Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Prepper: Economic Storm Of The Century Is Coming

Prepper: Economic Storm Of The Century Is Coming (Video)
This blog is LOADED with the latest from the prepping/survivalist world.  Noah and Joseph "prepped" how about you?

Economic activity is slowing down all over the planet, and a whole host of signs are indicating that we are essentially exactly where we were just prior to the great stock market crash of 2008. The economies of Japan, Brazil, Canada and Russia are all in recession. Today, I am mainly going to focus on the United States. We are seeing so many things happen right now that we have not seen since 2008 and 2009. In so many ways, it is almost as if we are watching an eerie replay of what happened the last time around, and yet most of the “experts” still appear to be oblivious to what is going on. If you were to make up a checklist of all of the things that you would expect to see just before a major stock market crash, virtually all of them are happening right now.


The following are 11 critical indicators that are absolutely screaming that the global economic crisis is getting deeper…
#1 Recently, the price of oil closed below 40 dollars a barrel. Back in 2008, the price of oil crashed below 40 dollars a barrel just before the stock market collapsed, and now it has happened again.
#2 The price of copper has plunged all the way down to $2.04. The last time it was this low was just before the stock market crash of 2008.
#3 The Business Roundtable’s forecast for business investment in 2016 has dropped to the lowest level that we have seen since the last recession.
#4 Corporate debt defaults have risen to the highest level that we have seen since the last recession. This is a huge problem because corporate debt in the U.S. has approximately doubled since just before the last financial crisis.
#5 The Bloomberg U.S. economic surprise index is more negative right now than it was at any point during the last recession. #6 Credit card data that was just released shows that holiday sales have gone negative for the first time since the last recession. 
“Peter Schiff” u.s. usa america “united states” imports exports trade economy “stock market” “savings account” savings “bank account” banking debt credit “credit card” money wealth jobs job employment “job agency” poverty poor christmas sale manufacturing “made in usa” 2015 2016 interest “interest rate” mortgage “real estate” gold silver “silver eagle coin” “silver coin” news media entertainment “elite nwo agenda” “binary options” data jim rogers marc faber lindsey williams alex jones infowars coast to coast am louis farrakhan rawdogletard 
#7 U.S. manufacturing is contracting at the fastest pace that we have seen since the last recession. #8 The velocity of money in the United States has dropped to the lowest level ever recorded. Not even during the depths of the last recession was it ever this low.
#9 In 2008, commodity prices crashed just before the stock market did, and late last month the Bloomberg Commodity Index hit a 16 year low. #10 In the past, stocks have tended to crash about 12-18 months after a peak in corporate profit margins. At this point, we are 15 months after the most recent peak. #11 If you look back at 2008, you will see that junk bonds crashed horribly. Why this is important is because junk bonds started crashing before stocks did, and right now they have dropped to the lowest point that they have been since the last financial crisis.
If just one or two of these indicators were flashing red, that would be bad enough.
The fact that all of them seem to be saying the exact same thing tells us that big trouble is ahead.
And I am not the only one saying this. Just today, a Reuters published article discussed that Citigroup analysts are   projecting the U.S. economy is at risk for a recession in 2016. the perentage number hovering at a 65 percent chance.


Lindsey Williams – Warning to prepare for an emergency. Stock up on food, water and supplies now!

Lindsey Williams –Warning to prepare for an emergency. Stock up on food, water and supplies now!

Here is the scenario.  “Government agencies are having difficulty making their payments.  State governments are issuing vouchers to pay their bills.  US Social Security is late in issuing its payments to retirees and the disabled.  Many banks are issuing warnings about liquidity.   The prices of food are escalating by the hour.  Instead of talking about the latest inane reality TV show, everyone is talking about inflation, money, mass layoffs, etc.  It is 5 days before the economic collapse.”   So, what do you do?

RELATED : How to Survive the Next 4 Years by Lindsey Williams

Our current recession/depression is slow creeping at this point towards a bad outcome.  Although I believe US and Canada are still 3 to 5 years away from an economic collapse, I woefully believe that the collapse is coming. 
Euro will collapse first.  Greece and Spain have already collapsed.  Italy and Portugal are soon to collapse next.  Having this insight, I have been preparing vigorously for the past 2 years. 
During these past 2 years, I have often thought about what the last 5 days would look like before a collapse. 

RELATED : Tips That Will Help You Prepare For The Coming Economic Depression

Because governments will do everything and anything to delay the onset of an economic collapse, as they should, I believe the problem will build to a dramatic point, where the economy will fall off a ledge very quickly. 
With the US Federal Government running $1 trillion dollar deficits for the past 3 years, how long can that continue?  
As some point in time, no foreign government or domestic entity will want to buy US Federal debt.  
Then the only option is for the US Federal Reserve to generate artificial money, not backed by tax revenues nor by any tangible assets, in order for the Fed to buy US Federal debt. 
At some point in time, the continual injection of fiat currencies will trigger a hyper-inflation period.  At that point in time, the spiral towards economic collapse will accelerate.
RELATED : Benefits Of Food Storage During Economic Collapse Or Civil Unrest, Rioting


Top 10 Immune-Boosting Tips to Survive the Cold and Flu Season 

As we enter into the cold and flu season, it is the perfect time to be thinking about your immune system and practical ways to help boost it. Alex and I practice these immune-boosting tips every day of the year and we are always extra pleased when we are able to ward off a nasty flu or cold.
These tips are our tried-and-true suggestions for increasing immunity and maintaining good health all year long. Let's start with a brief explanation of what your immune system is: The immune system is the body's defense against infectious organisms and other invaders. Through a series of steps called the immune response, the immune system attacks organisms and substances that invade body systems and cause disease.
As you can see, it is important to help boost immunity so that your body can effectively do its job in fighting off sickness.
Here are our top 10 immune-boosting tips to help you stay healthy and active this winter season.
1. Build up your gut health. You can't have happy thoughts on a sour stomach. 80% of your bodies immune system is in the gut. Start by eating probiotic rich foods and drinks such as kraut, kimchi and kefir. Here is a link we posted on how to make your own kefir.
Increasing probiotics in the gut will help to build up the good bacteria in your body and help greatly boost immune system.
2. Proper supplementation. Alex and I love to supplement with several key products to help boost our immunity year round such as medicinal mushrooms. One of our personal favorites is called "My Community" by Host Defense. We also take vitamin C powder in the form of simple ascorbic acid. If we feel something coming on we start loading up 5-7 milligrams a day spread out evenly. This is one of the most inexpensive ways to help boost your bodies immune system. We also love the homeopathic remedies by Boiron especially if we feel like we are coming down with something.
3. Bone broth soup. This is really a hidden treasure. Bone broth soup is not only great for immunity but it is very healing to the gut. This is also very rich in collagen which is great for hair, skin, nails and joints.
4. Proper hydration. Staying hydrated helps with detoxification and functioning optimally among numerous other benefits. Try drinking purified water and organic herbal teas. We like to add fresh squeezed organic lemons to our water for a refreshing change and extra added benefit of cleansing & alkalizing the body.
5. Optimize your Vitamin D3 levels. This has immuno-protective and stimulating benefits. Many people are walking around Vitamin D3 deficients and this can cause your immune system to suffer. Here is a great article by Dr. Mercola that goes more in-depth.
6. Minimize coffee consumption. Caffeine is known to increase cortisol which can temporarily lower the immune system. If you are going to drink it, drink a cup in the morning and preferably organic. An even better option is to drink a good quality organic green tea in place of coffee.
7. Sweat it out. Try laying in the sauna or steam room for small periods at a time while drinking plenty of water & infusing Eucalyptus essential oils. This helps with detoxifying the body and increasing body heat which helps improve circulation.
8. Eat clean, nutritious food. Your body is what you eat. Limit grains and eliminate sugar if at all possible. Feed your body good quality lean proteins such as grass fed meats, organic chicken, fish or turkey. Increase your good healthy fats such as avocados, raws nuts and seeds and extra virgin first cold pressed olive oil (preferably local, not imported) and fermented raw grass fed dairy such as cheese, yogurt and kefir. (See link from #1)
9. Drink raw apple cider vinegar with the mother. We like to drink Braggs ACV. I put two tablespoons diluted with 8-10 oz. water first thing each morning upon waking. This has so many wonderful benefits including boosting immunity, hydration, detoxification and it is fantastic for gut health as well as alkalizing your body. Read up on this if you want to know more.
10. Manage stress. I saved the best for last! Stress is a silent killer and it definitely contributes to lowering immunity. Try managing your stress by taking time for things you enjoy, exercising daily (medium to heavy resistance training) and cardio as well as getting plenty of rest each night. Alex and I like to shut off our router and stop all technology about an hour before bed. This helps us to rest better and also prevents us from looking at "blue light" which can disturb melatonin production or cause insomnia.

The Basics of Salting and Preserving Meat

The key to salting meat is the process of diffusion: the tendency for substances to disperse through another substance until equilibrium is reached.

From the hills of Italy to the Spanish plains, dry-cured pork has been an essential (and delicious) food source for many cultures. In Dry-Curing Pork (The Countryman Press, 2014), Hector Kent explains the techniques and traditions of dry-curing in clear and accessible language. This excerpt, which explains the basics of the dry-curing process, is from the Section, "The Art of Dry-Cured Meat."
The application of salt to meat is the first critical component of dry-cured meats. Salting also includes the addition of nitrates and nitrites, if used.

When people ask what dry-cured pork is, I describe it as “salty, old meat”—a description that not everyone sees as favorable, but I find efficient and accurate, as you can’t have dry-cured meat without salt and age. Salt both prevents the growth of unwanted bacteria, and aids in the drying of the meat.

Embrace the saltiness of dry-cured meats, and if you’re trying to limit salt in your diet, slice the meat thinly, and consume in moderation. There is a small range of adjustment to salt concentration you can make in the recipes, but as with all preserved foods, important and inflexible guidelines dictate the amount of salt. The recommended guideline is more than 2.6 percent salt in all dry-curing, and 0.25 percent curing salt.
Salt is a primary ingredient and flavor, and using an interesting sea salt will add complexity to your finished product. The different mineral profiles found in sea salts will influence flavor in different ways, so as you refine your recipes, I encourage experimentation with different types of salt. Be aware that some salts contain many impurities, which may remain on the outside of the meat after the salt has been absorbed; just rinse them off, and they shouldn’t be a concern.
An alternative to sea salt is Diamond kosher salt, which has a relatively neutral flavor and is inexpensive, easily available, and recommended by many professionals. I often use the brand and I’ve always been pleased with the results. Unlike Morton kosher salt (which will also work well), Diamond kosher doesn’t contain any anti-caking agents. If it isn’t available, canning salt is also a pure salt option. Do not use iodized table salt.

Curing Salt

Few ingredients in our food are so ubiquitous yet so maligned as nitrates and nitrites. Commonly referred to as curing salt, and naturally occurring throughout the biological world, including in the human body, nitrates, nitrites, and their related nitrogen-based compounds are among the basic components of the world’s nutrient cycles (remember the nitrogen cycle from middle school?). They are critical for our world’s functioning ecosystem, and are essential for the safety of many dry-cured meats.

How To Live Without Electricity – Part II

We are a generation that was born on innovation and in a short period of time we became addicted to all the electronic devices that are part of our daily lives. All these devices rely on a common denominator – electricity. When the flow of electricity suddenly stops, our normal existence will stop as well and we will have to adapt to a new world, a world without electricity.

In the previous article titled “How to Live without electricity – part I”, we’ve looked at the main threats that can plunge our world into darkness, but we also listed the primary needs that we need to fulfill once there is no more electricity.
Although the following areas are important to survival they are not as critical as the first primary needs. Some may argue that these needs are equally important, but survival and especially long-term survival is different from case to case. If you are a doctor, self-healing shouldn’t be a problem for you, but securing your home and fending off looters might be. If you are the handyman type you will probably be able to become self-sufficient, but you also know that you will require help at some point. Long term survival is different from one person to another, but regardless of whom you are, having the right knowledge and the ability to make the environment work in your favor will significantly increase your chances of survival in world without electricity.
The following needs: sanitation, medicine, security, entertainment, social interaction and self-development should be addressed and it’s better to have a clear idea of what you should expect in a world without electricity. All these needs will affect your life at some point and they are important for long-term survival.

Sanitation in a world without electricity

When the flow of electricity stops, the world will not only get darker, but it will get filthier as well. Waste management will become one of your main problems and especially human waste. Your living environment plays an important role on how you should handle this. If you have the space you can dig a latrine, but make sure you do it in a location away from your home. Dig a shallow trench about 4 feet long, 6 inches deep and 6 inches wide. Set aside a pile of loose topsoil to cover the waste. If this is not an option for you, try to improvise a toilet bucket if you have enough heavy duty plastic bags to spare. You will have to discard the bags and you will have to do this at night if you want to keep a low profile. Try to bury them if you can and if not, deposit them in various locations. You should avoid discarding the bags in one place because it will give away your position in a long-term survival scenario. If your living area allows it, you should install a compost toilet; you will have less trouble to worry about.
In a world without electricity, trash will pile up and it will bring pests and diseases. If you’ve traveled to countries that are less developed, you know what I’m talking about. When it comes to handling trash in a world without electricity, recycling plays an important role. You might not be into recycling right now, but you will have no other choice than to reuse what you consume in a changing world. Your garbage disposal won’t work and you will need to find better ways of using your organic trash. Building a biogas generator is a perfect solution for getting rid of organic waste and it will provide you with fuel that you can use during emergencies. Another method of using organic waste is composting and it involves recycling decomposing organic materials into a rich soil that you can use for your garden. Anything else that you use can be recycled as well; if it’s made of wood or metal you can find a use for it and all you need is imagination. You can make traps from your metal cans or you can improvise an alarm system. Here’s just a quick tip: get a used metal can and remove the lid completely, clean it with sand or ash (if you want to save water), nail it to a long wood pole and use it to pick fruits from nearby trees. Anything from your household can be used for survival if you put your mind into it, and you will have a lot of time to do that.
Staying clean in a world without electricity is another aspect you should rethink. You will probably never be truly clean again and you will have to say goodbye to those long hot showers. However, there are still solutions to keep a good hygiene. For general bathing, a camp shower will work just great and it’s better to have one, regardless if you go camping or if you are trapped in a world without electricity. The basic solution would be to rely on sponge baths to stay clean, but it’s less efficient than using a camp shower. Regardless of what methods you opt for, make sure you have a system in place for collecting the runoff water and later reuse it for your garden. Some people are stockpiling wet sanitary napkins and other such items, but that’s only a short-term solution. They will run out eventually and you will have to find other ways of staying clean. You can also improvise a rain catching system using five gallon water bottles. Get a few of these bottles and attach them to the outside of your home, cut a hole in the bottom of the bottles and connect them to your rain gutters. Use a water hose to connect the bottles with the interior of your home and that’s pretty much it. Make sure to paint the water bottles the same color as the exterior of your house. Another good solution for storing emergency water are the waterbricks. These amazing lego-type bricks will help you store water for whatever needs you may have and the best part is that they are multi-use (you can even store grains or ammo if you wish).
Taking care of your teeth is vitally important so you should do everything you can to stock up on the necessary items. However, just like all the other supplies at some point, you will have to make do without the common toothbrush and toothpaste. You can make your own toothpaste and a simple recipe involves using one part of salt and two parts of baking soda. It won’t taste great, but it will do the trick of keeping your teeth and gums clean. You can also make your own mouthwash and all you need is hydrogen peroxide and water. Mix equal quantities and you will be OK as long as you do not swallow the mixture. Keeping a good oral hygiene in a world without electricity shouldn’t be a problem and you need to learn how to make your own toothpaste and mouthwash.
Related reading: How to make toothpaste and mouthwash at home
Another aspect of sanitation that people seem to forget about or just ignore is taking care of the dead ones. No I’m not talking about zombies here, I’m talking about the delicate situation of handling corpses. Any long-term disaster will create causalities and even if we like it or not, we will have to deal with this. In a world without electricity, time will take a toll on human lives and everyone should take care of the dead bodies that will pile up. This will become a reality and something will need to be done with corpses. Chances are the local funeral homes won’t be able to help you. Leaving dead bodies scattered around is a health hazard and it’s also a big hit on morale. If you have to dispose of a body and you want to give a proper burial, you will have to bury the body 3 feet under to prevent disease transmission. You don’t have to build a coffin as it will require for you to dig a bigger hole and it can be a backbreaking labor. You can wrap the body in cloth before burial, it won’t matter in the long run. Another option is cremation, but this will require a lot of wood and it will also attract unwanted attention.

Medicine in a world without electricity

In a world without electricity you would see the complete collapse of modern medical capability. We are used to summon an ambulance with a simple phone call and the evaporation of healthcare is terrifying for most of us. Every injury you suffer is potentially fatal if not treated immediately and properly. An important aspect of emergency preparedness is stockpiling medicine, but self-healing is more than having the right medicine and right tools. Self-healing is about knowing how to use what you have and knowing how to make do with what you can find. I won’t go into details about what you should have in your medical kit as you can find a lot of information online. However, I have to stress the idea about having a good stock of specific medication that you will need and about knowing alternatives cures for your specific illness. Stockpiled medications aren’t going to last forever and you need to learn about natural remedies. Get field guides to medical plants and herbs native to your environment, organize trips to see if and what you can forage and how easy you can do it. Natural healing is so complex and amazing that’s impossible not to find a solution for your medical conditions. Books on self-care and natural healing are a must for every SHTF library.
http://beforeitsnews.com/self-sufficiency/2015/12/how-to-live-without-electricity-part-ii-2497668.html 

Learn How This Family Grows 6,000 Lbs Of Food on Just 1/10th Acre

Ever thought of growing your own food but didn’t think it was possible? It’s more that possible! It might even be the way of the future. If the Dervaes family can do it while living in Los Angeles, I think you can to.
The Dervaes family live on 1/10th of an acre 15 minutes from downtown L.A.. In itself that’s not strange. What’s crazy is that they manage to maintain a sustainable and independent urban farm. Complete with animals!
In a year they produce around 4,300 pounds of veggies, 900 chicken , 1000 duck eggs, 25 lbs honey, and pounds of seasonal fruit. There are over 400 species of plants. What?! They have everything they need to ‘live off the land.’ From beets to bees. Chickens to chickpeas.
What the family doesn’t eat they sell from their porch, making around $20,000 a year. Local organic food is so popular that they don’t have any problems finding customers. Even chefs/owners from local restaurants seek them out.
I tried to figure out how big 1/10th (0.1) of an acre is in perspective to other things . I used this website, findlotsize.com, and put markers around my ‘house.’ I got a rough estimate that mine is 0.062, but my math seems wrong since my place looks way smaller. It’s interesting to know all the same. Check it out … if you’re curious to learn what size yours is.
Here’s the video… Enjoy!


 

 Top 20 Survival Knives

 One of the most popular questions in conversation games is the classical “Name three things you would bring with you on a deserted island”.

And while many say books, their favorite movies, their partner, their dog or pictures of their loved ones, we say one of your three choices should definitely be a survival knife.
Books and pictures are alright, but a survival knife can really make the difference between life and death in a tight spot while outdoors.
But how do you choose? The possibilities seem endless, so we’ve put together for you a list of the best 20 survival knives, taking into consideration criteria such as their reliability, multi purposing or how much they cost.
Here they are.

1. The Tool Logic SL Pro 2
Tool Logic SLP2
The main word defining this knife is ‘multi-purpose’.
It has a 3 inch 50/20 serrated blade, but it also doubles as a signal whistle, spark rod and LED flashlight. These extra features make it ideal for an outdoor situation where you are required to do more than one thing, because it gives you the opportunity to pack lightly. 

2. The Buck Hoodlum
Buck Hoodlum
It has quality and legacy on its side. It’s has been left to us by the great Ron Hood, a respected figure in the field of survival.
The first thing you observe with this knife is its length. It has a 10 inch steel blade, complete with powder coat finish, to make it rust resistant.
Apart from that, another great thing is its shock absorbent Black Linen Micarta handle, which means you can attach the knife to a pole and use it as a spear. 

3. The Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife from Gerber
Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife
Apart from the fact that it comes via the famous Bear Grylls, the knife itself has a stainless steel blade which is almost 5 inches long and a waffle head hammer on the pommel.
It’s sturdy and great for difficult jobs, because of the short, resistant blade and its gripped handle, complete with a spark rod and a whistle. 

4. The Ontario SK-5 Blackbird
Ontario SK-5 Blackbird
Completely US made, this particular knife said no to embellishment and yes to multi-purposing.
You can use it to split wood and for carvings, as it has a fine 5 inch high-grade stainless steel blade and black Micarta handles. 

5. Army and Air Force Issue Survival Knife
sharpening stone
The first thing you need to know about thins knife is that it was made for and used by professionals.
The second thing is that it comes with its very own sharpening stone, which assures you it will be sharp at all times. It’s made of carbon steel and its finish is rust resistant and made of zinc phosphate. 

6. The CRKT M21 Aluminum Folder
M21 Aluminum Folder
As the name suggests, it’s a folder, which comes with two safety locks, a short, 3 inch blade and it can be opened with one hand, which makes it very easy to use.
Also, it’s very light, just 3.2 ounces, which means you can carry it in your pocket at all times.

7. The Swiss Army Knife Adventurer
Swiss Army Knife Adventurer
This is the classic everyone knows and loves and every little boy wants. If you want the king of multi-purposing, this is it.
It has a blade, a can and bottle opener, tweezers, toothpick, screw drivers and it only weighs 2.9 ounces.

8. The Cold Steel Recon 1 Spear Point
Cold Steel Recon 1 Spear Point
Its best feature is the fact that it is thin and light, which makes it perfect for carrying around in an unfriendly environment.
It weighs 5.3 ounces and has a stainless clip, which means you can attach it to your belt or pocket, giving you freedom of movement and easy access.

9. The CRKT Ultima
CRKT Ultima
This knife takes you back to your roots, because it was designed after the Bronze Age daggers dating some 4000 years ago. Its beast feature by far is the handle, which has 70 triangle separated segments.
This allows not only for a far better grip, but for water, debris and gunk to slip away as well.

10. The SOG Force
SOG Force
Razor sharp by default, this particular knife allows you to break glass easily using its handle’s point. It has a contoured shape molded after the human fingers, which allows for a perfect in-hand grip.
Pay attention to meat related issues, as this one is more for filleting than for butchering.

11. The Fallkniven A1
Fallkniven A1
It has often been called the number one survival knife, because of its level of performance. Its blade has been especially designed to operate as a spear as well and it has a satin finish.
It’s very easy on the eye with a futuristic design and ergonomic grip.

12. LMF II, courtesy of Gerber as well.
LMF II
It’s extremely popular, having Bear Grylls to support it. The blade is almost 5 inches and it has a glass-filled handle, which will greatly reduce fatigue.
Also, this one insulates from electrical shocks via its handle. 

13. The Frost Mora Knife
Frost Mora Knife
It’s a very beautiful piece of weaponry, it comes from Sweden, has an elegant wooden handle and, the most important thing, it’s very cheap.
It usually costs between $12 and $17.

14. The Helle Temagami
Helle Temagami
This one is Swedish as well, but it costs more than the Frost Mora. It presents superior quality, a 4 inch blade, birch handle and it was designed with the aid of famous survivor-man Les Stroud.

15. The Spyderco Bushcraft G-10 Plain Edge
Spyderco Bushcraft G-10 Plain Edge
It’s famous because it can cut through wood as well as game with ease and elegance. It has a full tang, which permits it to be abused, making resistance its top quality.
Its edge angle is so sharp that slicing will require no effort at all.

16. ESEE-4
ESEE-4
If you are looking for something durable, your choice should be this knife. It’s made from high-carbon 1095 steel, it has a full flat grind and a rounded pommel.
It’s definitely a tactical knife made to last. 

17. The Ka-Bar Becker BK2 Companion
Ka-Bar Becker BK2 Companion
It’s a loved knife because of the amazing pairing between lightweight and durability it brings to the table. It’s most used when it comes to chopping or skinning game or for making kindling.

18. The Ontario RTAK II Fixed Blade Knife
Ontario RTAK II Fixed Blade Knife
It has as its main quality versatility. It’s the product of combining a fighting knife with a survival blade and a workhorse.
They all come together into a 10 inch blade with a Micarta canvas handle and a Molle sheath with built-in utility pouch. 

19. The Ka-Bar Mule Folder
Ka-Bar Mule Folder
This one was designed as a heavy-duty tool. This means you can treat it as roughly as you want. It has an almost 4 inch blade, a hollow grind and a 15 degree angle, making it very sharp. 

20. The KA-BAR Full-Size Black, Straight Edge
KA Bar Marine Corps FIghting
The last on the list is this amazing piece of weaponry used by the US Marine Corps. The 7 inch blade is made of 1095 chrome-vanadium steel. The Marines call it their one and only knife, because it’s dependable and will see any job done.
Here are your top 20 choices when it comes to survival knives. Sometimes it’s difficult to choose, because your options are so many, but remember to take into consideration your needs, your purposes and your budget.
Figure out if you want a folder or a fixed blade and you’re good to go.

Here’s How to Find Out if it’s a GMO Product

 

25 Things That You Should Do To Get Prepared For The Coming Economic Collapse

Do you think that you know how to prepare for the collapse of the economy?  If so, are you putting that knowledge into action?  In America today, people are more concerned about the possibility of an economic collapse than ever before.  It has been estimated that there are now three million preppers in the United States.  But the truth that nobody really knows the actual number, because a lot of preppers keep their “prepping” to themselves.  So what are all of those people preparing for exactly?  Well, survey after survey has shown that “economic collapse” is the number one potential disaster that preppers are most concerned about.  Of course that shouldn’t be surprising because we truly are facing economic problems that are absolutely unprecedented. 
We are living in the greatest debt bubble in the history of the world, the global banking system has been transformed into a high-risk pyramid scheme of debt, risk and leverage that could collapse at any time, and wealthy countries such as the United States have been living way above their means for decades.  Meanwhile, the United States is being deindustrialized at a blinding pace and poverty in this country isabsolutely exploding.  Anyone that is not concerned about the economy should have their head examined.  Fortunately, I have found that an increasing number of Americans are becoming convinced that we are heading for a horrific economic crisis.  Once they come to that realization, they want to know what they should do.

RELATED : Preppers Beware : Our “Hoarding” Can Be Deemed Illegal

And the reality is that “getting prepared” is going to look different for each family based on their own unique circumstances.  Some people have a lot of resources, while others have very little.  Some people are very independent of the system and can move wherever they want, while others are totally dependent on their jobs and must stay near the cities at least for now.

http://www.prepperfortress.com/25-things-that-you-should-do-to-get-prepared-for-the-coming-economic-collapse/

How to Make a Homemade Water Filter

This post is sponsored by Prepper Academy, the only preparedness program that shows you step-by-step how to rapidly prepare for the coming hard times — no matter what your income or where you live.
In a SHTF situation, clean drinking water is a must. Why spend hundreds on a filter when you can make a quality one at home for a fraction of the price?
If things were to go south and clean drinking water became unavailable, your Brita filter is not going to cut it.
Having a quality filtration system that can turn contaminated water into life-saving drinkable water is an absolute must for every preparedness-minded person. Despite knowing this, many preppers will hold off on buying one because of the price.


RELATED : Turn Undrinkable Water Into Pure, Crystal-Clear Distilled Water With a Home-Built Solar still.

 

Why wait? Instead of dishing out your hard-earned money on a $300 filtration system, you can make your own for well under a $100.
In this article, I’ll be showing you how to make a quality filtration system that compares to the big-boy name brands but at a fraction of the cost ($30 to be exact).

What you’ll need

  • Two 5-gallon food-grade buckets and lids – You should not need to pay for these. Most bakeries, grocery stores (the bakery section), and restaurants will give these away for free.
  • One or more quality filter elements – These can be any of the Berkey style candle filters or thicker ceramic filters (which I use in this post). You’ll want to find one that has a filtration efficiency of at least 0.2 micron and exceeds the NSF (National Safety Foundation) standards.
RELATED : How To Store Emergency Food and Water Supplies- For Any Disaster

How to make a homemade water filter

Making your own homemade water filter is a very simple process:
Step 1: Drill a 1/2″ hole in the bottom of your top bucket for each filter element (if more than one):

RELATED : Lindsey Williams – Warning to prepare for an emergency. Stock up on food, water and supplies now!

Step 2: Place the top bucket onto the lid of the bottom bucket and using the hole(s) you just drilled, trace a circle onto the bottom-bucket lid with a marker:
Water Filter
Step 3: Using the circle mark(s) as a guide, drill another 1/2″ hole in the lid of the bottom bucket for each circle you have drawn:
Water Filter
RELATED : What’s in Your Drinking Water — You Really Should See This!
Step 4: Install the filter element(s) in the hole(s) you made in the top bucket (If your filter comes with a pre-filter “sock”, you’ll want to set that up before installing):
wate filter
Step 5: Drill a 3/4″ hole on the side and near the bottom of the bottom bucket:
water filter
Step 6: Install the spigot:
water filter
RELATED : Hydration for the Apocalypse: How to Store Water for Long-Term Emergencies
Step 7: Place the top bucket onto the lid of the bottom bucket ensuring that you align the filter element nipple(s) wth the hole(s) of the lid from the bottom bucket:
water filter
Step 8: Fill the top bucket with water and in an hour you will have bacteria free water to drink in the bottom bucket:
water filter
Step 9: Enjoy the clean, clear, filtered water:
water filter
RELATED : Water Storage Tips

Testing out the filter

In addition to showing you how to make a homemade water filter, I also wanted to use this opportunity to test out the filter element that I got from InternetPrepper.com.
I already tried this test with the Berkey filter elements that I have (which passed without issue), but I figured given the huge price difference between the generic filter from InternetPrepper.com and the British Berkefield ones, I wanted to see if I could drink the same stagnant water without any ill effects.
The water I used in this experiment is from a nearby small pool of water that resembles a small swamp. I’m pretty certain it’s loaded with giardia and other biological nasties.
Since this could potentially be one of the sources of water that my family would use in a SHTF situation, I want to be sure we don’t get sick from it. So now’s the time to test it.
RELATED : Finding Water In the City When the SHTF

My results

CLARITY

water filterwater filter
As you can see from the two pictures, their is a stark difference in clarity. Keep in mind that clarity is only the first step which means it’s good at sediment removal but it does not mean it necessarily tastes good or is free of biological contaminants.

TASTE

After taking a taste, it was ok. There was a slight flat taste to it which is likely due to it not being very oxygenated since it’s a stagnant pool of water (similar to boiled water). I’m sure if it was river water or some other running source of water with a lot of oxygen it would have been better.
To ensure that I’m making a fair comparison, I did run the filter first through a couple gallons of tap water which tastes pretty good in our town.
For those that like more of an oxygenated taste, you can pour the water back and forth from one container to the other which will oxygenate it and improve the taste.
RELATED : Ultra Wealthy Ignore Drought: “No, We’re Not All Equal When It Comes To Water”

PURITY

This is difficult to really test unless you have the right equipment. Since I don’t have the equipment, the best I can do is drink a few glasses and wait a week or two. As of this writing, it’s been a little over a week since I drank the water. So far so good. I have not had any ill effects like diarhea or stomach pains.
Otherwise, given their price, I would recommend purchasing a few of the filter kits for you and your loved ones (or for future barter). Again, you can get the kits at the following link: InternetPrepper.com.


Top FIVE urban survival mistakes that can kill you


(Bugout.news) Any SHTF scenario will be difficult to get through, no matter how much you prep for it. That’s because whether we want to admit it or not, we’re all very much accustomed to our modern lives and any dramatic change to said lifestyle would be hard to adjust to.
That said, there are five things you should never do when making your survival preparations because they literally can get you killed.

Keep your mouth shut. Many of us like to talk about all the effort we’re making to prep for the day society breaks down. We like to talk about that nifty new device or piece of technology or how much ammo we have and how many guns we’ve got. But like the military, you need to maintain OPSEC – “Operational Security” – regarding your prepping. Only tell those you can trust completely, if you tell anyone at all, about what you’re doing. Otherwise, if you tell the wrong person, when SHTF someone will remember “that guy” or “that girl” who has all the survivalist gear, food and water, and they may come to take it from you. Just remember that desperate people will do desperate things.
Stay clueless. If you don’t have a plan to bugout, bug-in or otherwise ride out a natural disaster or SHTF scenario, you’re infinitely more likely not to survive it. You would do well to sort of “wargame” various scenarios that could feasibly happen in your area – floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, rioting, etc., and then even practice putting your plan into place (via training and practice runs, etc.). Know where you’re going, how to get there, and have a Plan B, C and D as well.
Breaking the law. It might be tempting to join the crowd in a SHTF situation when it comes to looting a store or breaking into homes in an attempt to find food, water and shelter. But in such situations, you’re going to meet some sort of resistance at some point in time, either from armed, scared and desperate homeowners or local police/military forces. Don’t get sucked into the mob mentality because it could get you killed. Also, you should have been prepping already anyway – right?
Shoot first. Do you know a fellow prepper who has said, “I’ll shoot first and ask questions later” – ? Don’t be that guy, and there are reasons for this. For one, everyone will know that you are armed and some will want to liberate those arms from you, anyway they can (think ambush, or attack with overwhelming numbers). Second, maybe your potential adversary is already armed – do you think they’d shoot back? And finally, law and order will most likely be restored eventually, so if you shoot someone and they die, you could be charged for murder. And while your state may not have the death penalty, you’d certainly be deprived of your freedom and liberty.
Forgetting about home security. This is a big one because many people take it for granted that they’ll be able to “defend” their own home. What makes you think so – because you have a couple guns, some ammo and locks on your doors? During times of chaos home burglaries will soar, so you need to research ways to make your home more safe and deter burglars and others from stopping by your place. Physical door jams, electronic alarms, having a dog in the house and improved door locks can all help keep you safer from the chaos. But should these measures fail, do you have a backup plan?



Everyday items that can be used for survival and prepping

 Our homes, cars, offices and even dustbins are full of stuff that we barely give a second glance to. Many of those items are multi-purpose and can be used for prepping and/or in situations where our survival is challenged. Being able to adapt and use regular everyday items that you have around you is an important skill and can make a real difference to you chances of survival. (Story by Liz Bennett, republished from UnderGroundMedic.com.)

When we think of these situations our minds often imagine us stuck in the wilderness in a snow storm...or freezing to death stuck on the M25. It all depends where you live as to the situation you could find yourself in.

Although it's a fact that large cities will be far more dangerous than a rural retreat should the SHTF, many people will not leave. Some just have nowhere else to go, others couldn't leave other relatives undefended and some make a conscious decision to stay put. Those that are left behind will have a massive amount of materials at their disposal if they are able to access it.

We also know that just because you have made the decision to leave it may in real life not work out like that. In that light it's worthwhile to have a look at some everyday household items that can be adapted to uses their inventors never even considered.

Here are some items that you may not have thought of as multi-purpose. I won't bother listing the regular use for items...I think that's pretty obvious.

Bra: Cut at the center front, a bra makes two reasonable particulate matter facemasks. Not as good as an N95 but far, far better than nothing.

Tampons/sanitary napkins: Fluffed up a tampon can make pretty good tinder and left whole they are excellent for plugging penetrating wounds. Make sure that you remove them from the wound carefully to avoid dislodging any clot that has formed in the depth of the wound. Sanitary napkins are great as pressure dressings and both tampons and napkins make good water filters. Fluffed up both items will take a spark and are useful as tinder. The string on a tampon can be used as a wick in any oil type candle/light. Allow the string to soak up the oil or fat and then light.

Shoelaces: There are several uses for shoelaces. Use as cordage where length is not an issue such as holding a splint in place. They can be used as a small snare and even as an emergency tourniquet.

Empty soda bottle: Another item that has many uses. With the top and bottom cut off and a cut up the side you get a sheet of plastic that can be re-rolled and used as a funnel of many sizes depending on how tight you roll it. Unfurling the same sheet of plastic and placing it around a wounded arm will hold the dressing in place very effectively. Applying it to a broken arm will provide some measure of support if taped in place. Strips but off the sheet will take a flame even when wet and it's therefore useful as a fire-starter when every other form of tinder is sodden. Soda bottles make excellent mini solar stills. Now I don't know how thick the plastic is in the U.S., but here there is little chance of rolling the plastic to make a lip inside the bottle, it's just too stiff for that. A different approach is needed. Cut the top off a couple of inches below the shoulder of the bottle. Make three slits from the cut edge towards the top, this allows the plastic to overlap when you put it back together. Gather whatever it is that you intend to evaporate, plant material chopped up small, manure, urine, muddy water, it can be anything as long as its wet. Put it in some kind of container. This can be anything from the lid off a deodorant can to a 'bowl' made of tinfoil, as long as it's smaller than the diameter of the bottle it matters not. Place it in the bottom of the bottle and then fix the top section back on, the slits you made will make this simple. Then sit back and wait. As the sun heats up the air inside the bottle the material dries out, evaporation will run down the sides of the bottle into the base. This water is pure and ready to drink. Washed and dried they are excellent for storing dried supplies such as rice and they are brilliant as slug traps to save your precious veggies.To make the trap cut the bottle just below the shoulder. take the top off and invert so that the upside down top is now inside the bottom of the bottle. Slugs love the smell of fermenting yeast so either mix a little yeast with warm water and sugar and pour it into the trap or pour in a couple of inches of beer. Leave half an inch sticking out of the ground to stop good bugs falling in. This can be adapted to a wasp trap and fly trap by altering the contents of the bottle. For flying insects, replace the top and make a hole in it so its far more difficult for the flies/wasps to escape.

Garbage bags: You really do get what you pay for with bin bags, go for thick good quality ones. They have tons of uses. You can pull one over you if you're stuck in an exposed situation. Staying dry is a prerequisite of staying warm. Ditto for turning one into an over 'jacket'. Cut holes for your head and arms and away you go. Split the side and the bottom seam for an instant groundsheet. Cut into strips and braided they makes a strong cord, you can even crochet doormats with unbraided strips...not that you often need doormats to survive, but I just thought I'd mention it. Rolled down to form a rim they make excellent rain catchers or temporary water carriers. I know people recommend condoms for this but have you ever tried to fill a condom with water that isn't coming out of a tap? Try it, you'll see what I mean. Fill with leaves and moss for a pillow or mattress or split along the bottom and sides and tie between branches to form a sunshade...or static umbrella. Most rubbish bags are black, and if filled with snow they will absorb heat from a fire from a considerable distance, providing you with drinking/washing water. To avoid the possibility of leaks double them up if you bring them into the house. In dire circumstances, they can be used as a floatation aid. Open them up and turn around a full circle to entrap air. It's not something I would take a chance on unless my life truly depended on it. Before the invention of patient movement systems, we used bin bags to move patients from a gurney or trolley onto a bed. The make excellent sliders. cut the bottom off the bag so you have a large, double plastic sheet. Gently roll the casualty to one side and stuff the bag under them, kind of rough concertina style. Ease them down then roll them the other way. You will see the bag around the midline of their body. Unfurl the bag so it's a sheet again and ease the patient back down onto their back. All you do now, is push them at the shoulder and hip, and the bag will roll on itself taking them to the new position. For particularly large people someone can assist by gently pulling on their clothing, guiding them across to the bed. Using the eyelets to turn a tarp into a large version of the bag allows you to move heavy objects quite easily.


Pantyhose: Excellent stretch means you can use them as a support for a poncho shelter. They are good to use as a sling and can be used to tie splints in place. The fine mesh makes them useful as a water filter. Again they can be used as a tourniquet and I am told you can make a pretty good sling shot with them though I have never tried this.

Bank cards: Use as a scraper to remove stings or as a flutter valve for a sucking chest wound. Used whole they can help inflate a deflated lung caused by a sucking chest wound. Put over the hole and tape on three sides only. The card acts as a flutter valve, preventing air from entering the wound but allowing air outside of the lung, but inside the chest cavity to escape as the lung inflates.Cut into strips they ate excellent finger splints.

Duct tape: This needs an article all to itself...and there are many of those out there. Use for everything from splinting a broken leg to fixing a window and everything in between. Remember that by putting strips sticky sides together you can make a sheet of incredible strong 'fabric' that has dozens of applications.

Clear plastic bags: These can also be used as a flutter valve in a pinch. Stick on three sides only to allow air in the chest cavity to escape and to prevent more air from entering. excellent for covering burns as the bag doesn't stick to the defect. Good for carrying snow to melt for water later.

Cling film/plastic food wrap: Another item that's good for covering burns. Gathered together and twisted it makes a very strong material that has dozens of uses...I just haven't thought of them yet!

Long socks: Stretch over full soda bottles and leave for a few days then roll then down to form 'donuts'. This allows you to roll them easily over wound dressings on the limbs and to use them as a sling. Roll onto the arm and once positioned pin to clothes at the shoulder. Stuffed with sand, grit and grass, in that order from the bottom up they make a simple debris filter for water filtration. Fill them with pebbles to make a weapon.

Petroleum jelly: An old favourite. Used with cotton wool balls or leaves, you get decent fire starters. It prevents chafing and is good for waterproofing boots. Used on manual and garden tools it prevents rusting.

Spectacles/eyeglasses: An old pair of glasses has several uses. The lens can be used as a magnifying glass for close work or as a fire lens. The frames could possibly be fashioned into various hooks...or so I am told.

Paper clips: Improvised fishing hooks. you can also open an iPhone with one if you lose the little pokey lock pick thing hey give you. when replacements are hard or impossible to come by they make excellent zipper tabs.

Bandanas: It may just be easier to list a few of these because bandanas have literally dozens of uses:

  • wind/dust mask
  • debris water filter
  • soak in water and use as a neckband to keep cool
  • use dry as a neckband to keep the chill out
  • sling
  • secure a splint
  • rip up as cordage
  • rip up and use as trail markers
  • bandage
  • towel or washcloth
  • tourniquet
  • improvised weapon...filled with stones and tied up
The uses for a bandana could occupy an article all on its own so I'm leaving it at that.

Coffee filters: Not as many uses as a bandana but they are as self-explanatory:

  • paper towel substitute
  • debris filter for water
  • toilet paper
  • tinder

Activated Charcoal: Activated charcoal is simply the charcoal resulting from a wood fire. It's not as effective as charcoal produced from exceptionally high temperatures such as in a wood fired kiln, but it's still valuable to have around. Activated charcoal can bind heavy metals and toxins that may be present in water. Adding a couple of crushed lumps to water and leaving it for 15 minutes before you drink it will reduce the amount of toxins in the water. It doesn't remove bacteria or viruses so boiling or other filtration methods are still needed. It can be used as camo paint when crushed and mixed with water and removes odours when crushed and mixed with the offending material. It can be crushed up and eaten in cases of chemical poisoning and although no substitute for medical assistance if help isn't available you have nothing to lose in trying to bind the toxins with charcoal. the charcoal can be digested by the body without incident but it should not be used by anyone with intestinal blockage/constipation unless their life depends on it.

Upholstery needles: These are often curved and make wound stitching much easier. See here for an article on suturing wounds.

Mylar blankets: You can find almost two dozen uses for them here and plenty more in the comments that follow the article.

Five Best Homeopathic Remedies For Heartburn, GERD And Acid Reflux

 

Homeopathic medicine relies not only on identifying the symptoms of the disease, but on a variety of personality traits, the person’s mental state and other characteristic symptoms a patient exhibits which correlate to any particular remedy. When choosing a correct remedy for the treatment of heartburn, all aspects of the patient must be taken into account.
Nux Vomica
One of the main remedies for most digestive complaints is Nux Vomica. The individual may complain of stomach pains of all types including burning, bloating, aching, constipation, nausea, belching and the feeling of stomach digest and acid backing up into the throat. His personality characteristics, which help determine this remedy, are a brusque temperament — similar to the overworked, high powered business man who is very intense. He or she may be bossy and easy to anger. This individual often eats and drinks alcohol in excess. He desires coffee, spicy food, fatty foods and other stimulants. The person needing Nux vomica is inclined to overdo everything, all of which contribute to his acid reflux symptoms.
Arsenicum album
The person needing Arsenicum album for acid reflux disease may complain of burning pains felt in the stomach with food backing up into the esophagus. This is accompanied by burning pains all the way up to the throat. There may be severe, watery, burning, yellow diarrhea. Many of the symptoms will feel better while drinking hot drinks like tea, or by applying hot applications, like a heating pad. They may be thirsty for small, frequent sips of cold water, their mental state may be anxious, restless and fearful of being left alone.
Phosphorus
The patient needing homeopathic phosphorus for heartburn will complain about burning pains felt in the abdomen, bloating and a feeling of fullness accompanied by great thirst for icy cold drinks, which are vomited back up shortly after becoming warm in the stomach. Belching and vomiting of undigested food are characteristic of the person needing phosphorus. The person is mild-mannered, and seeks company and affection…  
READ THE FULL STORY HERE: http://www.jbbardot.com/five-best-homeopathic-remedies-for-the-treatment-of-heartburn-gerd-and-acid-reflux/


Vehicle Prep For Emergencies 

 

Winter Garden Do’s and Don’ts

Bad news: Your green thumb may not be so green. Perhaps, surprisingly, gardens can pose major environmental hazards. No matter how beautiful your landscape, if it’s not grown with care, attention and sustainable practices, you could be causing more harm than good to your local ecosystems. The winter season can be especially problematic, because – especially in colder regions – growers often adopt wasteful practices to accommodate the chilly weather.


Environmental Concerns
Per acre, homeowners use 10 times more chemical pesticides and fertilizers than farmers use on commercial farmland. When it rains, chemical runoff affects surrounding lakes and streams. It can also seep into local groundwater and drinking wells.
In addition to harming local wildlife habitats and waterways, contaminated drinking water can cause significant health problems in young children, seniors and other people with compromised immune systems.
Homeowners are also notorious for wasting water, often using automatic sprinklers to water their lawns and gardens. Many people also pollute the air with gasoline-powered lawnmowers and other devices. In one hour, a two-cycle engine lawnmower emits the same amount of exhaust as a car driven 350 miles.
While this may not seem like a lot of damage on an individual level, multiply it by the number of households in your neighborhood, and then by the households in your town. The problem adds up pretty quickly.

What Is Sustainability?

In popular culture, environmentalist buzzwords have almost become interchangeable – but in practical terms, they are actually completely different. Here’s a breakdown of some words you may have heard.
  • Organic. Organic fruits and vegetables are grown without the use of GMOs or any artificial pesticides or fertilizers. It is not a synonym for sustainable. Organic standards as designated by the USDA are complex, and some large-scale organic agricultural operations have garnered criticism for lack of sustainability.
  • Local. Local foods are foods grown within a given radius, but the definition changes according to institution and individual. Anywhere from a few miles to a few hundred miles can be considered local, depending on whom you ask.
  • Seasonal. Seasonal foods are grown and harvested on a relatively natural timeline, and then eaten when they are ripe. They are not usually preserved or transported long distances.
  • Sustainable. Perhaps the most nebulous of these definitions, sustainability refers to some combination of all of the above. In its essence, sustainable gardening means that the nutrients removed from the soil are replenished without artificial input, like synthetic fertilizer.

Best Practices for Sustainable Wintertime Gardening
 
Here are some ways to lessen your impact on the environment, and even contribute positively to your local ecosystem.

  1. Prevent Soil Contamination
When it snows, melted water can carry contaminants like pesticides and fertilizers that are in your soil. Even if you don’t use these additives, soil alone can pollute lakes and streams. You can combat soil contamination by storing your soil properly. If you keep extra soil it in your garage, make sure that you have a door with a steel frame that won’t bend or crack in the bad weather. As a bonus, if you heat your garage, insulation can help cut costs over the winter months.
While garages are great for inside control, what about soil that’s outside? When considering your outdoor garden, sloped land is especially prone to runoff. Build small terraces or retaining walls to prevent soil contamination. Shrubs and ground covers at the perimeter of your garden can also help your soil from getting into water sources.

  1. Compost
Composting is a great and inexpensive way to handle natural refuse that would otherwise be sent to landfill, and it’s also a major boon to gardens. Install a homemade or store-bought bin in your garden to contain material like leaves, grass clippings and other yard wastes. Autumn leaves are a wonderful carbon-rich additive and can help offset high levels of nitrogen. Make sure you remove invasive weeds or weeds that have gone to seed, or you’ll risk introducing these problem plants into your garden later on.
Food wastes are also compostable, but you’ll need to be choosy about what you include. To avoid attracting animals or bad odors, don’t compost fatty wastes, cheese, meat products, cat litter or diseased plants. Fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells and tea bags are all good contenders for healthy backyard compost.
Turn and aerate your compost regularly. Finished compost is a natural part of the Earth’s recycling system, and it can be mixed into your soil or spread over your beds as a slow-release fertilizer.
In winter, keep your compost warm and well insulated to make sure it stays active. Additionally, keep your compost piles well covered to prevent rain or snow from falling directly on them, as too much moisture can smother the active agents. If you live in an area that gets a lot of precipitation, a compost tumbler is a great way to help your piles stay dry.

  1. Incorporate Native Plants
Plants that are local to your area are hardy and, once established, will not require fertilizer. Most native plants are perennials. With a little help, they are self-maintaining, because they reseed onsite. Exotic perennials can be adapted for your local environment, but they don’t support beneficial wildlife. Native plants house and feed predator insects, which prey on pests and mitigate the need for insecticides. They also help pollinators and butterflies to thrive.
Some invasive plants, like purple loose-strife, buck-thorn and autumn olive, are illegal in certain areas. Whether or not your area allows the cultivation of these plants, it is best avoided, as the spread of these plants is extraordinarily problematic across the country.
As you consider your gardening plans for the winter, take a look at the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to determine the average minimum temperature for your area. This will help you choose plants that are more likely to thrive.

  1. Water Wisely
You’ll still need to keep to a watering schedule in winter, because failing to do so may cause roots to weaken underground. When plants develop in spring and summer, they may begin growing normally, but their underdeveloped roots can cause them to fail in the long run.
However, over-watering will drown your plants and is also tremendously wasteful. The average American uses around 200 gallons of water every day – and roughly half of that amount goes toward landscaping and gardening. Only a very small portion is actually taken up by plants, and the rest is wasted as runoff.
Native plants are already adapted to your region and climate, so they don’t require much – if any – supplemental watering. Perennial flowers have deeper-growing roots than annuals, so they do a better job of conserving water. A shallow layer of wood chip mulch can help all your plants reduce storm runoff and prevent evaporation.

Final Thoughts: Sustainability Matters
Sustainable gardening does more than mitigate the negative environmental effects of a poorly managed landscape. It also has some amazing positive effects, like improving biodiversity. By growing local shrubs and trees, you’ll help the landscape provide shelter to birds, small animals and beneficial insects – all of which help reduce pest outbreaks.

 

Tis the Season to Stock Up: Using the Holidays to Build your Preparedness Stockpile


While millions upon millions of Americans are throwing their money away on a bunch of useless garbage, smart preppers are using the season to become better prepared. For those looking to build their emergency stockpiles, this is one of the best times of the year to get started.
Most grocery stores are offering deep discounts on certain types of food this time of year; fortunately for preppers, many of these items store very well for long periods of time, making this the perfect opportunity to grow your emergency stockpiles.

The key to really being able to get the biggest bang for your buck:
  • Start researching who is selling what and then going online to see if you can find coupons to further increase your savings. Websites like the Krazy Coupon Lady allow you to break it down by store and product.
  • Search for local deals in your mail circulars, and keep track of deals when you’re out doing your normal shopping.
  • Don’t forget to use sites like Amazon to search for holiday deals. The great thing about these sites is many local stores will now price match the items you find online.
While many of the products sold this time of year are geared towards the holidays, many of the products can be used throughout the year. For instance, every year right after Christmas I usually stock up on Candles. I can usually buy a couple hundred different candles for the price of one good emergency candle. Yes, they are usually holiday colored candles; but during a power outage or grid-down emergency, I doubt I’m going to care what color or what scent the candles are.

Holiday Foods that will be Good Year Round

Over the next month or so, most grocery stores are going to have deep discounts on seasonal foods, common baking and cooking ingredients, and even different types of meats. If you can afford it, you might want to invest in a large chest/deep freezer. The money you spend now will save you thousands in the long run, because you will be able to buy all your meats when they are on sale, instead of buying them at inflated prices throughout the year.

Freezer Goods: Foods that freeze well that will be heavily discounted for the holidays

  • Frozen Turkeys: This is the time of year to stock up on turkey. From stores giving away free ones if you spend a certain amount of money, to deeply discounted turkeys once the holidays pass, turkey is a good thing to stock up on. An unopened turkey can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 years, but for best taste it should be cooked within a year of being put into storage.
  • Frozen Hams: As we get closer to Christmas, you should start to see deals on holiday hams. This is another item that freezes well, and will last at least until next season.
  • Butter: If you find a deal on butter, stock up! Butter freezes very well without any loss in taste, quality, or texture. Frozen butter will keep up to one year.

Dry Goods: Foods that store almost indefinitely

  • Canned Goods: Vegetables, Cranberry Sauce and Pumpkin are all things that can be picked up at a fraction of the cost this time of year. Most canned goods will last for 2-5 years; look for cans with the furthest out expiration dates.
  • Baking & Cooking Ingredients: Spices, sugar, yeast, flour, and cake mixes should all be deeply discounted. Most of these items will last for years, and certain flours could last for over a decade if stored properly.
  • Check out our article on, Long-Term Survival Foods and Supplies from the Grocery Store, to get an idea of what products you should be looking for.

Other Items to Stock up on during the Holidays

  • Alcohol: Even if you don’t drink, alcohol is an important preparedness item. From medicinal uses and cooking purposes to bartering products during a full-scale collapse, there are a number of reasons to stock up on liquor — not to mention the fact that most hard liquors will store indefinitely.
  • Socks, Underwear & Blankets: Around Christmas time, these things are always deeply discounted and sometimes sold as door-buster items at below their cost. Remember, we are not wasting money; but instead stocking up on long-term consumables and items that we know we will need in the future.
Prepping doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg; the holidays can be a great time to stock up on everything you need to make it through the next year. While most people are out losing money this time of year, those who are smart use the season to save money and protect their future.

The best Preparedness Deals we Have found for the Year:


Survival Skills for Kids

Disaster may strike at any time and any place. Though you will no doubt do all you can to protect your children or grandchildren from harm, you may not always be around to look out for them. Even though they’re still young, they should know some basic survival skills so that in the event you aren’t around, they’ll know what to do. It is never too early to learn.

Learning these skills doesn’t have to be boring. You can play games and role play scenarios to help them acquire and master them. For safety reasons, always have them supervised, especially when dealing with complicated stuff. Here are 24 survival tips that you ought to be teaching them.

1. Building fires

You don’t have to go far to camp when you can do it right in your backyard. This will be a great way to experience living without the comforts that they’re used to and an opportunity to learn how to make a camp fire. Teach them how to collect firewood responsibly, to safely build fires and how to correctly put them out afterwards.

2. Outdoor cooking

Once you have a fire, the next step is outdoor cooking. Most kids start by learning to cook S’mores and hot dogs. It’s also important to know how to cook animals. A good starting point to teach them is by making “hobo bags” first. You do this by wrapping your meat and vegetables in tin foil and roasting it over the fire.

3. Finding and collecting water

Take advantage of the rain and send them out to collect rainwater using baggies, grocery bags, and plastic containers in a form of a game. Whoever collects the most, wins. Also, teach them several ways of water collection such as hanging, spreading, and half-burying the containers.

4. Water purification

The water they have collected may not be necessarily clean. There are a lot of ways of purifying water such as boiling, distillation, and using tablets. When camping outdoors, they should always keep water purification tabs in their backpacks. Teach them how to look for a water source and how to use a simple filter like a LifeStraw.

5. Reading a map, compass, and GPS

It is important for kids to know how to read a map, use a compass, and GPS in case you get separated. They can also use this to find their way home. Make it fun by doing a treasure hunt and drawing a map to find the treasure for practice. You can also print out maps of the city and point out different bug out routes that are planned.

6. Foraging ​

Teach them which plants are edible and which ones are poisonous. Go out on nature walks with your children and help them identify the plants and trees that you encounter. This will come in handy during camping trips and hikes.

7. Using a pocket knife

When they’re old enough, entrust them with a pocket knife of their own. It can be useful for peeling fruits, opening bottles, fishing, and even for self-defense. You should never forget that it’s still a weapon and teach them to use it with caution. Make sure you know and follow the laws and regulations regarding the carrying of pocket knives in your community.

8. Signaling for help

When hiking in the woods, teach your children to signal for help in case they get separated or lost. Dress them in bright colors to make them very easy to spot at a distance. Pack them a signal mirror or a whistle and teach them how to use these to signal. For the mirror, aim the reflected light towards the direction of your camp. For the signal whistle, blow three blasts, stop and listen for a minute, then blow again.

9. Overcoming fear of the dark

Are they still afraid of the dark? Get them off the couches and lead them on their own adventure outside. This is necessary for bug out situations where they have to move out in the night. Start by accompanying them on walks after dark. Better yet, let them play flashlight tag with other kids. Just don’t let them go too far and remember that there’s always safety in numbers.

10. Evacuation plans

You and your children should work out a plan for when something goes wrong and you need to evacuate. Assign a meet-up area and a back-up if your house is no longer safe to go back to. Also, have them memorize S.T.O.P.: Stop, Think, Observe, and Plan.

11. Hiding for safety

Hide and seek game can be useful for emergency situations. Playing this game will familiarize them with different safe spots where they can hide in case there’s trouble. When that comes, tell them to stay hidden until you or a trusted adult comes near. Remind them they should NEVER hide if the home is on fire but should get out of the house to your predetermined meeting spot.

12. What to do when lost

It’s a parent’s worst nightmare to lose their child in a crowd. Tell yours to stay put if they get lost as it will be harder to find them if both of you are moving around, searching for each other. Pack a few survival items on their backpack such as a whistle, a bright bandana, and a bottle of water for signaling and hydration until you find them.

13. Keeping their mouths shut

Teach them that even though the stranger looks nice or offer them something, they should never trust anyone easily. Looks can be deceiving. Also, teach them the “No, Go, Yell, Tell”. In a dangerous situation, they should say no, run away, yell their loudest, and tell a parent or guardian what happened right away.

14. When home alone

When your kids are all alone in the house, never let them answer the door for anyone. Keep the windows and doors locked as well as the blinds and curtains shut. Tell them to turn on the TV or the radio. Potential intruders may be discouraged from coming in if they hear speaking and noise and it seems someone is home.

15. During medical emergencies

Dialing 911 and reporting an emergency may seem overwhelming to your kid. Help them get rid of those nerves by rehearsing with them. Practice some situations so that they will know what to say to the operator and what to do until help arrives. Make sure they understand when to call for help and not to use this service unless it is an actual emergency.

16. First Aid

Liven up their first aid training by creating various scenarios with their friends and let them take turns pretending to be the patient and the one administering it. Start with simple things such as how to clean and bandage a cut, how to create a sling, how to create a transport sled from a tarp and limbs. Teach them how to pack and inventory first aid kits to familiarize themselves with the contents and its uses.

17. Situational awareness

Even if you accompany your kids, they must always be aware of what’s happening around them. When in the car, you can play the license plate game, I Spy, description game (observe a certain area and recall every detail by memory), or right way to… game (give driving directions).

18. Swimming

Swimming is a survival skill everyone should learn. Sign them up for swimming lessons in your community or if you are near a small river or lake, you can teach them yourself. Emphasize water safety including how to correctly gauge depth and current of water. You never know when they’re going to need to cross water, especially in a bug out situations.

19. Gardening

This may not sound very exciting to kids at first but it’s great for them to experience how to grow their own food. Planting and nurturing their own fruits and vegetables will give them a sense of pride and teach them responsibility. This will also give them a whole new appreciation of the food that they eat on the table.

20. Scavenger Hunts

This activity is a great way of looking for usable items in case disaster strikes and the supplies run low. Have them collect as much as they can and teach them which objects are useful and which are not. Encourage them to think of uses for the items or ways to modify them for use that you may not have thought of.

21. Staying fit

If their playtime consists of playing video games and sitting on the couch the whole day, better get them outside pronto. Make them eat those vegetables and have them exercise. Playing outside can be counted as exercise so it shouldn’t be that hard. Physical fitness can be crucial in survival situations and can sometimes be the difference between life and death.

22. Bartering and negotiation

When you go to yard sales and flea markets, take them with you. Let them learn up close how to bargain for good deals. Talk to them about the importance of value and quality of items. This can help teach them how to save money as they progress in life and may be necessary in extreme situations where you need them to help barter for essential supplies.

23. Handling a fire arm

At the right age, knowing how to use a firearm is an important skill to learn. It is your choice and responsibility to teach gun safety to your children, especially if you keep one at home. With a solid understanding of safe gun handling, they can help protect themselves and family members when needed. They can learn by taking an Appleseed course or any authorized gun shooting course.

24. Self-defense

They may be just kids but they should also know how to protect and defend themselves. Teach them or let them learn some basic self-defense moves so that when they’re in a tight situation, they won’t be so helpless. This will be useful for many scenarios, even when they’ve grown past puberty.

Final Word

There you have it. These skills may need a bit of practice so don’t let your kids get discouraged if they don’t master something the first time. It will require a lot of effort and patience on your part but once you see them master a skill, you will surely swell with pride. This will also teach them responsibility, discipline, and perseverance.

Surviving Without Power: 4 Creative Ways To Heat And Light Your Home When The Grid Goes Down

Living without power for an extended amount of time can be a daunting prospect. Although a small group of people may have alternative forms of emergency heat and supplies stashed safely in their home or retreat, these may not be enough to see you through the an extended period without power and heat. Battery packs and generators have a limited life span and purchasing a large stockpile of fuel is an expensive undertaking. There is no way to tell where you will be when the SHTF and getting to your home and stockpile of supplies may be impossible. Therefore, it is important to be aware of a few simple methods of creating heat, warmth and cooking facilities that will prove invaluable during difficult times.

 http://beforeitsnews.com/survival/2015/12/surviving-without-power-4-creative-ways-to-heat-and-light-your-home-when-the-grid-goes-down-2597198.html 

Herb Used To Treat Diabetes Works As Well Or Better Than Modern-day Prescription Drugs

 what we might see with prescription oral medications for people with diabetes,” said Steve Hertzler, a study co-author and an assistant professor of nutrition at Ohio State University.

Salacia oblonga, which is native to regions of India and Sri Lanka, binds to intestinal enzymes that break down carbohydrates in the body. These enzymes, called alpha-glucosidases, turn carbohydrates into glucose, the sugar that circulates throughout the body. If the enzyme binds to the herbal extract rather than to a carbohydrate, then less glucose gets into the blood stream, resulting in lowered blood glucose and insulin levels.
“Lowering blood glucose levels lowers the risk of disease-related complications in people with diabetes,” Hertzler said. “Also, poor compliance with diabetes medications often hinders the effectiveness of these drugs. It may be easier to get someone to take an herb with food or in a beverage, as opposed to a pill.”
The study appears in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Thirty-nine healthy adults participated in four separate meal tolerance tests. These meals, which were given in beverage form, were spaced three to 14 days apart. Each participant fasted for at least 10 hours before consuming the test beverage.
Participants were asked to drink about two cups’ worth of the chilled beverage, which contained zero, 500, 700 or 1,000 milligrams of Salacia oblonga extract. Afterward, the researchers used the finger-prick method to draw blood samples from each person every 15 to 30 minutes for three hours. These blood samples were used to determine insulin and blood glucose concentrations. The biggest changes in blood glucose and insulin levels usually happen within the first two hours after eating.
The beverage that contained the highest concentration of the herbal extract – 1,000 milligrams – provided the most dramatic reduction in insulin and blood glucose levels. Insulin levels were 29 percent lower, while blood glucose levels were 23 percent lower as compared to the control drink, which contained no herbal extract.
As Salacia oblonga can cause intestinal gas, the researchers had the study participants collect breath hydrogen samples hourly for eight hours after drinking the test beverage. The participants collected their breath in small plastic tubes. The researchers then analyzed these breath samples for hydrogen and methane content – the level of either substance in the breath corresponds to the level contained in the colon.
The subjects also rated the frequency and intensity of nausea, abdominal cramping and distention and gas for two days after consuming each test meal.
While the test beverages containing Salacia oblonga caused an increase in breath hydrogen excretion, reports of gastrointestinal discomfort were minimal, Hertzler said. READ THE FULL STORY HERE: http://www.jbbardot.com/diabetes-better-prescription/ 


Any Type Of Cancer Can Be Cured In Just 2-6 Weeks

Dr. Leonard Coldwell claims that any type of cancer can be cured in just 2 to 6 weeks. Make sure you take a look at the video bellow this article. You will be surprised when you see it. Yes, that’s true, cancer can be cured. I hope you’ll be amazed as I was when I watched the video for the first time.
Cancer is one of the most dangerous and deadly diseases today. A lot of families have lost a family member cause of this deadly disease. My dad died of cancer when I was 17. That was extremely painful experience for me and it had changed my life completely. The worst thing in your life is to look how the cancer eats your closest family members and friends from the inside and you can’t do anything about it. When I saw Dr. Coldwell’s video and article I was so happy and amazed, because I don’t want to see people die from this terrible disease and their closest friends and family suffer if they lose one. Cancer can attack anyone. You can never know who will be its next victim. So make sure you watch this video bellow and start believing that there is hope for all cancer and future cancer patients.
The Cancer Industry is too Prosperous to Allow a Cure for Cancer
You’ve probably heard the term “cancer can be treated with the convention chemotherapy treatments and prescribed medications”. But do you actually believe that these medications can cure cancer? I don’t! We’ve spent everything we had to pay for my father’s chemotherapy treatments and medications. All these treatments cost a fortune, and didn’t help my dad with his disease. They even made it worse. In the last few weeks, my dad suffered from agonizing pains, caused by the chemotherapy treatment. Do you know why the cancer industry still offers the chemotherapy and cancer medications to the cancer patients? It’s all because of money. Nobody from the medical industry actually cares about the patients. They just care about profit and making money on selling medications that don’t work and treat cancer patients with the conventional chemotherapy methods that are killing more good cells, than the cancer ones.
Have you ever heard about Dr. Leonard Coldwell?
Dr. Coldwell’s family had some serious cancer problems. All seven brothers and sisters, from his mother’s side suffered from carcinoma. His dad and his grandma also died from cancer. He saw how his closest family members and friends die from this terrible disease and he couldn’t do anything about it. That’s why he dedicated his life in finding an effective cure for cancer.
In his career so far, Dr. Coldwell has seen more than 35,000 patients, around 2.2 million partakers in his workshops who write their life stories and has more than 7 million fans who read his articles and reports. According to some influential people in the medical industry, Dr. Coldwell has one of the leading roles in curing cancer. His website was blocked by the federal government, because of his success in curing cancer.
Dr. Leonard Coldwell claims that cancer can be cured in most patients, without using the conventional chemotherapy treatments or any contact with radiation. But he is not allowed to tell this to anyone. Dr. Coldwell says that’s because of the people who make profit from cancer patients and the law doesn’t allow him to do so.
The healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry earn millions and millions of dollars through the cancer industry. This situation makes legislators legislate laws that will kill us. Or they will make you sick, and the laws that are supposed to protect us will not allow the right treatment for this deadly disease. They will make you sick and make the disease even worse with the poisonous and harsh “medical” treatments.
Dr. Coldwell – The Only Answer to Cancer
Dr. Leonard Coldwell claims that any type of cancer can be cured in 2 to 16 weeks. And there are some types of cancer, if treated with the right treatment can be healed in few minutes. He says that positivity and hopefulness that really helps in the healing process.
First of all, Dr. Coldwell says that we need to eat more vegetables. This type of diet gives the body lots of oxygen. And if we add calcium and other alkalizing foods we will alkalize our bodies. This is very important for all cancer patients because the progress of cancer stop when the body is alkalized.
Other important thing you should know is that our body has to achieve what is called a therapeutic Ph level. pH has 14 levels from 0 to 14. The lower values are the acidic region and the higher values are the alkaline region. The median neutral level is Ph 7. When the body reaches pH 7 it’s alkaline. A level of 7.36 is very good, but when it comes to treatment, a pH of around 7.5 or higher should be present.

Detox Your Liver and Chelate Heavy Metals Drugs GMOs Chemtrails with Fruit Pectin

Fruit pectin is effective for removing contaminants from the body such as heavy metals and unwanted drug and chemical residue. When these substances deposit in the body’s cells, they contribute to a variety of serious diseases. Detoxifying the body from heavy metals and contaminants optimizes health and allows the body to repair itself. Using fruit pectin for home detox programs can be successful as long as people follow some common sense precautions regarding dosage. When preparing to use pectin there are a few guidelines and tips to make it easier. 

Recognizing Candidates for Heavy Metals and Drug Detox
Heavy metals exist throughout the environment contributing to serious health problems. Mercury is used in dental fillings and vaccines and contaminates waterways. Cadmium, found in cigarette smoke and exhaust fumes, permeates the air. Lead was used in paints, food, water pipes, pesticides, cosmetics and children’s toys.
Some prescription medications are deposited in the body’s tissues, and once in the system they are difficult to eliminate. Medications such as chemotherapy are known to be problematic creating an environment that not only destroys cancer cells, but also weakens the overall immune system.
Anyone over-exposed to these substances will benefit from using pectin for detox to remove heavy metals and unwanted drug residues from the body.
What is Fruit Pectin and Where is it Found?
Pectin is a substance found naturally in many fruits whose properties make it excellent for use for making jellies. Pectin also has the ability to pull heavy metals and other contaminants from the blood stream through a process called chelation. These contaminants are excreted through normal urination.
Pectin is found in the rinds of many fruits and vegetables. Excellent sources of pectin are bananas, apples, cabbage, okra, beets, grapes, carrots and all citrus fruit in the white part called the pith.
Gently Detox from Contaminants and Heavy Metals
Eat several servings of high-pectin fruit daily for a natural, gentle detox. One of the best sources of pectin is green apples. Organic apple juice and unsweetened applesauce are also good sources of natural fruit pectin.
Using Pectin to Chelate Heavy Metals and for Deep Drug Detox
For a deeper and more controlled detox, find pectin at the grocery store in the canning section. Pectin made especially for chelating heavy metals and drugs is available at health food stores in powdered form. Check labels to make sure the pectin is free of MSG.
To use pectin, mix 2-4 teaspoons of dry pectin to an 8 oz. glass of grape juice… READ THE FULL STORY HERE: http://www.jbbardot.com/detox-your-liver-and-chelate-heavy-metals-drugs-gmos-chemtrails-with-fruit-pectin/ 


The New Toothpaste Which Leave Dentists Without Work

A revolutionary invention for maintaining personal hygiene has been invented by a Japanese researcher Kazue Yamagishi. It’s about a new toothpaste that fills all the holes and cracks in the teeth and restore the tooth enamel.
All this ultimately makes a lot of manipulations unnecessary , which dentists usually perform.
In its composition the tooth paste of the Japanese researcher is similar with the tooth enamel, the only difference is that it is  liquid. Thus it can easily be applied to the affected area with a toothbrush.
The formula of the new paste is obtained after a series of experiments with hydroxylapatite, also called crystalline calcium phosphate, the main component of the tooth.
After the paste is applied to the teeth, the acid on the surface of the teeth begins to dissolve. Three minutes later, the paste begins to crystallize and gets fastened to the structure of the natural enamel.


Weathering the Storm: Preparedness Essentials

Even though people living in areas exposed and often afflicted by hurricanes and tornado’s generally are aware of all the precautionary measures, people still do tend to lose lives in these disastrous situations. This is why we’ve come up with an article outlining all the necessary preparations for weathering a storm.

Food and Water
To start with the most basic of needs, the problem here doesn’t necessarily lie only during the timeline of an actual storm, but for days of craze and distortion that ensue afterwards. Here is what you’ll undoubtedly need:
  • One gallon of water per person per day, to last three days at the very least, not only for drinking, but sanitation and other needs, as well.
  • Peanut butter – this product is quite long-lasting
  • Protein bars
  • Fruit – you’ll need your vitamins, especially in potentially exhausting situations such as this
  • Canned food, such as fruits, vegetables, meats (tuna), canned beans, etc.
  • Canned juices – this is a great source of sugar, as well as liquid that your body might need
  • Crackers – yet another type of food that can last for ages
  • Non-perishable milk
  • Dry cereal
  • Other foods that do not require refrigeration or cooking
First Aid Kit
This, of course goes without saying, seeing as how injuries are a frequent occurrence in situations such as that of a storm. Emergency services will probably be overwhelmed, perhaps even physically unable to reach you. Even minor injuries can cause sepsis and further complications, if not treated within a reasonable time period. Here are your basic first aid essentials:
  • Sterile gloves – you wouldn’t want to suffer bacterial infections, especially in instances such as this type of a disaster
  • Sterile dressings, quality adhesive bandages
  • Antibiotics – whether it’s ointments, or pills, supplements that prevent bacterial infections are of vast importance here.
  • Prescription medications – you need to have reserves of necessary pharmaceuticals that you or your family members might potentially require. These include insulin, heart medicine, asthma inhalers (you wouldn’t believe how easy these are to misplace, so you better have at least a couple of these stockpiled within your first aid cabinet).
  • Tools such as tweezers and scissors – not only are these absolutely necessary for first aid purposes, but might come in handy for a plethora of impromptu situations
  • A whistle – ridiculous as it may sound, these items can turn out to be real life savers – no one laughs at a whistle sound during or after huge storms, no matter how ridiculous it may seem to an observer
  • Towels – these have a wide variety of utilization abilities, from preventing bleeding out, to drying off, in order to avoid hypothermia.
  • Garbage bags
  • When it comes to infants, you’ll need a large number of diapers, to avoid risking infection, as well as an instant formula, for obvious reasons.
  • It is smart to have pliers and a wrench, if nothing, than so as to be able to turn off utilities, such as pipes, or age-old electrical equipment.
  • Complete change of clothing, enough to last at least 3 days.
  • A fire extinguisher for cases of electrical surges
  • Matches in a waterproof container

Other Paraphernalia
  • Generators
  • Portable toilets
  • Fuel tanks – There are many diesel fuel tanks available out there, so make sure you have this covered
  • Cook stoves
  • Batteries (it is smart to have these in all sizes available)
  • Flashlights
  • Duct tape
  • Candles
  • Sleeping bags
  • Rubber boots

These cover most of your essential needs for a storm, as well as other types of a disaster. Make sure you have all these covered and thus insure you remain safe and healthy. Of course, a bit of extra consideration might go a long way in helping you weather the worst of weather conditions out there, so feel free to add a couple of your own ideas to the list.

 

Is It SHTF Safe While Living Within 50 Miles Of 1-Million People?

Over the years I’ve often addressed the general topic of population density versus one’s security, well-being, and ability to survive following a long lasting SHTF event. Let’s have a new look at the issue, but this time from the standpoint of living in a seemingly safe geographical location – except that you’re still within 50 miles of a region with 1 million or more people…
The scenario is the following…


Let’s hypothetically say that you are living rural or in a region of suburbia with a relatively low population density. You feel pretty safe. You may even be living in a very small town or off the beaten path to the extent that it ‘feel’s like you’re far away from ‘the city’.
But here’s the flip side:
Within a 30 minute drive (or an hour) there is either a city or a population-dense region of 1 million or more people. You and your neighbors may even commute into this region for work…
The question:
Will you be safe during a long-lasting SHTF event?

To answer that question, you might consider the following in your decision matrix:
How severe is the SHTF event? Has it crippled essential services?
How long has the event been unfolding and how long until these people ‘truly’ become desperate and reach a point of serious ‘unrest’?
What will the 1 million people do? Will they sit and wait for help or for an ‘end’ to the event?
Or will some of them take to the road?
For those who take to the road while they search for essential services and supplies, will they potentially make it to your region 50 miles away?
How far might they get, and would they even become a potential threat to where you live?
Or would the chaos be mostly and only confined to the population-dense region (or city) itself?

The notion of the ‘zombie hordes’ comes into play. Will it actually happen?
If living within 50 miles, will you be in danger even while living relatively rural?
What’s the cutoff? 25 miles? 100 miles? more? less?

Lets hear your opinion about the hypothetical of living pretty close to population density, but seemingly far enough away so as not to be part of that region… Is it ‘safe enough’?
If not, then ‘why’? If yes, then ‘why’?


How to make a nutritious superfood for survival that lasts decades

 It may come as a surprise to learn that the most nutritionally-complete food on the planet is not only easy to make at home, but can also be stored unrefrigerated for many years without spoiling.

Dubbed the "original MRE," or, "Meal, Ready-to-Eat," pemmican is a survival superfood that was developed by Native Americans many centuries ago. It contains everything the body needs to sustain itself in a healthy fashion for an extended period of time.

Pemmican consists primarily of powdered dried meat mixed in equal amounts with rendered animal fat. The early Americans used meats such as buffalo and elk; today, pemmican is typically made with beef. We suggest using grass-fed meat, as animals fed in this manner are raised significantly more humanely.

The Native Americans were also known to mix in a small amount of dried berries (around five percent -- by weight -- of the total ingredients).

Pemmican: Enjoyed by early settlers, still provides health benefits today

The Pemmican Manual, by Lex Rooker, contains a wealth of information on the subject, from the history of its use by early settlers to recipes for making pemmican at home.

"When pemmican was discovered by our early Frontiersmen (explorers, hunters, trappers, and the like) it became a highly sought after commodity. The Hudson Bay Company purchased tons of pemmican from the native tribes each year to satisfy the demand," Rooker explains. "The basic unit of trade was an animal hide filled with pemmican, sealed with pure rendered fat on the seams, and weighed about 90 pounds. As long as it was kept away from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight, it would last for many years with no refrigeration or other method of preservation."

Those frontiersmen knew a good thing when they saw it. Pemmican was ideal for travel and for stockpiling a source of highly-concentrated nutritious food during lean or cold periods.

The same considerations apply today. For surviving a SHTF scenario, you'll need portable, high-energy rations that can be stored indefinitely.

There are a few variations on the theme, but most recipes for pemmican follow the same basic methods.

How to make pemmican at home

First, you'll need to dehydrate your meat (and berries, if you want to add them. Keep in mind berries are prone to spoilage and may shorten the shelf life of the pemmican; it may be worth replacing them with another healthy item such as cinnamon). Use a food dehydrator or an oven at its lowest setting to slowly dry out these ingredients.

Rooker warns of being careful not to overheat the meat, saying that lean meat should be dehydrated below 120 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally staying between 100 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures that are too high will cook the meat too much and take away from the nutritional value.

Once you've dried the meat, grind it into a powder and add in the dried berries, if desired.

Next, you must render the fat. You can use tallow (rendered from beef or mutton) or lard (from pork). When doing this on a stovetop, simply heat the ground fat by simmering and stirring occasionally. Then strain the liquid that ultimately forms into a mason jar using a cheesecloth or coffee filter.

Once the fat is rendered and strained, it can be mixed with the dried meat and shaped into balls or set into a mold. The trick is to not use too much fat or the pemmican may eventually turn rancid; add just enough to thoroughly moisten the mixture and bind everything together.

Why not try some variations on the theme?

Honey, which yields a similar shelf life, can be used in place of animal fat. Adding some spices, such as cumin with black pepper, may also be tasty addition to this recipe.

Long-lasting nutrition for active people, SHTF situations

As Rooker notes, pemmican is the perfect food for someone on the move. It's also ideal for possible SHTF scenarios.

"Ten pounds of pemmican will easily sustain a backpacker for a full week providing 1 1/2 pounds of pemmican per day which would supply 4,400 calories -- enough to support strenuous climbing at high altitude and in cold weather." He adds, "The same 10 pounds of pemmican would supply food for two full weeks of leisure camping activities at 3/4 pound per day providing 2,200 calories."

Sources for this article include:
http://tacticalintelligence.net
http://www.traditionaltx.us [PDF]
http://www.askaprepper.com 

Seven spices that could save your life!

Spices have been an important part of the culinary world and history.  Spices have been used to flavor and preserve foods for centuries.  In many cultures, spices were seen as a sign of wealth, the more spices found in a household, the more prosperous this household was.  Spices were also used for medicine. (1)

Seven spices that provide life saving benefits:

If your spice cabinet is bare, consider stocking your cabinet with the following spices. The medicinal benefits of the following seven spices could save your life.
  1. Turmeric:  The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which has been found to prevent cancer, neurological diseases and inflammatory diseases.  Incorporating turmeric into your diet can help prevent Alzheimer’s, arthritis, and even cancer.  You can sprinkle turmeric on scrambled eggs, make tea, or enjoy homemade yellow curry!  You can also take turmeric in supplement form to make sure your body is getting enough of this medicinal spice. (2)
  2. Ginger:  Ginger is well known for it’s ability to calm upset stomachs but it does far more than this.(2)  Ginger also helps prevent cancer and inflammatory diseases.  A recent study found that ginger can be up to 10,000 times more effective than chemotherapy in targeting cancer stem cells.(3)
  3. Oregano:  A study from the American Chemical Society found that oregano has the highest antioxidant rating of any herb.  Oregano also contains compound that are effective in fighting diabetes.  It is anti-microbial and can be taken by mouth to eliminate parasites, allergies, colds, flu’s and fatigue. (2)
  4. Chili peppers:  Chili peppers contain capsaicin which has been found to have numerous health benefits.  A recent study found that those who eat spicy foods six to seven times per week have a 14 percent lower risk of premature death for all causes when compared to those who eat spicy for less than once per week.  Those who frequently eat spicy foods have a lower risk of death from cancer, ischemic heart and respiratory diseases.  (4)
  5. Garlic:  Garlic is helpful for the heart and the immune system.  It is a natural antibiotic and helps kill parasites and regulates blood pressure.  Studies have shown that aged garlic extract inhibits the progress of atherosclerosis in order to lower blood pressure, improves oxidative stress and enhances circulation.  Studies are also showing that chopped garlic has anti-cancer effects. (2)
  6. Cinnamon:  A 2004 study found that cinnamon improves blood sugar, glucose and lipids for those with type 2 diabetes.  Drinking cinnamon tea following a meal or taking cinnamon in supplement form following a meal can help regulate postprandial glucose.  Cinnamon has also been found to have anti-cancer properties. (2)
  7. Sage:  Sage is an anti-oxidant and that also has anti-inflammatory benefits.  Sage as been found to help improve glycemic control and lipid profiles for those with type 2 diabetes.  Sage was also found to lower triglycerides and increase HDL cholesterol.(2)

New recipes, teas or supplements can help increase the use of spices and improve health!

Adding more spice to your life may help persevere your health, excite your tastebuds and renew your energy.  Branch out and try new recipes, teas, or even supplements in order to incorporate spice into your daily living routine.
Sources included:
(1) https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/spices-and-their-health-benefits/2014/01/07/4f074f24-6f2d-11e3-aecc-85cb037b7236_story.html
(2) http://jonnybowden.com/seven-spices-that-can-save-your-life/
(3) http://foodrevolution.org/blog/ginger-cancer-treatment/
(4) http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/05/health/spicy-foods-may-help-you-live-longer-says-a-new-study/