Category: Health and Fitness

Surviving with Type 2 Diabetes, by B.H.

There have been numerous discussions in the survivalist and SHTF communities about diabetes, and while Type 1 has been discussed at length, Type 2, which is much more prevalent and equally life-threatening, usually gets little more than a mention and possibly a conclusionary statement that it can be handled/managed with diet and exercise. But what exactly does that mean? There’s no discussion on what such a diet-based treatment would entail in a SHTF situation. It’s not a simple disease to handle. Type 2 diabetes, if untreated or improperly treated, can lead to loss of life and/or limb, just as in …


Becoming a Top-Tier Survivalist and Representing the Prepper Community, by M.M. – Part 2

We are continuing the first point– “Be Fit”– of six points that will be presented and detailed that, if implemented in your own life, will greatly increase your chances of success, both in surviving TEOTWAWKI and in breaking the stereotype of the “kooky prepper.” Flexibility As far as flexibility goes, you should do a full stretch routine, both after your warm-up and after your cool-down. Stretches should be held for 10-20 seconds without any bouncing, and while stretching you should feel some discomfort but not pain as your muscles loosen up. Failure to stretch properly could result in injuries or …


Becoming a Top-Tier Survivalist and Representing the Prepper Community, by M.M. – Part 1

The concept of prepping has been widely publicized throughout the past decade, but it is rarely cast in a positive light, outside of survival dedicated websites, such as SurvivalBlog. The mainstream media networks mock our community by seeking out and casting the most ridiculous so-called preppers they can find to achieve high viewer rankings. The federal government encourages the citizenry to make minor preparations for surviving major disasters by storing several days’ worth of food, water, batteries, and other basic necessities. However, at the same time, it labels citizens who truly prepare (and especially those who own guns and military …


Four Exercises To Stay In Shape While Holed Up, by Zac T.

As a brief introduction about me, aside from being an MPH student, I am an exercise physiologist and personal trainer. When I am not correcting peoples’ form and working in cardiac rehab, I spend my spare time backpacking, lifting weights, and reading economics books. Let’s say that you were a prepper. I say “were” because, for the point of this article, The Big Event has already happened, and now you’re not so much prepping as you are surviving. You stockpiled food, medicine, water, and ammunition. You read all the books. You built a secret retreat. Now there’s not much for …


Letter Re: Ebola Unafraid

Hugh, I appreciate and enjoyed ShepherdFarmerGeek’s article and follow-up on “Ebola Unafraid”. However, I think a word of caution is in order. In particular, Vitamins A, C, and E are frequently synthetic versions of the natural vitamins; they are produced in factories, and the vitamin supplements are typically laced with GMO’s that are involved with the manufacturing process. Vitamin C sold as “Ascorbic Acid” is actually a derivative of mold. I am not a doctor or even a nutritionist, but I have read enough to know that we should avoid the cheap forms of these vitamins. Vitamin D3 is safe …


Two Letters Re: Septic Tanks

Dear Editor, Recently there have been comments regarding septic tanks, how long they should last et cetera. As of today, if you want to spend money to pump them out every few years, more power to you. However, if there is a true TEOTWAWKI situation, you might want to take steps to add decades to the life of your septic tank. Actually, in such a case, you may want an outhouse that is way way away from your home and a septic tank right at your home. Here is why. In many countries, like Mexico for instance, it is common …


Letter Re: Septic Systems

Mr. Hugh, My house was built in 1978. I don’t know if you would consider it “modern”. It is built on a concrete slab with brick veneer and is air conditioned. I noticed in your comments about things going into the septic tank, especially water from the washing machine. This a source of major problems for septic systems. When my plumber stubbed out the sewer drain lines there were three. He offered me some good advice, which I followed. The larger 4-inch line I ran to my septic tank, which was the waste from my toilets, bath tub/shower, and lavatories. …


Letter: Ebola and Hajj

Last year more than two million Muslims from all over the world performed hajj, or travel to Mecca, to participate in the Muslim rituals there. People are in close contact, often shoulder to shoulder and even stepping on each other, for several days as they go through several rituals of hajj. When the hajj is over, these people return to their homes in dozens of countries across the globe. This year 70,000 Nigerians will travel to Mecca, despite that country having more than a dozen confirmed cases of Ebola Zaire, with over 300 suspected of exposure to the deadly virus. …


Letter Re: An Essential Prep, The Outhouse

There seems to be a general misunderstanding about what constitutes a septic system. I keep reading about the need to pump them out annually or some such. If you don’t mistreat a properly designed system by flushing materials that don’t belong there, it should work for decades with no maintenance. If it needs to be pumped out every year, you must have some kind of storage system, not a septic system, or maybe you’re using toilet paper that doesn’t break down. There is a difference, and the glamorous TV ads ignore the needs of country folks. Also our state agency …


Protecting Your Home, BOL, and Supplies from Pests, by JC

Pest control is an industry that touches almost every part of the average person’s life. From the food we eat to the items we buy, each step along the process chain is protected in some way by pest control services. So what will happen in an event or breakdown scenario? Will all those Pest Control Operators (PCO’s) unselfishly leave their families to report to work along with the truck drivers and grocery store clerks? The answer is “no”, of course not. That is why we prepare our supplies now. The coming dangers and breakdowns will effect so many aspects of …


Two Letters Re: LEO Medic

Hugh: I just want to say “thank you” to this author for such an excellent series. I agree that they are the finest articles I have ever read on SurvivalBlog. As an office-based physician, I do not have the hands-on field experience that will prove so valuable in the future, and I think most physicians are in the same boat. So thanks so much for taking the time to educate all of us. I will read and re-read your articles, as they will save many lives. Primary Care MD o o o Just wanted to add to B.O.’s comment. I’m …


Letter Re: An Essential Prep, The Outhouse

Mr. Hugh, The post about outhouses is very good. Living in a rural area, I’ve seen many homes that still have outhouses, even though they have “indoor plumbing”. They are very handy in emergencies. I’ve followed this blog for many years. I have a plan in mind that I’ve not seen posted here. I have a septic system installed at my home. It is the older version that has a concrete tank, and “field lines” that are buried in washed gravel to allow the “treated water” to be absorbed into the ground. This system does not require power to operate. …


Letter Re: LEO Medic

Dear Hugh, I thought someone would have commented by now, so allow me then to chime in. I thought that LEO Medic’s five part series was outstanding. I’d say it was one of the best series ever on Survival Blog. It was very well written and informative. I especially liked the offering on canine medical care. I can’t imagine how much time it took to put that together, including all the helpful links to the products recommended, so I just wanted to say how much I appreciated the offering to us readers. Consider this a vote that you found a …


An Essential Prep: The Outhouse, by KMH

A car I did not recognize drove up the long, bumpy, dirt driveway to the camper trailer that was our home. We had not been there a week yet, but we were gradually making things comfortable. My husband and I, with our four children and an old friend of ours, had decided to go off the grid. We bought five acres in rural Tennessee, purchased a camper trailer out of a farmer’s field for $100, and started living on our land. We had set up a table made of pallets under a tarp-style pavilion and cooked our meals on a …


Musings of a Law Enforcement Paramedic – Part 5, by a LEO Medic

This is the conclusion of this five-part article, and this section contains information about gear selection, some tips and tricks that I learned along the way, as long as some links to some training videos. Gear Selection I am a huge believer in redundancy. Things break, get dropped, tear, and get lost. When your car is in the shop and you are driving the rental is when you will need the first aid kit you usually keep in the back. Murphy is alive and well. On My Person On my person, pretty much everywhere I go whether on duty or …