Medical supplies photo c/o www.macombcountymi.gov

by Kellene Bishop

As I’ve shared previously, preparedness is primarily about independence from vulnerabilities.  After being on nearly a dozen medications regularly for years, I decided to take a closer look at my medical vulnerabilities as a whole in order that I might more fully understand what kind of a battle I’m engaged in—after all, bringing the most effective weapon to the battle is only possible if one knows their opponent well. After doing a great deal of research over the last year for the benefit of my own path towards medical independence, I’ve realized that I’ve essentially attempted to fight the battle with a lot of ammo and no firearm. While a mass of cartridge rounds may appear intimidating to most enemies, it’s downright laughable without the right tool to expend them.  Nowadays, it’s my belief that by educating ourselves on just how truly vulnerable we are medically, we can have a better drive and motivation towards taking care of ourselves as much as possible. I hope that you all may benefit from the last two years of focused research that you might be more medically independent in your life.

First of all, allow me to say that I firmly believe that our medical practitioners have an important and appropriate place in our society.  The advances of modern medicine and the accompanying technology is absolutely amazing.  For many, the only alternative to relying upon such advances would be certain death.  That’s one side of the coin. However the other side of the coin is what I’m addressing today—the side which presumes there is no other alternative, responsibility, or accountability when it comes to our healthy independence.

The focus of today’s article is an encouragement that you take more responsibility and accountability for your medical well-being.  Part of that is being more aware of the person or entity that you empower to have influence over your health care.  Here’s just some food for thought to being with. In spite of often being cited to the contrary, heart disease and cancer are not the number one killers in America.  It’s actually medical malpractice. In fact there are a countless articles in the legal world which address this fact, yet you won’t see a medical organization ad that addresses this fact (just Google medical malpractice + cause of death).

Along that same vein, pay close attention to the entities which you give heed to.  I’ve seen a lot of shocking things during my time in the world of high finance.  I’m to the point now that nothing surprises me when it comes to following how money and power really pull the strings to many vital aspects of our survival.

Pharmaceutical recalls photo c/o whatthehealthmag.files.wordpress.com

Let’s take pharmaceuticals for example. How many drugs are you familiar with that have been originally approved by the FDA, only to have them pulled off of the shelf due to fatal consequences in their use?  And yet the FDA approves them.

Have you taken time to research what causes the FDA to approve some drugs and not others? Why are some drugs approved in record time and not others (i.e. the H1N1 immunization shot)? With all of the medical advances in our world for treating cancer have you wondered why chemotherapy and radiation are STILL the only FDA approved treatments for cancer (vs. the successful Vitamin B-17 treatment that causes over 20,000 Americans to go leave the country to find B-17 treatments elsewhere)?  If the FDA really cared about your health, then why don’t they put any energy into approving preventative methods?  I’m sorry to sound so negative folks, but the truth of the matter is, there isn’t much money in preventative health care. You can’t patent naturally existing minerals and vitamins, etc.  If the FDA really cared about your health, then why don’t they or the USDA actually have the power to shut down offending food, meat, or other plants who are repeat offenders?  When it boils down to it, the FDA is driven by power and money. Where there is an absence of gain for the FDA, there is an absence of proactive motion. Worse than a lack of action, are the results OF their actions. Their seal of approval on products has become as questionable as Rosie O’Donnell endorsing health food. It’s unfortunate that the FDA has continually proven themselves to be wrong again and again. As such, they have not earned the respect in my world that merits them to have the final say over what I will and won’t put into my body. When it comes to medical practices, they focus solely on treatment, not prevention.  This is the ONLY reason why they have

administering medicine photo c/o www.cosmosmagazine.com

 not poked their nose into the market of natural remedies up until now—and the only reason why they are threatening to push into this field of oversight is because the treatment medical industry has taken a financial beating over the last 5 years to the tune of over $100 billion dollars! Yup. The treatment methods have powerful lobbying groups and they are making sure that the FDA essentially puts a stop—or at least a large stumbling block—to all of the mom and pop kind of homeopathic methods out there. That sad truth is that the FDA is influenced largely by power and money, not by the “conclusive studies.”  I have found that time and time again the study of a drug tends to lean in the direction of the company that is paying for the study to be done.  While I may sound like a broken record, folks, keep in mind that the FDA had their own doctors come right out and say that a cigarette a day would keep the doctor away, that AIDS was contagious by touching, and that the only acceptable way to treat cancer is a deadly chemical radiation. (See G. Edward Griffin’s book “A World Without Cancer”. It’s packed full of indisputable research, facts, and evidence.)

Along these same lines, the other large vulnerability we have exposed ourselves to is the rampant acceptance of pharmaceuticals.  As one who struggles with clinical depression, obesity, and the ailment of insanity in the world around me (*grin*) I too think that life might me easier if it could just be fixed with a little pill each day.  However, I’ve come to realize that our bodies are so absolutely amazing in how they were created and that if I just do more to encourage them to function properly, then I can avoid so many of the drugs out there.  Pharmaceuticals are high-powered chemicals with real-life side affects. Can you believe that we now are told—with a straight face—that possible side effects of the drugs we take may result in “temporary paralysis, thoughts of suicide, liver failure, heart attack,” etc. etc. (By the way, if you haven’t seen Disney’s movie “Old Dogs”, you may want to. It’s nothing more than meaningless entertainment calories—light and fluffy.  But there’s a hysterical scene in there about what happens when two guys get their litany of medicines mixed up due to the side-effects.  I was cackling so hard, my cheeks and my gut hurt the next day). Due to the scenario in which the pharmaceutical companies test their subjects, most drugs are created much more potently than is necessary as well.

hydration photo c/o yalesustainability.files.wordpress.com

The majority of Americans run through their days dehydrated.  Unfortunately, much of what we put in our bodies chemically is a drying agent, thus compounding the dehydration effects.  However, if our bodies are well hydrated, then the effect of our medicines would be more obvious and thus we wouldn’t need to take as much. Water is necessary to cause the medication to be transported throughout our body.  However, when the pharmaceutical industry goes through the testing of their drugs on human beings, they pay no attention whatsoever to the state of hydration in the body.  The presence of water/hydration in the body compounds the effects of all nutrition—chemical or otherwise. Given that the majority of Americans are dehydrated, the medicines are made more powerful than necessary so that most patients can experience the desired chemical results of their medications. And yet there is a mountain of highly credible research to indicate that the symptoms of serious medical conditions such as heart disease, kidney failure, cancer, depression, ADHD, and diabetes would be dramatically lessened if the patient were to stay well hydrated.  Wouldn’t it be interesting if you were to take a drug that has strict instructions that you not only take a full glass of water with it, but that you also drink plenty of water during the day in order for it to be helpful?  Well, the drug industry wouldn’t sell as much medicine though if they spread that kind of doctrine though, would they?  So, they create and dispense their drugs to the most common denominator—dehydrated bodies.

doctor visit photo c/o shepardinsurancequote.com/

I know that on my path over the last couple of years I have found so many alternatives to traditional medicine.  Allow me to be clear. I don’t think that traditional medicine is evil, per se, I just think that it’s so widely accepted because there’s a seriously concerted effort to get us all to accept it as the answer.  As an expert marketer, I can appreciate such a successful campaign. But the consequences are that most people do not search out alternative answers.  Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of folks who are willing to throw billions of dollars out the window to saturate the market with the message that there are less risky, less expensive, and more effective treatments for what ails us—that don’t require a doctor’s visit, health insurance, surgery, or pricey consults.  Well, in my opinion, if you pick up one end of the stick of mainstream pharmaceuticals, then you also pick up the consequences: dependence, exorbitant expenses, follow-up doctor visits, physical side-effects which require yet more medications, etc, etc.   These kinds of dependencies aren’t just bad in one area of your life.  They have a negative impact on your areas of Physical, Financial, and Mental preparedness.  What are you going to do if you suddenly do not have access to those drugs? What if there’s an earthquake or a long-term power outage? What if you you’re your insurance or your job and can’t pay for them any longer?

In the name of Physical Preparedness, I implore you all to do what you can to cut the apron strings attaching you to the smothering mother of Medical Dependence.  No, I don’t recommend that anyone attempt to perform their own frontal lobotomy, but I’m 100% sure that there is a whole heck of a lot more that we can do for ourselves than what we are doing.  I KNOW that there are several potent medications that would be a much larger part of my life if I let them. But I try to make sure that I proactively put some good things into my body daily.  I’m not the epitome of health. I’m not saying that we all have to be perfect, but I am saying that we should all TRY perfectly.  Yes, I have the indulgences of life frequently—trying to quit many of them—but in my effort at becoming more independent from vulnerabilities I won’t permit my day to go by without making sure my body is stocked up on the good things that I have easy access to.  Quality vitamins and minerals that actually get absorbed into my body, WATER (at least ½ my body weight in ounces each day), good sleep, sprouts, flax seed (yummy in my yogurt) and other good sources of fiber such as wheat meat, whole grain bread, etc.—these are all a part of my daily proactive regime. I find that if I do enough of the proactive behaviors in my day, that I don’t have time or appetite for as many of the harmful actions.   As some of you may know, I also take 2 tablespoons of food-grade diatomaceous earth each day and two teaspoons of Redmond Clay.  I can assure you that there are at least 8 different aspects of my ill health yell loud and clear when I have omitted the proactive consumption of these products.  But I’d much rather have those kinds of things in my body rather than “FDA approved” drugs and treatments and their accompanying side-effects.  Wouldn’t you?

Just another step towards better preparedness folks.  May you exercise all of the independence your body can handle.

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The following link is a very interesting article which outlines how the WHO altered their pandemic classifications just before they classified the Swine Flu at a level 6.  This article also outlines the financial motivation for the medical and pharmaceutical industry to address an influenza strain rather than a more simple strain of illness.

Here’s the link http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=115719

By Kellene Bishop

What keeps me up at night? You. Photo c/o Mark Heine Photography

Last night I was begrudgingly up until 1:45 a.m. Finally I resorted to a sleeping aid so that I could get some much needed rest. (Thank goodness it kicked in at 2:00 a.m.) In spite of being reasonably comfortable in my personal preparedness efforts to be independent and thrive regardless of the scenario, I do have a nagging thought that plagues me and won’t let me sleep at night. What keeps the Preparedness Pro awake at night? It’s YOU.

I’m sincerely worried about you. If I’ve ever smiled at you in a grocery store, communicated with you via letter or e-mail, attended church with you, or seen you in one of my classes, I worry about you. In fact, even when I get a solicitation call and hear a human voice, I worry about that person. Here they are going on in their life conducting a mundane task and they aren’t the least bit aware just how vulnerable they are. When I sit down for a meal in a public place and watch people walk by, I genuinely worry about them. I find myself very aware of the human connections in nearly every aspect of my life. My postal worker, my doctor, the tellers at the bank, the TV news anchors and even the kids who left an empty beer bottle on my lawn—these are real human beings to me, not just an interaction. I worry because the vast majority of the people are completely unaware as to what I believe is coming soon that will alter their lives tremendously. I worry not that trouble will come, but that when it does, real human beings will needlessly suffer because they failed to take action now. It’s as if they are seeing the rows and rows of beautiful harvest but assuming it will always be there, never spoil, and thus they leave the reaping for another day. There will be much suffering of real people as a result. This is why I worry.

Weather patterns photo c/o oceanmotion.org

You don’t have to be a Christian to see innumerable evidences that our nation is ripe for a bumpy ride. You don’t have to believe in global warming to notice that our weather patterns have been peculiar as of late and devastating to many. (For the record I am a Christian and don’t believe in the global warming rhetoric.) A person’s political affiliation does not exempt them from cause for concern. An earthquake or tornado does not set its boundaries of damage by voting precincts. Clearly this year’s wheat infestations are no respecter of religion, income level, or astrological sign.

The fact is, our nation’s currency is only one courageous expose away from being worthless. The performers are stoically committed to their charade, but commitment does nothing to alter reality. 

I clearly expect Iran and Israel to be involved in a widely prophesied war within the next 3 months, the ramifications of which will be undeniable to our nation. 

Our nation’s enemies are merely emboldened in their evil intents as they watch our economy fail, our leaders bumble, and our citizens do nothing noteworthy in response.

The swine flu may fall short of its mainstream media billing, but considering the alarming increase in the numbers of tuberculosis and other diseases which we had previously eradicated from our nation, H1N1 is simply a dress rehearsal of what is legitimately to come, in my opinion.

Regardless what the talking heads say, we are about to see a food shortage unlike any since the days of Joseph in Egypt. Even the wealthy will find themselves in want for wheat and sugar in due time. These are just a FEW of the obvious concerns that make up a perfect storm for the unaware and unprepared. This is why I worry about you.  

Hurricane Katrina photo c/o ultimatechase.com

There are at least 12 different studies which I’ve read over the last month which conclude that less than 2% of the homes in our nation are prepared any differently than those persons were who were involved in Hurricane Katrina—even after we all witnessed their suffering as a result of a lack of preparation. To me, it’s just as ludicrous as watching the 10^th season of Survivor and seeing that they STILL can’t start a fire. You would think after a couple of seasons these so-called ardent fans who find themselves as contestants would have had enough time to figure out how to build a fire in the wild! The majority of the homes in this nation do not even have two weeks worth of food and water. In fact, some of you mistakenly believe that the water in the nearby lake is your own personal answer to water storage. That’s why I worry about you.

Some of you refuse to prepare for your own defense, thinking that the military or law enforcement will be miraculously available and trustworthy to aid you in your moment of despair. Over half of the homes that own firearms for self-defense do not have more than a round of ammo to go with them. I worry not only about you in this regard, but for our nation as a whole. No defenseless people have ever been able to obtain freedom and independence.

Some of you are working feverishly at a late hour to get prepared. But in your haste will you remember it all? Will there be enough time before you have to rely on what you have right now? For those of you who have seen a smidgen of light, don’t you wish you had started sooner in your preparedness efforts? I stay up at night wondering if you’ll be ready for what’s coming.

Some of you may have “stuff” but no sense. The solar oven has been sitting in your basement and you’ve never used it. The empty water barrels in your backyard are now an accepted part of the scenery. I once had a gal tell me that she LOVES her pressure cooker but she’s never used it with the lid on it. Some don’t know what a mortar and pestle is for, what to do with a shovel, how to ensure heat remains in a home, or how to filter their water safely. 

Missing after 9-11. Photo c/o wendycarlos.com

Some of you have no plan for how to reunite with your family if you are ever separated. I’m sure there are lots of families who lived through those awful hours following 9/11 wishing they’d had a plan. 

A wise friend once told me “People who stop living the way they believe, start believing the way they live.” In other words, I hear hollow excuses from countless individuals as to why being prepared in any capacity is “categorically crazy, unrealistic, impossible, irresponsible, and futile.” But these excuses will be inconsequential when the real turmoil manifests itself in their lives. This is why I worry about you.

Unfortunately, the problem is that none of you are reading this.  Surely your loved ones have pleaded with you to get prepared, but you’re not inclined in your comfort zone and fluffy state of mind to do so. Perhaps they will share this with you in another futile effort to calm their fretful minds. That’s why I worry about you. But that’s also why I do this every day. While I may not know your name, your history, or your dreams, I do know that there exists a beating heart and a soul beyond all of those formalities. I know that you are important to someone. And as such, I feel like you’re important to me. I may not ever benefit or change a single person through my knowledge and passion, but it won’t be because I did not give my all. I can answer to God with clean hands. May you go and do the same.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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By Kellene Bishop

I’m getting a lot of e-mails lately asking me for more details on the H1N1 risks. Frankly, I have a whole lot to say about the H1N1 flu, but that would probably take an entire day. So today I want to share some very basic aspects to help you begin to cut through some of the myths and misunderstandings about H1N1.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #1: First of all, don’t waste all of your money on the N95 respirator masks. Yes, they are a great quality. So are my expensive clogging shoes. But they will not do much to prevent me from getting sick. The N95 respirator masks are constructed to filter 95% of particulate that are 0.3µ, but the primary size of the H1N1 virus is 0.1µ, so they will pass through. The masks are good for other viruses that may result as a complication of the H1N1. But they will do very little to prevent you from getting H1N1 in the first place.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #2: H1N1 is transferred from one person to another via the nose and the mouth. It is only able to compound and grow (proliferate) in the upper respiratory system. So if you are going to take some preventative measures now (which I recommend you do), take actions that help the upper respiratory system such as a nasal saline rinse (they work wonders, I’m telling you!), or warm liquids, and the diffusing of some great essential oils such as Thieves. These are ideal preventative measures.

Upper Respiratory System photo c/o health.com

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #3: It’s virtually impossible for you NOT to come in contact with the H1N1. Contact with the virus won’t hurt you. But allowing the virus to proliferate in your upper respiratory system is what can be dangerous. Keeping your upper respiratory system clean and healthy so as not to provide an ideal environment for the proliferation of the flu virus is your best bet. The virus will only last in your system for about 2 weeks according to its natural cycle. So be diligent in your preventative measures so that you never give the virus a 2 week span in which it can grow to aggravate symptoms, get others ill, etc.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #4: Tamiflu does NOT kill the H1N1 virus. It is merely distributed to subdue the proliferation of the virus in the body. (Kind of like smothering a fire which doesn’t always work, depending on how the smothering agent is applied.) If Tamiflu is effective in the body for the 2 week duration, then you’ll notice very little illness and symptoms. Considering you are nearly guaranteed that you will have contact with the virus and that it’s not likely that you will “kill” it, it’s very important that you do everything you can not to encourage the virus’ growth. In addition to the aforementioned preventative measures, there are some other, relatively simple ways to defend yourself against the impact of this virus—without taking chances on chemical solutions.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #5: While it may sound a bit too simplistic, be sure to wash your hands a LOT! I wash mine nearly 3 times more daily than I used to in an essential oil base, such as Thieves. I also carry a little spray bottle of Thieves essential oil with me and spray down questionable surfaces as well as my hands when I’m out and about.

Gargle Salt Water. Photo c/o Photographic Advertising Limited

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #6: While most people only associate gargling salt water as what they do when they are sick, I suggest that you do it twice a day now. If you don’t care for salt water, then spray some Thieves oil in your mouth twice a day as a preventative measure. Bacteria and viruses simply cannot multiply in a salty environment. Don’t underestimate this. I’ve felt like I’ve been fighting something for a couple of weeks. So I’ve been faithful about taking more immune system builders, drinking my green drink, and spraying my throat twice daily.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #7: PLEASE keep your hands off of your face. When you touch your face, just picture you giving a “helping hand” to those little mongrel viruses right to your nose and mouth. Before applying makeup, be sure you’ve cleaned your hands. Moms, whatever you do, don’t do that licking of the finger to get a smudge or an errant hair under control. When you handle the drool of a little one, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #8: If you’re eating out, don’t TRUST that the table has been cleaned properly. Bring a sani-wipe with you and use it on the table. Be sure that you sanitize your hands before bringing food to your mouth either by utensils or by hand.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #9: When you use a tissue, be sure to use it once and then throw it away. If you reuse it (out of a need to conserve—I get it) you could be giving the virus a lift to your mouth and nose again.

Avoid people who have been vaccinated within the last 2 weeks. Photo c/o ehow.com

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #10: OK. Here’s another bit you should know. Try to avoid contact with those who have had the vaccination in the last 2 weeks as much as you would avoid someone who has the flu. The vaccination does carry a smidge of the actual virus in it. Whether or not it’s able to proliferate within its host body doesn’t mean that it can’t do so in your body.

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #11: Also get as much Vitamin D3 as you can. Conscientiously make yourself walk outside in the sun to absorb as much of it as possible. Have your kids do the same. Supplementing 5,000 IUs per day per adult and 2,000 IUs per day for children is a sound preventative measure. Vitamin D3 is a known immune regulator. (Isn’t that great how God has provided us with something like this for FREE?!) Remember, D3, not the common stuff you find stale on the pharmacy shelves. If you take a calcium supplement as well, you’ll dramatically improve the absorption of the Vitamin D3, as does zinc. Other health professionals have recommend taking 1,000 IUs of Vitamin C daily as well as a good source for multi-vitamin, including selenium. (Selenium is an anti-viral and an anti-inflammatory.)

Practical H1N1 Prevention Tidbit #12: Last but not least, try to avoid sugar, which suppresses the full functions of your immune system. Also avoid the less healthy oils such as corn, safflower, peanut, and soybean as they too suppress the immune system. Instead use grapeseed (which has a VERY long shelf-life) sesame, and cold pressed coconut oil if possible.

I’m currently working on an in-depth piece about what to do when you’re threatened or forced to take the vaccination against your will.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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By Kellene Bishop

Germ Warfare. Photo c/o positivepsychologynews.com

Yes, you do have a right to be a fanatic. When it comes to war, any war, the winner is always the one who never assumes they are safe. These same tactics must be applied to germ warfare as well.

There just had to be a Part II to my previous article on Germ Warfare. After writing the first article, I kept being mentally nagged by other danger zones I had left out. In some instances, I believe these germ danger zones may be more nefarious than some of those listed in my original article. So read on, and prepare to change some more of your life’s habits.

Soda pop and other canned goods—The other night while I was teaching a class on quarantine/pandemic ironically, a free can of soda pop was offered to everyone in the room. As I watched everyone happily opened their can of pop and drank from it. I on the other hand washed mine at the sink, wiped it off with a sani-wipe and then drank from it—simply because I couldn’t find any straws. Remember, you have absolutely NO idea what rodents the cans were exposed to at their original warehouse, as they were transported, or as they were housed at the retailer you purchased them from. Hanta virus is still a viable concern even if you have no rodents in your own home.

According to a new study, steering wheels have twice as many germs as toilet seats. Photo c/o autoexpress.co.uk

Steering wheel—Even if I avoid the fact that many people have questionable hygiene habits when they are in their own little world in their car, the fact of the matter is, you don’t exactly turn your head away from your steering wheel when you sneeze, cough, etc. Your steering wheel gets the brunt of all that nature expels from your mouth and nose. PLEASE be sure to clean it off regularly with sani-wipes. (If you haven’t picked up on it yet, manufacturers of sani-wipes may be a hot stock pick right about now. )

Get your drinks WITHOUT ice—I know that’s unfathomable to most of you. But here’s an eye opening statistic. You have a 70% chance of having MORE e-coli (which comes from feces) in your ice than is in the toilet from the same restaurant, airline, hotel, etc. Yes! Not just a 70% chance of finding e-coli there. But a 70% chance that your ice will be MORE contaminated than the toilet water! Studies showed that the number of stars a restaurant or hotel had made no difference in the quality of water in most cases. E-coli is introduced into the water by the water source used to make the ice, bare hands used to load the ice (instead of the scoop) and the fact that the lines to the ice machines are virtually NEVER cleaned out. 

Lemon wedges—avoid them in your drinks. I loathe the taste of tap water but I simply mask the taste by requesting a lemon wedge. Alas, I won’t be doing that any more. Lemon wedges have a 77% chance of being contaminated with e-coli, staph infection, or a myriad of other infectious bacteria. The only good thing you’ve got going for you is the fact that lemon juice is a natural anti-bacterial and disinfectant agent. *whew* Lemons are usually put into your drinks by bare hands despite the fact that they’re supposed to be handled with gloves. However, most restaurants leave it up to the servers to put them in your drinks. Having them placed on your dinner plates should be safe though as that’s usually done by a food handler in the kitchen.

Beware of gas pumps! Photo c/o blog.foreignpolicy.com

Gas pumps—If I had to give an award for the LEAST amount of cleaning on a public item ever, gas pumps would win hands down. Think about it. When have you EVER seen someone clean those? When you pump your gas, use a paper towel that the station usually has on hand or at least sanitize the heck out of your hands before you touch ANYTHING else—including your keys.

Last but not least is a stern word of warning about playgrounds. Those bouncy houses that your kids play in NEVER get sanitized. They get vacuumed sometimes, but never fully cleaned. The ones containing the bouncy balls are a cesspool of germs of the grossest kinds. When have you ever seen a school janitor clean the chains on the swings or the bars on the monkey bars or the handles on the teeter totters? How about the playground equipment such as balls, jump ropes, etc? It’s imperative that you teach your kids to SANITIZE their hands after recess or after using such equipment on any occasion.

Bottom line, you have EVERY right to be fanatical about your health care. This is your life we’re talking about here. You MUST be in a heightened state of awareness in order to prevent you and your family from getting unnecessarily ill. One touch is all it takes folks, so be mindful. You wouldn’t take your kid down a dark alley in the middle of the city at 3:00 a.m. Making contact with e-coli or the Hanta virus or the H1N1 virus isn’t any less of a gamble. So start putting the odds in your favor. This is called germ warfare for a reason. Position yourself to win every battle.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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By Kellene Bishop

Pandemic or not, the time to prepare is now. Photo c/o ehow.com/

A lot of folks are e-mailing me or commenting that they don’t buy into all of this “hoopla” about the Swine Flu. My response is that it doesn’t matter whether or not the Swine flu amounts to anything at this moment, you STILL need to prepare for it. The point is that you should be preparing for the Swine Flu, Avian Flu, or Alien flu (yes, I made that up) the same way that you prepare for any other “disaster.” The only significance of the Swine Flu is the matter of timing. Due to the flu season and school starting back up, we MAY be looking at an imminent pandemic threat very soon. The fact of the matter is, you all still have a lot to do to get prepared to survive without all of your niceties that you’re used to. Just because the Swine Flu flurry may be perpetuated unnecessarily doesn’t make it any less of a circumstance to reckon ourselves with. I think that the issue with the Swine Flu being so pervasive in our minds is simply that it’s something that’s a bit more real to us. The timing of it is more visible. No one (who’s willing to admit it anyway) saw 9/11 coming. No one saw the damage that the tsunami was going to bring with it, and no one saw the complete disaster and horrible aftermath that Hurricane Katrina let loose on Louisiana either. Ask yourself, if you had a major earthquake tomorrow, would you be prepared? If your children all came down with some nasty flu and you were quarantined, would you be prepared?

Whether or not the Swine Flu ends up being equivalent to the Spanish Flu of 1918 is irrelevant. Yes, the Spanish Flu killed hundreds of millions of people. Yes, it affected virtually every part of the earth, even the Arctic and remote islands of the Pacific. But its biggest danger was that it came to people who were unaware, unlearned, and unprepared for such an instance. Thus what’s truly important is that you prepare for a pandemic situation like it right now while you can.

Here is a list of items for you that I recommend you have on hand in case you do end up having a patient who’s ill with a highly contagious flu virus. You will want to cordon off a room in your home for the care of such a person in order to avoid the unnecessary spreading of the virus. This list takes into consideration that you may or may not have electricity. (Obviously, this list is not all inclusive)

Items to Cordon Off a Sick Room

• Air filter                     
• Fan                                         
• Plastic sheeting
• Shower Curtain        
• Sheets/pillow cases               
• Heavy blankets          
• Cot/bed                      
• Bleach                                    
• Rubber gloves            
• Air masks                   
• Hair ties                                 
• Shower caps              
• Thermometers           
• Multiple sets of sheets                       
• Ways to keep sick room dark           
• Washcloths                
• Portable water bins               
• Capacity to heat water w/o electricity
• Towels (paper and cloth)

Items Necessary for the Comfort of Patient

• Fabric for bandages (sanitize) 
• Baby wipes
• Anti-diarrhea meds
• Anbesol                                      
• Listerine
• Chloraseptic
• Whiskey
• Honey
• Lemon juice
• Water, water, water
• Salt
• Multi-vitamins
• Herbal teas
• Essential oils
• Lotions
• Washcloths
•  Towels
• Multiple sets of sheets
  

  Thieves Oil photo c/o aromatherapyliving.com

• Air flow
• Visine
• Hot packs
• Cold packs 
• Lavender
• Garlic/garlic oil
• Thieves Oil/products
• Lanacane
• Pain/fever relievers*
• Vaporizers (battery operated)
• Oversized T-shirts 
• Gowns
• Vicks Vaporub
• Icy Hot
• SOFT facial tissues
• SOFT toilet paper
• Gauze            
• Medical tape
• Neosporin                           
• Hot water bottle
• Straws
• Allergy meds                          
• Ensure               
• Band-aids
• Q-tips                         
• Cotton balls 
• Meal-in-bed tray
• Eye dropper               
• Mouth dropper
• Books
• Juice                        
• Baby monitor
• Pen/notebook for records
• Anti-bacterial soap    
• Olive leaf extract
• Yarrow root
• Goldenseal                 

• 

  Hot Toddy

  Red sage

• Raspberry leaves
• Catnip                                  
• Oregano oil
• Sage oil
• Bragg’s Amino acids                         
• Scar therapy pads      
• Hemorrhoid ointment
• Baby bottle                                        
• Rubbing alcohol        
• Bed pans
• Deodorizer                                         
• Walker                                   
• Sleep aids          
• Crackers                     
• Cough medicine* (or makings for a hot toddy: 1 T of whiskey, 1 T honey, 1 T lemon, 1 C. of hot water)
• Pain relievers (aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen)*                     
• Simple proteins (peanut butter, canned chicken)
• Pedialyte ( Recipe: 1 liter H2O, 2 T sugar or honey, 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t baking soda)
• Hot cereals (cream of wheat and oatmeal are best on the stomach)
• Anti-Nausea treatment (crystallized ginger, chamomile, mint tea, crackers)

*Remember infant versions too

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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By Kellene Bishop

Paying attention can get you some great laughs, memorable moments, or vital warnings. Yesterday I was driving behind a police car and noticed that he had a license plate border that said, “Actually, I prefer bagels.” I got a much needed laugh off of that one. Glad I was paying attention.

Photo c/o globalcrisisnews.com/

Most Americans are unaware at just how tenable the financial culture is in our nation right now. But seriously, to not know it is simply a matter of not paying attention. It’s not like we have to trust in some kind of a prophet to see for ourselves. There is a bounty of evidence right now that begs for our attention so that we can be prepared for an inevitable challenge. This evidence spells out the critical need for us to get our own homes in order so that we can survive through the looming financial crisis.

In 1962, the “Cuban crisis” suddenly left the grocery shelves of stores nationwide empty overnight. Yet there was plenty of warning ahead of time to those who were paying attention. These persons had the ability to be independent of panic and price gouging. Yet did anyone pay attention to a looming financial crisis a year in advance of the triggering incident?

Didn’t Americans wake up to what they thought was a routine day on December 7, 1941? Unfortunately there’s some evidence military didn’t pay attention to and we were tragically caught unaware. 

While the “great depression” erupted in a matter of hours, its effects reached millions of Americans for years, in spite of numerous warning signs. Unfortunately, the indicators of today’s looming financial collapse are more rampant and indicate a much more severe collapse than that of 1929. Here are the reasons why I state as such.

1)     Financial Crisis Clue #1: A new batch of over $12 billion (yes, that’s a “B”) of pay option arm mortgages are coming due this fall. We’ve seen how those due dates have affected the market thus far. With unemployment rising, finance restrictions getting tighter, and the mortgage market being so stale, this is NOT going to be a pleasant ride, folks.

Australian Lacrosse Team Quarantined in South Korea Because of Swine Flu. Photo c/o theage.com.au

2)     Financial Crisis Clue #2: Flu outbreak. You do realize that one simple interruption in our nation’s transportation industry will cause a serious financial domino effect, right? There are over 250,000 trucking companies in the U.S. alone. The majority of them are “small businesses.” Just as you live hand to mouth, so do business owners. The trucking industry is no exception. We are due for quite the outbreak of this Swine flu this fall. I’ve never seen a more real potential for a quarantine in the last several decades as I do now. We’ve been warned of a possible quarantine as recent as the first of this month. I’m certain that the delays are being extended as long as possible holding out hope that it won’t be necessary due to the financial domino effect it will have. Other countries have begun some quarantine procedures, costing them over 5 billion dollars a day in lost commerce. I don’t think our economy is healthy enough to endure such a financial hit. The transportation industry is just the tip of the iceberg. Look at the effect a quarantine would have on everything else that doesn’t get paid as a result of consumers not being permitted to go to work. Then look at the businesses that could fail as a result of employees not being able to go to work. Look at the travel industry, hospitality, gasoline, groceries, utilities, credit, entertainment, etc. The cost of a quarantine on our nation would be immense and just by itself bring about a huge depression that would take us 7 years to recover from.

3)     Financial Crisis Clue #3: Hyper inflation. This year the U.S. needs to sell the equivalent of 1.5 times its national deficit amount in the form of foreign investments in order to survive the present financial set back. Unfortunately, we’re almost into August and we haven’t succeeded at that yet. This year our deficit is “only” $1 trillion. However, next year it is $3 trillion. If we aren’t able to raise enough foreign investors for the $1 trillion this year, how are we to expect to raise 1.5 times our projected deficit for 2010—a process which USUALLY begins the quarter preceding the year the investments are needed? When hyperinflation occurs, the only solution is to raise taxes, print more money, or sell foreign bonds. They’ve already raised taxes. We aren’t being successful in selling the bonds. So, what happens if we print more money?

4)     Financial Crisis Clue #4: Currency value is highly questionable. As I’ve attempted to explain previously, national currency only has value in a fully functional economy.  It only has value when there is a healthy balance between supply and demand. As we see in our news on a regular basis, we’ve long surpassed the criteria for a functional economy. I firmly believe our economy is as dysfunctional as Jon and Kate Gosselin’s marriage. Since the Federal Reserve refuses to publish the M3 report anymore which tells the American people just how much currency is in circulation at one time, we are seriously in store for an “emperor’s new clothes” scenario.  The fact that we don’t know how much money is in circulation does not change the fact that we’re seeing significantly higher amounts of currency being exchanged than ever before. The reason why our government has been staking claim to so much land (in spite of the fact that it’s unconstitutional) is so that there is more “collateral” for our foreign bonds. Fort Knox is empty, folks. Even food commodities which we have had in store in abundance in decades past have been exported in desperation to bring cash flow into our country’s government. The clouds are getting awfully dark in this warning, folks.

5)     Financial Crisis Clue #5: Credit crisis. Why in the world would credit card companies—who know full well that the economy is in serious trouble—start increasing minimum payment requirements to more than double the amount they’ve been in the past? What kind of financial sense does that make? Surely they will lose customers in doing so, or cause bankruptcies due to the irresponsible pool of consumers they cater to, right? So why would they make such a seemingly desperate move? It has to do with the fact that their money isn’t as valuable on the international trade markets any longer. As a result, the credit companies themselves have over extended themselves and thus have to cannibalize their source of income in order to bail themselves out. In addition, if you were to go to a grocery store consistently and find them out of milk each time, wouldn’t that start affecting your confidence in the availability of milk? You might start hoarding it when you did find it, or suspect there was a problem with it. The same is happening with money. Consumers are finding the “money shelves” bare at banks, credit companies, and lending companies. This directly affects consumer confidence so they are not parting with their “milk” quite so easily. Consumer confidence has a HUGE effect on currency value.

Utility Bills Could Bankrupt You. Photo c/o co.fort-bend.tx.us

6)     Financial Crisis Clue #6: Credit crisis affects power companies. Most power companies purchase their power in bulk. They are able to do so based on their credit ratings through contracts known as power purchase agreements (PPAs). However, as the credit crunch in our nation becomes more obvious, even power companies are losing their stellar credit ratings and thus have difficulty renewing power purchase agreements, or at the very least, negotiating the best prices. This means, of course, that the power costs are going to go up this fall when many of these agreements are up for renewal. Couple that with the Cap & Trade “TAX” and you have a recipe for yet another financial disaster. It could come to the point where an employee literally cannot afford to drive to work. Your utility costs could bankrupt you. If this type of domino effect occurs, not only would there be a financial collapse, but several utility companies could go bankrupt with no one and nothing to rescue them. Imagine a power company sitting there looking like a ghost town.

Well, I think that suffices for now, folks. My purpose in sharing this with you is to give you yet one more reason why those of you who are preparing for “something” AREN’T crazy, and why the rest of you need to wake up and take advantage of the good times to get ready now. It sure would be a shame if the times of plenty lulled us into a sense of numbness to common sense, wouldn’t it? My friends, I beg you to please wake up and pay attention to the looming financial crisis and prepare accordingly. When this occurs, currency will be useless. Items which have an inherent value to them such as food, medical supplies, fuel, etc. are the only thing that will be worthwhile. Right now you can still obtain such items with our questionable currency. But how long will that last? Is that really a gamble you’re willing to make on your family’s life?

Wake up and smell the currency folks. The financial collapse is indeed looming.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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We’ve composed an update for you relative to the effects of Swine Flu in Argentina.  It’s worth paying attention to…which is why I’m posting it for you all.

President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner with Health Minister Dr. Juan Manzur, right. Photo c/o Enrique Marcarian/Reuters

July 8, 2009 from All Headline News 

• More than 60 confirmed deaths in Argentina from swine flu
• Government officials decided to shut down banks Friday (July 3) in an effort to contain the virus
• Travel has nearly fallen in half in the past few days, would cost the hospitality industry $150 million/week, should the pace continue.
• Economic analysts’ estimate economic impact at $1.6 billion if the epidemic last a month.
• 2,485 officially confirmed cases in Argentina

 July 7, 2009 from Republican American  

• Outbreak of swine flu in Argentina may cut output by 0.6 percent said Orlando Ferreres of Buenos Aires research company Orlando Ferreres & Asociados
• Health Minister Juan Luis Manzur said yesterday about 90 percent of the country’s influenza cases involve the H1N1 virus, displacing other types of flu that have affected Argentina in the past.
• The city of Buenos Aires and several provinces have declared a health emergency, moving up winter vacations for schools and universities, and canceling some public events
• The national government granted pregnant women 15 days paid leave.
• The Argentine Association of Theater Owners yesterday announced the suspension of functions for 10 days after demand for tickets fell 80%, said Carlos Rottemberg, head of group.

July 7, 2009 from Screenhead.com  

• Film distributors in Argentina have delayed the movie premieres as an outbreak of swine flu reaches attendance
• Admissions declined 34% from July 3-5 compared with the previous week despite releases of Ice Age and The Proposal, says box office tracker Ultracine

 July 3, 2009 from NY Times  

• Swine flu has killed more people in Argentina than in any other country in South America
• The death rate of 1.6 percent is more than three times the world average, Claudio Zin, the health minister of Buenos Aires Province, said Friday.
• Argentina passed Canada this week as the country with the third-highest death toll from the flu…remains behind Mexico and the US
• Officials suspect that there are 100,000 cases of swine flu in the country, compared with 320,000 cases of other types of flu.
• Some private health officials have said that President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s government should have declared a state of emergency before national congressional elections last Sunday.
• That would have likely delaye the elections, which Mrs. Kirchner had moved up by four months to increase the chances that her husband, former President Néstor Kirchner, could prevail in his race for Congress.
• Several doctors have said former health minister Graciela Ocaña had recommended calling a national state of emergency and delaying the elections, but was overruled.
• The outbreak is expected to cost the economy up to $2.9 billion this year

Swine Flu in Argentina photo c/o AP

July 1, 2009 from BBC UK

• Local officials said school in the capital and three other regions are cancelled from Monday (July 6), bringing forward winter holidays due to start on 20 July.
• “Families … should see it as a time for the children to stay at home as much as possible and avoid places where people are crowded together,” said Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri.
• Officials said that restaurants, cinemas and other public buildings would remain open.
• Many cases in the region have been reported in working class and poorer areas, says BBC’s Candace Piette in Buenos Aires.

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By Kellene Bishop

Whether or not this article serves as a wake-up call regarding the Swine Flu (H1N1 virus) is up to you.

I hope that no one who reads this feels that I’m motivated by “fear mongering.”  I do not share this information for any other reason than to reinforce the reality that you cannot continue to ignore or put off your emergency preparedness efforts.

Photo c/o kcsg.com

Today Utah announced two more deaths as a result of the swine flu.  One of which occurred in the county I live in, and another significantly further north in another county.  Our death toll has nearly tripled in less than a month, and this isn’t even the flu season.  I have two sisters-in-law who work as nurses for a hospital in Salt Lake City.  They claim that the majority of their patients right now are H1N1 virus patients.

So, here’s the alarming part of all of this.  In a very non-descript way, lacking any bells and whistles, the news article which reported the most recent two deaths today shared a warning from the local health officials here.

“Should the virus become more virulent in the fall, public health officials may ask Utahns to take additional steps in order to limit its spread.  Families should begin preparing for what they would need if they are asked to spend a week away from school, work or other activities.  Now is the time to update, or create, your emergency stockpile.  Items like food, water, tissue, sanitizers, over-the-counter medications and prescription medications are all useful items to have on hand in the event you become ill and are confined to your home.”

See http://www.abc4.com/content/news/state/story/Utah-swine-flu-death-toll-rises-to-10/mc4dtcKIu0Gtvh1E1-sd7g.cspx for the entire article/news report.

Did you get that, folks?  They are trying to prepare us for the possibility of being quarantined.  This means that we will not be able to go to work, activities, or even school.  No Transformers movie, no dining out, and no scrapbooking parties.    While they attempt to make light of the warning by only using a “week” as a threshold for the quarantine, you and I both know that a quarantine would not be such a short period of time.

Dr. Margaret Chan of the World Health Organization photo c/o news.bbc.co.uk

Let’s recap the reality here, folks.  The WHO has officially declared a pandemic status due to the H1N1 virus.  The death toll continues to rise in states all over the U.S., and certainly the number of confirmed cases continues to rise in spite of the fact that we are NOT in the peak flu season.  In fact, we’re supposed to be in the “non” flu season right now.  Time and time again the virus is misdiagnosed and missed altogether only to have the individual die later.  Lastly, the virus continues to develop and yet we are working on an anti-biotic/immunization treatment for what we have before us right now, not what we may have before us this fall.

Do what you will with this information.  But remember, in the event of a quarantine, what you have in your home, and ONLY what you have in your home, will be all of your resources for you and your family to survive on.  Are you ready?

To keep posted on the H1N1 virus results for the U.S. you can go to www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU

Click here for more from Preparedness Pro on the Swine flu.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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By Kellene Bishop

Photo c/o AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd

Yes, The WHO has moved the swine flu alert level to level 6, the highest level available.  While some may speculate that this is merely a political move to free up funds for willy-nilly spending, understand that this is also a very historical move.  There are viable concerns about the swine flu.  This article intends to show you the real face of the H1N1 virus.  Here are a handful of facts that you truly do need to know.

1. It’s resilient: Typically a flu virus disappears in warmer weather.  This particular strain is still rampant even in some of the hottest areas of our country and the world (ie: California, Texas, Philippines, among others).  The southern hemisphere is actually moving into their cold season, so the number of swine flu cases could increase substantially there.  Be mindful of this and its impact on your travel arrangements.
2. It’s affecting YOUNG and old: Typically a flu virus is off balance in its claims to victims, with elderly and infants being most susceptible.  However, in the case of the swine flu, over half of those who have contracted the virus were “young and healthy.”  Thus no one particular demographic is immune at present.
3. It’s “unstoppable”: WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan stated this fact bluntly.  In other words, the H1N1 virus has already spread sufficiently that it cannot be contained to a particular border.  This is due in large part to our open borders and easy travel afforded to us today.  The virus has already affected over 74 countries and there have been a reported 28,774 WORLDWIDE cases of swine flu.  Over 13,000 of those cases have been in the U.S. alone.

4. 

   Photo c/o Polaris

   No immunization is planned against the swine flu until late September:

   This gives the virus a great deal of time to mutate and affect countless individuals.  In doing so, it is possible that the immunization treatments planned for the fall may become obsolete.  What this means is you need to take precautionary measures NOW so as not to allow the virus to run rampant in your system.  Build up your immune system by eating nutritious foods, take quality vitamin and mineral supplements, and be cautious in exposing yourself to other individuals who have the flu.  If at all possible, don’t venture into a doctors office or a hospital unless it’s necessary.  Lighten up on the junk food and sugar.  Those items tax your immune system dramatically.  Lighten up on the size of your breakfasts.  Your body uses the most energy prior to noon, thus the energy that it does not have to expend digesting your breakfast is better served to build your body’s strengths.

5. This is NOT cause for panic: It’s cause for vigilant, passionate caution.  Be careful.  Be mindful.  Wash you hands ALL the time, especially after handling money!  Don’t touch the bathroom door after you’ve washed your hands when leaving the bathroom.  Perhaps it’s better to treat yourself to movies at home instead of in packed theatres.  Take this summer break to build up your children’s immune system while they aren’t exposed to crowded classrooms and other children.  Use the sanitary wipes on the handles of the grocery carts in the stores.  Wash your produce.  Eat out less.  In other words, minimize your exposure to the swine flu unnecessarily.
6. Sorry, but new cases are NOT declining in the U.S.: Contrary to some news reports I’ve heard, U.S. cases are still increasing.  In fact just recently a college, scout camp and a couple other large facilities were closed down here in Utah because of new cases confirmed.  We’ve even had another fatality in the last week.  I know that Utah is not the exception to this increase given that we do not house a major international airport such as Chicago O’Hare airport or JFK airport in our state.  (Note that Illinois, even though it does not border a foreign country or a large body of water has the THIRD highest number of confirmed cases of the swine flu in the U.S.—even more than California and New York.  Shockingly, Wisconsin has the MOST confirmed cases of swine flu, with Texas the second highest.)  In fact, the WHO admonishes countries which believe they’ve had their wave of swine flu already, to actually prepare for a second wave.
7. A declaration of a pandemic does not mean the virus has become more deadly: It simply means it’s become more prominent.  However, because of such, there is still a significant risk of mutation.  Once the H1N1 virus mutates with the avian flu virus, then it will EASILY be transferred from person to person and it will indeed become more deadly.  This caution has been confirmed by John Oxford, a professor of virology at St. Bart’s and Royal London Hospital.

All in all, what this means is that we still need to be on guard and in a preparatory mindset against the swine flu.  Keep your eyes open for gloves and dust masks to purchase.  If we WERE to be quarantined for 90 days, which is possible if swine flu cases continue to rise, then you may actually want at least one mask per person per probable day of a quarantine.  Also, look into stocking up on essential oils that have historically proven to battle the spread of such a virus as well as aid in the cure.

Click here for more from Preparedness Pro on the Swine flu.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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