Survival Information
Taken from Survive PX forum
see a good survival list here
This paper will attempt to answer some basic
questions, then discuss some survival preparations.
WHEN IS PX DUE TO ARRIVE? No
one knows for sure. Earliest ETA has been a mid-to-late May 2003 date, latest
sometime in 2004, but according to Prof. James McCanney (www.jmccanneyscience.com)
the calculations are so complex even NASA supercomputers can't be sure, besides
which NASA isn't sharing this information if they have it. He says that we'll
know it's coming 2-4 months prior (escalating bad weather, earthquakes,
volcanoes erupting worldwide). His expedition to the southern hemisphere has
been hampered by clouds/haze but he is still trying to get a visual on it.
So check out his website for updates. He's got some books on his website
too that explain his theories of Planet X & similar cometary bodies which
are interesting to read. At the
very least, you should get his $5 pamphlet which tells you what is expected to
happen and some survival tips.
HOW BAD WILL IT BE? It depends on how close it passes to earth. Anywhere from
what we've already been experiencing (bad weather, earthquakes, volcanoes
erupting and high winds) to total cataclysm (mountain building earthquakes, pole
shift with new poles suddenly freezing, coastlines flooded/sinking, air cover
destroyed, heavy soot/ash/debris in the air from volcanoes and cometary
bodies…i.e., your worst nightmare.) Recent
severe weather has been attributed to Comet NEAT which caused some spectacular
solar flares, some information of which was suppressed by NASA.
It was big and it came in fast
WHAT SHOULD I DO TO PREPARE? You
would probably want to relocate to a higher elevation (some say 1000 ft., others
more) and be at least 200-300 miles (further the better) from any ocean, and
nowhere near the Mississippi River. If, after reading credible information, you
believe it could be a total cataclysm, getting long-term storage food and water
and non-hybrid seeds (along with garden tools and books and pre-need experience)
would be a wise idea. Prof. McC has a pamphlet which shows how to rebuild a
calendar for planting purposes which he says is vital for anyone to survive.
Also, he will show you how to determine if you are above the 45th
latitude (which will be too cold for easy survival) so you can decide if you
need to move south (approximately 70 miles per degree).
WILL A BASEMENT PROTECT ME? Again
it depends where you are. If you are in an area at a lower elevation, you could
be flooded. If you are in an area hit by a firestorm, it wouldn't be deep
enough. Earthquakes could turn a basement into a tomb.
The only thing I've figured out is to have a basement stocked with food
at the highest elevation possible. Stay
away from "new" mountains, like the western U.S. which could go into
more mountain-building phases, and stay away from any ocean, which are predicted
to flood the coastlines. Some
people are saying north central U.S. or south central Canada is a good location.
Be prepared to leave quickly (and have a plan of action) if the going
gets rough. Choose an area that has natural caves because history has shown that
those that did survive prior passages of PX used them.
COMMUNITY. Another wise idea is to
be part of a group of like-minded people. Trying to survive something like this
alone will be impossible. Move to an agricultural community in the mountains and
make friends and learn how to grow a garden.
SPIRITUAL MATTERS. Get your
spiritual house in order. This will help with the fear and give you the courage
to survive and provide comfort in times of need.
PREPARATIONS:
If Planet X turns into a worse
case scenario, it will be uglier than anything you can imagine.
Some people say they wouldn’t even want to survive it.
This isn’t going to be a y2k event (if it had happened) because the
infrastructure won’t just be there but not working, it will be gone forever.
Imagine a world where there is no Wal-Mart, no grocery store, no doctor,
no hospital. The only way you will
survive is if you plan for it, now. A
lot of the suggestions below have to be ordered from different parts of the
country. As the saying goes, if you
wait until there is an emergency, it is too late to prepare.
First, reading SURVIVAL BOOKS
can help you organize your survival plan. Worldnetdaily.com
is offering a book called "There's No Such Thing As Doomsday," by
Philip Hoag for $29.95. Try
Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble (www.bn.com).
Type in “survival” in their search engines and see what comes up that
interests you.
"Nuclear War Survival
Skills" by Cresson McKearney is free on the internet (published by Oak
Ridge Labs), though they say it's better to buy the book because the diagrams
are clearer. This provides info on
underground shelters and other relevant topics.
It's at http://www.oism.org/nwss/. At
the very least, dig a trench in your backyard and stock it.
A freebie "Disaster
Preparedness Handbook" at http://www.disastermagazine.com/preparedness.htm.
ORGANIZATION. You can get a lot of free information off the internet. Get a binder with divider tabs—Food, Water, Heating/Cooling, Medical, etc. and put your printouts in the binder immediately, otherwise they get scattered all over the house and when you need to refer to something you can’t find it.
WATER.
Store as much as you can in containers that can withstand a lot of stress
from earthquakes. The Earth is
expected to pass through PX’s million-mile long tail and oil and water will
inundate the Earth, making drinkable water non-existent.
For water purification and
natural antibiotic--check into stabilized oxygen.
Vendors claim that it purifies water without the chlorine taste (though a
lot more expensive though). Allegedly,
it is given to NASA astronauts to prevent microbes from returning to earth in
their blood. Spray on fish (or any
uncooked meat) to kill salmonella. Ingest
to protect yourself or cure yourself of infections.
I would approach this with caution and have your water tested to make
sure (a) it works at all, and (b) you are dealing with a reputable vendor, as
you cannot tell it from tap water.
Otherwise, use chlorine bleach
or camping tablets. I recently filled up my new turkey cooker with water just
prior to a bad ice storm and then forgot to dump it for two months. I didn’t put any purifier in it and it grew some lovely
greenish-blue plant life on the bottom of the container which would probably
make a person sick or dead. So if
you are going to store water, read up on the requirements:
2 drops of Regular Clorox Bleach per quart of
water; 8 drops of Regular Clorox Bleach per
gallon of water; 1/2 teaspoon Regular Clorox
Bleach per five gallons of water. If
water is cloudy, double the recommended dosages of Clorox Bleach. (Only
use Regular Clorox Bleach (not Fresh Scent or Lemon Fresh). To insure that
Clorox Bleach is at its full strength, replace your storage bottle every three
months.) More instructions at http://www.i4at.org/surv/bleach.htm
.
Build-it-yourself website has plans you can get to build your own water distiller (the best way to purify water) and plans to build other survival stuff (generator, wind-up radio, battery charger, etc.) at http://finaltruth.com/y2k/cysmap.htm. The plans cost $12 and the parts will cost about $75 (common household items).
MEDICAL/ALTERNATIVE
MEDICAL REMEDIES
Books.
Post-PX doctors and hospitals will most likely be in short supply if
still around at all, and for sure, supplies won't be. So stock up on routine supplies.
Some books to get: Where
There is No Doctor: A Village
Health Care Handbook, David Werner. Also,
Where There Is No Dentist; Where There Is No Veterinarian; Where Women Have No
Doctor (all available from Amazon.com). Ditch Medicine, by Hugh L. Coffee
(recommended you have some medical background like EMT or nursing).
Some things like repairing wounds you can do yourself.
There is a pictorial guide to amputating a leg or cleaning up one that
accidentally was amputated. These
are first responder techniques. Where
There is No Doctor has a lot of good, basic, do-it-yourself medical help.
Same thing with Where There is No Dentist, and Where There is no Vet.
Basic book on midwifery by Susan Klein from the same publisher is good if
you think you’ll need it.
First Aid kit and First Aid
manual.
Get one and build from there. A
first aid kit doesn't have everything in it.
Include essential oils in it. Lavender and tea tree oil have antibiotic
properties (you could probably make a deodorant from it).
Lavender also helps calm and relax.
Clove helps numb tooth pain. Etc.
Remember to check expiration dates since most traditional antibiotics will
expire in a year or two. Also
consider a snake bite kit or two, tick pliers (available from www.baproducts.com
) and anything else you can think of. Essential
oils and homeopathy are also an important part of a first aid kit.
Get some basic books and read up on these alternative health remedies.
Years down the road you may have to grow your own plants to get these
oils so also get some good books on herbs and medicinal plants.
I think knowledge is going to be priceless in the aftertimes.
We are going to lose so much technology.
Essential Oils.
For those who worry bioterrorism may get us before PX does, certain
essential oils are known to be anti-microbial, specially, lavender and tea tree
oil. Get some spray bottles, fill
with distilled water and add drops of lavender and/or tea tree oil and spray
your house in the event of bioterrorism attack (40-60 drops per spray bottle).
Also good for keeping things clean around the house (15-20 drops per
spray bottle). Lavender also has a
calming effect and may be a natural way to calm jangled nerves.
I find putting 3-5 drops in an electric diffuser at night helps us sleep
through the night. If your spouse
snores, add equal amount of eucalyptus oil.
It works amazingly well. Get
therapeutic or medicinal quality essential oils.
A good place is www.audreyleigh.com
selling what's called "therapeutic grade," which is the same as
medicinal grade. You don't want
perfume grade. There is an oil
called "Thieves Oil" that was used by thieves during the plagues of
the middle ages at www.youngliving.com.
They also carry lots of single oils and oil blends, all high quality
therapeutic grade. I have found several recipes for “Thieves Vinegar” in
several books (The Practice of Aromatherapy by Dr. Jean Valnet, Herbs for the
Home by Jessica McVicar).
Homeopathy offers
remedies for practically everything. It
is standardized by the U.S. Homeopathic Pharmacoepia.
Very inexpensive. I have
used a cold remedy called "Zicam" (the only thing at the pharmacy
which works with high blood pressure) and it worked very well. Plenty of other
remedies for various ailments. Check
out www.elixirs.com or do an internet
search for “homeopathy.”
Herbs.
There are many good books you can find on herbs on the bargain book
tables at your local bookseller. Also
books on herbal medicine.
Colloidal Silver.
This is said to be a natural antibiotic. I did some searching on the internet and found there are many
vendors for this item.
There are many makers of
pre-made Colloidal Silver and there no standardization in the industry.
Anything that is considered a "food supplement" IS NOT
REGULATED BY ANY GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY. (Of
course, Nutrasweet is regulated and it is a poison, so what does this mean?
Only that it’s a non-regulated scam instead of a regulated one.) It is quite expensive for small amounts.
Silver particles can be suspended by being bound with protein, food color
can be added to make it look like the right color (indicating high quality when
it is not).
It is cheaper and easier to
monitor the quality if you do it yourself with a colloidal silver generator.
Again, warning: there are
many types of generators, and competitors find ways to pick at each other's
products to the point you don't know what's good or not. For example, one report said silver bars are preferable to
silver wires. Numerous say
distilled water is good, a few say not (but the idea is the purer the water, the
better). However, according to one
commentator who claimed to be impartial, the medical literature supports
colloidal silver as medically beneficial and CS is known to kill over 650 types
of bacteria, virus, mold, fungi, etc. It
even regenerates bone and skin (per Dr. Robert Becker's book "The Body
Electric.") However, Dr.
Robert Becker has allegedly disclaimed any promotion of colloidal silver on a
website that has an opposing view of colloidal silver at http://together.net/~rjstan/becker.html.
Read Rosemary Jacob's story when you research it for yourself.
I have read that there hasn't been a case of "argyria" (silver
overdose which turns the skin blue or gray) in over 40 years, but it is making a
comeback with the resurgence of colloidal silver as a cure-all.
I have personally chosen to not use colloidal silver, but there are
people who have and feel that they benefitted, so I am presenting this
information for your consideration.
FOOD.
It may not be possible to grow food for quite a long time after a PX
event (due to ground and water contamination, lack of viable sunlight, water,
etc.), so long-term food storage is important.
The cheapest route I've found is buying large 50# or 100#
sacks of grains like wheat, corn, barley, oatmeal, and legumes (peas,
beans). This in itself is a
research project. You'll also need
a grain mill to grind grains into flour. It's
a lot of work and may not be comfort foods, but it's better than starving.
Search the internet to find suppliers.
Survival + Food or Food + storage will turn up quite a few hits.
The LDS folks (Mormons) are probably the best source for food storage
programs--what to put in them, how to manage them, since food storage programs
is part of their lifestyle.
You can usually get 50# or 100#
sacks of beans and rice at ethnic food stores or ask your local grocer to order
for you, or order them on the internet. Remember,
if they are not organic, they are probably GMO (genetically modified).
Of course, the price is higher for organic, so you have to weigh
starvation against the quality of the food.
Spices
store for a long time because they are dehydrated.
Also, gravy mixes (like Tones which you can get at Sam's Club) can help
stretch meat in the meals. If you
plan to bake, better stock up on baker's salt (big sacks at Sam's Club, probably
at Price Club and Costco too), baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, etc.
Recipes
for simple foods: how to bake bread if you don't have yeast, how to cook a meal
in one pot. A good book is
"Making the Best of Basics," by James Talmage Stevens. Gives information on how to improvise if you are lacking
ingredients. Another good book for
basics is the "Encylopedia of Country Living."
If you can't find these at Amazon.com, many preparedness websites have
them. Many times you can get used
copies at Amazon.com and save a lot of money.
Also, look on the internet for recipes.
They are generally free. For instance, search +bread +"no
yeast" or unleavened will bring up thousands of hits.
Other words for yeast-free breads: chapatis,
cracker bread, matzah, etc. A good
site for recipes is www.hillbillyhousewife.com.
Sprouts.
If the earth is scorched by firestorms it will be quite awhile before you
can grow anything. The best idea
for green vegetables I have come up with (besides dehydrating them) is to buy
sprout seeds and grow your own sprouts in jars and trays like mung beans,
wheatgrass, alfalfa, etc. Mung
beans grow in the dark and don’t need sunlight.
You need water to sprout, so be sure to have plenty of clean water on
hand. Here's a website to check
out: http://www.sprouting.com/homesprouting.htm
. There is a handy-dandy little
thing called the “Food Pantrie” that I bought on ebay.com for dehydrating
without electricity. It’s a
series of plastic trays with netting over it which you can hang from the
ceiling. You can also sprout in it.
The key here is “non-electric” and netting to keep the bugs out.
You might be able to make your own if you can find a picture (check ebay).
Psyllium Husks or Metamucil.
If you can’t afford sprouts, at least get some kind of bulking matter
to keep your bowels moving. Psyllium
husks are cheap when bought in bulk. It’s similar to Metamucil.
Sorry to get clinical, but with everything else going on, you don't need
to get constipated from lack of fresh fruits and vegetables. Constipation =
toxic condition which leads to disease like appendicitis, feeling poor, tired,
which leads to depression, which leads to a dwindling spiral of bad health.
Remember to keep things moving. Stagnation
breeds disease, whether it’s in your gut or in a nearby pond or sewer.
Quick Meals.
It is probably wise to have a least one month's worth (maybe as much as
six months’ worth) of very quick-to-make meals (military MRE's or meals in
cans or whatever else you can think of) because if the earth is shaking in your
area or there are high winds it may be impossible to cook or even light a fire.
Fresh Meat.
Have fishing equipment if you are near a river or lake.
Rabbits are small, breed fast and are edible.
Get a book on how to raise and slaughter them.
Try to find somewhere (a local agricultural college or county
agricultural extension) to give a demonstration.
Take into consideration any animal may die of fright from PX and plan
accordingly. Many preparedness
sites offer TVP flavored with chicken, beef, etc., which are meat substitutes.
Seeds.
Get non-hybrid seeds in airtight containers, enough for as many years as
you think you will need. Hybrid
seeds do not reproduce but will cross-pollinate with non-hybrid seeds and, thus,
will cause the non-hybrids to not regenerate.
So you need to have at least 3-5 years worth of seeds to get past the
point of the hybrids dying off. Also
have gardening tools. Best to get
some experience pre-need especially if you are going to depend on seeds soon
after the event. And get into
shape! Gardening is physical work.
Also, work gloves for gardening and gardening tools.
COOKWARE.
Things will be rough. Cast iron is what will survive with you.
Get a dutch oven on a tripod as well as a BBQ grill so that you can cook
over an open fire. Durable (metal or heavy plastic) plates, cups, bowls, etc.
are in order as well. Remember, the
resources to manufacture this kind of stuff will be gone and if you don’t get
it now, you probably won’t (unless you get it from a dead neighbor who
didn’t survive the transition).
TOOLS.
Axes, shovels, hole diggers, wheel barrows, household tools, duct tape,
little wagons to haul stuff around in (Radio Flyers at Wal-Mart, $90) (for
instance, if you have to walk a ways to a stream to fill up your buckets, put
them in the wagon and drag them home—water is heavy).
It’s been humorously said that only two tools are really needed:
duct tape and WD40, the first for anything that’s not supposed to move
but does, and the second for anything that’s supposed to move and doesn’t.
Makes sense to stock some of both.
KEEPING WARM OR COOL.
Get sleeping bags that are rated for the kind of cold you think you will
have. Also warm clothing as well as
rainwear. Use whatever fuel you can
get locally (wood most likely).* Propane
and oil, if they don't explode, won't last long and there will be no trucks to
bring it in. Have a fire starter
kit. Buy LOTS of matches and wrap
them in fireproof material.
*After I wrote this, I read Jim
McCanney’s book on Planet X. If
the winds are as violent as he says, there will be nothing left standing,
including trees. Which raises the
problem of heat. How do you heat if
there is no wood or other renewable resource?
Anything you store up now won’t last forever.
I’m still researching this point and will report if I come up with
anything. Currently, stocking up
enough fuel to last 1-2 years, then with the return of normal sunlight having
solar equipment to make energy is all I’ve been able to come up with, but this
presupposes all the equipment and stockpiles of wood or whatever making it
through the transition. Also most
of us can’t afford solar. Buying
seedlings of fast-growing trees and sheltering them the best you can (in
containers in your basement or dome home or nearby cave, etc.) is one idea for
long-term rebuilding purposes. Get
as much seasoned wood (dried for 12 mos.) as you can afford now and bury it so
it doesn’t blow away.
COOLING.
Earth temperature is normally constantly in the 50's. Until things settle down, this may or may not be true.
If true, you can keep foods cool by putting them underground.
Check out books on root cellaring. This
is how country folks store roots (potatoes, carrots, turnips, etc.) for months.
You can also cool things in a stream or lake.
If you have an underground shelter, you will have a constant temperature
year round (hopefully if PX doesn’t change that considering earth’s molten
core attraction to PX’s magnetism). There
will not be any air conditioning. If
you suffer from heat this will not be pleasant.
I’ve seen some solar powered attic fans around, and a hat that has a
little fan in it. Search around and
see what you come up with if this concerns you.
SOLAR RADIATION.
You should have hats and gloves for hot weather, as well as sun glasses
and high SPF sunburn protection. We
will probably be bombarded with radiation if the earth’s protective covering
is damaged.
PEST CONTROL.
No more Raid or other products to kill unwelcome pests. Research other ways to control them or else health problems
will result. Intruder, Inc. has
built the better mousetrap. It
works like a charm. Put some peanut
butter on it (mice love it) and the cat is out of business.
Intruder, Inc. makes it http://65.223.255.13/mousetrap/mousetrap.html
. I'd put these around where you
store your food just to discourage the critters.
Your food should be put in heavy plastic buckets or #10 cans.
DO NOT LEAVE GRAINS OR OTHER FOODS IN BAGS.
THE RODENTS WILL GNAW THEIR WAY IN AND RUIN IT FOR YOU.
THEY POOP AND PEE ALL OVER EVERYTHING.
(Can you tell I live in the country and *HATE* the little varmints?)
(Also, mice will unravel your wool clothes to make a nest, so put them in
mouse-proof boxes.) Of course, hungry cats will also provide pest control if any
survive. If you have mouse/rat
droppings, ALWAYS spray it with a mixture of chlorine bleach and water and let
sit for at least 15 minutes before attempting to clean it up.
Hantavirus and plague can be contracted from stirring up rodent poop, so
DISINFECT FIRST. Anyway, Intruder,
Inc. also has knives and knife sharpeners you can check out.
Mice also do not like the smell of peppermint oil.
Citronella repels mosquitoes. You
can make a natural flea collar for the pet with essential oils. Buy some books on essential oils (aromatherapy) for recipes.
BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM.
Try to be in the best shape you can be.
Thymus glandular pills and beta glucan are touted to help strenghthen
your immune. Don’t forget Vitamin
C, garlic, zinc, echanacia, etc. Also,
good nutrition, exercise, clean water and adequate rest.
This goes for PX as well as bioterrorism.
In a post-PX world, an ounce of prevention is priceless and will mean
your life. Stock up on any medications you will need, extra glasses,
hearing aid, whatever. The best
thing to do now, especially if you are middle aged or older, is try to lose
weight and get into better physical condition.
Dr. Berry (the “y2k doc”) recommended staying 10-20% overweight when
going into a long-term emergency situation.
LIGHT.
The atmosphere may be very dark with residuals from volcanic eruptions.
There is a flashlight on the market called "Starlight" that
works by shaking it, needs no batteries. Search
Starlight + flashlight. I have one.
It is not very bright and my hand gets tired shaking it, but better than
darkness or dead batteries. LED
flashlights use very little battery power and are bright, thus batteries will
last longer, but not forever. Oil
lamps may help get you through the dark period.
Lamplight Farms has a wide selection.
You can get them at Wal-Mart for $5-$10 each. The oil is $3-$4 per bottle, depending if you get smokeless
(preferred) or not. Of course, it
won’t last forever and once out of oil what do you use? Olive oil was used in biblical times for light as well as
rubbing on wounds. Don’t know if
it smokes or not. Hopefully,
you’ll have enough smokeless oil until sunlight reappears.
Light will help alleviate depression.
Get extra wicks, mantles and chimneys and wrap them well for the
transition so they won’t break.
NEWS.
There are handcrank and/or solar powered radios.
Baygen Freeplay is one. You
will want to know what's going on, if anyone is still able to broadcast.
Search radio + "hand crank" or dynamo or solar.
Besides am/fm, get one with shortwave capability.
Infomate World Band Radio has am/fm and shortwave, plus sound portion of
TV programs, EMS, airlines, cabs, weather, etc.
Uses Toshiba components. Best
price I've found is at http://www.gearking.com/html/eng/159-AA.shtml.
Of course, this assumes there are others around that can broadcast, so I
wouldn’t sink half my preparedness money into one of these.
MUSIC.
Music will help alleviate depression.
(And after PX who won't be?) I
have not been able to find a handcrank tape player.
There was one pre-y2k at jademountain.com, but it is no longer offered
there. A missionary outfit has one
but only sells to missionaries. I
did locate a shortwave radio with a tape player that uses a solar panel.
I inquired and was told that the tape player plays at only half volume
with full sunlight. The brand is
"Sangean" and the model is "ATS 818ACS." The vendor I
checked out is at http://www.selfrelianceresources.com/shortwave_radios.htm
. Of course, you may not be able to
use it (solar powered) at first because of atmospheric conditions, but it will
play with batteries and then when sunlight becomes available again, you can use
the solar panel.
NOISE.
I went through the Northridge (Los Angeles) Earthquake in 1994.
It was said there were two earthquakes, the first precipitating the
second, something like 6.9 and 6.7. (Early
reports said the first was something like a 7.2, but it quickly changed.
Some said that was because the government had to give money rather than
loan money if the earthquake was over 7.0.
Our government at work.). Anyway,
I remember two things about that quake. First,
a thruster quake is much more violent than a slip quake.
I rode the 1971 Sylmar quake too. It was a slip fault and things swayed
side to side and wasn't terribly noisy. In
a thruster quake, things jump up and down.
It is impossible to walk in a thruster quake, so FIND A SOFT SPOT AND SIT
DOWN OR YOU WILL BREAK BONES (like I did trying to stand in the doorway because
it was always said that was the strongest part in your house).
The second thing was the noise. It
sounded like a fleet of jets screaming overhead.
Electric transformers were exploding.
It lasted less than a minute, but it was terrifying.
Many people literally thought L.A. was being bombed. I suggest some ear muffs, the kind that navy personnel wear
on flight decks. You can do a
search for navy + earmuffs, or try www.cheaperthandirt.com
as they have a wide variety, mostly used by hunters to dampen the sound of their
guns. Get the highest dB rating you
can. If you can't afford the highest dB rating, get what you can afford and buy
earplugs to supplement the earmuffs. This
can really help your nerves and help calm the kids when things really get
shaking.
SLEEPING PILLS.
It might be a good idea to have some for the kids. Just make sure you know the correct dose to give.
HYGIENE.
Maintaining good hygiene will be very important.
Try going a week in the same clothes and see how you feel, and what fungi
and other fun things will start growing on or in your body.
Then you have a medical problem. Stock
up on soap--body soap, dish soap, laundry soap.
How will you wash your clothes? Rock
and stream? There is a little
hand-crank pressure washer called "Wonderwash."
Search for it on the internet or try http://www.enn.com/marketplace/display-affiliate.asp?a=756
. It's small, but affordable.
So maybe get several and wash clothing on a daily basis.
Get clothes line to string between two poles which you will buy
beforehand and hang outside to dry when the atmosphere clears up.
Get the folding racks for hanging wet clothes inside when you can’t
hang laundry outdoors. Dental
supplies are a must. Deodorant,
too. Women, you will no longer be able to get feminine hygiene
products, so check out this website: www.thekeeperinc.com
.
TOILETS.
Get a 5-gallon bucket from your local bakery (icings come in them).
They tend to give them away free. Put
a toilet seat on it. Use sawdust to
absorb odor. After each use, throw
in another hand of sawdust. (This
assumes you get sawdust ahead of time while you can.)
You can build a wood box to house the bucket and make it more stable if
you want. Dig a hole in ground and
dump the waste in and cover it up with dirt.
This keeps insects off and prevents spread of disease.
Make sure it’s well away from where you’re living and not near any
running rivers/streams. If no
bucket/sawdust, dig a cat hole, do your business, then cover it over with dirt.
NUCLEAR REACTORS.
With the earth shaking, how can there not be reactor incidents with
resulting fallout? The only
FDA-approved "radiation pill" is manufactured by Anbex (www.anbex.com
). It is a potassium iodide tablet that blocks radioactive
iodine from entering your thyroid which can cause cancer. It doesn't prevent any other kind of problem from radiation,
such as being too close to a reactor when it melts down or radiation other than
radioactive iodine. It's important
though because a large percentage (95%, I think) of the problems from radiation
come from damaged thyroid glands. Watch
out for other brands and imitations. Some
use a different form of potassium (iodate) and others may not have enough
strength per pill. Anbex is the
only one FDA-approved "radiation pill."
More info in the 2/8/03 email below.
HOUSING.
Given the prediction of earthquakes, firestorms, high winds, and
flooding, traditional housing is not believed to be capable of surviving. Probably the safest thing is something underground.
I have heard concrete dome homes are the safest (but somehow I don't
think they have ever been test driven through something like PX).
The quickest and most economical is a trench, plans on how to construct
you will find in the Nuclear War Survival Skills book.
Again, though, not wise if at a low elevation or subject to flooding.
A cave would do nicely if you happen to have one around.
Join your local spelunking society (cave exploring).
A land/sea container on a concrete slab like a ship with cables anchoring
has been suggested (anyone interested, I'll see if I can find the website
again).
Check out www.waltonfeed.com
. They have a large metal tube that
can be put underground and lived in, as well as all sorts of preparedness items.
CLOTHING.
You can buy durable clothing (jeans, t-shirts, etc.) at Goodwill or
Salvation Army very cheap. If you
can sew, stock up on sewing supplies and fabrics.
Non-electric sewing machines are still around.
I have two Singers circa 1932 I picked up in a rural community.
They operate with a foot pedal. Just remember, clothes will wear out
eventually and even basic cloth won’t be available.
As I said earlier, information will be priceless.
Either stock up with a lifetime of shoes, underwear and clothes, or get
some books on how to weave, how to make shoes, how to knit, etc.
PROTECTION.
There will be no more police or 911.
You should invest in several different types of guns (hunting,
protection, rifles, pistols) and the appropriate ammunition.
Animals that survive will be hungry and you will look like a tasty meal,
as well as that animal known as the “$5,000 Survivalist.”
Also, bows and arrows, slings, hunting knives, etc.
Knives are another commodity that will never be seen again until the next
Iron Age, so better stock up and have sharpening equipment too.
ENTERTAINMENT.
Especially if you have kids, stock up on board games and athletic
equipment (balls, bats, etc.) For
adults, have things you like to do: hobbies,
books, sewing, etc. Like who’s
going to have time? At least one
day a week try to relax and do something different than just merely survive.
JOY JUICE.
Okay, so you can’t run down to the local 7-11 and pick up some Coors or
Genessee's. What will
you do? Buy a book on home brewing
and check it out. You may want to
add equipment/supplies to your survival storage plan to be able to make your
own. Not a bad idea. It will help calm nerves.
Also, stock up on medicinal alcohol:
brandy, whiskey, whatever. Good
for numbing pain, even mental anguish.
BARTER.
What will a person give for a cigarette or a cup of coffee or medicine or
…? Stock up on items like these
that people will gladly exchange for. It
will be the new money in the aftertimes.
EVERYTHING ELSE.
And if all that isn't enough, think about what you would not want to be
without in the possible coming dark ages: fingernail
scissors, toenail clippers, perfume, mouth wash, pain rememdies, can openers,
knives, garden tools, household tools, hair clips, chocolate, etc.
Walk through your house, go through your drawers and imagine life without
that item. If you can't imagine
living without it, then stock up.
PACKING MATERIALS.
Get plenty of bubble wrap or other packing materials and pack up
breakable items as best you can so they won’t break (things like glass
chimneys for your oil lamps, pictures, etc.).
AND REMEMBER—LOOK AT
EXPIRATION DATES AND DON’T BUY MORE THAN A YEAR OR TWO OF ANYTHING THAT WILL
EXPIRE UNLESS YOU ANTICIPATE GIVING IT AWAY TO THOSE IN NEED OR USING IT FOR
BARTER. Otherwise, you’re just
wasting your money.
COMMUNITY.
Yes, it's absolutely necessary. Join
a church group or move to a small town and make friends quick or get all your
family to move to one location. You
won't survive long by yourself. You
can also get more supplies if things like garden tools, medicines, radio, etc.
can be shared by the group.
CACHING.
Now, you've gone to a lot of time, trouble and expense to prepare.
What's next? Protecting it. In
the U.S., there is a law within the 1994 (or '96?) Crime Prevention Act which
makes it illegal to "hoard" more than six months worth of food.
(Hoarding used to be buying up everything in site AFTER an emergency, but
it has been redefined now. You have
to wonder why the government doesn't want its citizens to be prepared.)
After PX (or bioterrorism),
those who have not prepared will be scared out of their wits and starving.
They will try to survive at any cost.
You have to watch out especially for the "$5,000 survivalist."
These guys invest in guns and ammo and just take what they need.
If they think you have food or other necessities, you will be killed for
it. (Another reason to have guns,
to protect yourself, and another reason for being in rural community.)
Research "caching." This
is where you put your food and other valuables in metal or plastic tubes and
bury them in different locations. (Be
sure to have a shovel or two so you can do this.)
During the first six months after PX (or bioterrorism) you should not
look well fed. Look shell shocked
and lost like everyone else, otherwise you will tip your hand and you will be
robbed or killed for your stuff. A
good movie treating this topic is an old 1960-something movie called "Panic
in the Year Zero" starring Ray Milland.
It's dated but will give you a good idea what happens when law and order
breaks down.
BORN TO RUN.
Lastly, what happens if you get a lot of survival stuff but conditions
force you to "bug out." Each
member of your family should have a "bug out bag" filled with 2-3 days
worth of food, water, first aid kit, space blanket, matches and firestarting
equipment in waterproof container, etc., essential items to keep you alive for
2-3 days until you can return to your home.
(If food and other valuables have been cached, they are not readily
available to be stolen and there should be something to return to.)
I hope this information helps. I know it is overwhelming but take it one step at a time. Read first and get ideas. Research what you read if you can. Check out the vendors and see if they are reputable. If they haven't been in business very long, don't take a chance with them. If they don't belong to a Chamber of Commerce or similar type group, you might want to think twice. www.waltonfeed.com , for example, has been around for 54 years, belongs to a chamber of commerce, and has a good, solid reputation. They have grains, seeds, equipment, etc. You can start by browsing that website and getting a feel for what the preparedness industry has to offer. It can take awhile to receive an order from them because they are popular.
Create your individual plan
given your needs and your resources. Then
stock up for a week, then two, and keep building until time runs out. If you have the resources, buy things that will have to be
shipped to you from a distance first so it has time to arrive and leave items
you can get locally until later.
Good luck to everyone in the coming uncertain days.
I did get a copy of Phillip
Hoag's "There's No Such Thing As Doomsday" and it’s a pretty good
book. I had already encountered a lot of the information, but still
learned some new things.
Hoag's credits include ten
years of "being involved in" designing, organizing, and constructing
numerous large underground shelter projects, so he has a lot of material on that
issue.
I already told you all about
potassium iodide (also known as "the radiation pill") to protect your
thyroid in case of nuclear fallout (even if a terrorist doesn't blow up a
reactor, earthquakes during earth changes sure could).
Phillip Hoag added more information in this area (p.298, "Selective
Uptake"). He says,
"Selective uptake is an important concept in nutritional protection against
radiation. It means that sufficient
levels of proper nutrients can effectively block the uptake of many types of
radioactive pollution." I will
just list the nutrients and what it blocks:
1.
Potassium Iodide--he mentions "Thyroxin" supplements are
recommended by some people as even more effective than potassium iodide. As I mentioned before, the only "FDA approved"
radiation protectant is IOSAT available at www.anbex.com.
2.
Calcium blocks uptake of a common constituent of fallout, strontium-90.
3.
Iron blocks uptake of plutonium from fallout.
4.
Potassium reduces uptake of Cesium-137.
5.
Zinc reduces uptake of radioactive zinc-65.
6.
B-12 suppresses uptake of cobalt-60 which is a very dangerous radiactive
pollutant.
FARADAY BOXES (OR CAGES)
Electro-magnetic pulses (EMP)
can short out your electronic equipment. Phillip
Hoag mentions this on page 379 of “Doomsday” and describes fancier ways to
achieve the same result. He also
suggests using a steel garbage can with a tight lid to put unplugged electronic
equipment into. He does not mention
that the electronics should not contact the metal container like Duncan Long
did, so I'd play it safe and line it with bubble wrap or cardboard or both.
Remember, household appliances are electronic and some have computer
components. If you are one of the
lucky ones with a generator and fuel, you need to protect those appliances as
well if you want them to function after the change.
Big things like refrigerators just wrap in tin foil
BOOKS:
Here are some cookbooks
mentioned in Phillip Hoag's book:
Cookin' With Home Storage by
Peggy Layton and Vicki Tate.
Country Beans by Rita Bingham
(How to cook beans in three minutes).
Natural Meals in Minutes by
Rita Bingham (how to cook grains in three minutes, three minute powdered milk,
cheeses and more.)
Books Recommended by Robert
Berry, M.D. (an E.R. doc):
The American Red Cross First Aid & Safety Handbook
The American Medical Association Family Medical Guide
The PDR Pocket Guide to Prescription Drugs
American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child's Symptoms
Where There Is No Doctor
Ditch Medicine: Advanced Field Procedures for Emergencies
Wounds and Lacerations-Emergency care and Closure by Alexander Trott, M.D. (more detailed than Ditch Medicine about caring for lacerations. However, Ditch Medicine discusses other procedures such as starting IV's and emergency airway procedures which you should get prior training before trying to do yourself.)
MEDICAL/DENTAL/VETERINARY
There are books for each
category entitled "Where There is No ... (doctor, dentist, vet), as well as
one for women's issues. Search for
them on amazon.com.
I have a manual entitled
"Plain-Talk Medicine for Uncertain Times & Places" by Robert S.
Berry, M.D. I don't know if he
still has copies, but his address is: y2kdoc,
P.O. Box 336, Greeneville, TN 37743. One
copy was $19.95 pre-y2k, less with volume discounts.
His website, y2kdoc.com, is no longer there, so I don't know if these
books are still available. There is
no ISBN number on my copy. This
manual is unique in that he gives dosages for different medications, recommends
medical books (see above) and has flow charts to diagnose simple ailments.
HOW
TO OBTAIN MEDICINES LEGALLY:
Obtaining
medications can be difficult. The problem is two-fold.
First is access and second is cost. Below are some suggestions for
legally obtaining medicines for use in a survival medicine situation.
*
Talk to your doctor. Be honest explain exactly why and what you want, that you
want to be prepared for any disaster and have some important basic meds
available, for if medical care isn't freely available. Demonstrate an
understanding of what each drug is for and that you know how to safely use it.
Most MD's would probably be very supportive. Although, I would suggest that you
don't request narcotics the first time. Then return the meds when they have
expired, this will confirm that you are not using them inappropriately.
*
Discuss with your MD your plans for a trekking holiday. Most MDs recognise the
importance of an adequate medical kit if you are travelling in the 3rd world or
doing isolated backpacking. Most would
prescribe
antibiotics, rehydration fluid, simple pain killers, anti-diarrhoea meds,
antibiotic and fungal creams, and if climbing steroids and frusemide for AMS.
*
Buy a boat. Australia, New Zealand and the UK, require all boats sailing beyond
coastal limits to carry a comprehensive medical kit. This includes antibiotics,
strong narcotic analgesia and a variety of other meds. Although not a legal
requirement in the US, I imagine most MD's would equip an ocean going boat with
a comprehensive medical kit, especially if you can demonstrate a basic medical
knowledge. The US Public Health service offers suggested medications and
equipment, depending on numbers and expected isolation.
DEHYDRATION:
Drinkable
water will be in scarce supply, so dehydration is a condition you need to plan
to treat.
RECTAL
FLUID RESUSCITATION. The standard
technique of giving fluids to an unconscious, shocked or dehydrated person is
with intravenous fluids. However this may not be possible in a survival
situation, especially if you have never been trained to “throw an IV line.”
An alternative is to give fluids rectally. This method will obviously not work
if the cause of the problem is severe diarrhoea. This is included for interest
only and I do not recommend this procedure. But if all else fails….
The person is placed on their side, with the buttocks raised on two
pillows. A lubricated plastic tube with a blunt end (a large urinary catheter or
naso gastric tube is ideal) should be passed through the anus into the rectum
for about 9 inches. It should pass with minimal pressure and should not be
forced otherwise you could perforate the bowel. The tube should be taped to the skin. A longer length of
tubing and a drip bag or funnel should be attached to the end and elevated. Then
200mls of fluid slowly dripped in over 15 to 20 minutes. The catheter should
then be clamped. This can be repeated every 4 hours with a further 200mls. Upto
1000-1200mls/24hrs can be administered this way. If 200mls is tolerated it can be worth increasing the volume
slightly or reducing the time to 3 1/2 or 3 hrs. If there is over flow the
volume should be reduced. A rectum full of faeces does not absorb water very
well, so the amounts may need to be reduced, but given more frequently.
GASTROENTERITIS
AND DEHYDRATION. Gastroenteritis is still a killer in the third world especially
for young children (typhoid, cholera, giardia, salmonella, "food
poisoning" etc., is included under the general heading gastroenteritis).
The most important preventive action you can take in preventing gastroenteritis
is to wash your hands following defecation. Also hands should be washed before
handling food, dealing with the sick or babies and infants. All drinking water
should be boiled unless you are sure of its purity.
Hand washing and clean water will prevent 99% of diarrheal disease.
This topic is very well covered in "Where there is no Doctor".
What
kills is not the having diarrhea or vomiting, but the dehydration.
You must understand how to recognise dehydration and know how to treat
it. The basis of any treatment is replacement of lost fluids and
electrolytes. This is a relatively simple matter if you have access to IV
fluids, but without you must rely on the patient drinking. It is often difficult
to get a patient to drink, especially when they feel very unwell, but it must be
emphasised to them that if they don't drink they will die. The secret is small
amounts of fluid, frequently. If you try and force a large glass down, it will
come straight up right away. They must put in at least what they are putting
out, more in hot weather. There has been much debate over what to offer to
replace lost fluids and electrolytes. It must contain not only water, but also
Sodium (table salt), Potassium (light salt) and also some form of sugar. The
sugar is vital for absorption to take place in the intestines, salts alone are
poorly absorbed when the gut lining is damaged as it often is in
gastroenteritis. I refer you to an excellent article in *Scientific American*
May 1991 on oral rehydration formulas.
ORAL
REHYDRATION FLUID: The following is an easy formula for making an oral
rehydration fluid.
1/4
Tsp Salt (Sodium Chloride)
1/4
Tsp Lite Salt (Potassium Chloride)
1/4
Tsp Baking Soda
2
1/2 Tbsp Sugar
Combine
ingredients and dissolve in 1000 mls (1 liter) of boiled and cooled water.
DEATH
People
are going to die, one way or another it will happen and you need to be prepared
for it.
DIAGNOSING
DEATH:
No
pulse.
No
respirations.
No
heart sounds.
No
pupil response to light.
Hypothermia
Note: Precautions need to be taken
where the person concerned has been in the extreme cold, either the snow or very
cold water. Severe hypothermia causes a profound slowing in the bodies
metabolism and as a consequence can mimic death. Hence the saying " Your
not dead, until your warm and dead ".
One
option is to aggressively resuscitate anyone found in the above situations,
although this is likely to be an extremely uphill battle in a survival
situation, especially if they clinically appear to be dead. The management of
severe hypothermia is dealt with in detail in most advanced first aid texts. But
for interest the basics are included below:
Extreme
care needs to be taken in handling a very hypothermic patient as they are
predisposed to developing ventricular fibrillation if roughly handled.
The goal is slow rewarming
-
body heat
-
warm room
-
space blanket
-
warm IV fluids *
-
irrigation of stomach and bladder with warm fluid *
-
packing groin and axilla (underarms) with hot packs. *
*
there is still some debate in the literature about the place for these last 3
options.
HANDLING
A DEAD PERSON: The human body decomposes very quickly, especially in hot
weather. A decomposing body rapidly becomes a health hazard. A dead person
should be buried quickly, in a
reasonably
deep grave to avoid predation by scavengers. Most religions have short rites for
the burying of the dead, but for the non-religious a favorite poem may be
appropriate.
RECORDS:
It is important to document the fact that someone has died, but also the
circumstances of the death, your guess as to a cause of death and how the body
was disposed of. This becomes important for legal reasons should things return
to normal or in the case of an isolated expedition for the coroner on your
return.
FROM DEATH TO DUST
The author of this book
(Kenneth V. Iserson, M.D.) has a sense of humor.
The introduction is entitled "Dying to Know" and Chapter 1 is
entitled "I'm Dead...Now What?" ;)
I haven't finished the book
(821 pages), but have read up on the relevant topics.
One thing is for sure--funeral homes rip the public off.
However, in the aftertimes, we will probably be on our own in this
regard.
What happens to a body when it
dies? It's not pretty. At first it stiffens as it cools off (rigor mortis sets in
within 2-12 hours, in face and neck first), then it starts decaying (40-96
hours). A condition called
“dependent lividity” occurs where blood settles to the lowest point (i.e.,
if corpse lying on his back, the back would show blood splotches). Friendly flora in human intestines that helps humans when
alive become predators after death. So
putrefaction (rot) sets in. It
creates gases that bubble the skin and eventually causes the skin to slip off.
The internal organs liquefy. "Purge"
exits through orifices and so on. It's
ugly and smelly. The last organs to
go are the uterus and prostate. They
last for up to 12 months. This is
one way a coroner can determine the sex of a corpse dead less than 12 months.
How long does it take a corpse
to return to dust? The answer is
12-20 years depending on whether the corpse is an adult or child, what the grave
temperature is, whether the body was obese (fat makes adipocere--a wax-like
substance which inhibits putrefaction), etc.
In Scotland, where graves are reused, a grave is considered
"ripe" until it is at least 20 years old.
Meaning if you open it before 20 years, you may be in for an unpleasant
surprise. :-o !!
What if bodies are left unburied or uncremated? Wild animals and insects will feast on them. If the body was diseased, disease will spread quickly to humans. That is why dead bodies must be disposed of quickly.
As an example, it has been
observed that "man's best friend" will devour you quickly when you
die. One man's dog mutilated him within 45 minutes of his death at
home. Firemen used to bring their
Dalmation mascot with them on runs until they started chasing ambulances.
They had to stop bringing the Dalmations because they go straight for
dead flesh. Definitely, a public
relations situation.
Okay, so you've got a dead
body(ies) in your vicinity. What
are you going to do with it(them)? You
have two options, both requiring a lot of work:
(1) you can bury it(them), or (2) you can cremate it(them).
(1) Burying requires digging a
hole 6 feet down. You can either
put the body in a shroud or in a pine box if you know how to build a pine box
and can get a hold of pine boards. Either
way, the corpse will decompose and bacteria could find it's way into the water
table. Current laws require a
concrete liner, but in the aftertimes that won't be possible.
That's why option 2 is the better option
(2) Cremation used to be called
"the funeral pyre." Basically,
stack up lots of firewood and put the body on top, dose with flammable substance
if available, and light it. This
way disease is dealt with terminatedly. I
wouldn't be downwind of it though, don't breathe the fumes. A human body will be rendered into ash at 2,000 degrees for
at least an hour. A funeral pyre
probably would take longer since the temperature can't be controlled like in a
crematorium. There may be bone
parts mixed in with the ash. A
crematorium will pulverize the bone so that it blends with the ash and put it in
an urn.
There is no way you will have
the equipment and supplies and know-how to embalm a body, so don't even think
about it. It's complicated and
requires special training. The only
purpose of embalming is to delay the putrefaction process so that the funeral
can take place 3-5 days after death. In
the aftertimes, this won't be possible.
When dealing with dead bodies, wear a face mask, gloves, goggles and a gown. Depending on the state of decay, gasses could be a problem and you don't need something exploding and spewing in your face. Decontaminate yourself thoroughly after handling a dead body. You'll notice that the Bible has very specific instructions for handling dead bodies. This prevented disease amongst the group.
This e-mail provides
information about essential oils in relation to insect bites, snake and spider
bites and a few other issues. In
the aftertimes, the animal and insect kingdom will proliferate.
We need to know how to protect ourselves and how to treat various ills
resulting if we are unable to protect ourselves.
There are various grades of
essential oils ranging from the lowest grade (perfume) to the highest grade
(medicinal or therapeutic). I get
the therapeutic grade from www.audreyleigh.com
. Their prices are reasonable for the quality.
Most of the information I'm sharing here comes from "The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy" by Valerie Ann Worwood, a good book to add to your home medical library.
MOSQUITOES
Mosquitoes carry not only West
Nile Virus, but also Malaria and Dengue Fever, among others.
Essential oils are good for various insect bites and use as insect
repellants.
*Remedies*
If you've been bitten by a
mosquito, use neat (undiluted) lavender oil on the bite.
Lavender has exceptional antimicrobial properties.
If you've been bitten over a
large area take 1 cup of cider viegar or the juice of 2 lemons and add to it 10
drops of lavender and 5 drops of thyme. Put
this mixture in a bath, swishing the water around before you get in.
Afterwards, apply neat lavender oil to all the bites.
Each night rub your body with the following oil formula:
Lavender 10 drops
Eucalyptus 10 drops
Thyme 10 drops
Lemongrass 5 drops
Dilute in 2 tablespoons
vegetable oil (olive oil is fine)
*Prevention*
As a general rule, use
lemongrass or citronella to keep insects at bay, using the airborne methods--the
room methods of steam bowls, heat source, paper strings at the windows, on light
bulbs, both inside and out, or on ribbons hung from trees or any other
atmospheric method. Also, as long
as electricity is available, electric diffusers/nebulizers are excellent and a
much easier way to keep the air diffused (see discussion below).
*Insect Deterrent Blend*
Thyme 4 drops
Lemongrass 8 drops
Lavender 4 drops
Peppermit 4 drops
Also, be sure you buy enough
mosquito netting to cover your beds and any openings to your house.
If PX comes during insect season, you may end up not at home, so have
netting in your bug-out bags as well.
FLIES
One disease is bacillary
dysentery. It is carried in
contaminated water and food, and the flies spread it.
It can also be spread by human contact.
It is infectious. It must be
treated by a doctor, as saline injections may need to be given. (It is possible that a saline solution could also be given
rectally as outlined in my e-mail on dehydration. Check with your doctor because I am not a doctor and am only
passing on information from the book I named above.)
The sufferer must be isolated and the room sprayed with thyme and
lavender. Add the following oils to
the bath:
Thyme 5 drops
Lavender 5 drops
Ginger 4 drops
If muscle pains occur use the
three oils above in a massage oil in equal parts.
Lavender may ease the headache and high temperature but if it doesn't,
use peppermint oil instead--put one drop on your fingers and rub along the base
of your skull and around your temples.
*Fly Deterrent*
This just encourages flies to
not enter your airspace and is definitely the optimum route to take, an ounce of
prevention in the aftertimes will worth pounds of cure, many of which may not be
available.
*Mosquito
Netting*
Get lots of it.
VALLEY FEVER
After the Northridge
Earthquake, Valley Fever sprung up in the San Fernando Valley (suburb of Los
Angeles) and neighboring Ventura County. There
was an article in the Ventura County Star that linked the disease
coccidioidomycosis, commonly known as "Valley Fever," to
a dust cloud that resulted from the January 1994, 6.7 magnitude Northridge
earthquake. Spores of a fungus occurring naturally in local soil were carried in
a dust cloud over Simi Valley where it caused a miniature epidemic, according to
Ventura County Public Health Officer, Dr. Gary Feldman. Valley fever accounted
for four deaths out of 52 reported cases in 1993 and at least five deaths since
the 1994 earthquake. And while Feldman does not consider it a public health
threat, he states that there might be more people who have the disease who don't
know it because of its flu-like symptoms. Generally, it's mild, but since some people died from it,
it's not non-fatal. It originally was said to be in the soil of the dry parts of
the southwest U.S., however, I have read that this fungus is now found
world-wide due to the Jet Stream.
Anyway, the point being that if
PX is going to cause massive, worldwide earthquakes, it would probably be wise
to have a rememdy on hand. I found
a natural remedy (link below) but have no personal knowledge of its efficacy.
Also, as I mentioned in an
earlier e-mail, the Northridge quake SCREAMED.
It was so LOUD you couldn't hear yourself think.
I highly recommend ear muffs, the kind Navy flight deck workers or
hunters use. If you can't afford
the highest NRR (noise reduction rate), get what you can afford and supplement
with ear plugs. It will really help
calm nerves. One source is
www.cheaperthandirt.com. Just
search for "earmuffs".
The best thing we all can do
generally is to build up our immune systems because our bodies are going to be
bombarded with all kinds of nuisances post-PX.
Valley Fever links:
http://landslides.usgs.gov/html_files/nlic/California/Jibson/valleyf.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/press_r/louie.htm
Valley Fever herbal remedy: http://www.herbsbydesign.com/products/moh_ca/fungus/prod157.html
SNAKEBITE/SPIDER BITE
Lavender has long been used
effectively against the venom produced by the adders of mountainous regions of
Europe. In any event, get help
quickly. Lavender is a first aid
not a cure-all.
How to tell if a person has
been bitten by a venomous snake: if
there are two puncture wounds, then it is probably poisonous.
If it is two rows of teeth marks without two puncture wounds, then it
probably is not venomous.
Whichever it is treat it like
it is poisonous, but don't panic (as much) if there are no puncture wounds. Get to a doctor ASAP.
Wash the bitten part with
whatever liquid you can find. DO
NOT MOVE the bitten part as it might disperse the venom, and apply lavender
essential oil as much and as often as needed.
Tie a bandage around the bitten area to slow down the circulation.
I would also recommend you
having several snake bite kits, especially if you anticipate no doctor being
available. The Sayer suction kit is
recommended. It is a bit costly, but more effective in removing venom. You can get it at www.baproducts.com
.
Lavender oil is reputedly an antidote to the bite of the black widow spider.
FIRST AID KIT
Lavender oil is the #1
essential oil to stock in your first aid kit.
Other essential oils to include are:
Tea Tree, Peppermint, Chamomile, Eucalyptus, Geranium, Rosemary, Thyme,
Lemon, Clove.
Be sure to get an encylopedic (everything-you-need-to-know-in-one-volume) book on essential oils so you will know how to properly apply them.
PET FLEA COLLARS
As I mentioned earlier, Hartz
Mountain flea and tick medicine almost killed my cat.
I found a non-toxic recipe for flea collars.
An essential oil flea collar
provides excellent protection against fleas and is very cheap and easy to make. Buy a soft material collar and soak it in the following
mixture.
Alcohol 1/2 teaspon
Cedarwood 1 drop
Lavender 1 drop
Citronella 1 drop
Thyme 1 drop
Mix with 4 garlic capsules OR 2
drops of the following mixture: 1
teaspoon vegetable oil in which 1 drop garlic essential oil has been diluted. If you are using the garlic capsules, break them open and add
the contents to the mixture. Blend
ingredients together and pour it over the collar until fully absorbed.
Let it dry before putting around your pet's neck.
It should be effective for one month.
Add 1 or 2 capsules of garlic (depending on pet's size) to your pet's
diet during the spring and summer. Fleas
don't like garlic and will leave your pet if garlic is detected in your pet's
blood.
Ticks -- do not pull out (it
will leave the head embedded). Touch
it with a cigarette or 1 drop of thyme. It
will fall off. Apply 1 drop of
lavender every five minutes to a total of ten to avoid infection and reduce pain
and swelling. I assume this is
applicable to pets as well as humans. Also,
www.baproducts.com has an item called
“tick pliers” if you want to pull them off.
APPENDICITIS
If you all saw Stephen King's
mini-series (or read the book) "The Stand" you will remember the guy
who died of appendicitis in the aftertimes.
It's a simple operation, if doctors and hospitals are available.
I have only heard of one
anecdotal report on curing appendicitis without surgery.
I've tried finding it again with no luck, so I am going on memory here.
A man posted that he had had
lower right quadrant abdominal pain. He
couldn't get to the hospital. He
rubbed thieves oil on it. It took a
while (days) but eventually the pain went away.
When he was able to get to the doctor, he told him what he had used.
The ingredients of thieves oil are:
clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus radiata and rosemary. The
proportions are propietary.
The story has it that Gary
Young, N.D. went to England and found the recipe in the archives.
It is said that during the plague a group of thieves went around robbing
the dead. They were caught and
brought before the king. The king
wanted to know why they didn't catch the plague and die.
The thieves were from a line of apothecaries who had a formula they
rubbed on their skin that prevented them from catching the plague.
The guy's doctor speculated
that it was the cinnamon, in that cinnamon has properties that could have opened
up the appendix enough to drain the infection out.
For what it's worth...use it as
a last resort. Young Living is the
only manufacturer of thieves oil. There
are many distributors. The main
website is at: http://www.youngliving.us/
(click on "Products" on the left side, in the next window, click on
Essential Oils below top in the center, next window scroll down to
"Blends", then keep scrolling to Thieves Oil, then click on the name.)
*Since this email, I found
another procedure for handling appendicitis if there is no doctor available:
The cause of appendicitis is
inevitably linked up with bowel sluggishness and is the direct outcome of a
toxic bowel condition. Any
extensive accumulation of waste matter in the colon over a period of time can
lead to the development of appendicitis (hence, the reason why you should have a
supply of psyllium husks or Metamucil around in case of no fresh vegetables and
fruits). The cure of appendicitis is simply a matter of cleansing and
purifying the entire digestive tract. DO
NOT USE LAXATIVES IF THERE IS ANY PAIN OR NAUSEA—IT COULD KILL YOU.
What you do is to stop eating and drinking (though you can take tiny sips
of coold water with a little lemon juice in it if you get thirsty).
Cold compresses should be placed over the painful area several times
daily, and an enema, consisting of ONE pint of warm water with a little lemon
juice in it can be given daily or several times a day for the first two or three
days to cleanse the lower bowel, BUT ONLY IF IT CAN
BE TAKEN COMFORTABLY. DO NOT
FORCE IT! Around the third day, the
pain should have eased sufficiently so a full enema can be taken without
distress. This consists of THREE
pints of warm water with the juice of half a lemon.
This should be repeatedly daily until pain and inflammation has subsided.
From the third day onward, fruit and vegetable juices may be taken or
water if desired. The pain should
disappear around the fifth day from onset of the pain, and once it does food is
allowed again, best eating raw or cooked fruits and vegetables to prevent the
toxic condition again (or at least take psyllium husks or Metamucil).
A CAUTION ABOUT ESSENTIAL OILS
Lavender is gentle and can be
applied directly to the skin. However,
some essential oils that need to be mixed with a carrier oil (olive oil, jojoba,
grapeseed, almond--massage oils) because they are an irritant, meaning that if
you apply it directly to your skin, you will get skin irritations.
Most are topical, meaning applied to the skin only.
However, some can be used in cooking, such as clove, lemon, orange,
grapefruit, etc. Otherwise, you
never ingest essential oils. They
are very, very concentrated. It is
best to have an encylopedic-type book on hand to refer to so you will know how
to properly handle essential oils.
DIFFUSERS/NEBULIZERS/OILS
If you are considering getting
an electric diffuser/nebulizer, then read on.
If not, you can skip this last section, unless you want a remedy for
sleeplessness or snoring caused by congestion.
Aroma Therapeutix has them.
Get their catalogue at PO Box 2908, Seal beach, CA 90740, telephone (800)
308-6284.
I have never used their oils so
you will have to inquire about the grade. They
say "pure" but that does not necessarily mean it is therapeutic grade,
it just means that there is nothing else in the bottle but what is on the label.
You have to ask: "Are
your oils therapeutic (or medicinal) grade" to cut through the ambiguous
language. If their oils are not
therapeutic or medicinal grade, then try www.audreyleigh.com
who only carries therapeutic grade.
The diffuser/nebulizer is made
of a (1) motor, (2) rubber tube that connects the motor to (3) a glass nebulizer.
When my first motor gave out
(after about a year of daily use), I looked around for the motor and found I
could buy them for $5 at www.petguys.com .
It's a small aquarium tank motor and pumps air through the tube into the
glass nebulizer where you have the distilled water and the drops of essential
oils. Thus, you don't need to keep
paying big bucks to buy a new nebulizer unit.
The motor vibrates and forces
air through the water/oil which goes through an intricate/delicate glass inner
working and comes out as a very fine mist.
The personal model covers a single room up to 300 sq. feet.
They have bigger models.
If you live in an urban area
where bioterrorism is a high risk, have several of these and keep your house
misted with lavender, tea tree or thieves oil.
If money is an issue, then get
a brand new plant sprayer and fill it with distilled water and 40-60 drops of
lavender or thieves oil, shake often and spray the air in each room frequently. (Tea Tree oil is also antimicrobial, as is lavender and
eucalyptus.)
I cured my husband's chronic
snoring as well as problems with interrupted sleep with this little contraption. I use 4-6 drops each of lavender and eucalyptus.
The lavender calms and helps you sleep, the eucalyptus opens nasal/sinus
passages to allow easier breathing when you are congested (as my husband is,
with a chronic congestion problem). The
rubber tubing is cheap, buy extra. When
you can find the glass nebulizers on sale, stock up because they are the
expensive part of the system.
Interesting anecdote. I started using a nebulizer late January 2002 after I had already had the 2001-2002 flu. This year (so far) I've not had any flu whatsoever, and neither has he. First time in my life not having the flu around Christmas. I really think it is the lavender.
Virtually all long-term storage
food programs revolve around beans and grains (wheat, corn, rice, etc.)
Here are some BEAN tips:
1.
First you have to soak beans in 3-4 times their volume for 6-8 hours, or
overnight. After the soaking,
remove any beans that are floating.
2.
To quick soak, boil the amount of water you would use to soak the beans.
Drop the beans in slowly so as not to interrupt the boil.
Let the pot boil for two minutes more, then remove it from the heat and
let the beans sit for an hour or more. Then
proceed to cook for the time noted for each bean.
3.
Quickest cooking beans (by boiling) are lentils (30 mins.), followed by
split peas (35-40 mins.), then adzukis, baby limas (45-50 mins.), black
(turtle), fava, lima, white (great northern, navy, pea) (45-60) minutes.
4.
Pressure cookers cook them faster: Lentils
(6-8 mins.), followed by adzukis, baby limas (15-20 mins.), black (turtle) (10
mins.), white (great northern, navy, pea) (4-5) minutes.
(Lima beans, fava beans, and
split peas are not recommended for pressure cooking.)
5.
Pressure Cooker Method: Soak
the beans as above, and place them in the cooker with the water.
To avoid possible clogging of the vent pipe by foam, do not fill the
cooker more than one-third full of soaked beans and liquid.
(One tablespoon of vegetable oil added to the pot will prevent the
contents from foaming up and keep any loose seed coats from clogging the steam
escape valve.) Next, place the
cover on securely and put the pressure regulator on the vent pipe.
Following manufacturer's directions for bringing the cooker to the
desired pressure. Start to monitor
the cooking as soon as the pressure is reached.
At the end of the cooking period, reduce the interior pressure by
removing the cooker from the heat and letting it stand for about five minutes,
until the pressure drops. The skins
are less likely to break if the pressure is allowed to rise and fall gradually.
6.
Storage. Uncooked beans need
to be stored in a cool dry place, tightly covered glass jars preferably. Add a couple of bay leaves to each container discourages
insects and other creatures.
7.
Preparing cooked beans with molasses increases their calcium value.
8.
To prevent (or at least minimize) gas:
Soak dried beans in water for at least three hours.
Throw away the soaking water and cook the beans in fresh water for at
least 30 minutes. Throw out the
cooking water again, add fresh water, and continue cooking until the beans are
done. This process does lose some
nutrients, but it rids the beans of oligosaccharides, the culprits of the gas
problem.
SOYBEANS are something to
seriously consider for your home storage program.
You can make Tofu (also called bean curd or soy cheese), soy milk, and
soy oil from these versatile beans. The
beans are prepared for eating in the same way as other dried beans.
Tofu can be used in hot and cold dishes. It is bland so