By Kellene Bishop

The purpose of my article today is to help to outline some aspects of mental and physical preparedness that we must take into consideration prior to enduring a serious scenario.  Whether it be an earthquake, a flood, a hurricane, or a financial collapse, there are some consequences which will definitely take place and I feel that it’s important that all persons who desire peace in their preparedness efforts, take the time and the work necessary to prepare for this very important aspect of preparedness—giving help to others.

I believe in helping others and my preparedness efforts give proof to that end. However, understand that there is a well-deserved saying that “no good deed goes unpunished.” Unfortunately, there is truth in that statement as it relates to our fellow men, so that’s what I’m going to address today.

Confidentiality: For starters, know that your willingness to help others should be shared confidentially and only with those you intend to aid. The helping of others MUST be a pre-planned strategy, not a reactive, knee-jerk one, in order to ensure the utmost of safety and survival for you and your loved ones.  In other words, you need to have a set plan among your family members that under a specific set of circumstances you will plan on assisting them in accordance to their needs. In other words, suppose there is an earthquake in California where your brother and his family lives. Communicate clearly to your brother that under such circumstances they are to get to your home in Utah post haste with whatever supplies they can bring, and you will give them aid. Be sure that it is understood that this invitation is to be kept confidential between you and your intended recipients. Otherwise, you will be confronted with a desperate and aggressive army of other persons seeking aid. Regardless of the size of your heart you can NOT take care of everyone who comes to request assistance. Doing so will not only compromise your safety, but your life as well, and most certainly the lives of those you intended on helping all along. Clear communication and confidence is key in such circumstances.

No Flood Gates: There have been examples in every single disaster that has ever taken place in the history of the world in which well-intended caregivers lost  their sustenance, their shelter, and their lives because they opened the proverbial Wal-Mart doors on the morning of Black Friday to those in need.  Several instances were shared in which successful survivors of Hurricane Katrina were robbed, bludgeoned, or killed so that others could benefit from their supplies.  A church, which made every effort to try to help others, was suddenly forced by local authorities to take on all of the evacuees that the local law enforcement deemed necessary, regardless of the compromise of safety that such demands put upon the church and the others they were sheltering. Think of it as the camel getting his nose into your tent. You’ll never get him out after that and all you’ve done to prepare will be seriously compromised. A hospital in the aftermath of India’s historic tsunami was taken over not by patients who needed care, but by violent gangs who demanded access to drugs.  In order to ensure that you are not one of these statistics you must plan on being heavy handed and determined in the care you will extend to others.  This means you need to rehearse in your mind, discuss with your family, the severity of such circumstances and make sure that everyone is educated in maintaining the safety of your group.

Stand Your Ground: Planning on helping others cannot just be about the amount of supplies and the foundation of your religious beliefs. Remember that desperate circumstances create monsters out of some of the best of persons.  As such, no person can be completely prepared without accepting this reality.  Food, water, clothing, etc. are only a small part of your preparedness efforts. There’s a reason why I teach that the third most important part of preparedness is your Physical Preparedness. Some think that I’m simply referring to ones health when I say this. In actuality, I’m also referring to ones physical security as well.  Your supplies are meaningless if you cannot ensure that they will be used in safety and security. As such we must all obtain the  proper knowledge and supplies to ensure our safety and that our decisions on behalf of our safety are respected and obeyed.  This also means that mental fortitude must be established before a disaster comes calling. And, sorry to say it folks, but this also means that you must learn how to effectively protect yourself, and your loved ones, even if you are in a high stress situation.

Community: This brings me to my next point. I’ve said it previously in other posts, but I believe it bears repeating. There is something to be said for strength in numbers. Part of the reason in you preparing to share you goods with a specific person should be in anticipation of the man power it will take to protect those goods as well as lives.  A single, lone person doesn’t  man an empty Fort Knox today. So I suspect that it will take more than a single person with knowledge and skill to protect your shelter—whether it be an automobile traveling for safety, a tent community, or a single home.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Lastly, it’s critical that you know your rights sufficiently so that you are committed to maintaining those rights. My favorite motto when I was in sales holds true to just about any scenario: “Whoever is more committed, wins.”  Throughout even recent situations of natural disasters, many persons have given up their freedoms with the least little bit of aggravation in a “disaster scenario.”  (shelter in LA, guns in NC, speech in MI, etc.) Let me be perfectly clear in hopes that you openly discuss this with your family and friends for future planning– It’s not ok for you to be taken somewhere else when you have chosen to stay in your home. If folks can sign a “do not resuscitate” (DNR) order, then they sure as heck have the right to “Do Not Rescue” as well.  In fact, I suggest that you make a “DNR” sign for your front door in the event of a natural disaster. You and your family should always plan on staying together—if for no other reason than the safety of your family and the mental well being in knowing how everyone is doing.  Your GOD GIVEN rights, which no court in the land can legally infringe upon, gives you that right to stay together even if a uniformed person tries to convince you otherwise in a disaster scenario. And you know what, if Fido or Brutus are one of your family members, then you darn well better PLAN for them to remain a part of your family with your preparedness efforts.

Always remember, disasters do not alienate you from your unalienable rights. Keep in mind that the Declaration of Independence was written during a time of disaster, war, and turmoil. If it had efficacy during such a time, then a little ole earthquake, hurricane, or other Act of God or U.S. Government certainly does not take those rights of survival away from you simply because times are tough. In accordance to the U.S. Constitution, you also have a right to arms—in a disaster or in peace time. You also have a right to your property—regardless of who does not have their own property. The Constitution doesn’t say that “Mr. Smith shall only retain his foods in the event of everyone else having three meals a day,” right?  There’s nothing even remotely in our laws which intimates such a posture.  So, what I’m saying is that you must decided ahead of time what your committed posture will be in the event of a disaster in order to you to have your rights and decisions heeded.  Will you stay or go. Will you give to others? Will you defend your lives under all threats of loss or impairment?

As you know, I continually teach peaceful preparedness efforts. I also believe that you can have peace in the midst of you needing the fruits of your preparedness efforts. However, if you do not mentally and physically prepare in some of the ways I’ve suggested, then you will have liberated peace from your family and surroundings. We all need to prepare now to keep the peace.

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

by Kellene Bishop

You may be too young to know this, but a long time ago, coconut oil (and some palm oils) was in virtually everything you ate.  Your French fries were cooked in it, your mayonnaise was made with it, and it was used in many of your processed foods as well.  So what changed? How did coconut oil fall from grace in the food industry? Well, like most instances such as this, the secret behind this switch has to do with money, power, and greed.

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely hate to be manipulated in any way. In fact, I’m so stubborn in that regard, that you may find me to be the only one still sitting at the end of a play while everyone else is giving out standing ovations. I simply refuse to do it just because everyone else does. If a performer deserves a standing ovation, or a laugh, or applause I will enthusiastically do so. Otherwise, I will hold my position. Well, when I started researching all that I could find about coconut oil, I discovered that once again, I would be sitting while everyone else was lavishing praise on the wrong kinds of oil.  So, for those of you who also detest being manipulated by money instead of facts, this article is for you.

In order for the soybean industry to advance as the first choice for oil, it had to squeeze out the primary leader—coconut oil. It did so by publicizing half-truths to the medical industry and then on to the general consumers.  In the mid 1980’s, with billions of dollars at stake, the American Soybean Association launched an aggressive, widespread smear campaign that painted coconut oil as the evil, artery clogging oil that everyone needed to run away from. As a result of this campaign, Americans can now thank the ASA for a great deal of the health problems which they experience including the very diseases which the ASA tried to paint coconut oil as causing. They can also thank the ASA for introducing harmful hydrogenated oils into our regular diet as well. Nonetheless, as you know, I don’t believe in the victim mentality so I thought I’d share with you some vital facts about the merits of coconut oil today. This way you can start deliberate and informed efforts towards better health as well as using an oil which won’t compromise its healthy foundation even after spending a couple of years on your pantry shelf.

Many years ago, a nutritional specialist, Bruce Fife, was addressing a group of doctors. He opened his speech with this statement, “Coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils one can use.” He was immediately corrected by one of the doctors in attendance who said, “Coconut oil is unhealthy; it causes heart disease.” Mr. Fife wisely responded by saying “that must be why all of the Pacific Islanders died off hundred of years ago.”

It’s true. Pacific Islanders have long used every part of the coconut for their nutritional mainstays.  Coconut oil is no exception. And yet dozens of studies have shown these groups of people to possess NO heart disease, diabetes, and many other ailments common in our “more progressive” soybean and vegetable oil society. In fact, the countries with the palm oil intakes in the world are Costa Rica and Malaysia. Their heart disease rates and cholesterol levels are much lower than in the western nations. Why? Well, it all boils down to the fact that all saturated fats are not created equal.

Yes, it’s true that coconut oil is a saturated fat. And thanks to a very successful indoctrination campaign, we usually associate the words saturated fat as being unhealthy. But what most people don’t realize is that there are three types of saturated fats; differentiated by the chain length of the fatty acids. There’s short, medium, and long chain fatty acids inherent in any saturated fat food.  It’s actually the long chain fatty acids that are very bad for our bodies. Long chain fatty acids are not easily digested in our bodies, as such they leave behind residues that help clog up arteries. Whereas medium chain fatty acids are easily digested in the body and leave no harmful residue.  Coconut oil has the most percent of saturated fats of most any oil, however, it’s the only oil that has NO affect on the cholesterol levels and arteries in our body—this is because it consists of medium-chain fatty acids which are easily digested and used in the body.  In fact, instead of causing heart disease like hydrogenated oils do (which come primarily from soybean oil) coconut oil actually prevents the development of heart disease!  Medium-chain fatty acids also have the added benefit of producing energy in our bodies instead of fat like other oils do.

Understand that not all coconut oils are the same either. Heat, light, and oxygen are bad for most oils. By the time you even purchase olive oil at your grocery store it’s already been subjected to heat and light and as such has already begun to go rancid.  In order to avoid this problem with your coconut oil, be sure that you buy only cold-pressed (or expeller pressed) coconut oil. Any oil that has been heat expelled has already started going rancid.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but ALL conventionally processed and refined vegetable oils are rancid to some extent by the time they reach the store, folks. This rancid state is hard to detect but is ripe for developing disease-causing free radicals in our body. When we cook with them, adding more heat to the process, we are simply compounding the unhealthy effects it will have in our body.  On the other hand, cold-pressed coconut oil is so dependable and shelf-stable that many food manufacturers will use coconut oil in order to prevent their products from going rancid on the shelves.

Unlike other oils, coconut oil has a double-carbon bond, making it much more stable even under heated conditions. Because of this bonding, coconut oil can be exposed to heat, light, and oxygen without promoting free-radical formation and oxidation. This means that the medium-chain fatty acids can remain stable even when you’re cooking with it. In spite of all of this, coconut oil isn’t just ideal for storage and cooking. It’s actually a great preventative food, chocked full of great health benefits.

Not only is coconut oil not harmful to our bodies, but it’s actually great at countering the negative effects that other oils have on our body.  Several studies have been conducted which provided participants a small amount of coconut oil in addition to their standard oil found in a typical meal.  Those who added coconut oil to their diet in addition to their normal fare had a decreased negative affect on their cholesterol levels as opposed to those participants who had no coconut oil in their diet.  Coconut oil is also being researched as an aid for curing heart disease, gingivitis, HIV, herpes, cancer, and a myriad of other diseases readily found in western civilizations.  Coconut oil also counteracts many of the effects of hydrogenated oils such as memory loss, asthma, allergies, diabetes, suppressed immune systems, constipation, colitis, and senility. Coconut oil is so resistant to a free-radical attack that it actually acts as an anti-oxidant, helping to prevent the oxidation of other oils.  It’s also been found to promote healing after surgery or even of sprain joints in our body.  In his book, “The Coconut Oil Miracle”, Bruce Fife had an entire list of ways to use coconut oil as a disease prevention and treatment resource including killing fungus and harmful yeasts, healing skin infections, killing bacteria that causes pneumonia and meningitis, and in aiding in the loss of excess weight. I have to say, I’ve looked, but I’ve not found any vegetable, soy, or corn oil that does any of that.

So, here’s a little bit of information for you. I hope that you will do a bit more research on your own to discover the merits of this great resource. I plan on stocking up on more of it as my primary source of cooking and baking oil.  I love that it has an indefinite shelf-life as well as the great health benefits.  Regardless of the fact that the other oils are less expensive, in my mind it doesn’t matter what they do or don’t cost if they are harmful to my health.  I consider preventative medicine practiced now to be my best asset in Medical and Physical Principles of Preparedness.

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

by Kellene Bishop

The news as of late does a great job reminding me why preparedness really does need to be an everyday focus. We’ve clearly seen that we can’t stop thinking about preparedness just because we are going on a vacation to Paris. Look at the consequences that so many are enduring all because of a volcano from across the ocean.  In reviewing the 10 Principles of Preparedness and comparing it to those who are stranded in airports or international cities, look at which aspects of Preparedness they are challenged with.

Spiritual, yup. It’s very trying as we are forced to make friends with hundreds of strangers quickly. Only ones belief system will provide a measure of sanity and peace.

Mental, yup. A great trial for many is occupying their mind. Some were well served by thinking soon enough of alternative ways to travel to their desired destination. Some were well served by mentally anticipating possible obstacles on their trip. Their skills and mental fortitude will enable them to ride out this curve ball that life has thrown them.

Physical, yes, indeed. There are a great many physical challenges caused by a lack of sleep and a dependence on cigarettes, caffeine, and other stimulants.

Medical—serious problem there.  For those who took just enough medication on their trip, there could be more serious problems looming.  I wonder what the newspaper stories would read like if all they did was focus on the medical need this travel interruption is causing. All of the thousands and thousands of dollars being spent by stranded passengers as they have to rely on ambulatory or emergency services all because of this unprecedented travel delay. To make matters worse, the availability of something as simple as water and reliable sanitation services has compromised the airports entire sewage system. I cringe to think that there may be persons traveling who are ill who are spreading it to the masses that they are now stranded with in the airports or elsewhere.

Clothing/Shelter, oh yeah. In fact, this is the most draining need on the airport and cities where travelers are stranded. Simply having a place to sleep in safety is sorely compromised as many attempt to sleep on an airport floor with the television voices looming.  Along these same lines, let’s not forget the aspect of sanitation that is causing an enormous taxation on the available facilities. I’ve frequently read of passengers begging for something as simple as a towel so that they can bathe suitably in a sink. Imagine the plight of the mothers with their children in tow who ran out of diapers, never foreseeing this series of events.

Fuel, yes!  (Remember, fuel is power as well) Many stranded passengers are claiming that the air is thick, sticky, and hot due to an over taxation of the environmental conditioning systems.  Usually the space they are stranded in gets a break overnight to aerate out all of the highly used air.  But not now. It’s getting recycled at the same pace as it usually is and as best as I can tell, nothing is being done to take into consideration the need for any environmental control changes.

Water and food needs are definitely going unmet—for all ages.  Think of the parents with children in tow, thinking that they only needed to feed them for a day or so during their travels. Now all of the sudden they’ve got to pay top dollar just for the most basic of nutrition while they wait out this act of nature. All stranded travelers are left with what their pocketbooks can afford. Most are attempting to stay close by to the airport in the event that they are able to get out sooner. This means that they are also staying close to the most exorbitant prices for food.  How I’m sure many of them wish they had stashed just a little bit more comfort food, a water container, or other like preparations before they left home.  Having two dogs, I cringe at the thought that someone has to endure these circumstances with a furry companion nearby. How absolutely stressful this scenario must be.

Financial Preparedness—wow. Who would have thought that the forced stay in the airport would take up nearly as much money as the entire trip?! And yet that is what many passengers are reporting.  Not to mention the terrible financial hit that the airports are taking in losing over $200 million dollars per day!  No wonder they are being a bit stingy with the handing out of peanuts, blankets, pillows, etc to their stranded travelers.  Those who work for the airlines no doubt will receive some type of compensation during their forced stay on the ground, but imagine the trickle effect that this grounding has on employed persons.  Unable to get back to their jobs. Unable to perform their contracted services.  As an employer there’s only so much one can do before they have to say “I’m sorry, but I have to hire someone else because I have a business to run.” The consequences of this delay brings not only lost revenue, but unrecoverable revenue to an industry and a people that can ill abide it.

Communication—All I can say is thank goodness there are still pay phones at the airports (for the most part).  Imagine what would have happened, or what kind of troubleshooting could take place, without the need for communication.  Even the simplest of communication between one human being to another is important to our survival.

So, in hindsight, I simple encourage us all to stop and think before we take a *harmless* trip.  There is much that can go wrong. Your job is to be as prepared for them as possible.

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

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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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

Counter Commodity Security

By Kellene Bishop

To be completely forthright, I wanted to write this particular article first in this particular series. However, I knew that it wouldn’t have as much of an impact if the foundation hadn’t been laid out properly with the previous articles. So think of this article as the cymbal clash that follows your drum roll.

As I’ve shared with you previously, preparedness is not about being ready for an “end of the world” type of scenario. It’s about independence of everyday scenarios.  I am positive that if we are prepared to handle everyday scenarios head on, then even when such scenarios are compounded into more alarming, widespread scenarios, then we will also be ready for those as well.

 I’m going to assume that most of the world would agree that we are reliant on others for our food sources. Very, very few persons in the world nowadays have the skills or the wherewithal to produce all that they and their family consumes in terms of nutrition.  As such, we are reliant on the grocery stores to stock what we want, we are reliant on our paychecks clearing the banks in a timely manner so that we can purchase the food we need; we are reliant on the health inspectors to ensure that we don’t die or get violently ill as a result of the food we eat; we are reliant on the Federal Reserve to make sure that the money which we pay for our foods has sufficient value to buy enough of what we need; we are reliant on transportations flowing smoothly so that we can get our food delivery; and we are reliant upon Mother Nature to nurture and grow the foods that are planted and harvested each year. Frankly, an interruption in any of these areas will not only affect our personal food supply, but because such a snag in a constantly tenable situation would be so widespread, it would also bring with it some dire domino consequences.  As you can see, food preparedness is very closely tied to many other areas of preparedness including physical, medical, and financial.  This is exactly why I’ve attempted to lay a better foundation for you relative to understanding how tenable the financial world in on an international basis. Because you need to understand that are in order to understand why an imminent true-blue food shortage is about to change your financial world as you know it.

 No, I don’t say the words “worldwide food shortage” lightly.  I don’t believe in fear mongering, inducing panic, or chaos.  That kind of emotional manipulation only helps the retailers of “emergency preparedness” supplies.  But what I do believe in is education.  If you are able to see the scenario we have before us in it’s proper light, then you are able to calmly, deliberately, and strategically prepare for a more serious scenario.

Food Shortages photo c/o www.foodshortageusa.com

 FOOD SHORTAGE—the two words that initially bring about distrust, disgust, and denial in most persons who hear them. And yet even our government officials are blatantly sharing food shortage information with us on the USDA website. The disturbing thing is though that the USDA has such food shortage information on the exact same page in which they are predicting a bumper crop scenario this year.  In addition to the USDA reports, there is unlimited, credible, and undeniable information that there will indeed be a food shortage for 2010.  Even the mainstream media has dared to share information of the 450% increase in pricing on some standard produce such as tomatoes and green beans due to weather related harvest shortages.

So, why are we sure to experience a food shortage this year?

1)      Mother nature has wreaked havoc in several key areas of the world—including in the farming capital of the world, our own Midwestern states.  Our spring last year was so wet, causing many farmers to plant later in the year.  Unfortunately, the water continued to wreak havoc on the farms as they attempted to harvest their crops. Over 30% of all of our key crops in the Midwest went unharvested due to the wet soil conditions (as in the Mid-west and the South), record droughts (as in Texas) or unexpected freezes (as in Florida). Click here to see article.  We are already playing things close in our food supplies this last harvest. We really couldn’t afford a 30% hit.  

Tie this in to how it plays out in the financial world, it means that there will be less supply of food in spite of increasing demand.  Larger demand for something in short supply requires higher prices. At present circumstances, you food budget may purchase as little as 30 percent less food than it did before but as much as 400% less food than it did before—yup, that means you’ll be in the negative.

2)      Several key exporting food nations have experienced the same kinds of shortages who have been some of the key exporters of wheat, rice and other grains. Unfortunately, these nations are having to rely on food IMPORTS this year.

The tie in to this problem as it relates to the financial aspect is the same as #1, except that it pinched not just the pricing, but the plain and simple availability of food.  In which case, money won’t make a bit of difference if you don’t even have the commodity around to purchase it.

3)      2009’s early financial crisis.  Farmers could not get credit to run their farms properly and certainly not in response to the additional help they needed in the face of adverse weather conditions. As a result, there was drastic drop in the number of crops that were planted.

This means that they are, at the very least, behind one harvest season—and that’s assuming that they were able to make it through this past one in spite of a lack of financial aid.  This inhibits the farmers from being able to get ahead by planting enough to make up the financial difference.  Unfortunately, the further behind one gets financially, the less likely they are to qualify for financial aid. A lack of farmers definitely means a lack of foods. According to David Miller, Director of Research for Iowa Farm Bureau, as of December 2009, the net farm income was down by one third! He predicts that the drop in income will continue during 2010 as well. In other words, once the farming industry gets behind on food production, it’s unlikely that they can catch up.  Our population is ever increasing in the U.S., not going down. Thus the need for food will continue to increase as well. We’re in a vicious downward cycle right now.

fusarium head blight or scab, photo c/o www.ars.usda.gov

4)      New insect enemies have begun to infiltrate entire wheat and soybean crops that we do not yet have a suitable weapon for. Officially called a fusarium head blight or scab, it’s more commonly  known as “tombstone” because of the white tombstone-like appearance it has on the dead crops. It’s a toxin-infecting fungus that attacks the wheat flowers. The cooler and more moist the growing environment, the more the scabs flourish.  Unfortunately the cool, wet weather we’ve had in our crops the last two years have been an expensive weather pattern. The way to combat this problem is to develop wheat strains that are resistant to this disease. Obviously, discovering such requires more than one harvest, and historically requires 4 harvests to be sure.  With the present food crisis we have in the world, I’m not sure we have the luxury of waiting through four harvests to get back on our feet.

In addition to this, many parts of the country experienced a dearth of grasshoppers consuming their hay reserves for their livestock. (South Dakota and Wyoming, for example)   Considering that many farmers only yielded one-sixth of what they typically do, this was a traumatic setback for many.

 Again, the financial consequences of this affect the supply and demand in our food market.  Wheat, corn and soy are king in nearly everything we consume in one way or another. Meat needs the nutrition of quality feed and plenty of it. Without proper feed, every aspect of our meal get formidably expensive.

food recall photo c/o lunchbox.hospsrvc.ttu.edu

 

5)      The last two years have brought about the largest number of food recalls ever.  And merely 4 weeks ago, we experienced the largest food recall in American history with the salmonella discovered in the manufacturing plant in Las Vegas. This plant was the largest producer of hydrolyzed vegetable protein, which is found in nearly every processed food on the market. As a result, our market got hit with a massive food recall, which also impacts profits of grocers and cash flow for them to be able to provide additional food for their shelves.

 Can you see the financial consequences on this one?

 6)      Gas prices are on the rise again.  I don’t know about your neck of the woods, but fuel has risen over 30 cents per gallon in the last two weeks where I am.  When I see fuel rising I immediately think of food costs. It takes fuel to harvest, transport, clean, and process food, Folks.  With unemployment at record high numbers, accompanied by abysmal inflation, that’s a recipe for a lack of access for many folks to purchase food. If food can’t assuredly be sold off of the shelves before it spoils because folks are having to be more cautious in their spending, then grocery stores will pull back on how much they stock on their shelves so that they don’t have to take the financial hit for spoilage.

7)      The wheat and other food reserves have already been exhausted or are inaccessible.  China has long bragged that they hold an enormous wheat reserve of over 150 to 200 million tons (2009). But news articles over the last 5 years account for China reducing that reserve is far in excess of what they claimed to have stored.  No one can verify today that there is any wheat in reserve in China.

India, which has a burgeoning population growth long bragged about their wheat reserves. Unfortunately, such reserves have been completely exhausted due to stark poverty and agriculture problems and replaced with low quality, rotting wheat instead. Under India’s FCI act, the government is required to purchase all of the wheat, regardless of the quality. Thus, in an attempt to keep up with export contracts, India had to raid their stores of quality wheat and replace them with their poor quality, disease-ridden wheat instead for their own people.

As you know, the U.S. no longer has any wheat reserves. The fact that the dollar has been so soft, makes the importing of U.S. wheat by other countries very attractive as their own currencies remain strong against the U.S. dollar. (See, even they understand that “stuff” is more important than money.)

 Argentine dock workers going on strike has made worldwide access to the 3^rd largest supplier of soy useless as the soy harvests simply sit in the port until concessions can be made. (A particularly uncomfortable problem for Europe, which is already experiencing a soy shortage due to the South American crops yielding less than normal.)  Oh, and did I mention that Argentina is experiencing unusually heavy rains so far this year?

 And the financial consequences continue…

 Food shortages have many financial affects, including triple digit food inflation numbers.  But it’s an impact that very few persons can avoid because we all need to eat, right?  The evidence shows that not only will food cost substantially more in 2010, but there will plain and simple be the elimination of food in many aspects.

food harvesting photo c/o www.extension.iastate.edu

The production of food is cyclical. We rely on harvests. Much of our food has been destroyed and thus we cannot create more until the next harvest cycle.  Since the U.S. and most other nations have eliminated their “just in case” food supplies as a result of the previous year’s weather and economic related problems worldwide, we simply do not have a back-up plan. That’s why some food will simply not even exist, even if someone did have the money to pay a higher price for it. In fact, it’s in part attributed to the USDA’s false prediction of a bumper crop for the past two years that the U.S. chose to walk the edge of the cliff when they got rid of their excess food supplies and sold them or donated them to hurting countries.  The USDA told them that the food they were exporting would be easily replaced by the next two year’s harvests.  In fact, they even went so far are to claim that we would have the “largest ever soy crop and the second largest corn crop. Well, here we are, two harvests later, and Mother Nature pulled a fast one on the USDA. In direct contrast to the suspicious predictions by the USDA, we experienced some of the WORST harvests of 25 years!

 So, why did the USDA come out right and just plain LIE about the bumper crop predictions?  Well, our friends, the Chinese have a lot to do with this one. They are the most heavily invested in our debt and they rely heavily on the U.S. for the food supplies.  Remember, money is only as good as what it can purchase, right?  So if China relies heavily on our ability to export food to them, then it requires them to play nice with us, right?  So it’s important to the USDA anyway, that we keep up the pretense that our food supply is just fine and dandy and capable of keeping up with our own supply and demand as well as that of other nations which rely on us to feed them.  Oops. We’re about to be discovered real soon folks.  Not just by China (which latest numbers indicated that they own 25% of our foreign debt) but also by Japan, which is at 22% ownership of our foreign debt.

Zimbabwe inflation photo c/o stan.uio.no/

Here’s where the real crisis begins, folks. If China does not get their food needs met by their relationships with nations who are willing to export their foods, then China has no other choice but to DUMP their U.S. currency and debt back into the market so that they can reclaim their own currency (yuan or Renminbi) so that they can purchase “stuff” to feed their nation with instead of just having debt or currency sitting around.  What happens if China dumps their debt and currency back into the open market?  Our existing currency value will drop way, way down, due to an oversupply in our economic system.  What that then means is that the money which we rely on to purchase our own food, will simply not purchase as much as it used to.  (Think Zimbabwe—in which they had to brings BAGS of cash just to purchase a loaf of bread)

China drought photo c/o physorg.com

 To make matters worse, are you aware that China is experiencing the worst drought ever this year?  On March 19, 2010 one of the provinces worst hit by the drought , Guizhou Provice, released a statement claiming that the existing drought has affected 84 counties, cities and other areas within China, with a total affected population of 17.28 million persons.  Of that 17.28 million, the report claimed that over 3.1 million people are literally starving from a lack of food. This drought has affected the drinking water supply for over 18 million people as well, including the water necessary for about 12.5 million acres of crop and livestock farms.   They claim that over 2.9 million acres of land are already completely destroyed and unsalvageable.   So far, this drought has caused a loss of $2.85 billion (US).  The leader of the Yunnan Province, another province affected by the drought, told the Bejing News that local citizens in this area should “prepare for the worst.”  Does this put China in a vulnerable position in which they are likely to do something desperate in order to protect their greatest asset—their man-power? Of course it does.

 So, what does all of this mean to you?  It means you need to mitigate your risk of exposure to soaring food costs by purchasing smart NOW. Purchase food that has a long shelf-life with plenty of nutrition. (i.e. freeze-dried produce, whole grains, and canned meats).   Utilize coupons as much as possible. While a coupon may only be 50 cents off of an item, the items add up to a sizeable savings—as much as 110%!  Even the 50 cents savings on a $3 item is a better return than most of Wall Street is experiencing presently. And forget about the couponing stigma! No one would accuse Warren Buffet of being a “hoarder of stocks” would they? Just because he kept buying stocks that he recognized as being valuable didn’t make him some kind of a crazy, right? Well, the same holds true to those of you who take the initiative in purchasing a commodity that will still have it’s value 5, 10, or even 30 years from now—food. Food prices will NOT be going down. They are only going to keep rising. So mitigate your vulnerable position by investing heavily in quality foods now.  There’s a big difference between being a crazy food hoarder and stabilizing your grocery budget over the long-term. At least you can ensure that your money works for you today and years from now in that capacity of your life.  Remember, that’s what preparedness is about—eliminating your vulnerabilities and establishing independence.

 May your dinner table be independent for decades to come in spite of what Mother Nature or foreign nations throw at you.

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

by Kellene Bishop

Filling your preparedness pantry doesn't have to cost a bucket load of money. photo c/o www.mcdowelltech.edu

While perusing advertisements for “emergency preparedness” supplies, I saw some pretty hefty price tags just for a year’s worth of food. This doesn’t count the bucket loads of money that one could spend on other gadgets like a solar oven, pressure cooker, first aid supplies, etc. So, let’s get real.  What can a person with only a few hundred bucks a year do to increase their state of preparedness?  Well, here are a few of my suggestions.

First and foremost, spend your money in order of prioritization.  Stick to the priorities. If you’re starting from scratch, review the 10 Areas of Preparedness. Remember that such a list is a prioritized one.  The higher up an area is on the list, the sooner you’ll be confronted with it in need or crisis scenario.  This also means that areas of preparedness further down the list will essentially be at the mercy of your preparedness level on areas of higher prioritization.

The first area is Spiritual preparedness. Fortunately, that area doesn’t require much in the form of funds to implement.

The next area is Mental Preparedness. You could spend a bit of money in that area in the form of books and classes, but a great deal of knowledge, thus mental preparedness, can be provided to you via the library and the internet. 

Physical preparedness is a must in completing the Ten Areas of Preparedness

The next area is Physical preparedness.  Again, this is an area that does not necessarily require money but rather a consciousness effort to get your body in better health. This does not need to come at the cost of expensive supplements and gym memberships.

The next area is Medical Preparedness.  Remember, that this are may require you some preliminary funds in terms of first aid supplies for you and your family and then for others. But keep in mind that providing medical care for you and your family is the first priority. So only spend enough money to take care of that first and foremost.  I have found that with coupons I have been able to acquire a boatload of medical supplies for free or very cheap. Also, in the vein of Medical Preparedness I have taken advantage of whatever free community classes I can that teach CPR, and other areas of commonly necessary medical knowledge. As I review my medical supplies, including medication alternatives, I know that I’ve spent very little by making use of coupons and alternative medical options.

Be sure your 72 hour kit is packed and ready to go. photo c/o coolshadesails.com

The next area is Clothing/Shelter Preparedness.  Most of you are already starting out with some kind of shelter complete with bedding and clothing. So you can usually check that off the list. However, I also recommend folks having a weather-appropriate change of clothes that they can grab and go in a hurry if necessary.  I can assure you that when I created such outfits, I didn’t take them from my existing wardrobe. Instead, I went to the thrift stores and purchased complete outfits for very, very cheap. I then store those outfits in my “get up and go quickly” supplies. That way I’m never stuck with “just the clothes on my back.”  Along with that though is alternative shelter such as blankets and a pup tent for a “get up and go quickly” scenario. Again, these were obtained very cheaply thanks to army surplus and thrift stores.

cheap sources for fuel, such as butane and alcohol complete your preparedness pantry.

Fuel comes next. This is an area in which you can’t cut corners on. As such I would recommend focusing the majority of your available funds in this particular area.  While you will be able to get much of the equipment at an army surplus store, you will need to purchase your fuel via mainstream venues like the rest of us. However, there are less expensive forms of fuel than others such as butane and isopropyl alcohol. I’ve been able to stock up on my cans of butane as cheaply as $1.27 each.  And I’ve been able to get my butane stoves as cheaply as $12 each.  We also have recently purchased lanterns for only $1.97 each!  The key is to keep your eyes open for the equipment you need. Compare prices. If you have the appropriate heating and light equipment, getting a 55 gallon barrel of isopropyl alcohol delivered to your home is very economical and you can keep it outside since it won’t freeze.  See? This is why mental preparedness comes before these other areas-so that you can use these kinds of ideas.

After fuel finally comes your Water Preparedness.  Water is obviously an affordable commodity. There are plenty of corners you can cut. You don’t have to be a purchaser of 2 liter bottles of soda pop to obtain plenty of those kinds of containers from neighbors and friends.  Simply get the used containers from others, wash them out well, and fill them up and store them.  No money necessary.

Then there’s the Food Preparedness.  The most affordable way to have a sufficient amount of food cheaply is to simply utilize coupons in your regular shopping so that you can purchase more of it—at least this is definitely what I’ve discovered to be the case. If you’re one of those people who read this, though, and say that couponing takes too much time, or that you can’t get all that you want with coupons, I recommend that you search on the articles that I’ve

Freeze-Dried Foods are tasty, nutritious, have a long shelf life, and are a real asset to your preparedness pantry.

previously written about couponing. I assure you that there’s very little food stuffs that I haven’t been able to purchase free or cheap. Also keep in mind that freeze-dried produce is actually less expensive than fresh produce, not to mention cleaner, more convenient, lasts longer, etc.  If all you want to do though is to buy some food items and forget it, then I would recommend purchasing whole wheat, sprouts, a quality powdered milk, salt, and a quality honey. None of these items should break the bank if you are prudent in your selections of them. If you spend money on no other food, I would recommend that you at least have these five.

After the Food Preparedness area then you have the areas of Financial Preparedness and Communication. These areas aren’t so much a cost to you as they are disciplines, and perhaps a Ham Radio license.  What I’m trying to get at is that preparedness doesn’t need to cost you much more money than you are already spending living your days. See? Everyday preparedness not only works better, but it costs a heck of a lot less money.

(By the way, Five Star Preparedness has a Group Buy on Raw Honey this month. Just go to www.fivestarpreparedness.com/GroupBuy).

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For any questions or comments on this article, please leave a comment on the blog site so that everyone can benefit!

Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

by Kellene Bishop

Do you have enough toilet paper in your storage? photo c/o scrapetv.com/

Yesterday I came across an “emergency preparedness blog” that was alarmingly incorrect. It was a basic topic, but it was addressed in a very misguided manner. The author wrote about what she plans to use in an emergency for her toilet hygiene—rags instead of toilet paper. So as not to risk educating anyone incorrectly, rather than providing a link to the article I will instead provide a few summations of the article which she posted on this national “preppers” site.

First of all, she was a big advocate of NOT using toilet paper during an occasion in which you had to rely on an outhouse, a hole in the ground, or some other such scenario. She labeled such a premise as useless, expensive, and unrealistic.  Instead she offered up a suggestion of using old rags and then storing the “used rages” in a lidded bucket filled with borax, bleach, water and laundry detergent.  She believes that such an option is “more eco-friendly” than toilet paper is.

While I read the article, I could sense the enthusiasm that this person had for sharing her knowledge with the rest of the world. I believe she was also trying to make the alternative solution as easy as possible for others. I certainly don’t believe that she was attempting to mislead anyone. However, I physically cringed while I was reading it, realizing that she was setting up herself and anyone else who bought into her instructions, for a major sanitation problem—even a deadly one.

To understand why planning on using a rag as opposed to TP or another like product, I think I should first point out a few things about feces and urine that some folks may not realize. First of all, sewer treatment employees receive HAZARD PAY because of the danger of their work. In fact, sewer treatment employees receive more “disaster prevention training” annually than police officers do to improve their firearm skills.  In other words, working with urine and feces is not a task to be taken lightly. The hazard in working with sewage isn’t just about the chemicals used to treat the sewers, but it’s also about working with the unavoidable—the waste itself.

Sanitation...a necessary preparedenss topic! photo c/o www.corecentre.co.in/

Urine contains compounded amounts of toxins, nitrogen, nitrates, and ammonia. As such, it is NOT recommended that it is simply thrown out somewhere uncontained or unprotected.  For those of you who are considering having two containers for solid and liquid waste in a worst case scenario, I beg you to rethink that plan. Solid matter actually needs the liquid to help it break down. Plus, it’s simply not realistic from a physiological standpoint to perfectly separate the two while someone is heeding a call from Mother Nature.  Separating the two compounds will only create more problems which I don’t have room to address in this post.

As urine and feces sit—especially in a heated environment—it develops deadly pathogens, dangerous combinations of microbes, bacteria, and viruses—including the well-known e-coli.  This compound attracts flies which feed on it and then spread it from one location to another. The point being that handling such a compound in any way is not a wise decision.  Staying away from it and disposing of it in all cases is critical.

Ye Old Outhouse photo c/o www.thegreenestdollar.com

Let’s also understand that a scenario that’s accompanied by the symptom of limited access toilet comforts that we’re presently used to is indicative of a serious scenario. Think about what would have to take place in order for a rationing of toilet paper to take place. (Other than the toilet paper shortage caused in 1973 by Johnny Carson jokingly telling his audience that there was a TP shortage. As a result, he actually CAUSED a shortage because millions of people cleaned off the shelves of TP that night. *grin*) Perhaps a natural disaster, a financial collapse, or act of war would cause such consequences.  Any of these scenarios would mean that we could no longer take our present state of sanitation for granted. 

One of most important aspects of establishing a society is to provide a community with reliable sanitation solutions. The reason is because poor sanitation can literally kill an entire community within a 50 meter radius in as little as 30 days. Bacteria, disease, and viruses are no respecter of persons, borders, or bank accounts.  Thus preventing the spread of such must be diligently practiced at the root of its origins. If sanitation is not practiced with the utmost of our capabilities during everyday or dire circumstances, then disease and death will speedily run rampant.  Remember disease is not easily curtailed to a specific environment. Disease is no respecter of persons, boundaries, or social positions Keep in mind that due to our easy methods of travel, disease can spread faster than it ever has in history.  That’s a significant statement considering that the Spanish Flu spread to over one-third of the earth in a matter of only three months—this prior to the availability of speedy international travel.

Anyone want a corn husk? Anyone? photo c/o thefuntimesguide.com

Preparing for alternative sanitation solutions can be practical, comfortable, and realistic.  The use of toilet paper should not be viewed as a luxury that can be easily dismissed.  While we should be aware of alternative options such as corn husks, phone book pages, or newspapers, it’s important that we recognize the need to provide us with a safe distance, minimal exposure, and safe disposal of our hazardous waste. Seaweed is also a good alternative as it’s got healing properties with it as well. The fact of the matter is ALL of these aforementioned alternative options are much safer options for you versus you planning on using rags and cleaning them as you go.

To be blunt, planning on using cloth or rags is not an ideal “plan B.” Just by nature of the rag method you are more prone to come into contact with the fecal matter. The longer it “hangs around,” being stored in buckets, being washed, etc, the more likely that contact is.  Additionally, the rag method requires storage of the fecal covered rags until you wash them. The storage—especially with any heat involved, will compound the hazardous toxins as the bucket of used rags sit. Something else I think we underestimate is that smells, especially unpleasant ones, strongly affect our morale. Unpleasant smells are not simply an affront on the senses. They are also an inhalation of dangerous microbes and airborne bacteria. If you’re storing the used rags, the smell lingers throughout your entire living environment. Instead it should be burned or broken down with something like Chemisan. It would definitely stink (excuse the pun) if you couldn’t enjoy the smells of sautéed garlic and onion because the wafting aroma of the outhouse overpowered it.

Use Thieves essential oil, or other essential oils instead of chemicals. photo c/o www.ylessentialoils.com

Lastly, in order to use rags for this particular hygiene care, most believe they need to use heavy chemicals such as borax or chlorine—neither of which are eco-friendly.  Where can you safely dispose of those chemicals?? If you absolutely HAVE to use rags, consider instead using essential oils to clean the rags with such as lavender, Thieves, and tea tree oil.  Exposing yourself to potential contact with fecal matter is such a bad idea, that even the reusable toilet wipe companies don’t recommend their product for use for anything else except straight urine. Additionally, it requires much more physical energy and water to take care of than does TP. You can never underestimate the importance of conserving physical energy and maintaining as much “normalcy” as possible during a crisis scenario.

On the other side of the debate, toilet paper can easily be broken down or safely disposed of.  It can easily be burned or buried. My favorite method of breaking down fecal matter and TP is the use of Chemisan. Chemisan eliminates a great deal of the smell, deadly pathogens and breaks it down completely in as little as two weeks leaving behind the equivalent of a soil.

Portable toilets use Chemisan photo c/o www.fivestarpreparedness.com

Contrary to some opinions, toilet paper does not have to be expensive.  For over a year now, thanks to coupons, I have put my mandatory price point on toilet paper at 25 cents a roll.  I don’t pay any more than that, ever.  But when I get it at that price, I do purchase as much as my budget that week will permit me.  I also use that same strategy on anything else I purchase and bring into my home. I set a price point and stick to it. This means that I don’t have to choose BETWEEN having wheat or toilet paper. I get to have what I and my loved ones need for every anticipated event. Planning well everyday means that you don’t have to choose between one vital necessity and another. Knowing you have all of the bases covered means more mental strength for you to deal with the other aspects of a survival scenario which may test you.

Also as an alternative view of the blog I’m referencing, toilet paper is a multi-purpose product. It’s often used by cost conscious individuals in lieu of facial tissue. It’s also used by some as a source of cooking fuel (along with isopropyl alcohol)—a waste to me considering so many other cooking alternatives, but to each his own. And hey, TP has even been used by the US. Military as camouflage during the Gulf War!

The comfort factor of toilet paper should not be underestimated either.  Promoting familiarity during a crisis scenario is as important as your medical supplies. This is why a survey two years ago revealed that over half of all of the respondents said that they would choose food first, then water, and then toilet paper as their supplies on a deserted island. In other words, it’s more important to peoples psyche and comfort than perhaps this author realized. I suspect more people didn’t mention toilet paper simply because it was off their radar. Perhaps a gorgeous companion and their favorite rock band made the list instead. When there is any kind of an “ick” factor involved, it’s much harder to expect persons to change their habits, even in a survival scenario. Trying to do so will inevitably bring about stress. If you’re using moss and leaves right now everyday, then you won’t have any problem with those items in the future—unless you don’t stock up. Otherwise, having what you’re familiar with for such an inevitable part of life is critical to your mental health.

Bottom line, in the event of true emergency scenario, having ample toilet paper will NOT be the least of your concerns. It falls in line with the Physical and Medical aspects of preparedness which puts it in the position of priority number 3 and 4 out of the Ten Areas of Preparedness.  So, watch for the sales, know how much your family uses in a week, and plan accordingly.

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

By Kellene Bishop

Your preparedness efforts give you OPTIONS. Photo c/o miamism.com

Let me start by saying Preparedness Is Never Pointless.

Preparedness isn’t about “guaranteeing” ourselves that we will have a particular result. There are too many aspects that are completely out of our control for this to be realistic. Preparedness is about giving ourselves OPTIONS.

Today’s article is in response to a question posed yesterday by one of our readers. I’m sure that he speaks for nearly everyone—at least at some point in their preparedness efforts. I felt that his answer merited more than a one liner response and one that all of our readers may benefit from—at least I hope so.

He writes:

“In a society where less than 2% of people will have any preps, even short term. What are the chances of being able to stay in your home in an emergency? I’m starting to think that I need to have better plans to bug out, unfortunately I don’t have a dozen reliable people to provide defense.

Seriously, how are we supposed to avoid being overrun by hungry, desperate neighbors?

If it progresses to violence or threats of violence it is only a matter of time till someone snipes us when we go outside.

I’m having a hard time visualizing how it can possibly work. Sometimes that aspect makes me wonder if it’s worth putting all this effort in, just to lose it.”

We have all uttered the words “why bother” when it comes to preparedness. Even men and women that I know, admire, and love have succumbed to a moment of emotional defeat and have uttered the words “why bother”. The good news is that there are some great answers to counter such a defeating rationale.

Sichuan Earthquake

First of all, remember that there are 10 different areas of preparedness. Even with the most advanced architectural designs and enforcements, there’s no way that we can guarantee our home will not be gobbled up in an earthquake with all of our preparedness supplies therein. But which aspects of preparedness would such an event really destroy? Medical, Clothing and Shelter, Fuel perhaps, Water, and Food. We would still be left with 5 other areas of preparedness that we own regardless of whether our home stands erect. An earthquake cannot rob us of our Spiritual strength, our Mental Preparation and Knowledge, our Physical strength, our state of debts (Financial), and our ability to Communicate. However, had we not prepared sufficiently in any of these other areas, the earthquake would be the least of our problems. Yes, there is a point where after all we can do physically our preparedness supplies may be worthless dust in the event of a fire or an earthquake. But after such an event, are we worse off for having prepared? NO. Perhaps our example of preparedness is why we can find safety and solace in the home of another. Perhaps because of all of our preparedness efforts we’ve learned sufficient knowledge along the way to provide for our family in other critical ways as well.

Next, preparedness in the nine other areas following Spiritual Preparedness actually helps to ensure our spiritual preparedness stays intact. How I’m judged after I die is much more important than how I’m judged here. To keep this perspective, our spiritual preparedness has to be our foundation on which we build all other areas of preparedness. It is the physical preparations which will either tax or ensure our spiritual ones. Our Physical Preparedness efforts give us options so that we do not have to become the ugly person who will do anything, including selling our soul, for something to eat. If we do not take the time to prepare physically, then we are leaving ourselves no options to be level headed, peaceful, and capable of providing for us and our families. Instead we will leave ourselves subject to whatever morality prevails in the moment of need.

Desparate photo c/o jakking.typepad.com

Yes, in the event of a disaster there will be many desperate souls. Desperation changes even the best of people who are less resolved in their goodness. One of the questions we all need to ask ourselves is, do we want to become one of those desperate souls who will do anything for a meal? We will indeed seal such a fate for ourselves if we do NOT prepare. Our preparedness efforts now will help us to NOT become one of those people. Our efforts provide us with OPTIONS. While a person may have to leave their home to get rid of sanitation waste occasionally, if they are prepared with sufficient supplies, at least they have the option of staying safely inside for a couple of weeks while havoc is wreaked outside. 

In addressing this issue, also keep in mind that those who would harm you also require physical and mental sustenance themselves. If they are hungered or thirsty, their intended right hook or sniping will not be well-placed. Their resolve will be compromised by their physical and mental faculties being weakened. Criminals are creatures of prey. They prey on the easy targets, not the fortified ones. History has shown us that 10 days into the aftermath of a disaster eliminates many of the weak and unresolved. During that period of time, while you gather with your family in safety, you can be making preparations to come off conqueror in the event of future encounters.

A key component of being prepared is to mentally prepare yourself for what “might” come. Once you mentally explore the possibilities, then you have to decide what merits your preparedness efforts. I’m sure that there may have been some soldiers on the beach at Normandy who wondered why they ever bothered to bring their gun only to get shot down immediately. On the other hand, there are soldiers and grateful citizens that are still alive today because these brave and prepared soldiers acted with all possible readiness so that they could survive such a slaughter. For that matter, I suppose that any soldier who goes into battle could consider their rifle as an “optional” piece of equipment. Do they occasionally have the doubts of “What if someone is a better shot than me?” “What if I miss the telltale signs of a roadside bomb?” “What good is my body armor if I take a head shot?” Yes. But they still arm themselves to the best of their ability and let God do the rest.

Self Defense photo c/o threatsolutions.biz

Just as the firearm, the body armor, and the countless hours of drills are important to the preparation of a soldier’s survival, so are our preparedness efforts. Why? Because all preparedness efforts boil down to having OPTIONS. What options do we have to stay safe in our homes when others have to flee if we haven’t taken the time to prepare? If you have no food, water, fuel, clothing, heat, etc., then when there is a prolonged electrical outage in the middle of winter, you have no option but to leave your home in hopes that you find a safer environment. If we do not educate ourselves in matters of alternative health care, then someday the only option we have are to trust in desperation and take any vaccine that’s waved before us. If we do not practice and prepare to defend ourselves, then when the first desperate soul enters our home we have no option but to surrender. 

My husband and I like to play strategic games such as Chess, Othello, Sequence, and Stratego. We’re both good at these games because we’re always planning several strategic moves ahead. We specifically plan “now, if he does this, I’m going to do that, and if he does this, I’m going to take this move.” While it messes with my husband’s head when I’ve tried this strategy, I’ve never been able to beat him simply by deploying reckless abandonment in my moves. All it’s really done is finished the game faster.

Ultimately, the moment will come when we will have to meet our Maker and be responsible for how we fought the fight. Will we stand there knowing we gave up on ourselves and our fellow man by simply making defeatist moves, or will we proudly stand knowing we gave it our all to win and accomplish our stewardship? I believe we frequently underestimate our preparedness efforts and the worth of our existence to ourselves, our family and our nations. I hope that we will remember this when we experience moments when we ask ourselves, “Why bother?”

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

Food Storage.  It really doesn’t have to be complicated.

Medical Emergency Preparedness photo c/o ehow.com

When it comes to emergency preparedness, there are actually 10 different components to consider, listed below in order of priority:

1. Spiritual
2. Mental
3. Physical
4. Medical
5. Clothing/Shelter
6. Water
7. Food
8. Fuel
9. Financial
10. Communication

Food storage is only one part, and in order of priority would actually be “#7” out of those ten components.  What that means is there are a whole lot of other components that need attention more than your food storage in order for your food storage supplies to be usable and effective for you.  And yet when I mention “emergency preparedness” to folks, the first thing—and sometimes the ONLY thing that comes to their mind is food storage.  If your mind is fixated on all the obstacles of food storage, then of course it’s going to be overwhelming.  If you feel like you’ve got such a long ways to go yet to be even remotely “ready” then of course it’s going to feel overwhelming.  But just how much more of a burden do people create for themselves by trying to ignore it.  I assure you, if you think it’s tough doing food storage now, try doing it when there’s no food on the shelves, no money to exchange, no possibility of travel, and no way to prepare it.   That’s all you’ll be left with if you attempt to ignore or marginalize what may seem an “uncomfortable” or inconvenient activity.   But if you’re making progress on something that was previously uncomfortable, unknown, or inconvenient, then the feeling of stress and anxiety is eliminated.  You start thinking of what’s possible to accomplish in your preparation efforts.  If you continue in being overwhelmed, you’re likely arrive to a point of paralysis once you realize just how much more there is to preparedness besides food storage.  I assure you that such does not need to be the case.

When I teach my “UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage” class, my goal is to make food storage accumulation and preparation much less taxing on the attendees.  I desire to make it more of a “minor thought” instead of an overwhelming one, and thus free up time and resources to be spent ensuring your preparedness in the other categories.

Thus far I’ve shown you that food storage is cheap or free to accumulate in most instances, it’s easy to prepare, can still taste GREAT—so long as it’s a dish or food that you’re already familiar with—and finally, it’s even easy to prepare without electricity.  In fact, if you actually put into practice what I’ve taught you so far about alternative ways to prepare your foods, while initially you may feel out of your element, I’m certain that you will actually enjoy the alternative cooking recommendations.  In fact, the reasons I use a pressure cooker and a solar oven now in my everyday life is because it takes so much stress and time off my plate as I work from home and teach a bazillion classes.  Additionally it delivers a superior taste, texture and nutrition level than I would experience otherwise.

I think a lot of folks are overwhelmed simply because they don’t have the mental preparation necessary to succeed in their preparation efforts.  Let me give you an example.  What if you saw that your beef prices just raised to $12/pound and were of a lesser quality that you were accustomed to.  That would stress you out, right?  Whereas if you were able to obtain your desired beef for less a tenth of that price, and be assured that it was a quality product, your stress would be alleviated substantially, right?  Well, guess what?  If you go to McDonald’s right now, you can order a “1/3 pound Angus Beef Burger” for only $3.99.  Let’s see.  That makes that beef about $12 a pound.  You also have some serious nutritional concerns with such a burger due to the excess amounts of salt added to it, as well as McDonald’s reputation for using less-than-stellar grade beef.  So, my question is, when you pass that marquis outside of McDonald’s, do you feel a bit of anxiety to think that a “fast food joint” is selling beef for $12 a pound?!  Of course not.  But guess why that is the case?  Because you simply need a little more strengthening in your mental preparedness category.  Let’s explore this thought further. 

Look at it this way, if I was selling a product to you that was cheap or free, easy to use, safe, easily accessible, and it would save your family’s life, you would embrace it in a heartbeat, right?  Well, that’s exactly what food storage is.  The only reason why we think otherwise is because we’ve heard so much to the contrary for so long.  So really, why be overwhelmed with it? 

Now, contrast that with overly expensive, overly complicated, questionable quality and nutrition, inaccessible—especially during an emergency—and definitely NOT lifesaving for your family.  Just how fast would you embrace that?

Keep your food storage as simple as you need it to be.  Increase your knowledge and your food “repertoire” as you desire and in a pace you’re comfortable with.

Keep it as affordable as possible.

Keep it as nutritious as possible.

And keep on storing it.

If you do, you’ll find that “overwhelmed” is quickly replaced by peace and comfort.

UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Series

• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 1 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 2 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 3 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 4 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 5 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 6 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 7 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 8 of 8

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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