Category: Health and Fitness

Basic Home Safety Plans for the Duration – Part 1, by Michael X.

With the current state of decline afflicting many of the institutions of our country, many people may feel our country is at a tipping point and our lives will revert back to near-pioneer status. Those who feel they are prepared to continue living on separated from the sagging society and decaying government may soon be isolating themselves at their preferred location, whether it is the bug out location, homestead, suburban ranch, or even a bug-in location in a populated area. Once you are at your preferred location it could be for the long haul and things will get harder and …


Preparing With a Parent in Decline, by C.H. in Kansas

It’s a hard thing to watch a parent who is in decline. This may include physical failings, cognitive decline, loss of memory, forgetfulness, disturbed sleep patterns, and bad decisions. The person who once took care of you is simply no longer able to take care of themselves. What responsibilities do you have toward family? 

In this article,  I’m going to relate some thoughts regarding the care of an elderly parent and some considerations for general preparedness planning, not necessarily TEOTWAWKI. This is not intended to be an exhaustive treatment of the subject of hospice, elder care, legal issues, or anything …


Accessibility: Retreat Design, by SwampFox

Everybody gets old. Everybody gets hurt. Time and chance happen to us all, and these are unfortunate facts of life. Is old age, injury, or disability part of your planning? Can you keep going with essential work if you are hampered by physical limitations? As always, it is better to think ahead and be prepared than to be surprised by the unexpected. I am used to thinking about physical limitations. My mother is a retired physician, and has bravely phased a physical disability for 35+ years. Both of my parents are getting older, and my own health and physical build …


Fitness and Preparedness – Part 3, by N.C.

(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.) Getting started: Red flags, Resources, and Equipment Let’s assume if you’re reading Part 3 that you actually want to get started laying in a supply of fitness alongside your beans, bullets, and band-aids. Good. It’s one of the most neglected aspects of preparing in a society where well over 40% of us are obese. Not overweight. Obese. Less than 25% do regular exercise. You adding a daily exercise routine will put you ahead of people who don’t, simple as that. Adding daily exercise bumps you to a “C”. Not great but not …


Fitness and Preparedness – Part 2, by N.C.

(Continued from Part 1.) Goals and principles A real-world example: The Shaolin monks The origin story of the acrobatic kung fu the Shaolin monks practice is that it was developed for two reasons: Self-defense and general health. Meditation is a sedentary pursuit and the acrobatic kung fu allowed (and allows) them to pack in the flexibility, power, and cardiovascular training they needed to maintain health in a smaller frame of time. This is very much what we in the developed west face: a generally sedentary lifestyle that needs to be balanced with enough exercise to keep our general health up. …


Fitness and Preparedness – Part 1, by N.C.

It was only when I was dealing with the Covid crisis that I understood that fitness is a resource. Far from being a happy insight, I only realized it was a resource because I was rapidly running out of it. It was sort of like realizing your car runs on gasoline because the Low Gas Light came on; somewhat less than an ideal situation. Great time to start working out, yes? Well. Yes and No. Exercise damages your body initially, it’s the recovery that builds you back stronger. Sticking with the analogy, that’s like your gas light coming on while …


Some Storage Food Challenges, by S.F. in Oregon

In this brief article, I will discuss some issues with stored food. Pests Insects – There are many sources of information on how to store grains and beans using dry ice, nitrogen or oxygen absorbers so I will not duplicate that here. I will add that if you use mylar bags, get 12 mil or thicker. Lower mil thicknesses are problematic. I know this from personal experience. Thinner ones tear, puncture, and seal poorly. Rodents – Get two barn cats. Botulism Canned food – Botulism from canned food is also addressed elsewhere, but I will remind the reader of the …


A Family Health Emergency, by Hollyberry

I live in Maine and my mom lives in New Jersey. We talk several times a week and she has generally been blessed with good health until taking a certain vaccine (which I won’t get into). After experiencing some falls due to “dehydration” and Bell’s Palsy, she casually mentioned she needed a new aortic valve. This caused me to sit up and pay attention. The echocardiogram showed (in less than 2 years) a change from mild stenosis to severe. The next phone conversation was that the doctor would reassess her in six months and she should go on with her …


JWR: A Bit of Sick Leave

I’ve come down with what seems to be a bad cold.  I’m hoping that this isn’t the dreaded Omicron variant of the WuFlu. For the first time ever in 18 years of writing and editing SurvivalBlog, I’ll be taking a few sick days, to recuperate.  Don’t worry, folks. I’m only 62 years old and I’m doing all of the right things:  Plenty of fluids, bed rest, extra Vitamin D3, Vitamin C, and Zinc.  I’m also taking a five-day course of 12 MG Ivermectin tablets. As I’m writing this on Thursday afternoon, I’m still sick abed but now actually feeling a …


On Growing Older – Part 1, by A.E.

I am growing older and have celebrated the birthdays to prove it. Note that I am not calling myself old…It is too easy to convince yourself that you shouldn’t do something because you are old. No excuses, but there are limits. Instead, I continue to make my to do lists and push forward as best I can, testing my limits and recognizing that the joints are stiffer, the muscles weaker and the stamina slipping. There is no avoiding the slow march of time and the effects on the human body. The most we can hope for is to slow it …


Long-Term Survival For Women, by T.E.

The problem with modern-day conveniences is that we have forgotten what our ancestors did to take care of feminine needs. Onething we all know is that women are complicated, but most survival blogs are geared to the general population, without the concerns of women. Women have specific needs, and provide specific roles that only women can do. If a family is preparing for long-term survival, then look at the members of your family to decide what needs they will have. I am a Registered Nurse, and I work as a School Nurse. This career has made me realize how most …


Preparedness Regrets and Priorities, by N.C.

We all have our own ideas of how much risk we’re running and what type of disaster seems the most likely threat. Your answer to that will depend largely on where you are. Doubtless, my focus would certainly be different if I lived in Germany and it would be different if I lived in Ukraine or in New Zealand. Since I live in the United States the one that has cost me more than a little sleep is the prospect of a civil war in the US. It used to be that this was an extreme subject, raised only rarely …


Pistol Magazine Loaders — A Must For Some Shooters, by Pat Cascio

Getting old is no fun! Back in the day, I was able to load any type of magazines, with thumb power only. Sadly, along with old age, comes certain disabilities. To wit: I have terrible osteoarthritis in various parts of my body – not the least is lower back pain, that at times is debilitating to say the least. Next are my hands, and especially my right hand and fingers – they are misshapen. My trigger finger is the worst. But thankfuily, I can still pull a trigger! Over the years, there have been efforts to produce manual magazine loaders, …


21st Century Life: Controlling and Redirecting Anger, by SaraSue

I’m sure quite a lot of us, tens of millions for sure, maybe a couple hundred million, were slapped across the face a little while ago by the highest officeholder in our land. Anyone who disagrees with the gub’mint is a domestic terrorist, apparently. Also, the “Red Wave” that wasn’t? Or, if you don’t fix the root of the problem, you will get the same result. Sometimes throwing mud against the wall, wishing some of it will stick, is an ineffective use of your time and energy. I’m not saying that voting is a useless exercise. I’m just saying that …


Front Yard Pharmacy: Your Herb Garden, by B.W.

Introductory Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Use medicinal herbs under direction from your own doctor and with your own discretion. Always do your research before taking any medication, herbal or otherwise. Does the world as it sits right now have you feeling overwhelmed and more than a little nervous about the future? Maybe you’re prepping like crazy, putting back food and water. Maybe you’re rearranging your investments and starting some of the projects you’ve been wanting to do for years. In all of your preparation, have you made considerations for what you will do if modern medicine takes a …