PREPAREDNESS TIP: RADIATION REMEDIES, PART 1 by Andrew Skousen

Nearly all areas of the US will be exposed to some radiation in the coming nuclear war, but the effects will vary based on shelter, health and radiation levels. Nausea, headaches, vomiting, spontaneous bleeding, lethargy, and low immune function will be common. Fear and panic of being attacked by mankind’s worst weapons will be sometimes worse than the initial effects of the radiation.

During WWII the first waves of enemy bombers over cities caused such widespread panic that this was arguably a greater effect than the attacks themselves. As the war dragged on people became accustomed to the frequent air raid sirens and carried on with their lives unless directly impacted by the bombing, significantly reducing the disruption to the economy and society. Don’t underestimate the peace of mind that a shelter, a radiation meter and knowledge about what is really happening can have. Additionally it helps to have some recourse to handle the effects of radiation sickness. Here are some natural remedies to help.

Iodine: radioactive iodine (I-131) is a significant part of nuclear fallout, but its half-life is only 8 days and during that time 90% of its radioactivity is beta particles which only penetrate a few millimeters into tissue. The problem is that iodine is so important that plants and animals gather it up and concentrate it in the fresh food we eat, particularly in milk from cows that are exposed to fallout or are grazing on contaminated pastures. Our thyroid will absorb this radioactive iodine in our thyroid where the beta particles can do significant damage and has been shown to cause thyroid cancer. I-131 is usually depleted three months after the nuclear event that created it. Milk from cows fed clean hay during this time should still be safe. Tainted milk can be made into cheese and aged three months or more to be safe.

Potassium iodide (KI) pills should be taken before the fallout reaches you to ensure the thyroid receptors for iodine are full. As I wrote last month doctors recommend giving patients high doses of 130 mg/day (half this dose for kids) when radiation is threatening, but this is too high for daily supplementing (it is purposely on the high end to ensure protection). Excess iodine is excreted by the body but too high of doses can result in toxicity or an allergic reaction. Nearly everyone is deficient in iodine and should take a daily supplement. Previously I recommended Iodoral, but I think a form called nascent iodine which is more bioavailable is better. Look for high quality products such as detoxidine ($30/oz.) or this nascent colloidal iodine ($17/oz).

Other radioactive elements such as strontium-90 and cesium-137 have much longer half-lives and need to be captured and carried out of the body too. For this you will need zeolite, particularly zeolite clinoptilolite, a compound formed during volcanic eruptions with a unique cage-like structure that attracts and captures heavy metals so they can be removed from your system. Zeolite has been used in huge quantities to capture radioactive material after nuclear power plant incidents and for capturing radioactive waste. The food-grade liquid ACZ (advanced cellular zeolite) by RNA ($60/4oz.) is one of several good products for internal use.

Bentonite clay has also been used in large quantities to absorb radioactive waste. This clay has many beneficial uses both inside and outside the body to treat many maladies. Although it may not be as effective at trapping radioactive metals throughout the body as zeolite, clay is soothing, provides natural minerals and calms the digestive system while cleaning out the gut, including radioactive elements.

There are many other herbs and supplements to help overcome the effects of radiation. Here is a list that I found useful and will consider discussing more in-depth in future tips. These options will be important someday when the effects of fallout are all around and the establishment doctors are overwhelmed and unprepared for it all. 

How to Recognize Which Berries are Safe to Eat

MegLearner / Pixabay

Berries are a quick and easy way to feed yourself in the wild in case you’ve run out of supplies recently and aren’t really a good hunter. However, not all are created equal and not being aware of this simple fact can often cause you a lot of trouble. Certain berries can be non-edible, or they can be straight out poisonous, and learning to recognize them is the only way you’ll know if they’re safe to eat or not. In this short guide, I’m going to attempt to explain, very simply, how you can avoid this an issue like this by giving you some basic tips about the berries that you can eat, and those that you absolutely should not.

Don’t Risk It

First of all, I have to say that if you aren’t a hundred percent certain about a wild berry being edible/poisonous or not, you absolutely must not eat it. Your body is way too important to risk poisoning it just because it “might be fine”, and you don’t have to eat the first berry you stumble upon. I’ve seen dozens of people do this, and a large number of them regretted it a few hours later when the berry made its way through their organism.

The Colors

That being said, you can tell a lot about a berry just by looking at its color, because its color is a result of its chemical properties and it’s those that decide whether the berry is poisonous or not. For example, most white, green and yellow wild berries are absolutely poisonous and to be safe you should stay away from all of them no matter what. Red berries are another case entirely, as around 50% of them are perfectly edible. You do have to watch out for the other 50% though, so unless you have a good idea of what you’re eating you should still be very careful.

Berries that are black and blue in color are, ninety-five percent of the time, perfectly edible. Several of them are poisonous so you should still be careful, but most of the time you can eat a black berry with no concern at all.

Get a Berry Guide

There are dozens of quick guides on berries that you can pick up or find online, that will tell you all you need to know about the most commonly found berries in America, and having one of these on-hand can help you instantly recognize a berry and know all of its characteristics.

The Edible Berry Test

If all else fails, there’s actually a little trick you can do in order to make sure whether a berry is poisonous or not. Take one or two berries, smash them into a pulp and first rub just a little bit of it on your skin. Wait a couple of minutes. If any kind of irritation or skin reaction shows up then you probably shouldn’t be eating that berry. If not, try the same thing with your lips and tongue, just a dab of pulp on each and wait a few extra minutes. If there’s still nothing, the berry is almost certainly safe to eat.

Conclusion

As you can see, it’s not really that difficult to successfully stay away from poisoned berries in the wilderness, if you have the right know-how. Berries can really be a lifesaver during a true survival situation, so knowing your way around them can always be a big help. I wish you the best of luck on your next survival expedition, and remember to be wary around your berries!

The Reality of 2 Weeks of Food Storage

The thought of food storage can be very overwhelming, especially if you are new to being self sufficient. You have just realized the need for food-storage and the dangers of what is happening in the world. So now what are you going to do about it? You may find some very good answers in the video below.

The best answer that I have is research and lots of it. You Tuber ObessivePrepperAz shares her thoughts on an easy and affordable way to start off making sure you have two weeks’ worth of food. She walks you through how to calculate food storage for your family and points out some very helpful hints.

However, ObsessivePrepperAZ is just touching on the bare minimum you will need in her video, but by adding things like rice or noodles to some of your storage you can turn one can of soup into a pot of stew. Her tips and secrets are very helpful for a beginner prepper.

She focuses on how many cans of Campbell Chunky Soup you would need for one meal a day. One of her viewers suggested a very effective way to stretch those cans to feed four people 2 or 3 meals per day. That is a LOT more than one can of soup for one person.

“Tip: Double that food storage with one bag of rice, one bag of dried potatoes, and two packs of cubed bullion. Take two cans of that chunky soup, add I cup rice OR potatoes, and a bullion, add at least 3 cups water; make it into a large pot of stew. Feeds four, 2-3 meals per day. Stew is salvation.”

We hope you enjoy her suggestions and please feel free to comment some of your tips and advice to help the newbies!! We all have to help each other become reliant on ourselves.

The Reality of 2 Weeks of Food Storage

Family Medical Bag With Nurse Amy Alton

We all generally have some sort of first aid kit or emergency supplies, especially if you have children. When preparing your medical bag, you try to think of everything you can add to it that would be beneficial in some way.

Preparing a medical bag you want to take with you in a grid down situation can be tricky as well. Nurse Amy Alton and Dr. Joseph Alton have found one of the best bags I have seen in a long while. In the video below Nurse Amy walks you through hundreds of items and what they can be used for.

According to the description on their website the total weight of the bag and everything in it is 19 lbs. including the military-grade padded and comfortable backpack made by Voodoo Tactical. After watching the video you can make that even less buy removing outer packaging of certain items like boxed medicines/items.

Their Stomp Plus Trauma Survival Bag is a little pricey but I believe with all the items you get PLUS that awesome bag it is worth it. Especially if you would rather buy a product first and add what you need. Although I doubt you could need anything after getting this.

To top that off, according to their website you will also get “The Survival Medicine Handbook“.  This is a must have book for any prepper. Their book is written as if the grid is down. It is in laymen terms for those of us not familiar with medical definitions which make this book very much sought after.

Family Medical Bag With Nurse Amy Alton

Grid Down: Heart & Blood Pressure Care

It is important to realize and understand that if we ever have a grid down situation or some sort of natural disaster that prevented us from getting our medication, a lot of people will die. Diabetics, epileptics, anyone with heart disease. You name it. So what can you learn and put into play that will help you with the disability that you have?

Well we can help with that! Below we have another cheerful video by ThePatriotNurse.  She talks about what sorts of herbal medicine will help with your heart health and in possible emergencies. She gives a brief crash course on how the heart works and all the vessels. Her description simplifies the basic way the heart works.

Neglect of the body over time can manifest into high blood pressure and different kinds of arrhythmia. So what happens if we no longer have pills and medicine to help us out? She talks about different herbs you can incorporate into your daily routine easily and store some for grid down. Cayenne, Garlic, Hawthorn Berries, and Ginger plus tons more than can help you all through life.

Patriot Nurse shares with us her four “must have” books. (Listed at the bottom of the page.) Reference books can always be helpful and beneficial in assisting you in an emergency.

We hope you enjoy watching ThePatriotNurse. Please feel free to comment and share your knowledge with fellow preppers

Grid Down: Heart & Blood Pressure Care

How to Use Essential Oils As a Prepper

With a little help from my contacts at doTERRA, I’m going to touch on just what essential oils are, and the best way to make them part of your life as a prepper; whether for health, beauty, or simply as household products.

I’m not the best in the world when it comes to DIY I’ll be honest, but even I didn’t have any problems following the really simple tips doTERRA had. Keep on reading to learn some of their advice and become an expert with essential oils in no time. You’ll surprise your essential oil loving friends with your knowledge and use of essential oils.

Tip #1

The first tip I have for you is to heat certain essential oils on a stovetop, which quickly gets rid of smells from your kitchen including cooking smells. A kitchen smells delicious some of the time, but that doesn’t mean it happens all the time. Adding a few drops of clove, cinnamon, and cardamom, along with orange peel to a cup of water gives you a natural essential oil potpourri that makes you look impressive while smelling great. Just use a low heat to warm the water and rinse it out with soapy water when you’re finished, and your kitchen will smell amazing.

Tip #2

My second tip is to keep lemongrass oil by the bathtub, and mix it into your bath oil or bubble bath. This soothes your skin and leaves you feeling great, especially if you’re not feeling well. If you’re a shower person (or don’t have enough time for a full, relaxing bath), then just drip 5-10 drops of the shower floor during your shower. This causes it to evaporate upwards and fill the air, giving you the same benefits and a lovely smell.

Tip #3

The third tip for the prepper home is about lemon essential oil. This essential oil is an amazing ingredient for cleaning and refreshing counter tops. It can be added to store-bought counter sprays, or used to create your own by combining lemon essential oil with white vinegar, water, and hydrogen peroxide. Get rid of the harsh cleaning products packed with chemicals and replace them with the just-as-effective lemon essential oil.

Tip #4

My fourth tip is to diffuse eucalyptus or rosemary when everyone is feeling under the weather. These essential oils are great for cleansing and purifying. Rosemary is also good because it boosts your energy and focus, while eucalyptus has the added effects of helping clear breathing.

Tip #5

My fifth and final tip for you is to pour lavender in the top of an unscented candle. Lavender is something that is all over the place, sure, but there’s a good reason for this. That is because lavender is calming and invigorating at the same time. It helps you sleep while also making you more alert. It’s almost like taking a sedative that doesn’t make you sleepy. Following this simple DIY trick to creating your own scented candles also lets you avoid synthetic fragrances used in scented candles, which have been shown to cause health issues.

What to Remember When Packing Your Emergency Prep Kit

When you are prepared for an emergency, it makes the situation much easier to handle. To be on the safe side, you should have an emergency supply kit in your home that you can call on to get you through any emergency. You have to pack your emergency preparedness kit carefully to ensure you are ready to handle any contingency. The right supplies will ensure you can ride out emergencies when they occur. Here is a guide to packing your emergency supply kit so your home will be ready when disaster strikes.

Water

Most people always think of food first when they put their kits together, stocking up on things like canned goods. Really though, the first thing you need for survival is water. You need to gather at least three days’ worth of water for your kit. It is even better if you make that a week’s supply of water. You will need one gallon of water per day for each person in your household. A gallon is enough water to take care of your drinking and sanitation needs.

Food

While you could ride out a week-long disaster without food as long as you had water, you will be much better off if you fill your disaster kit with non-perishable food items. Make sure to choose food items that your family will actually enjoy eating. Canned goods that are high in water content are an excellent choice. You want to avoid foods with high-salt contents so you can avoid getting thirsty. Salt-free crackers and whole-grain cereals are fine choices. Nuts, peanut butter and protein bars are also good choices for your emergency prep kit.

Light

Power outages and disaster often go hand-in-hand. You need to make sure that you have all the light sources you need when the electricity fails. Fill your emergency prep kit with plenty of flashlights and electric lanterns. Stock up with lots of extra batteries. Make sure you avoid falling prey to the sentimentality of using candles for light during an emergency. The last thing you want to do is start a fire during a disaster situation because you thought it would be romantic.

Medicine

You want to have the medicine you need in your emergency supplies. Standard medications you should include are pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen, antidiarrheal medications, antacids and laxatives. You also want to have a good first-aid kit as part of your emergency supplies. Make sure to include a supply of any prescription drugs you are taking as well. You may want to think about adding an e cig charger for your electronic cigarette to use as a tobacco alternative which you could carry in your emergency kit.

Solar Charger

When the power is off for several days, it is nice to have an alternative power source to charge up your cellphones and other electronic devices. There are loads of incredible solar chargers on the market today that you can use to power your electronic devices. Of course, the ultimate way to solve power issues during an emergency is to get solar panels installed on your roof.

Papers

It is critical that you keep the important papers you need in your emergency kit. You should have copies of your health insurance cards. Maps of the area are also necessary. Of course, you should have a supply of paper cash in case you need it. You should also have a copy of your family’s emergency plan, including where to meet in case you are forced to leave your home.

Radio

If the power goes out, a radio may be your only way to stay connected with the outside world. You should get a radio that is battery-powered, but make sure to get a model that can also powered by a hand crank just in case.

5 Concealed Carry Tips

Making the decision to carry concealed around family can be difficult. Carrying a handgun has become more culturally acceptable in America, especially in recent years. Carry permit issuances are up across the country, and handgun sales are through the roof. New demographics – women, younger adults, family members – are buying guns. But we won’t mince words here: Carrying a handgun can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. Simple as that.

What’s even worse is the notion that an untrained or uninformed family member can end up injured or dead because they lack the knowledge they need to be safe with guns nearby, potentially accessible. Without getting political, general statistics show that hundreds of folks die every year from accidental or negligent discharges of firearms. Many of them are younger children.

In 2016, a mother had to tell her 4-year-old boy, as his brain swelled through the self-inflicted bullet hole in his head, that it was okay to die. She told her son that he, “may see mommy cry a lot, but it’s not because she’s mad, it’s because she misses you. “If that doesn’t drive home the need to be a responsible gun owner around your family, you should stop reading now. You should instead find your concealed carry license if you have it, tear it up, and sell your handgun if you’ve already bought one. We’re not trying to be rude, but responsibility matters here, folks.

If you’re ready to carry responsibly, if you’re ready to protect yourself, your family and your friends from the threats we all could face on a daily basis – and you want to do so in a way that protects your family from the very tool you’re using to prevent harm – then keeping reading. There’s a lot to cover before you put on that holster:

1. Practice gun safety at home and on the move

This should be self-explanatory, but we will never skip out on explaining common sense and safety. Before you even purchase your handgun, have a plan to keep it locked and secure, away from family members you should never have access to it.

Basic tips for gun safety:

• Always treat your handgun as though it is loaded
• If your weapon is loaded, it should be on your person
• Store ammunition in a separate and secure location
• Keep gun safe keys away from other house or car keys
• Children should never know where your guns are stored

2. Talk to your family about your gun and decision to carry

Being informed is the first step to being safe when it comes to guns and family. Ignorance invites curiosity, especially in younger children. Before you take your gun home you should talk to your family and most importantly, your children, about your decision to carry a handgun. They should be made aware – for their safety and yours -that you may be armed at any time. Tell adult family members where on your person you’ll be carrying your handgun. If you’re carrying off-body, they should be aware of where your weapon is located, and both you and they should keep accountability of it at all times.

Guns and children:

Now we’re not advocating that you stick your handgun in your 3-year-old’s hand, but it’s important that they’re made aware of the dangers of guns and how to be safe around them. Explain the dangers to them. Set clear boundaries and instructions. Explaining death to a child is a difficult thing, and it may not always be interpreted correctly, or at all, but there are ways to get the point across. We don’t recommend simply saying, “don’t touch this or else!” , because uninformed fear still invites curiosity.

Help your children to understand, as best they can, that this item of yours is a tool that can have dangerous consequences. Improper use or touching by them can, “make very bad or hurtful things happen to the people you love that can’t be undone.” This is just one example of how you might be able to explain this concept to a younger child. Show your children how your handgun comes apart, how you clean it, assemble it, and how you safely operate it.

Showing them how it works, what it does, and why you have it gets rid of that mystery that a firearm comes with. It eliminates that “taboo” and vagueness that invites curiosity and dangerous handling. This message should not be isolated. Reinforce these ideas with your children until they recite it in their sleep. And then keep doing it.

Teach your kids what to safely do with a gun if they ever get their hands on one. As unlikely as the situation may be, your children should know how to avoid injury and death if they ever find the opportunity to interact with a handgun, and curiosity gets the better of them. Never assume they’ll listen to your requests that they avoid touching a gun.

Basic tips for children and guns:

• Always assume a gun is loaded
• If you find a gun, do not touch it
• Pointing a gun at something means you want to kill it
• Make children apply real gun safety to their toy guns

3. Invite family to train with you

If you decide to carry, it’s important that family members are able to interact with your handgun safely. There may be a reason that they will have to touch with your handgun, whether it’s something as simple as moving it from a glove box, putting it in a bag, taking it out of a container, or, under dire circumstances, using it for their own defense.

At the range:

You should always train to be proficient with the handgun you purchase in general use and as a concealed weapon. The family members you carry around don’t have to be expert shooters like you might become, but they should be proficient in basic operation and safe handling. Invite them to the range with you. Explain the need for good trigger discipline and pointing your weapon in a safe direction at all times. Explain to them that you should only ever raise that barrel, take that safety off, or put your finger on that trigger if you have the intent to kill.

Train as you fight:

Don’t treat the range as a separate environment from daily carrying. You’re not shooting at paper or steel. You’re taking out a real, living threat. Get your family members in that same mindset: Any time they’re touching that handgun, they should be anticipating danger – be it from the gun itself or from a threat in your environment. Get them to treat your handgun as though it’s always loaded, if even it’s been checked three times. Teach them how to react to a threat with a handgun even if you’re the one carrying. The situation could very well turn to them having to draw or shoot.

4. Teach family how to react to a threat

Training at the range will get your family comfortable with your weapon and they’ll at least know the basic principles of gun safety. Like we just briefly mentioned, your family must know what to do in a shooter situation or when a threat is present. Ask yourself the following questions:

Can my spouse defend themselves in my absence?

The answer should be, “yes” . If it isn’t, get them to the range and practicing basic shooting and handling your firearm. Get them familiar with your holster or concealment method. Let them try it out and practice drawing with it just like you do. If you’re incapacitated, they’ll need to know how to interact with it.

Does my family know what to do if I have to use deadly force?

Drawing your weapon to eliminate a threat means confusion, loud noises, panic, and a lot of life-or-death decision-making in a matter of seconds. You should practice with family on how they should react to you using deadly force.

• Keep commands simple:Practice simple commands that will help your family react quickly to a threat. Commands like “Follow me!” , “That way!” , and “Call 911!” are self-explanatory and understood easily in a panicked situation.
• Your family’s goal should be escape:It’s against human nature to leave behind a loved one, but your family must be trained to react to a threat with the goal of escape. You might be the only armed responder, and they cannot help eliminate the threat. Family remaining present increases their risk and may distract you from the threat. You should designate a “point person” who will act as the authority during escape. They must ensure all other family members are moving together toward safety so you can focus on the threat.
• Make the call quickly:Never assume someone else will dial 911 and reach dispatch. As soon as it is safe to do so, ensure your family makes the call. The quicker first responders arrive, the lesser the potential loss of life will be – and if needed, the quicker the police can respond to a threat so you don’t have to.
• When the threat clears, regroup:Getting out of a threat is priority #1, but once the threat is eliminated or removed, you must know where your family is so you can link up. Have a pre-planned evacuation point, depending on the environment. Reuniting quickly will allow you to further remove yourselves from the environment as a unit, ensuring continued safety. Any residual or secondary threats will then no longer be a concern.

5. Practice, practice, and more practice

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to carrying concealed with family, in the home and abroad. The only way to ensure family – young and old – are safe around you and your handgun is to practice, practice, then practice some more. Schedule monthly range days together. Rehearse for the environments you’ll be in before you arrive. Drill home the concepts of gun safety repeatedly. Involve your family and children in practicing those things with you. With these in mind, know that you can protect yourself and your family from the threats you may face. Practice these five considerations and you won’t be at the mercy of how quickly others can respond.