Prepper, Survivalism & Health
Essential Tips to Keep You Alive When the Power Grid Goes Down
This blog is LOADED with the latest as it relates to this area...
There were many whistleblowers who managed to expose the flaws and vulnerabilities of our power grid. Last year, the government was forced to recognize that it is not a scenario invented by “crazy survivalists”. Even more, the White House admitted that they are preparing for events that could destroy the power grid (source).
Blizzards, solar storms and even EMPs are all events that will affect the power grid and leave you in the dark. When the power grid goes down you will be cut off completely from the conveniences you’ve lived with your entire life. If it will come to that and the power grid goes down the following tips can help you cope with the situation comfortably and safely.
More and more people are starting to understand that our power grid is vulnerable and it is one of the main threats that can bring our country to its knees.
Unfortunately, as this scenario is becoming a wake-up call for some, there will always be those saying that the government has a plan for all of us and that we will be saved. I don’t know about you, but I prefer to make my own plans and make sure I’m prepared to face a scenario in which the power grid is no longer working.
The following tips will keep you alive when the power grid goes down, regardless if you are a prepper or an average Joe.
General preparedness
Develop plans for short terms (2-3 days) and long-term (2-3 weeks or months) outages. All the plans you make and all the supplies you stockpile can be used for more than one emergency. Nothing goes to waste when it comes to emergency preparedness.
You should practice your skills in the great outdoors, where the grid is not available. This will be a test to see how well you can handle the situation when the power grid goes down and you will return to a rudimentary life.
Your gear is not for show, you didn’t buy it to throw it all in a corner of your house. You should get familiar with it and use it to practice the skills that will help you survive when the power grid goes down.
Stockpile more than you need because those supplies will prove useful, regardless the crisis scenario you will have to face. Key items such as batteries, fuel and warm items should be considered for this scenario. Don’t forget to also stockpile items that can be used for barter if the grid is down for an extended period of time.
Have an exit plan and know how to follow it when the time comes. Regardless of how well-prepared you are, sooner or later you will have to leave your home. Get yourself a new or used bicycle, a touring or mountain bike and equip it with saddlebags that can carry everything you need in order to reach your safe haven.
Electric needs
After Snowzilla, generator sales have increased and many people bought one just to make sure they won’t be caught unprepared next time. You shouldn’t wait for a storm to hit your area to get one and you should already have one in your garage.
Stockpile batteries in a variety of size because these items will be of great value when the grid is down. Even more, learn how to recondition your batteries and squeeze out all their juice.
Install solar panels now or get a generator that works with solar panels. You should integrate these solutions as an adjunct to your use of utility power.
Get your hands on some small alternative solutions to generate electricity such as thermoelectric generators devices. The Biolite Campstove and the Power Pot are two of the products appreciated by survivalists and off-gridders. These devices are great multi taskers and will allow you to turn the heat you use to cook or warm yourself into electricity.
Learn and stockpile for bartering
You can use your skills and trade them for items you might need. Basic medical skills, small motor repair, gunsmithing are all great “currencies” to barter with and if you have any of these skills, you are in luck. If you don’t possess any skill that can be used for bartering purposes, you can always stockpile on items that feeds people’s vices and needs. Stockpiling on items such as:
Alcohol and cigarettes
Feminine hygiene products
Condoms
Toilet and other paper products
Water filters
Duct tape
Batteries
Foods with long shelf life
First aid materials and medicines
These are just a few suggestions and you can make your own lists based on your budget and the area you live in. Bartering will become a way of life when all the digital money will be gone.
Suggested article: Barter items you should have for a long-term disaster
Water needs
Water is essential to survival and you should stockpile three week’s worth of water so you have it on hand before a crisis happens. You should have at least one bathtub reservoir that can be filled as soon as you find out the water supply is down. Learn about the hidden water sources from your house and how to drain them of every drop.
Make sure you are able to collect water and improvise a rain water catching system if your local laws allow it. Buy a water pump that can be used with local water sources like streams, lakes or ponds. Learn how to purify your water and have a few reliable water filters at hand.
Suggested reading: Emergency water solutions
Sewage and sanitation
Survival sanitation is a dirty job and you will have to take care of it if you don’t want to get sick. This is one of the subjects that nobody likes to talk about. It is better to prepare for this in advance rather than dealing with a nasty situation when the crisis is in full effect. You should invest in waterless toilets like the ones sold in camping or boating stores. Even more, you should learn to recycle water for different purposes. I’ve written in a previous article about how you can handle survival sanitation during a crisis, I recommend reading it because it provides valuable info.
Communication needs
If the power grid goes down, communication will be an impossible task if you haven’t prepped for it when you had the chance. All your communication devices should be stored in a faraday cage or a faraday bag and you should have extra batteries for them. Get a battery powered radio and invest in a set of two way handled radios with different frequencies for family communication in case mobile phones will die. You should also research alternative methods to communicate with friends and family.
Food needs
Stockpiling the right food and heaving a well-equipped survival pantry will help you outlast any major disaster. You should stockpile a month’s worth of food to begin with and you should get only the food that your family is used to eating. You don’t want to experiment on them with your alternative cooking based on new ingredients you can scavenge. You should do “cooking runs” at least once a week with the supplies you have stored in your pantry using your “off-the grid” cooking equipment. You will be surprised how many things you can learn (cooking time is different; you discover you lack ingredients for certain recipes, etc.)
Suggested reading: Best foods to stockpile for when the power grid goes down
Heat needs
Conserving heat can become a problem when the power grid goes down, especially during the cold season. You should make sure you stay warm, otherwise you won’t wake up to fight another day. Everyone should stockpile their chosen source of heat (wood, propane gas, stove fuel, etc.) and they should have a backup for their backup plan. You should buy and practice with stove and heaters that work with your chosen type of fuel. The stove you buy should run on a variety of fuels so that you always have something that works with the fuel that is available. The stove should be installed in the room where everyone can gather during the day and sleep at night. If you want to conserve heat another alternative would be to get used to living in your basement. When you are 6 feet below ground, the temperature stays at around 60 degrees, regardless if it is cold or hot outside. You should also learn how to make improvised heaters and the internet is full of solutions, more or less complicated.
Some of the tips listed above you have probably already done or integrated into your emergency plan. If you haven’t put them into common practice you should really consider them. Always think outside of the box and chose solutions that have multiple applications. Think of what you depend on each day and figure out what you can do to replace it when the power grid goes down.
Stay safe and God Bless!
How to Make an All-Night Campfire with Only One Log
Low on wood at your local camp-site? Tired of hauling logs from one end of the property to the other? Is your BBQ pit rusting through or on it’s last leg?
Well this amazing “hack” (pun intended) will revolutionize your next outdoor cooking experience!
Rumors claim “The Swedish Torch” was thought up by a train hopper who used the clever trick to stay warm in between train rides. The Swedish Torch is as simple as it is brilliant and is sure to maximize efficiency at your next campout.
Here’s how to make a Swedish Torch:
1. Start by getting yourself a log that is rather wide and is flat on the top and bottom.
2. With a saw or large cutting tool, make two or three cross-hair cuts across the top of the log, cutting around 3/4ths of the way down.
3. Start a fire on top with kindling or a Bernie and watch as the airflow beneath the fire breaths life to it as it catches the top of the log ablaze.
4. As the fire on the top of log burns, coals will fall down to then bottom of the log, igniting the lower parts of the log and providing you with a long-lasting and hot fire.
How to Make a Swedish Torch
Coconut Oil Truth: 10 Things You Need To Know
Coconut oil is one of the few foods that can be classified as a “superfood.” Its unique combination of fatty acids can have profound positive effects on health. This includes fat loss, better brain function and various other amazing benefits.
Here are the top 10 health benefits of coconut oil that have been experimentally confirmed in human studies.
1. Coconut Oil Contains a Unique Combination of Fatty Acids With Powerful Medicinal Properties
Coconut oil has been demonized in the past because it contains saturated fat. In fact, coconut oil is one of the richest sources of saturated fat known to man, with almost 90% of the fatty acids in it being saturated (1).
However, new data is showing that saturated fats are harmless. Many massive studies that include hundreds of thousands of people prove that the whole “artery-clogging” idea was a myth (2).
Additionally, coconut oil doesn’t contain your average run-of-the-mill saturated fats like you would find in cheese or steak.
No, they contain so-called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) – which are fatty acids of a medium length.
Most of the fatty acids in the diet are so-called long-chain fatty acids, but the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are metabolized differently.
They go straight to the liver from the digestive tract, where they are used as a quick source energy or turned into so-called ketone bodies, which can have therapeutic effects on brain disorders like epilepsy and Alzheimer’s.
Bottom Line: Coconut oil contains a lot of medium chain triglycerides, which are metabolized differently and can have therapeutic effects on several brain disorders.
2. Populations That Eat a LOT of Coconut Are Among The Healthiest People on The Planet
Coconut is kind of an “exotic” food in the Western world, primarily consumed by health conscious people.
However, in some parts of the world, coconut is a dietary staple that people have thrived on for many generations.
The best example of such a population is the Tokelauans, which live in the South Pacific.
They eat over 60% of their calories from coconuts and are the biggest consumers of saturated fat in the world.
These people are in excellent health, with no evidence of heart disease (3).
Another example of a population that eats a lot of coconut and remains in excellent health is the Kitavans (4).
Bottom Line: Plenty of populations around the world have thrived for multiple generations eating massive amounts of coconut.
3. Coconut Oil Can Increase Your Energy Expenditure, Helping You Burn More Fat
Obesity is currently one of the biggest health problems in the world.
While some people think obesity is only a matter of calories, others (myself included) believe that the sources of those calories are critical too.
It is a fact that different foods affect our bodies and hormones in different ways. In this regard, a calorie is NOT a calorie.
The medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil can increase energy expenditure compared to the same amount of calories from longer chain fats (5, 6).
One study found that 15-30 grams of MCTs per day increased 24 hour energy expenditure by 5%, totalling about 120 calories per day (7).
Bottom Line: The medium chain triglycerides in coconut oil have been shown to increase 24 hour energy expenditure by as much as 5%, potentially leading to significant weight loss over the long term.
4. The Lauric Acid in Coconut Oil Can Kill Bacteria, Viruses and Fungi, Helping to Stave Off Infections
Almost 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil is the 12-carbon Lauric Acid.
When coconut oil is enzymatically digested, it also forms a monoglyceride called monolaurin.
Both lauric acid and monolaurin can kill harmful pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungi (8).
For example, these substances have been shown to kill the bacteria Staphylococcus Aureus (a very dangerous pathogen) and the yeast Candida Albicans, a common source of yeast infections in humans (9, 10).
Bottom Line: The fatty acids and breakdown products in coconut oil can kill harmful pathogens, potentially helping to prevent infections.
5. Coconut Oil Can Kill Your Hunger, Making You Eat Less Without Even Trying
One interesting feature of coconut oil is that it can reduce your hunger.
This may be related to the way the fatty acids in it are metabolized, because ketone bodies can have an appetite reducing effect (11).
In one study, varying amounts of medium and long chain triglycerides were fed to 6 healthy men.
The men eating the most MCTs ate 256 fewer calories per day, on average (12).
Another study in 14 healthy men discovered that those who ate the most MCTs at breakfast ate significantly fewer calories at lunch (13).
These studies were small and only done for a short period of time. If this effect were to persist over the long term, it could have a dramatic influence on body weight over a period of several years.
Bottom Line: The fatty acids in coconut oil can significantly reduce appetite, which may positively affect body weight over the long term.
6. The Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil Are Turned into Ketones, Which Can Reduce Seizures
A so-called ketogenic (very low carb, very high fat) diet is currently being studied to treat various disorders.
The best known therapeutic application of this diet is treating drug-resistant epilepsy in children (14).
This diet involves eating very little carbohydrates and large amounts of fat, leading to greatly increased concentrations of ketone bodies in the blood.
For some reason, this diet can dramatically reduce the rate of seizures in epileptic children, even those who haven’t had success with multiple different types of drugs.
Because the MCTs in coconut oil get shipped to the liver and turned into ketone bodies, they are often used in epileptic patients to induce ketosis while allowing for a bit more carbs in the diet (15, 16).
Bottom Line: The MCTs in coconut oil can increase blood concentration of ketone bodies, which can help reduce seizures in epileptic children.
7. Coconut Oil Can Improve Blood Cholesterol Levels and May Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease
Coconut oil is loaded with saturated fats, which actually do not harm the blood lipid profile like previously thought.
Saturated fats raise HDL (the good) cholesterol and change the LDL cholesterol to a benign subtype (17, 18).
In one study in 40 women, coconut oil reduced Total and LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL compared to soybean oil (19).
There are also rat studies showing that coconut oil reduces triglycerides, total and LDL cholesterol, increases HDL and improves blood coagulation factors and antioxidant status (20, 21).
This improvement in cardiovascular risk factors should theoretically lead to a reduced risk of heart disease over the long term.
Bottom Line: Studies in both humans and rats show that coconut oil improves important risk factors like Total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, which may translate to a reduced risk of heart disease.
8. Coconut Oil Can Protect Hair Against Damage, Moisturize Skin and Function as Sunscreen
Coconut oil can serve various purposes that have nothing to do with eating it.
Many people are using it for cosmetic purposes and to improve the health and appearance of their skin and hair.
Studies on individuals with dry skin show that coconut oil can improve the moisture and lipid content of the skin (22).
Coconut oil can also be very protective against hair damage and one study shows effectiveness as sunscreen, blocking about 20% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays (23, 24)
Another application is using it like mouthwash in a process called oil pulling, which can kill some of the harmful bacteria in the mouth, improve dental health and reduce bad breath (25, 26, 27).
Bottom Line: Coconut oil can be applied topically as well, studies showing it to be effective as a skin moisturizer and protecting against hair damage. It can also be used as a mild form of sunscreen and as mouthwash.
9. The Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil Can Boost Brain Function in Alzheimer’s Patients
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia worldwide and occurs primarily in elderly individuals.
In Alzheimer’s patients, there appears to be a reduced ability to use glucose for energy in certain parts of the brain.
Ketone bodies can supply energy for the brain and researchers have speculated that ketones can provide an alternative energy source for these malfunctioning cells and reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s (28).
In one 2006 study, consumption of medium chain triglycerides lead to an immediate improvement in brain function in patients with milder forms of Alzheimer’s (29).
Other studies support these findings and medium chain triglycerides are being intensively studied as potential therapeutic agents in Alzheimer’s disease (30, 31).
Bottom Line: Studies show that the fatty acids in coconut oil can increase blood levels of ketone bodies, supplying energy for the brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients and relieving symptoms.
10. Coconut Oil Can Help You Lose Fat, Especially The Dangerous Fat in Your Abdominal Cavity
Given that coconut oil can reduce appetite and increase fat burning, it makes sense that it can also help you lose weight.
Coconut oil appears to be especially effective in reducing abdominal fat, which lodges in the abdominal cavity and around organs.
This is the most dangerous fat of all and is highly associated with many Western diseases.
Waist circumference is easily measured and is a great marker for the amount of fat in the abdominal cavity.
A study in 40 women with abdominal obesity, supplementing with 30 mL (1 ounce) of coconut oil per day lead to a significant reduction in both BMI and waist circumference in a period of 12 weeks (19).
Another study in 20 obese males noted a reduction in waist circumference of 2.86 cm (1.1 inches) after 4 weeks of 30 mL (1 ounce) of coconut oil per day (32).
This number may not seem too impressive on the surface, but be aware that these people aren’t adding exercise or restricting calories. They’re losing significant amounts of abdominal fat simply by adding coconut oil to their diet.
11. Anything Else?
If you want to enjoy the immense health benefits of coconut oil, then make sure to choose organic, virgin coconut oil… NOT the refined stuff.
This is really just the tip of the iceberg. People are using coconut oil for all sorts of things with incredible success.
Backyard Chickens: How to Design Your Chicken Run
http://www.goodshomedesign.com/backyard-chickens-how-to-design-your-chicken-run/
6 Steps To a More Self Reliant Lifestyle
One of the most important things that we, as human beings, have lost is the knowledge of how to be self reliant. We have also lost the understanding of why it is so important to be self reliant and self sustaining. We have grown so used to others providing us with everything we could possibly want, (as long as you have the money to pay for it) that we have no idea how to take care of ourselves.
Look at it this way; if you took the average city dwelling person and put him on a farm without access to any stores, how long do you think they would be able to live? The sad fact is we have almost none of the skills required to take care of ourselves, even if someone plopped you down on a fully working and thriving farm.
The average person does not know how to:
Plant or harvest food
Butcher and prepare meat
Take care of farm animals
Prepare food from scratch
Preserve food
Make or mend clothing
Repair a home and outbuildings
These are basics skills that our ancestors took for granted. Things taught to children without even thinking about it. Little by little, as time has passed, we have moved away from doing for ourselves to buying everything we need from other sources. Almost 100% of people that live in the city that are under 60 have never killed an animal for food. Most have never killed an animal for any reason short of vet administered euthanasia. Almost as many have never made any of their own clothing. Schools no longer even teach "home ec" as they used to.....how to cook and sew and such. When did it become unnecessary to know how to do these things?
You may think that buying what you need is good, as long as you have stores and money. This view is rather short sighted because it does not take into consideration one thing: it is not self sustaining. It also makes for a lifestyle that is centers on reliance on others instead of self reliance. This is dangerous on a few levels, the biggest being what would happen if all those convenient stores were to suddenly shut down? Most city dwellers would be unable to keep themselves alive.
Is this the legacy you want to leave your children?
Living a self sustaining and self reliant lifestyle is not something you can just suddenly start doing. Most of us do not have the skills necessary to live, even partially, without the convenience of stores to provide for our needs. If you want to change your life in the direction of self reliance, you must do so purposefully and with a plan. When I realized this, I sat down and wrote these 6 steps to start living in a more self sustaining and self reliant way.
1. Limit Buying Things New - When buying something, ask yourself "Do I need a new _________ or can I buy it used? Buying things used not only cuts down on the energy spent manufacturing, shipping and handling new items, it is also cheaper and it helps out the person you are purchasing it from.
2. Reduce the Waste That We Create - This is especially important if the waste is plastic. Avoid buying items that are packaged in plastic. Try to avoid items that are encased in styrofoam. You can accomplish this in the grocery store by buying organic and by making sure that you always bring your own reusable bags.
3. Limit or Cut Out Processed Foods - This is good for you as well as the environment. Processed foods like chips, crackers and single serving type foods are almost always in plastic containers and are high in salt, sugar, fat and calories. Reducing the amount of these unhealthy foods is not only good for you, it is good for the environment, just that much less plastic in landfills or thrown in the ocean. Make it a habit to shop at local farmers markets or to buy from local roadside stands. This benefits everyone, and you can bet there will be a lot less pesticides on what you buy.
4. Try to Re-Purpose Everything at Least Once Before You Toss or Recycle It - Cut down that shoe box and use it as a drawer organizer. Poke holes in the bottom of that coffee can and use it as a planter. Save the glass jars that mayonnaise and salad dressing come in and make your own to re-fill them. Paint that table instead of throwing it away. For every item that you re-purpose, you are saving money and helping the environment.
5. Learn to Cook From Scratch and Don't Waste Food - The items you cook will be much healthier with less additives and preservatives. Any food left over should be reworked into the meals of the next day, so the food will not be wasted. You will save a lot of money by eating at home instead of going out to eat and also by cooking food instead of buying the more expensive and plastic encased preprocessed food.
And Most Important is .......
6. Learn to Do Things Yourself - This covers everything in your life from learning out to sew on a button, to painting your own house. Learn new skills that will make you less reliant on others to get things done. Home improvement stores regularly have free classes, so go to some! If you learn how to do something for yourself, that is something no one can ever take away from you. One of the best things you can do with any new skill that you learn is to teach it to someone else!
Converting your lifestyle from that of a consumer to something more self sustaining cannot be done overnight. It takes a plan and a concentrated effort. A more thoughtful way of living is essential. Instead of just numbly working and buying, working and buying, you must think about the things you do and how best to do them so that you can depend less on others and more on yourself.
5 Homestead Probiotics You Can Make at Home!
Making Your Own Low Cost Probiotics
Well the science is in folks, and has been for some time! Probiotics are essential to maintaining a healthy gut, and a strong immune system. A properly functioning digestive system is the key to good health. You can grow, purchase, and eat all of the organic, mineral dense, beyond awesome food you want, but if you are not digesting and absorbing those nutrients then it is all for naught.
The same can be said for all of the fancy vitamin supplements, and even many of the probiotic supplements that are out there. There’s an old saying that goes something like: “garbage in, garbage out.” Anyway, there’s good news. You can grow your own probiotic nutritional supplements right in your homestead kitchen, or barn, or hallway closet… The point is you can be in control of your health and not have to depend on high dollar supplements grown in some lab someplace hundreds of miles away!
The Top 5 Probiotic Foods on Our Homestead
I put together a list of the top five probiotic-rich foods that we are currently or have in the past made and consumed here on the Traditional Catholic Homestead (www.traditionalcatholichomestead.com):
#1 – Kefir: We make both dairy and water kefir at home. It’s super simple, and easy to keep the process going perpetually. We usually go through about a gallon and a half of kefir per week in our household.
#2 – Kombucha: Another super simple and easily propagated probiotic beverage. The Traditional Catholic Homestead family consumes anywhere from 3 to 6 gallons of continuously brewed kombucha per week. Here’s how we brew ours: Brewing Kombucha. I really like experimenting with different herbs and teas in our brews. I’ve even heard of someone making Mountain Dew-flavored kombucha (though I wouldn’t recommend it)!
Note: Kefir grains and kombucha SCOBY will grow and reproduce so you can propagate the cultures and give away or sell the surplus.
#3 – Sauerkraut: The old homestead standby! There are a million different recipes for fermented kraut that you can make at home. As long as you don’t can the finished product it will be a probiotic-rich powerhouse. The beauty of sauerkraut is that it doesn’t require any fancy inoculants or cultures to get going. A true kraut is like a sourdough bread starter… made from wild cultures that occur all around us! Other than cabbage (or seed), no start up costs!
#4 – Other Fermented Veggies: The same process and bacteria used to make sauerkraut can be used to ferment any number of other veggies. Just use what you like or what you have in abundance. We’ve fermented carrot sticks, salsa, shredded beets with carrots, garlic… you name it. The possibilities are literally limited by your imagination and tastes!
#5 – Homebrew!!! Most people wouldn’t think of homemade beer, hard ciders, mead, or wine as a probiotic food, but if you think about it, they are. Any of your homebrews will have living yeasts present throughout the beverage (as long as you don’t pasteurize it, but who does that, right!). I know there is a big push in some circles to eliminate yeast from our diets, but they are an essential part of our digestive process. They just need to be kept in balance. Plus, homebrew is awesome!!!
Honorable mention goes to homemade vinegars. These are the living vinegars with the “mother” culture still in them. We haven’t made any yet, so I didn’t include them in this list, but homemade apple cider vinegar is coming soon to the repertoire of fermented foods on The Traditional Catholic Homestead.
Why every prepper needs a reserve of raw, natural honey
Honey is one of nature's most amazing gifts. It's a substance which offers dozens of useful and health-boosting properties aside from its wonderful, sweet flavor. All serious preppers should make sure to obtain a sizable quantity of raw, natural honey to add to their survival stockpiles.
It's one of the few foods that has an unlimited shelf life; honey will never go bad due to its antibacterial properties, which are also part of what makes it so healthy. Considering its versatility in the kitchen, along with its medicinal value, honey is likely to prove to be an extremely valuable commodity to have on hand during a long-term survival situation.
One of the key things to remember when obtaining a quantity of honey is to make sure it is natural and unpasteurized. Most of the honey you'll see on the shelf at the grocery store has been pasteurized, which robs it of many of its healthful properties.
"Commercial honey has also had most of the pollen removed. Bee pollen is considered to be one of the most nutritionally-complete foods available because of its high amino acid and antioxidant content. Most commercial honey sold in stores is heated to high temperatures and pasteurized, getting rid of most of the beneficial enzymes, antioxidants and other nutrients that are heat-sensitive," reports All Self Sustained on its website.
Beware of commercial honey
Much of the honey on the commercial market – as much as 76 percent, according to one independent researcher – has been ultra-filtered and contains no pollen at all.
This pseudo-honey is not only devoid of any healthful properties, but it may also contain pesticides, along with other toxins.
As reported by Canada's The Organic Prepper:
"Ultrafiltering removes the pollen so that the source of the honey cannot be determined. Providers of cheap honey do this so that consumers cannot discover the origin. Often the cheap honey is tainted with pesticides, illegal antibiotics, and heavy metals. Some of the cheap honey is watered down with High Fructose Corn Syrup. Much of the questionable honey originates in China."
The best way to obtain raw honey is to find a local supplier that you can trust. Buy your honey directly from a beekeeper if possible, or from a farmer's market.
Health and nutritional benefits of raw, unfiltered honey
Honey is considered to be "one of the most healing substances on earth." It's been used for thousands of years to treat a wide range of ailments and conditions, both internal and external. It has antiviral, anti-fungal and antibacterial properties.
Among the myriad uses and benefits of honey:
Topical applications: Use honey on wounds, sunburn, rashes, acne or for almost any skin problem. Honey promotes fast healing and helps prevent scarring.
Internal health: Honey is useful in fighting sore throats, allergies, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, indigestion and more. It also promotes a healthy immune system.
Nutritional value: A true superfood, honey contains numerous vitamins and minerals. It's also an antioxidant and a great source of concentrated energy.
As with many natural remedies, health-promoting honey has been replaced by a range of other products and medicines that provide only questionable effectiveness.
And honey itself has been stripped of its healthy benefits through filtering and pasteurization. It's almost as if someone doesn't want us to have access to natural remedies that boost health and prevent disease.
The pharmaceutical industry doesn't make any profits from natural remedies, so perhaps it's no surprise that raw, unfiltered honey has become a scarce commodity.
At any rate, it is still possible to obtain the real thing and I recommend that everyone should do so. Natural honey offers an impressive number of valuable benefits – not only for survival in a SHTF scenario, but in everyday life as well.
Avoid being victimized by martial law with these helpful preparedness tips
(NaturalNews) The concept of martial law is one that is often confusing. The textbook definition is a rule of law imposed by the highest-ranking military officer, either as a military governor or as the leader of the nation, in place of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches. But many people think that, for our country, martial law occurs when the president, as commander-in-chief, declares him- or herself to be in charge completely, a declaration that would come with the suspension of most, if not all, constitutional rights.
Martial law has actually been implemented in the U.S. in the past. During the Civil War, President Lincoln not only suspended habeas corpus, but also appointed generals to head up military districts in some states – moves that the U.S. Supreme Court eventually approved due to the national emergency created by the conflict.
Some think that martial law is once again imminent. In fact, some Americans believe that President Obama, not satisified with leaving office in 2016, may use the occasion of a national emergency – say, due to terrorism – as the impetus, which would lead to a suspension of elections and the Constitution.
Would Congress allow that? That depends; if some candidate who is well outside the political establishment – like a Donald Trump – looks set to win the election, it's very possible this Congress, which has given Obama everything he wants, would simply go along with whatever he wanted to do.
That said, if martial law were to occur, it will become vital for Americans to learn how to navigate a dramatically changed social situation. And, as noted at Prepper Fortress, if that's our fate, the government – using cyber means, covert operations and other measures – is already putting the pieces in place to deal with the expected chaos.
Here are 10 ways to avoid becoming ensnared in the martial law net:
-- 1. Run early and often: At the first declaration of martial law, run, don't walk to the countryside, preferably a pre-determined "bugout" location that you have already scoped out and stocked with supplies. Make sure to bring a radio – solar- or crank-powered (or both) so you don't have to worry about an electrical source – to monitor the situation and to receive intelligence and updates about what's going on. From there you can plan your next move.
-- 2. Hide and seek: The government will likely be scouring the countryside for stragglers, so the best thing you can do to avoid satellite surveillance, being spotted by a drone or being rolled up on by a government agent or soldier is to remain out-of-sight. Camouflage is your friend, but cannot hide your heat signature; only earth can do that. Caves are great bugout hideaways, and so are underground basements. Stay off hilltops so you don't silhouette yourself and be prepared to low-crawl and move slowly if there are people in the area. Avoid trails.
-- 3. Be difficult: That is, be difficult to track or anticipate. If you're heading into a wooded area, take the most difficult, but still passable, option, unless you're actively being pursued. It'll take you longer to get where you're going but you'll be increasing your odds that you won't be found.
-- 4. Cover your tracks: Chances are you won't be followed by a trained tracker, but some signs are not hard to spot, such as footprints in moist soil, broken branches and flattened grass. If you make tracks try to cover them as best you can. And police up your trash so you leave nothing behind.
-- 5. Fool them: Take and leave false trails. Start on one side of the road, but then double back down the road and cross over, heading to your predetermined location.
-- 6. Essentials only: Just take only what you need to survive for at least 72 hours. That will lighten your load and make it easier to escape.
-- 7. Silence is golden: Don't tell anyone you meet what your plans are, where you're going or who you are. You won't know who you can trust (which means you shouldn't trust anyone).
-- 8. Don't fear the dogs: Some government officials may use tracking dogs to round up people, but they won't be widespread.
-- 9. Go, then go some more: Don't ever think you've put "enough" distance between yourself and the authorities. If you need to spend extra days bugging out, then do so. And don't ever relax.
-- 10. Teach your kids: They will have trouble understanding what is going on if you don't tell your kids beforehand that someday you all may need to leave your home and seek refuge. Also, teach them the survival skills that you will be learning.
Huge Scientific Discovery: Coconut Oil Kills 93% Colon Cancer Cells In Just Two Days (Videos)??
http://beforeitsnews.com/health/2016/01/huge-scientific-discovery-coconut-oil-kills-93-colon-cancer-cells-in-just-two-days-video-2606608.html
Meet This Third-Generation Farmer Who Converted His 1,400 Acres to Growing Organic Food
http://ecowatch.com/2015/12/27/klaas-martens-organic-farm/
This is Incredible! The Self Watering Grow Bag Grow System!
Grow bags are made of breathable fabric which means superior drainage and aeration. It is the aeration that makes them superior to other garden containers. If a container has no aeration and the roots reach the walls of the container, they give a signal to the plant to make more roots, resulting in a root bound plant. Eventually the plant just kills itself with a mass of roots going round and round in the container.
Don’t wait until food becomes scarce; start preparing for the future now by becoming as self-reliant as possible. Your long-term chances of survival could very well depend on your ability to feed yourself and your family without relying on someone else.
Soil for grow bags
Soil is the heart of any container gardening. It is a great mixture for any gardening, also container gardening. The mix is 1/3 moss, 1/3 compost mixture (for example chicken manure, horse manure, and mushroom composts), and 1/3 vermiculite. This mix preserves moisture which is very important for grow bag gardening.
Watering grow bags
Watering is always a challenge in container gardening. To much makes the plants sit in water, too little makes them dry out. It also depends on what the container is made of. Grow bags do dry out much faster than pots. The drainage and aeration of the grow bag leads to more frequent watering needs. Also it is difficult to really soak a grow bag, the water will come right out. Two things can be helpful.
Drip system
Install a drip system, so the grow bags get a constant moisture supply. We tried the bottle drip system. It did not do so well for us, even though many have great success with it. A pipe drip system would work well, too.
Self watering system
Have a container underneath the grow bag that you can fill with water so it can be wicked up. Any container would work, we got the idea from the Kiddie pool grow system. But if the container is too deep, you will need an overflow. You want most of the roots to be in air.
Here a build box out of styrofoam, it is not very deep, so an overflow is not needed. It looks like a raised bed. In this we planted cucumbers. Cucumber like water a lot.(source)
Essential Skills: Learning What Not to Do…
One has to be living under a rock to not have heard about the tragic events that have unfolded in Oregon, vis a’ vis the Hammond Ranch court case, the Bundy led occupation of a Wild Life Refuge ‘headquarters’ building, subsequent death of one of the leaders during a police stop, and continued ‘hold out’ by four people, who are currently either under arrest or about to be, depending on what the responding FBI, Oregon State, and Malheur County teams on site determine as the way to end the ‘occupation’. The only hope concerned folks have is that the situation ends without any more fatalities.
An astute person may learn some of the many things ‘not‘ to do by examining the actions of the people who chose to protest in a way that has now cost them plenty with no return on that investment. The internet and blogosphere is replete with actions taken and subsequent critique. Our purpose here is not to ‘damn’ the people involved, but to try to learn from their situation.
No matter what your feelings are on the situation, the situation is a superb opportunity to see how various actions have worked for or against a small group of people when applied