up to a wood stove or heater, and you start to feel better. Next thing you know, you have blisters forming on your extremities. This is chilblains.

Chilblains are the result of capillary injury in the toes, feet, earlobes, etc. Signs of this injury normally show up after the affected tissue has been rewarmed, even several hours afterward.

Thankfully, chilblains generally resolves itself at home without further interventions in about two weeks or less. Do not “pop” the blisters. Blisters are like a sterile bandage. As long as it is intact, there is no risk of infection.

Keep an eye on any open blisters and sores that may start to show signs of infection. If you notice signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, or pain, it’s time to see your doctor. In a down-grid situation, you could use herbs with antibiotic properties.

My personal preference is for Oregon grape root powder, echinacea powder, yarrow powder, and marshmallow powder in equal portions mixed with honey to make a paste. This would be applied to the wound, wrapped in gauze, and changed 3-4 times a day.

Trench Foot

Trench foot, as its name implies, affects the foot. While the symptoms are largely similar, trench foot is restricted to the foot, whereas chilblains can appear elsewhere. Trench foot can be more serious than chilblains and can develop into gangrene.

Symptoms, including discoloration (redness, blotchy appearance, paleness, and progressing to blue/black), itchiness, numbness, swelling, and blisters. Sometimes, the blisters can lead to open sores, which could lead to an infection.

Normally, trench foot should be seen by a medical doctor. If, however, this is a true SHTF scenario and there is no higher form of health care available, the buck stops with you. If you find yourself in this situation, keep the following in mind:

• Get the affected foot clean, dry, and warm as soon as possible.


• Rewarming can be done with warm water, preferably from 104°F to 106°F.


• Be careful not to use water that is too hot. The skin’s sensation will be decreased, and the injured person may not be able to tell if the water is too hot or not.


• Make sure to dry thoroughly when removing the foot from the water and keep warm.


• Wrap the feet with breathable gauze to let any foot sweat evaporate.


• Elevate the foot to reduce swelling.


• Apply a  salve made with warming herbs, like ginger and cayenne pepper to the feet to draw more circulation to the affected areas.


• Be aware that the renewed increase of circulation may cause some pain.


• Check the feet frequently for any signs of gangrene.

Frozen Injuries

Tissue freezes from the outside and works deeper into the tissue. There are two stages known as frostnip and frostbite.

Frostnip vs Frostbite

In the initial stage known as frostnip, the outer layers of tissue are frozen, and ill move over the soft, unfrozen tissue underneath.

Frostbite is when the tissue is frozen straight through.

Symptoms will be somewhat similar to chilblains and trench foot. Skin may turn red and blotchy with frostnip, then progressing to pale or grey with a waxy appearance, as well as numbness. If the tissue was completely frozen, the skin may begin to blister and/or turn black 2-4 days after thawing. A person with frostbite will become awkward and clumsy moving a body part with frostnip or frost bite.

Frostnip normally does not require special medical attention. The affected area is treated much the same as trench foot. Frostbite, however, is serious and requires medical treatment.

However, if no help is on the way, you need to know what you can do to minimize damage and risk of gangrene.

• Follow instructions for treating trench foot.


• Do NOT rub the frozen area to warm it up. You could break the body part right off.


• Do not defrost the tissue if there is a chance it could freeze again. The damage will be much worse.


• Be on the lookout for signs of hypothermia and gangrene.


• Consider adding more than only cayenne to help promote circulation. Other options would be a tincture combining cayenne, hawthorn, mistletoe, and ginger.

Hypothermia

While chilblains, trench foot, and frostbite are focused on the extremities, hypothermia is all about the core. Hypothermia is defined as body temperature dropping to 95°F. That’s just 3.6 degrees lower than normal body temperature.

Hypothermia is a medical emergency. It can result in shock, cardiac arrest, and coma, and it doesn’t take long to happen. What complicates matters is that hypothermia victims often do not recognize they are in distress because symptoms come on gradually. Often, children and outdoor enthusiasts may be enjoying themselves too much to notice their distress.

Signs of Hypothermia

Because hypothermia sets in gradually, you must be vigilant whenever you are out in the elements. Signals of hypothermia include:

• Shivering (the body’s attempt to stay warm)


• Lack of coordination


• Slurred speech


• Decreased respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure


• Impaired cognitive abilities


• Paradoxical undressing


• Drowsiness


• Terminal burrowing

Those most at risk are the elderly, children, those with medical conditions that inhibit the body’s ability to regulate temperature (hypothyroidism, diabetes, spinal injuries, burns, Parkinson’s, etc), people with mental illnesses (dementia, Alzheimer’s), as well as those who smoke and consume alcohol frequently.

If you have access to medical care, do not take risks with hypothermia. Get to a hospital.

If the medical system has collapsed, or if hospitals are at surge capacity due to some disaster, and all other forms of higher care are cut off, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Remove yourself or other person inside and away from the cold.


• Do not rub victim vigorously, and doing so could trigger cardiac arrest.


• Remove any wet clothing, and wrap the body with blankets.


• Use dry, radiant heat, such as sitting near a wood stove.


• Do not apply direct heat, as that could also trigger cardiac arrest.


• Use a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel across the back, chest, and groin area only! You must warm the core first, and worry about extremities later. This is important if CPR is needed at any point in your efforts.


• Use skin-to-skin body heat to warm up the core of the body.


• If you are outside with no indoor shelter, do not lay victim on the cold ground. Put a blanket (or two) down first.


• If victim has lost consciousness and has stopped breathing, and if you are trained, begin CPR.


• If the victim is conscious, encourage him or her to drink warming liquid. Warm water is fine, but plain. Herbal tea or chicken stock may help encourage more drinking.

Heart Attacks

Cold weather injuries are not just skin deep, but cardiovascular as well. Every winter, people die of heart attacks while out shoveling snow.

As we saw with hypothermia, cold temperatures will impact blood flow. Cold weather tends to thicken blood while also causing vasoconstriction. These two conditions increases the risk of heart attacks, especially with exertion. This is particularly true for those already at risk of a heart attack.

A heart attack is always a medical emergency. Here are some tips to prevent this from happening:

• Invest in some proper winter gear. You want to make sure you stay warm, but won’t be sweating. However, if you’re going to be shoveling, there’s no way to avoid sweating. For $200, I bought my husband a set of insulated Carhartt bib overalls and jacket. Under that, he wears a wool sweater, wool hat, and wool glove liners under his gloves, and wool socks. Why? Because wool will keep you warm even if it gets wet. He also has a moisture-wicking base layer.


• Either use a smaller shovel to lift smaller loads, or get a snow blower.


• Make sure you stay hydrated. You may not feel thirsty when it’s cold out. But, dehydration will thicken the blood. Avoid bringing a hot thermos of coffee outside with you. Coffee is dehydrating.


• Take frequent breaks. I know, you want to get the job done and get back inside. But, the key is to not overexert yourself.


• Stay fit all year long. This will help make lifting that shovel easier.


• If you have hypertension, get it under control now.

There is a lot of winter left to go. Prevention is worth a pound of cure. So, please stay warm, and dry. I want to see you get through this and every winter safely.

The post So Cold It Hurts: 6 Cold Weather Injuries and How to Deal with Them appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

How to Get More Fruits and Vegetables in Your Prepper Stockpile

Most people who are working hard to eat well consume a lot of fruits and vegetables. One of the biggest issues folks are noticing with the Stockpile Challenge is getting enough produce in their diets.

It can be a major challenge when living from your stockpiled foods to get enough fruits and vegetables.  This is dangerous because, without produce, your family can be at risk for nutritional deficiency diseases like scurvy and their immune systems will be compromised.  A minimum of 5 servings per day is recommended, but during the long winter, how can you meet that goal with the contents of your pantry?

As well, many people these days generally eat a low-carb diet that is reliant on protein and produce. (You can get more info about stockpiling for a low-carb diet here.)

Supplying your family with produce that will provide the necessary nutrients that their bodies need to thrive is a twofold process.  Not only should you preserve the summer’s bounty for the winter ahead, but you should also come up with ways to add fresh greens outside of the growing season.

Building a Stockpile of Fruits and Vegetables

When creating your produce stockpile, you have to look at what actually constitutes a “serving” for the people you will be feeding.  It may not actually be the amount that you expect. For example, a child’s serving of green beans is anywhere from a quarter cup to a half a cup (depending on their age), but an adult’s serving is a full cup.  So for a child, plan on 1-3 cups of produce per day and for an adult, plan on 5 cups of produce per day.

Whenever possible, focus on organic produce.  The use of pesticides in conventional farming is rampant.  Even the Environmental Protection Agency has to admit that the ingestion of pesticides can cause health problems.  They warn of the risk of “birth defects, nerve damage, cancer, and other effects that might occur over a long period of time.”  Especially at risk of harm from pesticides are prepubescent children and fetuses.

My family also chooses to avoid GMOs (genetically modified organisms).  Particularly avoid anything non-organic that contains corn or soy ingredients. There are questions about health risks and GMOs are engineered to withstand even higher dousing of pesticides than other conventional fruits and veggies.

What to Buy

At the grocery store, look for sales to build your supply of produce:

Dried:  Dried fruits such as raisins, banana chips (without sugar), and dried cranberries can pack a lot of nutritional punch into a tiny serving size.  Think of them as concentrated vitamins. An adult serving of raisins is only 1/4 cup, which means that you can pack a lot of nutrition into a small amount of space with dried fruits.

Canned:  Canned goods such as tomatoes, green beans, and peas can go a long way towards providing nutrition. The benefit to those rows of tin cans is that you don’t require power to store them safely, and they are fully cooked so you don’t even have to heat them up in a grid down situation.  You can also find many varieties of canned fruit but beware of heavy syrups. Opt for fruit canned in juice if possible.

Frozen:  Frozen fruits and vegetables are the closest to fresh that you can get.  This is a great way to build a stockpile for times when money is tight, but don’t put all of your produce in the freezer.  During an extended power outage, you stand to lose a large portion of your deep freeze contents. If you do purchase a large amount of produce for the freezer, have canning jars, lids, and an off-grid method for canning them if the electricity goes down for the long-term.

Freeze-dried:  This is a more expensive option, but freeze dried fruits and vegetables maintain nutrients, require little storage space, and need no special storage conditions.  You can add a great deal of variety to your pantry with a selection of freeze dried ingredients and the foods, if sealed correctly, can last up to 25 years.  You can find a wide variety of freeze-dried fruits and vegetables HERE.

Preserving Fruits and Vegetables

There are many effective ways to preserve fruits and vegetables that you acquire fresh.  Whether you harvest them from your own property, buy them at the farmer’s market or a local orchard, or even make a bulk purchase from the discount bin at the grocery store, having the supplies and skills to quickly preserve them can allow you to make the most of your windfall. Learn more about the following methods.

• Dehydrating


• Canning


• Root Cellaring – Keep onions, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, apples, and winter squash in a cold room.


• Freeze-Drying – home freeze dryers are becoming very popular – go here for some expert advice

Indoor Gardening

There are all sorts of things you can grow indoors, even in the dead of winter. It helps to have a south-facing window and barring that, a grow light. I have had wonderful luck with spinach, lettuce, herbs, garlic, green onions, and even some teeny little radishes. I know others who have been successful with tomatoes and peppers but I have personally never managed those inside. (Maybe one day I’ll get my dream sunroom!) Some folks keep dwarf citrus trees in their homes, also.

And don’t overlook the value of sprouting. Sprouts grow incredibly quickly. They’re easy to grow and highly nutritious. You can learn absolutely everything you ever wanted to know about sprouting at this website. I like bean sprouts and microgreens the best.  Each type of sprout has a very different texture and flavor.

Any tips?

Many in our community are just beginning to build their pantries.  Do you have any budget-friendly tips for adding fruits and vegetables to the larder?  Please share them in the comments below…

Want to learn more? Check out my book!

Lots of us like to have hard copies of information that we’ve found helpful.  Because of this, I’ve written up everything I know about building a stockpile on a budget and put it all in one handy primer, available on Amazon.

The Pantry Primer: How to Build a Whole Food Pantry on a Half Price Budget

The post How to Get More Fruits and Vegetables in Your Prepper Stockpile appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Stockpile Challenge 2018: Week 1 Check-in

We’re at the end of week 1 for the Stockpile Challenge, 2018!

For this week’s check-in, I want to dispel some myths about the challenge and share with you some of the observations people have made.

Stockpile Challenge Myths

Here are a few things I addressed in the Facebook group but figured that people not in the group would also want to read.

If it’s not difficult, that is a GOOD thing.

I noticed that some people had said they were feeling almost guilty because the challenge has been too easy so far.

That the things they’re eating are “normal.”

And I say this is a very, very good thing. First of all, you’re eating without your regular grocery trip and you’re happy with what you have put aside. That rocks!

But secondly, and most importantly, the number one reason we end up using our preps is a financial difficulty.

Here’s a personal example. About 10 years ago, I got laid off. As a single mom with a mortgage, this was terrifying. I knew I’d be employed again within 6 months, but I would be going that amount of time on only 60% of my wages (with unemployment insurance payouts.

So, for 4 months, I spent every dime of my unemployment pay on my mortgage, my utilities, and insurance. I didn’t have to spend money at the grocery store at all. Why? Because I had a chest freezer that was loaded with food. I had shelves laden with canned goods and dry foods. I had toilet paper, sanitary products, shampoo, toothpaste. We were absolutely fine, kept our home and our car, and had no needs unfulfilled.

All because I had a stockpile.

So, you’re doing everything right. Stop worrying. Often, when SHTF hits you, all of your utilities work just fine. Not always, of course. But that’s the most common scene.

About prioritization.

Eating the things that are going to go bad first is ideal, not a cop-out. In a real emergency, you should prioritize what you eat by how quickly it will spoil. This way, there is less waste.

So:

• Fresh food


• Frozen food


• Canned food and regular, not-repackaged dry goods


• Freeze-dried food

Those of you who ate like you usually do this week did everything right.

People who had to purchase something felt like they had failed.

Not one single person has “FAILED” at the Stockpile Challenge.

I’ve seen a few people say this in comments or the challenge thread but it’s totally wrong, and here’s why.

— Did you have to buy something? Then you learned about a hole in your preps. You can now take steps to fill that hole.

— Did you run out of something that is essential? Now you know that you haven’t put back enough of it.

— Was there a supply you never even thought about stocking up on until you realized you didn’t have it? You wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t started out on this challenge.

We’re all at different places on this journey.

Sure, there are some folks who are going to sail through this month without even breaking a sweat and I commend them all.

But I bet even they will learn of a few things that would make life more pleasant after a period of time.

There are people who thought they’d be fine but ended up going to the store right in the first week. I’m one of those people and I’m running the darned challenge. I started coming down with a kidney infection on the second day and decided to go buy some pure cranberry juice so that I didn’t end up having to go to the doctor and get on antibiotics. And you know what? I grabbed 8 bottles of it while I was there because obviously, this is something I want to have on hand.

Every challenge we run into teaches us if we’re willing to learn from it. And that is the point of this exercise.

If you don’t make it completely on your stockpile, don’t worry one little bit. This isn’t failure. It’s education.

You are learning things you would never have if you hadn’t embarked on this challenge. We are ALL learning from one another.

Some are worried that they’re depleting their inventory and something bad is going to happen.

There is absolutely no rule against replenishing your stockpile as you use it up. I personally just placed a big freeze-dried fruit and veggie order because I realized I didn’t have as much on hand as I wanted. Just tuck away the new items you buy and you’re still adhering to the challenge.

Here’s what people are learning

When I asked folks in the Prep Club group what they had learned, here are a few of the lessons they’ve picked up – and we’re just on Week 1 of the challenge!

• I learned I wasn’t stocked enough on protein. Due to my husband’s health, he no longer eats pork or beef/venison. This killed my stock. I was able to bless a needy family with a freezer full of meat. It wasn’t payday so had to wait and purchase the protein during the week. Otherwise, we are good. January is always a tight month for us anyway. This December my husband didn’t work, so no paycheck for him. Hence the reason I waited till I was paid. After the challenge, I will build a new stock of chicken, turkey and such. This is making me much more aware of spending habits too. Using the extra time to repair a couple of t-shirts.


• I basically had no real stockpile when I started. I had canned and frozen veggies and stuff in the freezer but not a real stockpile. This challenge is forcing me to do things I wouldn’t normally do, cook things I wouldn’t normally cook, and basically just take a look at the way I’ve been living lately. Lazily. That’s how I’ve been living. And, I’ve noticed that I’m not snacking as much and when I do snack, it’s on almonds and dried fruit I have on hand instead of going to the store and buying chips and dip. I’ve lost close to 10 pounds and adding up what I normally spend just on soda each day, saved almost $20 bucks! I know I won’t make the whole month without spending but I’m going to get close, and it’s giving me an idea of what things I need to stock up on in the future.


• We eat pizza at least twice a month, and we use a pre-made pizza crust. While I’ve stockpiled all the ingredients to make pizza from scratch, I just realized I’ve no idea how to make a crust from scratch! That went on the to-do list. Also, I don’t have nearly enough fruits and veggies stored. Just placed an order from Emergency Essentials for those, as well as canned bacon!


• What did I learn? I learned that the fridge may decide to freeze half of my tender vegetables but I can still salvage enough to feed company that we were blessed to have over last night. That even small tiny hurdles can happen. This challenge has helped me in looking at the big picture and to slow down in how I think of feeding my family. But most importantly it has helped me in realizing to take stock in more than just supplies. It is helping me to take another look at filling my store box of positive thinking, overcoming roadblocks with solutions instead of always replacing. This applies to food, supplies, etc. I feel this challenge will teach me much more than being prepared with food and supplies.


• The biggest thing I have learned is I really need to have an inventory check list and check it monthly. I use a lot of kosher salt in my cooking and it is going to be a squeak to make it. Also, I need to remember my pets and keep a way to make sure they survive without giving them people preps. And those lessons are just week 1!


•  I learned that I need to store some actual food at work. Right now I only have snacks (fruit, nuts, rice cake, bouillon, etc.) but no canned soups or meal type items. Spending the night at the hospital Thursday (due to snow storm and being *essential*) I was forced to use the cafe (but did not have to use any money as I had two gift cards given to me as thank you gifts from various bosses). I am also upping the quality of my sleeping quarters by bringing in a cot and sleeping bag for next time. And learning by reading everyone else’s posts of course.


• Prior to the challenge I went to the store and got fresh veggies and an extra gallon of milk. At first, it felt like a cheat, but what I learned is that maybe I should start each month with the thought “what if I can’t get back to the store this month?” What would I want a little extra of? While perishables go quickly it makes the first week or two a little nicer having extra on hand. I also have a bad habit of letting produce go to waste…Not this month! Meals are getting planned around what needs to be used first to get the most out of what we have!


• I learned to think differently about leftovers. Normally I might give a large amount to our pets, but not this time. Used leftover pork roast 3 different ways and they all tasted different so it didn’t feel too redundant. I need to rotate my stock better. I had some older-than-I-would-like pancake mix but made it anyway. I’m loving the challenge.


• My husband and I have a small farm with pigs, goats, rabbits, chickens, and ducks. Stocking food for them for more than a week or two ahead would be impossible for us. We might make it another week or two with our hay supply. Long range “doomsday” plans include butchering what I can possibly can and preserve, and letting the others go to fend for themselves. Some of them would stick around and eat what’s available for a while, giving me longer to work on things. I know I have plenty of canning supplies, and I have practiced using a canner outside on a wood fire [hope that won’t be necessary — big pain in the wazoo]. I just hope things never get that bad. But I accept that they might.


•  I need to do better at rotation/inventory. Also, I work at a grocery store so I have had to muster up all the strength I have to not buy anything at the end of my day for meals. One day I really wanted to buy just a couple carrots but did not do so. Went without.


•  just joined yesterday, so not really in the loop yet, but I did learn something this week. My elderly Basset is on the vets prescription w/d dry and canned food. I had a case of cans but was low on the dry, figured I’d pick some up after work on Tuesday. They were out and wouldn’t get a shipment until Friday. We limped along only crumbs left Friday I bought the giant bag and another case of canned. It was the first time since I started doing this a year ago that I let it get so low before refilling.


• I just realized a big hole in my preps: canned pumpkin/sweet potatoes. Both of my dogs woke up with diarrhea and will be eating boiled chicken and rice for a couple days at least. Which is fine but in a true SHTF situation we wouldn’t want them eating our food if we had other options. So canned pumpkin and sweet potatoes are being added to the “must have” list.


• We have changed how we eat. Not just food but meal timing. No more “free range” eating.


• Years ago I used to shop only once a month due to finances. I did fresh, frozen, canned in that order. I have become lazy and spend way too much money going to the store for every little thing. I go for three things and end up with a basketful-sales. I often have a houseful of food but nothing to eat. I am using this challenge to get back to being more efficient. Doesn’t help to have bags and bags of beans if you do not have the ingredients to make a dish!

Most people are running out of the same things.

The most common items mentioned are:

• Fresh produce


• Milk


• Pet supplies


• Cheese


• Sour cream


• Eggs

Solutions for these are:

• Freeze-dried, canned and frozen produce


• Growing sprouts and greens


• Dry milk and canned condensed milk


• Stocking up on pet food, making pet food from supplies you keep on hand


• Freeze dried cheese and sour cream powders


• Freeze-dried eggs


• Egg substitutes for baking (like flax seed eggs or applesauce)

Did you participate in the Stockpile Challenge?

Let us know in the comments what you learned. If you have run into any stumbling blocks, share those and maybe we can make suggestions to help you.

If you’re on Facebook and haven’t joined Prep Club, go here. Be sure to answer the questions so that we let you in!

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Phil Sloan: The Financial Crisis Will Be ‘A Shock To This Country. It Will Be Chaos’

Phil Sloan has been in the Investment business since 1962 and he’s sounding the alarm for those willing to listen.  He is saying “prepare yourself; your way of life in the United States is about to change.”

Sloan was the Managing Director of Fox Asset Management, a subsidiary of Easton Vance at Fox. He was also on the Investment Committee, the Strategy Committee, and the Management Committee. Sloan was also the Vice President of PaineWebber (now UBS) Investment Consulting services and worked with financial advisors nationwide, setting Investment Policy, Asset Allocation, hiring outside managers, and monitoring results. As if that wasn’t enough, Sloan was also the Vice President consulting services for Merrill Lynch.  It’s safe to say he may know a thing or two about the financial crises (both past and future) in the United States.

Sloan was recently interviewed by the X22 Spotlight, and he is asking people to prepare themselves now for what’s coming.

Sloan says the economy is moving at a snail’s pace, but that isn’t all. He expects that at some point we (the US economy) will run out of gas. He says that pension problems are headed our way. “Pensions have problems because they were never funded properly and the idea that somebody could retire and get paid their full compensation for 20 or 30 years is a ludicrous concept. So, therefore, now that you have an aging population and they have all these crazy schemes built in that ‘we’re gonna pay you for the next 20…25 years at your full salary..there’s just no pension in the world that can do that. ”  Pension issues are becoming a problem.  Many states are struggling with these unfunded liabilities.

“The pensioners are going to wake up one day and get an email or a phone call or whatever, saying ‘by the way, you were supposed to get 100 bucks, but unfortunately, we don’t have enough money, so you’re going to get 50 bucks’…60 bucks…40 bucks…or whatever their number is. I can’t tell you what that number is, but it’s not going to be 100.”  Sloan goes on to say that the United States is $20 trillion in debt, so governors that seek to pad pensions with money from the treasury are going to be massively disappointed.  Sloan also says that if anyone ever approves funding pensions this way, the US will become Zimbabwe.  “There is no way to pay these Ponzi schemes,” Sloan said.

When Sloan was asked about his take on the elites keeping gold down, he said:

“…it’s some central bank trying to disrupt the marketplace. If you look around the world, the Chinese central banks are getting gold reserves. The Russian central bank; getting gold resesrves. So, they want to have a currency system, a payment system, whatever you wanna call it, that’s based on real money. Gold has been around for thousands of years and has always had value.”

Sloan was also asked what happens in the United States when the dollar system finally breaks apart, which it will do inevitably. Sloan said:

“Inflation will come back rampantly in this country, and we will be, you know, having this real problem of potentially hyperinflation to deal with.  Because if the dollar goes down by 25%, and you are, you know, China or Europe or whomever, selling goods to the United States, you’re no longer gonna say ‘well, I’m gonna accept the dollar, you want a dollar and a quarter, a dollar and a half, a dollar and three quarters, etc. So, I think, if inflation comes back, it will affect everybody in a very negative way. AND, we will no longer be able to live beyond our means…Which is going to be a shock to this country….it will be chaos.” -Phil Sloan

Long-Term Disaster Training: A Primer on Prepping Your Body

All the readers at ReadyNutrition know how much emphasis and importance I have placed on physical conditioning and training as part of your preps.  You need to take care of your body and mind.  Exercise and nutrition are critical for you.  I believe that I have emphasized this repeatedly and that they both go together.  So, what’s this?  What is new about this article?  I’m going to mention some areas of the body, and present some technical terms to stimulate your further research.  Let’s go in order.

The Brain

Exercise helps to increase the circulation in the brain by 30%.  That’s an impressive figure.  This helps with the way the brain synthesizes glucose and utilizes oxygen.  A strong, healthy brain is very important for your mental and physical functions.  The brain has many chemicals that are important.  Some it produces on its own, and others it synthesizes from nutrients taken in.

1. Endorphins: a natural pain-killer produced by the brain, especially in times of stress or physical exertion. Laughter also releases endorphins.  This substance is more powerful than morphine.


2. Serotonin: has effects that change the mood. Lower levels can lead to depression.


3. Cholecystokinin: is a hormone that governs appetite. Deficiency in this hormone can lead to insatiable feelings and overeating.

A well-balanced diet with plenty of iron and B vitamins are key to maintaining good brain health.

The Body

You need to look at yourself as an athlete in training.  What are you training for?  You are training to survive…in a “marathon” of when the grid goes down and the SHTF.  When it happens, don’t kid yourself…the society as you know it is not coming back anytime soon, if even within your lifetime.  Now is the time to prepare your body.  Let’s review some substances we have talked about before that are crucial to your athletic and physical performance.

1. Glycogen: is a form of glucose (your body’s fuel) that is stored in both the muscles and the liver. It is released in the form of glucose in times of high energy activity and when your body needs it.  Exercise is one of those times.  Glycogen is especially used at times when the energy exerted is short to medium term needing high amounts of strength.


2. Oxidative Systems: this is for long-term and endurance challenges. This is where oxygen works upon the protein, glucose, and fatty acid chains in a process known as oxidation.  These substances then generate energy.  Oxygen intake is the key factor in this phase.


3. Amino Acids: the “building blocks” for all your protein and tissue repair. We covered these extensively in previous articles.  Protein intake of high-quality meats, poultry, seafood, and protein powder is a must for success in this department.

Protein consumption needs to be high in either of the two phases of exercise (short-term, or long-term/endurance activities).  What is needed is a balanced nutritional intake of protein and carbohydrates, as lean as possible to enable efficient recovery and tissue repair without gaining unnecessary weight from the fat.

This is where your planning comes into play, depending on what type of discipline you follow.  I lift weights and follow power training in all of my endeavors.  Many of you are distance runners.  You must gear your meals and intake to correspond with these accordingly.  Do not forget what I mentioned in other articles about anabolism and catabolism.  These two phases are muscle growth and muscle breakdown, respectively.

In order to effectively prevent “cannibalism,” that is the conversion by your depleted body of muscle protein into glycogen…you must consume protein and carbohydrates within 20 to 30 minutes after your workout.

I also told you that (barring introduction of supplements with protein and carbs at mid-workout) you should keep your workouts between 45 minutes to 1-hour maximum.

Do not forget winter chores “count” as workout time if they involve strenuous physical activity!  That wood-chopping and snow-shoveling are just as good as a workout…and in some instances more difficult and/or better!  The reason I’m writing these articles now is a good one:

The winter hasn’t begun: you need to be into a routine to avoid the complacency normally striking during the winter, and the added “distraction” of the holidays, a “crippler” for the midsection.

I receive dozens of e-mails in the spring, asking “JJ, what kind of program should I start with to get rid of all my excess weight?”  I do feel for these people; however, the best type of medicine is the medicine taken preventatively….to keep that condition from occurring.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – Ben Franklin

He was right.  You can prevent what would normally occur by staying on top of things and getting into your exercise program.  There are a ton of articles for you to start with that I’ve written…to get you started.  Get into a routine now and stick with it.  Learn about the body and how it functions.  It is your tool/temple/first line of defense.  You may need to rely on your strength and endurance at a critical moment and if you fail, it may mean dire consequences for your family.  Win the battle before it starts.  This is part of preparing.  In the long run, you’ll be the winner, and you may be what wins the battle for your family, as well.  JJ out!

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How to Build a Low-Carb Prepper Stockpile

Does your health require a diet that is low in sugar and carbohydrates but high in protein? If that’s the case, you may have found that building a low-carb prepper stockpile is pretty difficult. After all, “beans and rice” is the prepper standby. And those buckets of food? Forget it if you’re watching carbs. The meals are all based on rice, pasta, and potatoes.

So how do you create pantry full of freeze-dried food for a low-carb prepper?

Why people are eating lower carbohydrate diets

There are many health concerns that require a diet that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. To name a few:

• Diabetes


• Arthritis


• Cardiovascular disease


• Metabolic Syndrome


• Obesity


• Colitis/Irritable bowel syndrome

The list goes on and on. Some folks simply feel better when they lower their starch and sugar intake.

Regardless of the reason that you’ve chosen a low-carb lifestyle, going off it abruptly could result in gastrointestinal distress, a recurrence of symptoms, bloating, sluggishness, and joint pain. An emergency would be the worst possible time to deal with that.

Here’s how to build your own low-carb prepper food supply.

At this point, there aren’t really any buckets of food that will meet your needs, so you’ll have to choose an “ala carte” style supply by ordering specific freeze dried foods. A diet of protein, vegetables, and fruit is ideal.

Protein:

Vegetables:

Fruits:

Some people on lower carb diets restrict fruits, while others consider them “good” carbs. Here are some freeze-dried fruit options.

What would a low-carb prepper menu look like?

Using the foods above to create meals during an emergency might look something like this:

Breakfast:

• Scrambled eggs


• Fruit salad

or

• Frittata made with eggs, broccoli, and onion

Lunch/Dinner meals:

Storing tasty spices and seasonings will be the key to making delicious meals.

• Chicken, pineapple, and broccoli stir-fry with Chinese seasonings


• Soup made with beef, tomato powder, green beans, carrots, and onion with Italian seasonings


• Beef and asparagus with savory seasonings


• Beef with marinara sauce (made from tomato powder and Italian seasonings) over a bed of your favorite veggies


• Chicken, carrots, and green beans in a creamy curry sauce made with milk powder

As we get new meats and veggies in, I’ll add ideas to the list. The key is to creatively mix the items you have access to in order to closely mirror the way you normally eat.

If the rest of your family eats carbs, potatoes, rice, and pasta can be added to the meals above to keep everyone well-nourished.

Do you have any other low carb meal ideas using the foods above?

Share them in the comments section. Also, what do you store for your low-carb preps?

It’s Back: How to Prep for Ebola 2.0

On May 12th, the World Health Organization declared an Ebola epidemic in the Congo. (source) It looks like it could be time to prep for Ebola 2.0.

The WHO had already warned a new outbreak could happen at any time because the virus lurks in the eyes, central nervous system, and bodily fluids of survivors.

Dr. Peter Salama, the executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies program, told the press to “never, ever underestimate Ebola” and to “make sure we have a no-regrets approach to this outbreak.” (source)

Where it’s happening

The fact that this epidemic is currently in a remote part of the North East Congo should set your mind at ease, although not so much that you don’t keep on eye on the situation. With the availability of rapid air travel and unchecked immigration into Europe, these types of things can spread incredibly quickly.

This map from the CDC shows the area in which the current outbreak is centered. It’s the large red splotch in the Northern part of the Congo.

It is both good and bad news that the area is extremely remote. It’s good because it lessens the possibility for exposure to other areas. Not many people travel in and out of Likati because there are no paved roads. But this also causes concern because it makes it far more difficult to monitor the area, and it’s spreading fast.

The risk from the outbreak is “high at the national level,” the WHO said, because the disease was so severe and was spreading in a remote area in north-eastern Congo with “suboptimal surveillance” and limited access to health care.

“Risk at the regional level is moderate due to the proximity of international borders and the recent influx of refugees from Central African Republic,” the organisation said, but it nonetheless described the global risk as low because the area is so remote.

About a week ago, in addition to the nine suspected cases, 125 patients who had come into close contact with the disease were being monitored. Now about 400 patients are being followed, even as nine new cases were reported on Thursday, according to the WHO. (source)

It’s spreading rapidly throughout the region, up 800% over the last week. (source)

Why Ebola is so worrisome

Part of the reason Ebola seems particularly terrifying is the graphic presentation, which is the stuff of horror movies. It is a hemorrhagic disease, which means that it can cause bleeding from the mouth, eyes, nose, and rectum. Here’s how it progresses:

The incubation period, that is, the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms is 2 to 21 days. Humans are not infectious until they develop symptoms. First symptoms are the sudden onset of fever fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools). Laboratory findings include low white blood cell and platelet counts and elevated liver enzymes. (source)

But it isn’t just the gruesome visuals. The risk of death from Ebola can be anywhere between 50-90%, depending on the strain. This outbreak is the Zaire strain of Ebola, which is the same one that made it to America back in 2014.

The 2014 outbreak that could have spread through America

If you recall, the fact that it didn’t become widespread in the US during the 2014 scare was NOT because it was handled properly.  source, and It was sheer luck.

When American Patient Zero, Thomas Duncan, first showed up in a Texas emergency room, he wasn’t tested, despite the fact that he told them he was from Ebola-stricken Liberia.  Proper practices were not followed, and one of the nurses who cared for him became the second victim. All sorts of near misses occurred, like the fact that the plane that carried an Ebola patient made FIVE trips before it was sanitized.

The news came out this morning that the second American nurse diagnosed with Ebola flew on a plane with 132 other passengers from Cleveland, Ohio to Dallas, Texas.  Amber Vinson had a low-grade fever when she boarded the plane, and was admitted to Texas Presbyterian Hospital just hours after disembarking.

The latest horror?

Not only were 132 people who flew with Vinson exposed to Ebola.

In the time it took the CDC to notify Frontier Airlines of the issue, 5 more flights were made. (source)

That sounds like the plot of a cringe-y movie, where you watch the sneeze spray of an infected person in slow motion landing on everyone nearby. But that wasn’t the only mind-boggling thing that happened.

But that wasn’t the only mind-boggling thing that happened. We brought some exposed people back to the US and put them in hotels.

A couple of days ago an American healthcare worker who had been definitively diagnosed with Ebola was brought back to the US for treatment at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland.  Eleven more patients have been isolated and are on their way to the United States as well, after having had  “potential exposure” to the disease.

Now, about those people who were “potentially exposed”?

They aren’t being hospitalized. Oh no.  They are being brought back to stay at hotels “near” three different hospitals in different regions of the country. I couldn’t make this up if I tried. (source)

So, I think we can all agree, looking to the National Institute of Health, the CDC, and the WHO to keep us “safe” is not the best fall-back plan. We have to be prepared to take action ourselves should this outbreak turn into a pandemic.

Don’t panic. Just Pay Attention.

There is usually a little bit of warning before an outbreak becomes severe enough to warrant the title “pandemic.” It isn’t like The Walking Dead, where suddenly 80% of the population is affected overnight. With a pandemic, you hear a little hum about it before it gets bad. The World Health Organization makes some flyers, reports are given, and there is a mention on the evening news. But, generally speaking, officials are stingy with information because they don’t want to “start a panic.” This means that the judicious prepper needs to pay close attention when new viruses begin to be mentioned.

Now, just because a virus is mentioned, it doesn’t mean that it’s going to become a pandemic, of course. However, it can be an early warning sign that you need to get your ducks in a row.

Think of it like a tropical storm.  You hear about it gathering steam out over the ocean well before it ever makes landfall. Just because there is a storm somewhere in the Atlantic, it doesn’t mean that it’s going to hit, but it means that the wise person begins to pay closer attention to the weather reports, makes certain that the basics are stockpiled, and puts together a plan just in case the time to board up the windows arrives.

How to Prep for Ebola: Worst Case Scenario

Avoiding contact with people who have the illness is the only way to prevent getting it. Should an outbreak occur, isolating yourselves is the best way to stay safe and healthy.

This is the tricky part: How do you know that the time has come to get the family inside and lock the doors behind you? Lizzie Bennett, a retired medical professional, wrote an incredibly helpful article over on her website Underground Medic during the initial outbreak. Bennett recommends social distancing as the only effective way to protect yourself and your family from an outbreak of disease.

How long you should remain isolated depends primarily on where you live. For those in towns and cities it will be for much longer than those living in rural retreats where human contact is minimal. Though those fortunate enough to live in such surroundings should remember that if the situation is dire enough, people will leave the cities looking for safety in less populated areas. In large centres of population there will be more people moving around, legally or otherwise, each of these individuals represents a possible uptick in the disease rates, allowing the spread to continue longer than it would have they stayed indoors and/or out of circulation. Even when the initial phase is on the wane, or has passed through an area, people travelling into that area can bring it back with them triggering a second wave of disease as people are now emerging from their isolation…

…

One hundred miles is my buffer zone for disease, of course it could already be in my city, but practicalities dictate that I will not stay away from people because hundreds in Europe are dropping like flies. Maps of disease spread look like a locust swarm moving across the country and this allows disease spread to be tracked on an hour by hour basis. One of the few instances where mainstream media will be useful. (source)

Once you’ve gone into lockdown, how long you must stay there is dependent on the spread of the illness. Times will vary.  Bennett suggests these guidelines:

Once the doors were locked we would stay there for at least two weeks after the last case within 100 miles is reported. A government all clear would be weighed against how long it had been since the last case was reported in the area I have designated as my buffer zone. There is of course still the chance that someone from outside the area will bring the disease in with them causing a second wave of illness. You cannot seal off cities to prevent this. Going out after self-imposed isolation should be kept to a minimum for as long as possible, and if you don’t have to, then don’t do it. Far better to let those that are comfortable being out and about get on with it and see if any new cases emerge before exposing yourself and your family to that possibility. (source)

What does it mean to go into lockdown?

This Ebola thing could go bad in a hurry. And by bad I mean that the last time around, it killed well over half of the people who contracted it in West Africa.

If the situation hits close enough to home that you decide to go it’s time to isolate yourselves, the rules to this are intractable.

No one goes out. No one comes in.

I know this sounds harsh, but there are to be no exceptions. If you make exceptions, you might as well go wrestle with runny-nosed strangers at the local Wal-Mart and then come home and hug your children, because it’s the same thing.

Once you have gone into lockdown mode, that means that the supplies you have on hand are the supplies you have to see you through.  You can’t run out to the store and get something you’ve forgotten.

That means if a family member shows up, they have to go into quarantine for at least 4 weeks, during which time they are not allowed access to the home or family, nor are they allowed to go out in public.  Set up an area on your property that is far from your home for them to hang out for their month of quarantine. If at the end of the month they are presenting no symptoms, then they can come in.

It sadly means that you may be forced to turn someone away if they are ill, because to help them means to risk your family.

Now is the time to plan with your preparedness group how you intend to handle the situation. Will you shelter together, in the same location, and reserve a secondary location to retreat to if the situation worsens further or if someone becomes ill? Will you shelter separately because of the nature of the emergency?  Decide together on what event and proximity will trigger you to go into lockdown mode. Make your plan and stick to it, regardless of pressure from those who think you are over-reacting, the schools that your children have stopped attending, and any other external influences. If you’ve decided that there is a great enough risk that you need to go into lockdown, you must adhere to your plan.

Prepare an isolation area.

In the event that a member of your group becomes ill, they need to immediately be quarantined from the rest of the group. By the time they’re showing symptoms, it could be too late to prevent the spread of illness but effort should still be taken to isolate them.

Here are some tips on isolating a patient.

• The sick room should be sealed off from the rest of the house.  Use a heavy tarp over the doorway to the room on the inside and the outside. This will make a small breezeway for the caretaker to go in and out.


• The caretaker should cover up with disposable clothing, gloves, shoe covers, and hair covers.


• The caretaker should wear an N95 mask.


• The sick person should use disposable dishes and cutlery.  All garbage from the sick room should be placed in a heavy garbage bag and burned outdoors immediately.


• The sick person should not leave the room.  If there is not a bedroom with a connected bathroom, a bathroom setup should be created within the room.  Great care must be taken with the disposal of this waste.

You can learn more about preparing a sick room HERE.

Do you have the supplies you need to weather a pandemic?

It’s time to do a last minute check of your preps because by the time a general quarantine is announced in your area or you hear the mainstream suggesting that people should stay home, it will be too late to get the rest of your supplies. As well, at that point, the path of the pandemic will have progressed so much it will be unsafe to do so.

You need to be prepared to go into family lockdown mode for a minimum of 6 weeks should things get bad in your area, and preferably longer than that in the event that this takes a long time to contain.  It’s most likely that services such as public water and electricity will remain intact, but you should prepare as though they won’t be, just in case.

Here’s a quick checklist along with some links to resources.  Base amounts on the number of family members you’ll be sheltering.

Note – we do not commonly use anti-bacterial products but in a situation like this, it’s important to have this type of thing on hand in the event that there are issues with sanitation.

Books and Reference Materials:

It’s Back: How to Prep for Ebola 2.0

On May 12th, the World Health Organization declared an Ebola epidemic in the Congo. (source) It looks like it could be time to prep for Ebola 2.0.

The WHO had already warned a new outbreak could happen at any time because the virus lurks in the eyes, central nervous system, and bodily fluids of survivors.

Dr. Peter Salama, the executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies program, told the press to “never, ever underestimate Ebola” and to “make sure we have a no-regrets approach to this outbreak.” (source)

Where it’s happening

The fact that this epidemic is currently in a remote part of the North East Congo should set your mind at ease, although not so much that you don’t keep on eye on the situation. With the availability of rapid air travel and unchecked immigration into Europe, these types of things can spread incredibly quickly.

This map from the CDC shows the area in which the current outbreak is centered. It’s the large red splotch in the Northern part of the Congo.

It is both good and bad news that the area is extremely remote. It’s good because it lessens the possibility for exposure to other areas. Not many people travel in and out of Likati because there are no paved roads. But this also causes concern because it makes it far more difficult to monitor the area, and it’s spreading fast.

The risk from the outbreak is “high at the national level,” the WHO said, because the disease was so severe and was spreading in a remote area in north-eastern Congo with “suboptimal surveillance” and limited access to health care.

“Risk at the regional level is moderate due to the proximity of international borders and the recent influx of refugees from Central African Republic,” the organisation said, but it nonetheless described the global risk as low because the area is so remote.

About a week ago, in addition to the nine suspected cases, 125 patients who had come into close contact with the disease were being monitored. Now about 400 patients are being followed, even as nine new cases were reported on Thursday, according to the WHO. (source)

It’s spreading rapidly throughout the region, up 800% over the last week. (source)

Why Ebola is so worrisome

Part of the reason Ebola seems particularly terrifying is the graphic presentation, which is the stuff of horror movies. It is a hemorrhagic disease, which means that it can cause bleeding from the mouth, eyes, nose, and rectum. Here’s how it progresses:

The incubation period, that is, the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms is 2 to 21 days. Humans are not infectious until they develop symptoms. First symptoms are the sudden onset of fever fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools). Laboratory findings include low white blood cell and platelet counts and elevated liver enzymes. (source)

But it isn’t just the gruesome visuals. The risk of death from Ebola can be anywhere between 50-90%, depending on the strain. This outbreak is the Zaire strain of Ebola, which is the same one that made it to America back in 2014.

The 2014 outbreak that could have spread through America

If you recall, the fact that it didn’t become widespread in the US during the 2014 scare was NOT because it was handled properly.  source, and It was sheer luck.

When American Patient Zero, Thomas Duncan, first showed up in a Texas emergency room, he wasn’t tested, despite the fact that he told them he was from Ebola-stricken Liberia.  Proper practices were not followed, and one of the nurses who cared for him became the second victim. All sorts of near misses occurred, like the fact that the plane that carried an Ebola patient made FIVE trips before it was sanitized.

The news came out this morning that the second American nurse diagnosed with Ebola flew on a plane with 132 other passengers from Cleveland, Ohio to Dallas, Texas.  Amber Vinson had a low-grade fever when she boarded the plane, and was admitted to Texas Presbyterian Hospital just hours after disembarking.

The latest horror?

Not only were 132 people who flew with Vinson exposed to Ebola.

In the time it took the CDC to notify Frontier Airlines of the issue, 5 more flights were made. (source)

That sounds like the plot of a cringe-y movie, where you watch the sneeze spray of an infected person in slow motion landing on everyone nearby. But that wasn’t the only mind-boggling thing that happened.

But that wasn’t the only mind-boggling thing that happened. We brought some exposed people back to the US and put them in hotels.

A couple of days ago an American healthcare worker who had been definitively diagnosed with Ebola was brought back to the US for treatment at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland.  Eleven more patients have been isolated and are on their way to the United States as well, after having had  “potential exposure” to the disease.

Now, about those people who were “potentially exposed”?

They aren’t being hospitalized. Oh no.  They are being brought back to stay at hotels “near” three different hospitals in different regions of the country. I couldn’t make this up if I tried. (source)

So, I think we can all agree, looking to the National Institute of Health, the CDC, and the WHO to keep us “safe” is not the best fall-back plan. We have to be prepared to take action ourselves should this outbreak turn into a pandemic.

Don’t panic. Just Pay Attention.

There is usually a little bit of warning before an outbreak becomes severe enough to warrant the title “pandemic.” It isn’t like The Walking Dead, where suddenly 80% of the population is affected overnight. With a pandemic, you hear a little hum about it before it gets bad. The World Health Organization makes some flyers, reports are given, and there is a mention on the evening news. But, generally speaking, officials are stingy with information because they don’t want to “start a panic.” This means that the judicious prepper needs to pay close attention when new viruses begin to be mentioned.

Now, just because a virus is mentioned, it doesn’t mean that it’s going to become a pandemic, of course. However, it can be an early warning sign that you need to get your ducks in a row.

Think of it like a tropical storm.  You hear about it gathering steam out over the ocean well before it ever makes landfall. Just because there is a storm somewhere in the Atlantic, it doesn’t mean that it’s going to hit, but it means that the wise person begins to pay closer attention to the weather reports, makes certain that the basics are stockpiled, and puts together a plan just in case the time to board up the windows arrives.

How to Prep for Ebola: Worst Case Scenario

Avoiding contact with people who have the illness is the only way to prevent getting it. Should an outbreak occur, isolating yourselves is the best way to stay safe and healthy.

This is the tricky part: How do you know that the time has come to get the family inside and lock the doors behind you? Lizzie Bennett, a retired medical professional, wrote an incredibly helpful article over on her website Underground Medic during the initial outbreak. Bennett recommends social distancing as the only effective way to protect yourself and your family from an outbreak of disease.

How long you should remain isolated depends primarily on where you live. For those in towns and cities it will be for much longer than those living in rural retreats where human contact is minimal. Though those fortunate enough to live in such surroundings should remember that if the situation is dire enough, people will leave the cities looking for safety in less populated areas. In large centres of population there will be more people moving around, legally or otherwise, each of these individuals represents a possible uptick in the disease rates, allowing the spread to continue longer than it would have they stayed indoors and/or out of circulation. Even when the initial phase is on the wane, or has passed through an area, people travelling into that area can bring it back with them triggering a second wave of disease as people are now emerging from their isolation…

…

One hundred miles is my buffer zone for disease, of course it could already be in my city, but practicalities dictate that I will not stay away from people because hundreds in Europe are dropping like flies. Maps of disease spread look like a locust swarm moving across the country and this allows disease spread to be tracked on an hour by hour basis. One of the few instances where mainstream media will be useful. (source)

Once you’ve gone into lockdown, how long you must stay there is dependent on the spread of the illness. Times will vary.  Bennett suggests these guidelines:

Once the doors were locked we would stay there for at least two weeks after the last case within 100 miles is reported. A government all clear would be weighed against how long it had been since the last case was reported in the area I have designated as my buffer zone. There is of course still the chance that someone from outside the area will bring the disease in with them causing a second wave of illness. You cannot seal off cities to prevent this. Going out after self-imposed isolation should be kept to a minimum for as long as possible, and if you don’t have to, then don’t do it. Far better to let those that are comfortable being out and about get on with it and see if any new cases emerge before exposing yourself and your family to that possibility. (source)

What does it mean to go into lockdown?

This Ebola thing could go bad in a hurry. And by bad I mean that the last time around, it killed well over half of the people who contracted it in West Africa.

If the situation hits close enough to home that you decide to go it’s time to isolate yourselves, the rules to this are intractable.

No one goes out. No one comes in.

I know this sounds harsh, but there are to be no exceptions. If you make exceptions, you might as well go wrestle with runny-nosed strangers at the local Wal-Mart and then come home and hug your children, because it’s the same thing.

Once you have gone into lockdown mode, that means that the supplies you have on hand are the supplies you have to see you through.  You can’t run out to the store and get something you’ve forgotten.

That means if a family member shows up, they have to go into quarantine for at least 4 weeks, during which time they are not allowed access to the home or family, nor are they allowed to go out in public.  Set up an area on your property that is far from your home for them to hang out for their month of quarantine. If at the end of the month they are presenting no symptoms, then they can come in.

It sadly means that you may be forced to turn someone away if they are ill, because to help them means to risk your family.

Now is the time to plan with your preparedness group how you intend to handle the situation. Will you shelter together, in the same location, and reserve a secondary location to retreat to if the situation worsens further or if someone becomes ill? Will you shelter separately because of the nature of the emergency?  Decide together on what event and proximity will trigger you to go into lockdown mode. Make your plan and stick to it, regardless of pressure from those who think you are over-reacting, the schools that your children have stopped attending, and any other external influences. If you’ve decided that there is a great enough risk that you need to go into lockdown, you must adhere to your plan.

Prepare an isolation area.

In the event that a member of your group becomes ill, they need to immediately be quarantined from the rest of the group. By the time they’re showing symptoms, it could be too late to prevent the spread of illness but effort should still be taken to isolate them.

Here are some tips on isolating a patient.

• The sick room should be sealed off from the rest of the house.  Use a heavy tarp over the doorway to the room on the inside and the outside. This will make a small breezeway for the caretaker to go in and out.


• The caretaker should cover up with disposable clothing, gloves, shoe covers, and hair covers.


• The caretaker should wear an N95 mask.


• The sick person should use disposable dishes and cutlery.  All garbage from the sick room should be placed in a heavy garbage bag and burned outdoors immediately.


• The sick person should not leave the room.  If there is not a bedroom with a connected bathroom, a bathroom setup should be created within the room.  Great care must be taken with the disposal of this waste.

You can learn more about preparing a sick room HERE.

Do you have the supplies you need to weather a pandemic?

It’s time to do a last minute check of your preps because by the time a general quarantine is announced in your area or you hear the mainstream suggesting that people should stay home, it will be too late to get the rest of your supplies. As well, at that point, the path of the pandemic will have progressed so much it will be unsafe to do so.

You need to be prepared to go into family lockdown mode for a minimum of 6 weeks should things get bad in your area, and preferably longer than that in the event that this takes a long time to contain.  It’s most likely that services such as public water and electricity will remain intact, but you should prepare as though they won’t be, just in case.

Here’s a quick checklist along with some links to resources.  Base amounts on the number of family members you’ll be sheltering.

Note – we do not commonly use anti-bacterial products but in a situation like this, it’s important to have this type of thing on hand in the event that there are issues with sanitation.

Books and Reference Materials: