At the risk of the title being a little misleading I wanted to address some food related concerns many in the preparedness community may not have considered. Most preparedness minded individuals are very aware of the many survival food options. Many I hope have taken the time to stock up an emergency food larder. But how many are actually able to “buy what they eat, and eat what they buy”? More often people will buy what available or convenient. This can lead to certain problems that with a little foresight can be easily navigated.
First problem we should look at is that survival food is usually designed more for storage than for optimal nutrition. This could mean a few things to those who will be living off of these food stores for any extended periods of time. Soldiers who’ve lived off of MRE’s know exactly what I am talking about. Most of the survival foods have very high sodium concentrations since this is one the important preservatives used. They tend to provide decent amount of usable energy in the form of macro nutrients (though often not in the optimal ratios) while not having much in the way of micro nutrients. This means that if the event is long enough in duration malnutrition is a very real possibility. Special populations such as pregnant women or anemic's will be even more vulnerable. Diabetics should also pay attention here since many survival foods tend to also be high in sugar since it is both a preservative and cheap.
In addition to the concerns of the above paragraph know that most survival foods also lack decent amounts of protein and fiber. Boat rations are notorious for this. This can be easily corrected by adding coarse bulk fiber (psyllium husk) & protein powder (which even exists in a vegan version) to your preps. The protein will help your body repair and recover but the fiber may help avoid constipation which in a prolonged emergency or austere setting can be DEADLY! Multivitamins and condition specific supplements should also be considered. A nutritional “greens” powder may actually do double duty in this regard providing both micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) & protein. Particularly if it includes algae.
Teas and spices traditionally have historically been used by aboriginal and traditional cultures as a way of supplementing their nutrition. Consider them very seriously since flavor can be a real moral boost especially since survival food and boiled or chemically treated water tend to be, not, the best tasting. One of my favorite “survival” spice combinations is Italian seasoning which contains marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano, and basil. Super nutritious with most of them being highly medicinal and considered super foods that are very tasty to boot. Remember that even bad pizza is usually pretty good. Now you know why. I would also consider dandelion and nettle tea as well as moringa all of which boast very high nutrient profiles. Research them and you’ll find a ton of applications for them. Finally, one of my favorites is rosemary tea. Very nutritious and a delicious natural nootropic traditionally drank daily by the natives of Acciaroli, Italy an area known for its higher than average amount of centenarians.
Before finishing up this treatment I thought it important enough to mention that we should add to our preparations things that may be useful in managing food born medical issues. Since we already mentioned constipation and fiber lets continue on that spectrum. Laxatives, suppositories, and enemas all have their place in your kit. On the flip side of that diarrhea is one of the big three killers in austere settings. The traditional advice is to let it follow it course and maintain hydration. In more severe cases that may mean iv’s but even in milder cases you’ll want oral rehydration salts to maintain proper electrolyte levels and avoid the potentially deadly condition hyponatremia. I like pedialite, but apple cider vinegar and pink Himalayan sea salt may also be useful. I keep single use packets of pedialite in all my kits. A table spoon of apple cider vinegar or a pinch of Himalayan sea salt per liter might also do the trick if pedialite or similar aren’t available. The simple W.H.O. recipe for oral rehydration solution has a proven track record and can be easily made from commonly available ingredients. Here’s the recipe:
1 Liter water
6 Level teaspoons of sugar
½ teaspoon salt
We could dive much deeper into this and in a future series we will but I wanted to get this info out quickly. It hit me like a falling brick when I had this epiphany that this information, I take for granted might be overlooked by less experienced people or those who haven’t been privy to some of the information I’ve been exposed to. So, it is my sincerest hope that this sheds some useful light on this part of the prepping problem and helps you deepen your preparedness efforts.
*Note that there is a more current formula for the W.H.O. oral rehydration solution but it includes potassium chloride (salt replacement) and trisodium citrate which during an emergency situation may be more difficult to procure. Here’s a link for more info on the W.H.O. oral rehydration solution: https://www.who.int/maternal_child_adolescent/documents/fch_cah_06_1/en/
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