Why to be a Prepper: 8 Realistic Threats you should be Ready For!
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Do you consider yourself to be a prepper? Are you ready to defend your house, protect your family, and protect those you love from danger?
Over the years preppers have got a bad rap. Often portrayed as tinfoil hat conspiracy theorists waiting for the end of the world, the mainstream media has done a serious disservice to those who are just trying to protect the ones they love from the very real dangers that are out there.
If you have given up on prepping, or think it’s only for those who are preparing for some end of the world disaster to strike, you need to consider these eight very real threats that everyone should be prepared for.
Prepping for a Loss of Income
One situation that’s not often talked about in the prepping community is a job loss or loss of income. While talking about zombies and asteroids slamming into the earth might be good for a website’s traffic numbers, the fact is, in terms of likely prepping scenarios a loss of income is something that everyone should be preparing for.
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It’s not exciting, and it’s not something you’ll see on your favorite survival T.V. Show, but it is something that is likely to happen to you at some point in your life.
Make sure you have an emergency fund. An emergency fund will help see you through these types of events and is something you need to have.
Start moving towards self-reliance. The more self-reliant skills you have, the better prepared you will be to survive a job loss, a loss of income, or any other preparedness threat that might come about.
Stockpile long-term food. Having a stocked pantry goes a long way should you lose your job or face an economic emergency. Your number one goal should be building up a 3-6 month supply of food so your family doesn’t go hungry during an emergency.
Prepping for Natural Disasters
No matter where you live in this world, you are susceptible to at least one type of natural disaster hitting your area. From wildfires and flooding to earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornados at some point you are going to have to deal with the consequences of one of these types of disasters.
Things to consider:
Do you have a bugout plan? When it comes to bugging out, natural disasters are often on top of the list of reasons you may have to evacuate and leave your home. Make sure you have a solid evacuation plan.
Do you know how to shut off utilities inside your home? During some disasters you may have to temporarily shut down power, gas lines, and water into your home. Make sure you know where these main utility shutoffs are, and make sure you have the tools to shut them down when you need to.
Do you have emergency supplies to see you through these short-term disasters? Often time’s people will tell you to have 72 hours’ worth of supplies; I call BS on that number! You need to have a minimum of two weeks’ worth of food, water, and emergency supplies on hand at all times.
Go Through our Natural Disasters Checklist.
Prepping for Crime, Assaults and Home Invasions.
In 2012, the latest date the government has released numbers on, the FBI estimated 1,214,462 violent crimes occurred nationwide. From criminal assaults and car-jacking to riots and home invasions, dealing with possible criminal attacks is at the top of the list of potential threats you will face.
Prepare for social unrest. We live in a time where people are looking for any excuse to cause trouble. Riots, looting, and large-scale assaults are becoming more common — even in areas once considered good neighborhoods.
Make sure you know how to defend your home. Home invasions are one of the most common crimes we face today; make sure you, your family, and you home are ready to face the threat.
Consider learning how to use a firearm and carrying one for protection. The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy who has one and knows how to use it.
Preparing for Fires and Floods
When we start prepping it’s easy to get caught up in a worst case scenario mentality. While preparing for the worst is a good thing, it can sometimes cause you to overlook the smaller disasters that can be just as devastating to your livelihood.
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Fires and floods are one of the most common disasters a person will face in their lifetime. Unfortunately it’s a threat that receives very little attention.
Conduct Monthly Preparedness Drills. One of the best ways to prepare yourself and your family for disasters and threats, as well as discover any holes in your plans, is to conduct periodic emergency safety drills.
Get a Fire Extinguisher. When thinking about survival gear people often overlook the fire extinguisher. Knowing how to start a fire is a great survival skill, but the ability to put one out can save your life!
Preparing for Economic Disasters
With the United States now clocking it at over $19 trillion of debt — and that’s not even considering the over $220 trillion in unfunded liabilities the government keeps off the official debt record — economic problems are a very real problem that you need to be prepared for.
Learn what you need to do to Prepare for an Economic Collapse. If you haven’t already, it’s time to put together a plan of action.
Don’t be one of the 60% of Americans who have less than $1,000 in Savings. Whether it’s having garage sale or cutting back on useless budget items you need to start taking your economic preparedness seriously.
Preparing for Social Unrest
After the riots in Baltimore and Ferguson, and a countless number of large scale gang attacks that received very little attention from the mainstream media, there is no denying the chaos that’s spreading through the streets of America and throughout the world.
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Preparing for Terrorist Attacks
Since President Obama was sworn into office, there have been seven major Islamic terror attacks in the United States. The worldwide number of annual terrorist deaths has more than quadrupled since President Barack Obama was inaugurated in January 2009.
While these attacks are often ignored by the media, or classified as acts of workplace violence so the government doesn’t have to admit we were attacked, this is one threat that is not going away. In fact, future attacks will likely be bigger, cause more death and destruction, and could shatter an already troubled economy causing us to spiral into a place where nobody wants to go.
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The Aftermath: Post Disaster Threats.
With all of these events you need to not only think about the dangers associated with the event itself but also what will happen in the aftermath.
We live in a world where people are looking to take advantage of bad situations, and with all disasters will come a number of threats that could catch you off guard should you ignore the possible aftermath. From criminals looking to take advantage of people who are already desperate and off guard, to terrorists who are waiting to strike once we are already down, there are people out there who will target people after the initial threat seems to have passed.
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Just look at what happened during large-scale disasters like Hurricane Katrina and Sandy; thousands of people took to the streets stealing, looting, assaulting people, and even raping innocent women who were just trying to survive the storms aftermath.
You need to be ready to deal with criminal outbreaks after the main event has passed.
You need to be ready to deal with long-term power outages. After Sandy people were without power for weeks, some neighborhoods went without power for over a month.
You need to prepare for disease outbreaks. In the aftermath of a natural disaster, one that takes out power, sanitation and municipal water supplies, there is a very real possibility of widespread disease outbreaks.
You need to Prep for Government State of Emergencies and Martial Law Declarations.
So why prep?
When people think of prepping, they often think of people preparing for some end of the world situation or Hollywood doomsday scenario. But the truth about prepping is it’s not about preparing for some statistical anomaly, but instead preparing for the real life challenges that we are all going to face at some point in our lives; the kind of situations that feel like the end of your world if you’re not prepared.
Square Foot Gardening: Organic, GMO-Free Food on Balconies, Roof Tops, Raised Beds and Acreage
Square foot gardening is an ingenious method of growing large amounts of food in a relatively small space. First popularized in 1981 by Mel Bartholomew in his book Square Foot Gardening, the technique has been adopted by gardeners looking to maximize the potential of their gardens whether they have acres of fertile land or a small balcony in a high rise apartment.
Square foot gardening involves creating a raised planting bed and dividing it into a grid of four, nine or sixteen squares. Each square will house a different fruit, vegetable or herb, and the crops are continually rotated yearly to ensure rich, fertile soil. The method is ideal for elderly gardeners or those with mobility problems as it is easy to maintain. Kids and urban gardeners are also attracted to square foot gardening and just one 4×4 foot grid can produce enough food to feed a small family. No matter what type of property you have or your level of experience, you can begin growing healthy, delicious organic food that is free from GMOs, pesticides and harmful chemicals in no time.
Method
To start your own square foot garden you will need four lengths of wood approximately 4 feet long, depending on how many squares you would like to divide your garden into. Each crop will need a space of approximately 1 square foot. If your garden will be atop some form of soil, prepare the soil first by loosening it using a spade and spreading a generous layer of dried leaves, hay or grass on top. Water the area thoroughly, and spread large plastic garbage bags on top before leaving it to decompose for a few weeks. Alternatively, mix already decomposed compost in with the soil. If you will be growing food on a balcony or roof, make sure you have permission first from the owner or landlord, and ensure the added weight of the garden will not be a safety hazard. Gardens that are situated on cement do not usually pose any problems, but if you live in an area with heavy rainfall you may want to lay down some heavy duty plastic underneath the soil to protect against leakage. Choose a south-facing spot to ensure your garden receives plenty of sunlight.
Once you have the perfect spot, secure your planks into a box shape and then fill the box with a mixture of 1/3 compost, 1/3 spagnum peat moss and 1/3 coarse grade vermiculite. You can find all of these items at gardening stores, or you can your own compost. Fill the square with the soil mixture until it is at least 1 foot deep, and then water thoroughly. Using either some small strips of wood or thick string, mark out a grid over your square foot garden that will indicate where each crop will grow.
What to Plant
One mistake that many square foot gardeners make is to plant random seeds into each square without researching what crops are able to grow well when placed in close proximity. Certain plants will thrive when placed next to a particular vegetable, whereas others may grow poorly and fail to produce a decent harvest. Some of the most common companion plant pairings are… READ MORE HERE: http://www.jbbardot.com/square-foot-gardening-easy-peasy-organic-gmo-free-food-on-balconies-roof-tops-raised-beds-and-acreage/
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Need More Magnesium? 10 Signs To Watch For
Magnesium deficiency contributes to many different health problems. Magnesium is the second most abundant intracellular cation and the fourth most abundant cation in the body. Magnesium plays an essential physiological role in many functions of the body.
Magnesium deficiency and hypomagnesaemia can result from a variety of causes including gastrointestinal and renal losses. Magnesium deficiency can cause a wide variety of features including hypocalcaemia, hypokalaemia and cardiac and neurological manifestations. Chronic low magnesium state has been associated with a number of chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and osteoporosis.
Need More Magnesium? 10 Signs to Watch For -Symptoms of poor magnesium intake can include muscle cramps, facial tics, poor sleep, and chronic pain. It pays to ensure that you get adequate magnesium before signs of deficiency occur.
But how can you know whether you’re getting enough?
According to population studies of average magnesium intake, there’s a good chance that you’re not.
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Less than 30% of U.S. adults consume the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of magnesium. And nearly 20% get only half of the magnesium they need daily to remain healthy.1 2 3
Estimated U.S. Intake of Magnesium Recommended Daily Allowance
DO I GET ENOUGH MAGNESIUM?
One method of assessing your magnesium status is to simply contact your health care provider and request detailed magnesium testing. Yet magnesium assessment is typically done using blood serum testing, and these tests can be misleading. Only 1% of magnesium in the body is actually found in blood, and only .3% is found in blood serum, so clinical blood serum testing may not successfully identify magnesium deficiency.
What to do?
Fortunately, it’s possible to get a sense of where your intake may lie simply by asking yourself a few questions about your lifestyle, and watching for certain signs and signals of low magnesium levels.
Learn how to read your signs below, and find out what you can do to ensure magnesium balance and good health. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you may be at risk for low magnesium intake.
1. Do you drink carbonated beverages on a regular basis?
Most dark colored sodas contain phosphates. These substances actually bind with magnesium inside the digestive tract, rendering it unavailable to the body. So even if you are eating a balanced diet, by drinking soda with your meals you are flushing magnesium out of your system.4 5 6
The average consumption of carbonated beverages today is more than ten times what it was in 1940.7This skyrocketing increase is responsible for both reduced magnesium and calcium availability in the body.8 9
2. Do you regularly eat pastries, cakes, desserts, candies or other sweet foods?
Refined sugar is not only a zero magnesium product but it also causes the body to excrete magnesium through the kidneys. The process of producing refined sugar from sugar cane removes molasses, stripping the magnesium content entirely.
And sugar does not simply serve to reduce magnesium levels. Sweet foods are known by nutritionists as “anti-nutrients”. Anti-nutrients like sweets are foods that replace whole nutritious foods in the diet, yet actually consume nutrients when digested, resulting in a net loss. Because all foods require vitamins and minerals to be consumed in order to power the process of digestion, it’s important to choose foods that “put back” vital nutrients, and then some.
The more sweet foods and processed baked goods you have in your diet, the more likely you are deficient in magnesium and other vital nutrients.
3. Do you experience a lot of stress in your life, or have you recently had a major medical procedure such as surgery?
Both physical and emotional stress can be a cause of magnesium deficiency.
Stress can be a cause of magnesium deficiency, and a lack of magnesium tends to magnify the stress reaction, worsening the problem. In studies, adrenaline and cortisol, byproducts of the “fight or flight” reaction associated with stress and anxiety, were associated with decreased magnesium.4
Because stressful conditions require more magnesium use by the body, all such conditions may lead to deficiency, including both psychological and physical forms of stress such as surgery, burns, and chronic disease.
4. Do you drink coffee, tea, or other caffeinated drinks daily?
Magnesium levels are controlled in the body in large part by the kidneys, which filter and excrete excess magnesium and other minerals. But caffeine causes the kidneys to release extra magnesium regardless of body status.
If you drink caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and soda regularly, your risk for magnesium deficiency is increased.
5. Do you take a diuretic, heart medication, asthma medication, birth control pills or estrogen replacement therapy?
The effects of certain drugs have been shown to reduce magnesium levels in the body by increasing magnesium loss through excretion by the kidneys.
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Higher serum levels of magnesium may reduce the risk of hypertension by almost 50% and the risk of coronary artery calcification by 42%, says a new study.
More than 70 percent of the population have an unhealthy balance of 10 calcium to 1 magnesium in our many trillions of cells. A previous study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicated that for every 50 mg per day increase in intake of the mineral, the risk of cancer was modestly reduced by 7%.
Another notable study of more than 4,600 Americans, begun in 1985, found the risk of developing metabolic syndrome over the next 15 years was 31 percent lower for those with the highest intake of magnesium.
Data from 1,276 Mexican-mestizo subjects also indicated that for every 0.17 mg/dL increase in serum magnesium level was associated with a 16% reduction in coronary artery calcification.
While the data indicates correlation and not causation, scientists from the National Institute of Cardiology – Ignacio Chávez in Mexico City said that there is biological plausibility for the potential cardiovascular benefits, adding that the mechanism(s) may be linked to enhancing endothelial function and reducing inflammation.
One study, which combined data from 313,041 people, provides the “most robust evidence to date of the associations between circulating and dietary magnesium across their usual physiologic ranges and CVD risk”, wrote Dr Dariush Mozaffarian and his co-authors in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Benefits
The results add to an ever growing body of science supporting the potential health benefits of the mineral. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) lists magnesium as being necessary for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, from helping maintain normal muscle and nerve function, to keeping heart rhythm steady, supporting a healthy immune system, and keeping bones strong. The mineral is also needed for blood sugar management, and healthy blood pressure.
Top Five Reasons to Consume Turmeric
Turmeric maybe the most esteemed herb in Ayurvedic medicine, Turmeric provides a most youthful energy. In the five years we have been growing and working with Turmeric on the farm, we have learned first-hand how balanced its energy truly is for holistic well-being. On our medical Tea Farm in Hawaii, we grow Turmeric and use it for everything: We soak in it, we drink it, and we put it on our booboos as a second skin. We love Turmeric.
Reduce Inflammation – Turmeric breaks up and helps the body excrete acidic foods like dairy or meat that enter the body. Turmeric reduces the inflammation caused by such toxic energy.
Increase Circulation –Turmeric is comprised of nourishing vitamins and minerals, including iron, manganese, B6 and copper. These vitamins and minerals help circulate the blood and energize the body. Clinical studies have substantiated that it relieves Rheumatoid Arthritis and Cystic Fibrosis.
Strengthen the Prostate Gland –Turmeric Root strengthens and balances the Root Chakra, where the prostate is located. Turmeric will help rejuvenate the prostate gland and support emotional grounding.
Boost Immunity –Turmeric is placed outside of the homes in India to purify the air and keep the evil spirits away. They also wear Turmeric on their skin as “make-up” for both beauty and protection. As a second skin”, Turmeric is used to thwart negative energy, such as air-born disease like malaria; or emotions like anger or guilt from other people.
Cleanse Liver – Turmeric is comprised of curcumin, which is known to rejuvenate and cleanse the liver of harmful and cancerous toxins.
We find turmeric to be an integral herb to create a balanced medicinal base for any tea blend. We do often marry it with Yellow or Galangal Ginger to create a ying-yang balance, as turmeric is relatively cooling and yellow ginger is heating.
We cold-press the raw turmeric directly out of the ground in order to extract the essence of the plant; and also make tea out of the dried fiber. The cured fiber in tea form is certainly more gentle to ingest, infusing the cured vitamins and minerals directly into the blood stream from the tea; while the raw juice extract is the most potent medicine for the liver and other organs, as well as easy to apply externally.
We use turmeric as a daily tonic to keep the body, mind and spirit healthy and feeling alive. As with all herbs, it works to balance your nutrition, rest and hydration.
Use turmeric to enjoy a healthy lifestyle!
Post Collapse Skills – What Do You Bring To The Table?
In the event of an economic collapse or any event that causes us to be off the grid for an extended period of time, we will have to go back to our roots, I don’t mean back when we were younger, I mean back to our grandfathers roots. Inthe worst case scenario we will need to rebuild society from the ground up. As it has always been throughout history we will need different individuals with many different skill sets to create a functioning and thriving society. So you need to ask yourself In a post collapse scenario, what do you bring to the table?
Bartering will become the new currency post collapse, and having a skill like carpentry could be a good bartering tool to have. Today we trade time for money, post collapse we will trade work for food, clothing, or anything else our family needs.
For the most part, we will not have to go back to the dark ages and live by oil lamps and ox’s pulling plows, we have the technology in place to rebuild as long as we have the right people who can find a way to make this technology work. If I am able to put together a good system to harness solar power I am going to do that rather than live by candle light. We have the tools and technology we need to make our lives easier, we just need the right people to make it work.
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One thing to consider about post collapse life will be lawlessness, the “entitleists” will always want to take what you have because it is easier, and will always be looking for a way to make a quick profit no matter how they have to do it. We will need to be able to protect the things we have stockpiled, and if we have created a stable living situation and have a sustainable food source, someone will always feel “entitled” and want to take it from you. Being able to protect what you have is just as important as having it in the first place.
Here is a list of some of the valuable skills that a society will need to have in order to rebuild and grow into a lasting, thriving community. Some skills will be more sought after than others, but having some sort of skill that enables you to bring value to a community will help you out. Someone has to clean the outhouse right?
1. Farmers
For obvious reasons a community is going to need farmers, someone knowledgeable about how to maintain a food source for an entire community. Most people will probably have their own gardens but having a large food supply would be needed if your crops did not yield enough to feed your family.
2. Construction Workers
Most of us can build something that resembles a house with 4 walls and a door, but if you want to have a solid homestead you will need a good home. While over time we can learn this skill we might need to barter for a carpenters service.
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3. Doctors / Medical Experience
This could be one of the most valuable skills to have, sometimes we can diagnose a problem, but sometimes it goes beyond our skill level and we need to ask advice from someone more knowledgeable than us. There could also be some sort of outbreak and we will need someone with the skill to diagnose it.
4. Architects
Architects might not be very important in the early stages of post collapse life, but their skills will become more valuable as the community grows and expands. When it comes to protecting your preps and your family you will want to have your home as fortified as possible…just ask the architect.
5. Gunsmiths
Just like the wild wild west guns and ammo are going to be in great demand. A blacksmith will be good for not only making new guns, but fixing existing guns and reloading ammo. Ammo could even be a good bartering tool, but I don’t think I would want to give someone something they could possibly kill me with, and ammo could be a precious commodity.
6. Alcohol Production / Beer
Believe it or not there are some good uses for alcohol other than drinking, such as using it as an disinfectant and/or pain reliever. Knowing how to make beer and knowing how to make alcohol would be a valuable bartering skill to have. Used in moderation Alcohol, wine and beer are great for unwinding and moral, but there are some that will exploit this on the black market.
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7. Black Market
People will always have their vises, and someone will always be looking to take advantage of those vises. Anyone having alcohol or drugs will open a black market. Although anyone that is willing to trade food, water or ammo for a bottle of booze will not last long anyway. Prostitution and bootlegging will also be a big part of the black market, making these valuable “skills” as well. I hesitate to put alcohol in this category because there are some good uses for alcohol, but I think this will get exploited in a post collapse situation.
8. Self Defense / Trainers
Protecting what you have will be just as important as having it in the first place, learning how to defend yourself might make someone looking to loot you look in another direction.
9. Wildlife Experts
Anyone can grab a rifle and go out in the woods and hunt, but the trick is to actually come back with something. Having a skilled woodsman or two will help train the community about trapping, hunting, tracking and all around survival skills. A wildlife expert would also be able to barter with fur and meat from a kill.
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10. Electricians
Just because the grid will be down does not mean we need to go back to the stone ages. we have technology in place and an electrician would be able to find a way to harness solar power, and fix some of the basic items like short wave radios, cars, lights etc.
11. Teachers
Again, in the beginning teachers would not have much to offer, but as the community grows you will need to create an environment that lets kids be kids and educate them to become leaders and to insure the future growth of the community.
12. Ranchers
There might not be a McDonald’s around anymore, but that doesn’t mean we need to go without a good steak. ranchers and farmers are a cornerstone of a thriving society.
13. Military / Police
Some sort of police force will be necessary to maintain the peace. Crime and violence will be at its peak in the beginning, so some form of law will be needed. These people will also be needed for the bootleggers, black markets or anyone who has the means to hire them to protect their goods.
14. All Around Handy Man
A handy man might not have the expertise that the blacksmith or the architect does, but a handy man could do odd jobs for a lower price than it would take to hire a more skilled person.
15. Cobbler / Shoe Maker
A cobbler or shoe maker is not talked about a whole lot, but believe me, Nike will not be around and eventually your combat boots are going to wear out.
16. Veterinarian
A veterinarian could be a ranchers best friend. keeping livestock, chickens and other animals healthy will be a necessity when a chicken becomes more valuable than gold…and while i’m talking about gold, don’t barter your gold, it will regain it’s value and you could be sitting pretty in the future.
17. Politician
I hate to put this one in here, but the truth is we are going to need some sort of government for a society to grow. A public speaker would also fall into this category because of their ability to rally people together.
18. Blacksmith
The blacksmithing skill will be very valuable post collapse. most people don’t even know what type of metal a certain job requires. Blacksmiths could also fashion weapons, knives and farming tools.
19. Auto Mechanic
If a biologist could figure out a way to create a combustible fuel automobiles and farm equipment could make life much easier post collapse, but you need a mechanic to make sure these machines continue to run.
20. Biologists / Scientists
We are going to need someone who will take on the role of mad scientist, and since necessity is the mother of invention, there is no better time than the present. Scientists could help doctors, blacksmiths,gunsmiths and farmers find new ways to make life a little easier.
21. Engineers
An engineer could have any sort of background such as, electrical, mechanical, manufacturing to fabrication. an engineer could help the construction worker or the architect become more valuable.
22. Priest
We never want to forget where we came from, and whether you are a believer or not it never hurts to have a man of god with you.
23. Dentist
If you have ever had a tooth ache you know it can be one of the most annoying things in the world. aside from the annoyance it causes a rotting tooth can also cause sickness and even death.
24. Grunt / Serf / Peasant
Someone will need to do the dirty work, as the society grows the ones who have prepared themselves for a post collapse society (you and I) will “hopefully” do pretty well and be able to help other “not so prepared” people by giving them work, while at the same time making our lives easier. Today we go through our younger years learning a skill to support our family’s, so i guess we can think of our prepping as going to the “Apocalypse Community College”
So What Do You Bring To The Table?
As history has shown us, it takes all different sorts of skill sets to create a thriving society. from everyone from the leader of the community to the person digging trenches or cleaning the out houses, it take everyone working together to make a society function regardless of the skill you bring with you.
My suggestion would be that if you don’t already have a few of these skills you might want to learn about some of them…
35 Reasons Coffee Filters are Survival Multitaskers
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Obesity more than doubles in four decades, 1 in 5 humans will be obese by 2025 – WHO
In the most wide-ranging population weight study ever performed, researchers found that 266 million men and 375 million women were obese worldwide in 2014, and that these figures will get rapidly worse over the next decade.
With help from the UN-backed World Health Organisation (WHO), Imperial College London used more than 700 researchers to collect the weight of more than 20 million people, for a study that is to be published in The Lancet medical journal.
They found that obesity in men has more than trebled from 3.2 percent in 1975, to 10.8 percent in 2014. In women, it has more than doubled from 6.4 to 14.9 percent. Graphs show that the process is accelerating since the turn of the millennium, and by 2025, 18 percent of men and 21 percent of women will be obese. A 6’00” person weighing over 104 kg would be considered obese, using the WHO-prescribed body mass index table.
Some 2.3 percent of men and 5 percent of women are severely obese – meaning a 6’00” person would weigh over 130 kg. In this category circulatory disorders, heart disease and diabetes are all likely, with increased possibility of cancer and other life-threatening conditions, as well as a noticeable decrease to everyday quality of life.
“The number of people across the globe whose weight poses a serious threat to their health is greater than ever before. And this epidemic of severe obesity is too extensive to be tackled with medications such as blood pressure lowering drugs or diabetes treatments alone, or with a few extra bike lanes,” said Majid Ezzati, the senior author of the study from the School of Public Health at Imperial.
In some countries the increase in obesity may be a function of economic growth, meaning that malnutrition has also gone down. Since 1975, the number of underweight men has gone down from 14 to 9 percent, and underweight women from 15 to 10.
But this is not sufficient compensation for the number of people becoming obese in developed countries, as well as developing ones, which do not have the healthcare resources to efficiently manage chronic conditions that result from the population rapidly gaining weight.
“Our research has shown that over 40 years we have transitioned from a world in which underweight prevalence was more than double that of obesity, to one in which more people are obese than underweight. Although it is reassuring that the number of underweight individuals has decreased over the last four decades, global obesity has reached crisis point,” said Ezzati.
All ten of the world’s most obese states are tiny Pacific islands, including American Samoa, Tonga and Nauru. Middle Eastern and North African states are not far behind.
Worldwide obesity rankings © ncdrisc.org
The world's least obese countries over the past four decades © ncdrisc.org
The United States remains the most obese high-income Western country, and has moved from 50th to 36th in the world since 1975. It is followed by New Zealand, Greece and the UK, with Switzerland enjoying the fewest obese people among its population among all the European states.
US and worldwide obesity © ncdrisc.org
Ranked 192nd, Japan is the least obese wealthy county in the world, due to a combination of genetics, good diet, and solid public policy. It is one of only a handful of states in world, whose people have actually got thinner since the 1970s.
Russia is 72nd on the list, fatter than it was previously, but relatively thinner, as other countries have seen their citizens swell in size.
“We hope these findings create an imperative to shift responsibility from the individual to Governments, and to develop and implement policies to address obesity. For instance, unless we make healthy food options like fresh fruits and vegetables affordable for everyone, and increase the price of unhealthy processed foods, the situation is unlikely to change,” said Ezzati.
“We need coordinated global initiatives – such as looking at the price of healthy food compared to unhealthy food, or taxing high sugar and highly processed foods – to tackle this crisis.”
The organic movement needs YOU to help spread awareness of organic agriculture vs. GMO
Over the last 20 years, the agricultural industry has slowly and inconspicuously introduced genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to the world, dominating the market in just a few short years, while the majority of the public stays mostly uniformed.
Following Paul Berg's 1971 gene-splicing experiment, which resulted in the invention of man-made DNA, or rDNA, the GMO market took off, receiving little attention other from inside the science community.
In 1980, the first GMO patent was issued as the result of a court case between a genetics engineer at General Electric and the U.S. Patent Office. The case was settled 5-to-4, allowing the first patent on a living organism; in this case a bacterium genetically altered to eat crude oil.
Just two years later, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first GMO for human use, a bacterium made to produce human insulin. By 1994, GMOs had reached the dinner table as they entered U.S. grocery stores with the arrival of the GM tomato.
The roll-out of GMO technology was considered "revolutionary," yet Americans wouldn't begin to understand GMOs until 20+ years later
The ability to insert man-made DNA into other organisms was considered a "scientific breakthrough," one that received a Nobel Prize, as well as helped jumpstart what we know today as the biotech empire.
Despite GMOs being introduced more than 20 years ago, there are still folks out there who are completely clueless to as what a GMO is. This is astonishing considering that by 1999 more than 100 million acres across the world were planted with GMOs.
If GMOs are so great and lifesaving, then why didn't the public know about them sooner? The concept that eating organic and avoiding as much exposure to toxins as possible is the healthiest is relatively new in its popularity; however, the movement has skyrocketed in recent years (particularly the last year and a half).
The movement has skyrocketed not because the agriculture industry decided to come clean about the dangers associated with GMOs, but because public awareness has swept the nation thanks to new information regarding the adverse health and environmental impacts associated with GMO technology.
How YOU can help spread awareness about GMOs
Without the worldwide web, social media and online discussion forums such as Reddit, the public would likely STILL be in the dark about GMOs.
While we're currently winning the battle in terms of awareness, what we need now is some serious pushback from the consumer. It's time you and I demand that the food industry change its ways and stop keeping their ingredients a secret!
Learn as much as you can about GMOs, including both their health and environmental impacts, and start spreading the word! Use social media to share important news articles and discuss the issue with anyone that will listen. When informing others, be sure to do it in a manor that's polite and respectful, as your message will be received better.
Don't feel comfortable educating others? Direct them to well-informed food activists like Food Babe and Mike Adams (Natural News), who will provide endless amounts of information on why GMOs are ruining the planet.
Be on alert for GMO-labeling proposals in your area
Stay up-to-date on GMO-related news in your region, as new labeling laws continue to sweep the nation. If GMO-labeling is proposed in your community, be sure to contact your local representatives and tell them how you feel! This can be done either by a written letter, phone calls or even visits to their offices.
While it can seem intimidating at first, they are OUR representatives and here to listen to your voice. Just a few phone calls or visits to their offices can make a HUGE impact. When new laws are proposed, representatives are often bombarded by lobbyists, leaving them disconnected from the public's needs and wants. However, YOU can change all of this by making your voice heard.
You can also learn more and help spread public awareness by becoming a friend of the Cornucopia Institute's Facebook page and sharing it with friends and family. The Cornucopia Institute is a non-profit public interest group that "engages in educational activities supporting the ecological principles
and economic wisdom underlying sustainable and organic agriculture." Their Facebook page says, "Through research, advocacy, and economic development our goal is to
empower farmers - partnered with consumers - in support of ecologically
produced local, organic and authentic food."
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Martial Law Survival Strategies You Should Know
We live in uncertain times and with constant threats knocking at our doors. One day, we might live under Martial Law and although the use of Martial law should bring end to the scenario that imposed it, most of the times it will lead to further violence and chaos. The United States, like many other nations has a long history when it comes to Martial law and some fear it may soon be upon us. The current scenarios that foresee Martial law are all related to ISIS attacks that could happen on US soil. This is why you need to have a survival strategy for when Martial law hits.
What is martial law and when it is declared?
It is nothing more than the imposition of military rule and a takeover of the government over a specific region. Martial law is declared when there is an imminent threat to peace and order and it can be imposed in any of the following situations:
Uncontrollable riots and protests (Muslims protests in France are a good example, it’s just a mat