Making Your Own (An Ebola Unafraid Followup), by ShepherdFarmerGeek – Part 2

This is the continuation of a list of supplements that you can make yourself to help in dealing with Ebola or any dangerous virus. Disclaimer: There are many foods and supplements with antiviral properties; some of them are common (garlic), while some of them are exotic (star anise). What I’ve tried to do with the recommendations below is focus on the most common and highly recommended. Nobody knows what will work against Ebola, so try your own favorites, to see what you can tolerate when ill. None of this is “medical advice” for purposes of federal obfuscation and interference. Consult your doctor, who will have no idea what to do. The information below is not exhaustive. It is not authoritative, and it is untested. Do your own research, and be responsible for making your own decisions. I have no personal interest or investment in any product or item mentioned.

I wrote this up for my own use and for my family’s use. If it can help you, then great, but these are my personal notes that I’ve modified a bit for others to use. You have a favorite herb or supplement? Make your own treatment plan. If new research comes out about some product, add it to the Protocol. If the CDC or WHO or UN announces dosage recommendations for melatonin or some other medication, follow those guidelines. However, until then, we’re on our own.

  1. Zinc helps support your immune system.[1] Oysters have a lot of zinc,[2] kidney beans[3] (cooked!) are a decent source, and meats like turkey and chicken and mozzarella cheese have some (but you’d have to eat two cups to get as much zinc as in half of a 50 mg supplement tablet).[4] You’d have to eat 1 1/2 pounds of beef to get that much.[5] If you don’t have zinc supplements, which are cheap, especially since a half-tablet per day (25 mg) is probably all you need[6]), then meats and cheeses might be a good option to eat to boost your zinc levels.
  2. Yes, you can make your own antiviral Olive Leaf Extract.[7] If you have your own olive tree (as long as it’s not a Chinese olive (apparently), you can pick your own leaves and dry them to make this widely-recognized antiviral supplement. Or you can just buy dried olive leaves online[8]; it’s cheaper to make your own extract than to pay for someone to dry, powder, encapsulate, bottle, and market the commercial equivalent. Know someone in a southern state with their own olive tree? Talk them into drying their leaves and mailing them to you!
  3. Vitamin K is found naturally in green leafy vegetables, such as amaranth, parsley, chard, spinach and kale, and even in some spices.[9] You might have to eat a lot of greens to equal the amount in a vitamin K supplement, but that’s not such a big price to pay. One cup of kale has 1mg of vitamin K1. Compare that with the vitamin K2 supplement we bought for our daughter that has 1/10 that dose per capsule! So the kale (or other greens) really is an alternative. For the person who is in the bleeding phase of an Ebola infection, you might be able to juice the kale to make it easier for them to ingest. (Chewing makes nausea worse sometimes.)
  4. Probiotics to keep your digestive system healthy can be homemade. Whip up your own batch of Kefir[10] or Yogurt.[11] Even sauerkraut is full of healthy bacteria[12] that are normally killed by heating/canning in commercially-available sauerkraut. It is essential to keep your system healthy[13] because all supplements, many medicines, and all nutrients depend on digestion to help them reach the body for health and healing. Of course if we’re trying to be as healthy as possible we’ll want to avoid refined sugars, refined flours, and all foods treated with hormones, pesticides, herbicides, or antibiotics– most commercially-prepared foods.
  5. Melatonin is a real challenge for the do-it-yourselfer, but even here there are things you can do! Melatonin is important because it’s the most “potentially” powerful over-the-counter supplement that might make a big difference to someone with Ebola.[14] The problem is that even a low-dose tablet of synthetic melatonin contains many more times melatonin than we can find in food sources. (They used to extract it from cow urine, but I’m pretty sure we’re not going down that path…) So what do we do?

I would like to suggest a four-step strategy for getting more melatonin into your patient:

  1. Ingest melatonin from food sources.
  2. Eat foods that stimulate the patient’s own body to produce more.
  3. Protect their digestive system so it will continue to produce it.
  4. Protect the patient from light at night, so it won’t temporarily halt their melatonin production.

Let’s look at these four steps more closely. 

  1. Some plant foods contain small amounts of melatonin[15]: orange bell peppers, walnuts, tart cherries (sweet cherries have 50x less than tart ones), but the best source of natural melatonin comes from goji berries. (Still, the goji berries do not have a lot, at 15 micrograms per ounce.) They’re less expensive if you buy them from an Asian grocery store or restaurant as “lycium” berries. (Watch out for preservatives, though.)

    While we can’t consume anything near the dosage of melatonin found in commercial over-the-counter supplements[16], it’s possible (lots of speculating here) that natural melatonin is superior to synthetic melatonin and will give you more “bang for your buck.” If you don’t have synthetic melatonin then try a natural source, however small the dose!

  2. The other good news is that some foods stimulate the human body to release more melatonin[17]: “The researchers found pineapples, bananas, and oranges were able to increase melatonin presence significantly. Pineapples increased the presence of aMT6s over 266%, while bananas increased levels by 180%. Oranges were able to increase melatonin by approximately 47%.”

    Oats, sweet corn, rice, tomatoes, and barley are all foods that have an effect. If you’re desperate, give them a try.

  3. I bet you didn’t know that your digestive system produces more melatonin than your brain’s pineal gland (400 times more[18])! This is yet another reason why we want the patient to have as healthy of a digestive system as possible. We want them to be able to ingest and benefit from the food they eat. And we want to support the “good” bacteria in their gut so those bacteria will continue to produce beneficial amounts of B vitamins and keep the gut organs as healthy as possible so they in turn can produce more melatonin![19]
  4. Nighttime light exposure reduces melatonin production.[20] Complete darkness is best for sleep. Exposure to light causes the body’s melatonin production process to pause, and bright light at bedtime shortens the period of time the body has to produce melatonin.

Red LED lights may be best for night lighting (though there is controversy about which light color is worse). Just keep it dim, if you can, when you visit the sickroom, so the person’s body will make more melatonin.[21]

Five Concluding Thoughts

  1. What do we do if there’s no milk thistle seed available, or olive trees don’t grow where you live, or no one you know has an elderberry bush? For preppers in countries other than the United States, Canada, and Britain/Europe, some of these plant sources simply are unavailable on the market. What then?

    Find someone (an herbalist, healer, or a master gardener even) who can advise about local plants that might have the properties needed. God put medicine in thousands of plants; it’s just a matter of time to figure out what will work for you. Also, if there is a plant, you need then grow it yourself, if it will grow in your area and climate. You think there’s not enough time to do that, but we don’t actually know. Order the seeds, learn how to grow it, and get growing!

  2. Just because you have a workable treatment Protocol doesn’t mean you’re “ready.” You still need adequate protective equipment and supplies. (Someone could write a whole article just on this topic!) “The Disaster Crash Course II: Establishing a Disaster Medical Center,” page 59[22] will be a tremendous help; it even includes directions on how to make your own bleach from salt and water!

    The Centers for Disease Control recently upgraded their guidelines for what constitutes appropriate protective gear. Here’s their list[23]:

    This stuff is not “rocket-surgery”. You can buy these items from Amazon, Grainger, Home Depot, or other hardware stores or industrial suppliers. Sit down with a list of what you want to have on hand. Decide which items you will re-use by bleaching or boiling (such as rubber boots and hoods) and which will be disposable (such as nitrile gloves and respirator filters). Consider how many people you expect to have to treat. Then go shopping.

    I created a list of items (mostly) drawn from Grainger online for my daughter’s orphanage in Kpando, Ghana, and it’s in the endnotes below.[24] Many online suppliers are beginning to indicate that they’ve run out of stock on some items and won’t be getting resupplied until December or January, so keep that in mind, especially if you’re ordering something that’s out of the ordinary, like a powered air purifying hood or Tychem QC coveralls!

    Here’s just a thought: Pick protective gear colors that will show blood or vomit. Dark colors are probably not going to work as well. You might even pick “cheerful” colors, because you’re going to be the only human the poor patient is going to see for a week or so and you don’t want to look like a villain out of some sci-fi video game!

  3. You’re still not “ready”, just because you have a treatment Protocol, a whole box of supplements, and an entire pile of protective equipment and bleach. How you set up your sickroom or clinic, how you move from “cold” to “warm” to “hot zones,” how to get medical waste out of the sickroom without potentially contaminating other areas. It’s not too hard, you just need to think it through. Get someone to help you and review your plan. Draw up a floor plan with arrows to indicate movement flow. Mark the locations of the trash cans, disinfecting spray, bedding supplies and everything else; I mean everything.

    If that’s too daunting, then consider teaming up with one or more local preppers to agree to set up a clinic if the national healthcare system has hosed up. You don’t actually have to own all this gear, if someone else is willing to host the clinic and you can split the costs. Just be very, very clear what the arrangement is and how you’re going to handle it if you get too many patients or who gets treated first. There are a lot of details in the fine print there…

  4. If the hospitals are closed and the medical system has collapsed, don’t just do nothing. Do not give up hope! Do not abandon your patient. There are always things you can do. They might be one of those persons to get a mild case and start to recover after a week or so. They won’t need a lot of help, but they will need your help. Simple interventions won’t require a whole lot of equipment!

    Alternatively, your patient might be one of those persons with a robust immune system that kicks the infection, even though they came down with the more severe symptoms. They might only need Oral Rehydration Solution and a big pile of towels and bleach and they’re good.[25]

    If a Liberian nursing student can save her family (with a 25% mortality rate) by using trash bags as protective gear, then you can certainly help someone, or even yourself, to survive.[26] Ebola is not an automatic death sentence. The odds with treatment might be 50/50 or better (?), but only if you fight for them. So fight![27]

    Maybe you can find someone who’s already been exposed and recovered. They’re immune! Maybe they’ll be willing to help, if you give them the right equipment, supplies, and incentives. If they’ve recovered, they have a powerful gift that hopefully they will be able to share. (Just realize that survivors will be very weak for weeks afterwards!)

  5. Finally, let me encourage you to be the “hands” and “feet,” “voice” and “compassionate eyes” (if that’s all they can see of your face!) of God to your dear suffering patient. Guard their humanity and their dignity. Make them feel loved. Talk to them, and even more important, listen. Show them patience and courage; be courageous for them. Convince them that they are not alone. Convince them that there is always, always hope.

You don’t know if they will live or die. However, to do your part, you need to confront death and your fear of death, the death of your loved ones, and the loss of everything. Is God enough? Can you let go? Are you confident what lies beyond the grave? Find those answers now. You’d be surprised what people can accomplish who are no longer afraid to die.[28] Then in the quiet of the sickroom, holding a dying one’s hand, the peace God gives you will be contagious. Share it with them.

It might be the highest service a human being can give to another human being.

“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” – Revelation 21:3-4

Trust God. Be Prepared. We can do both.

References


[1] http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/supplement-guide-zinc


[2]http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000124000000000000000.html


[3]http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4297/2


[4]http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/7583/2


[5]http://bembu.com/foods-high-in-zinc


[6]http://www.health.harvard.edu/flu-resource-center/how-to-boost-your-immune-system.htm


[7]http://lymeunderground.com/olive-leaf-extract-make-it-yourself/ OR http://www.about-olive-leaf-extract.com/extract-of-olive-leaf.html


[8]https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/olive-leaf-powder/profile


[9]http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000104000000000000000-1.html OR http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=112


[10]http://www.kefir.net/


[11]http://greekfood.about.com/od/syrupssauces/r/make_yogurt.htm


[12]http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/sauerkraut-recipes.html


[13]http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/02/digestive-system-gut-flora.aspx


[14]http://www.naturalnews.com/033554_melatonin_immune_function.html


[15]http://nutritionfacts.org/2014/04/03/foods-with-natural-melatonin/


[16]By way of comparison, the suggested single therapeutic dose for melatonin (see my previous article, Ebola Unafraid Part 1 and Part 2) is 20,000 micrograms.


[17]http://consciouslifenews.com/8-foods-naturally-increase-melatonin-better-sleep/#


[18]http://www.naturalnews.com/033554_melatonin_immune_function.html


[19]http://www.besthealthmag.ca/eat-well/digestion/the-foods-to-eat-for-a-healthy-gut


[20]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3047226/ OR http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-079X.1989.tb00412.x/abstract


[21]http://chriskresser.com/how-artificial-light-is-wrecking-your-sleep-and-what-to-do-about-it


[22]http://informedchristians.com/index.php/dcc_index


[23]http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/fs1020-ebola-personal-protective-equipment.html


[24]Tychem QC collared coverall,
Bib apron,
Reusable gloves,
Nitrile disposable gloves (worn under the reusable gloves),
I think that a Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) hood is ideal for preppers. They will fit over glasses and beards, don’t have to be carefully fitted to avoid leakage (a big problem with N-95 masks), and can be hosed down to disinfect. The only downside is that they run on batteries, but I have figured that $50 worth of batteries (C123) would give plenty of time to work in a “hot zone” over the week’s time a patient is deathly ill. Enterprising preppers could even hard-wire it to a power supply outside of the sickroom area. In theory, the entire filter and blower assembly could be outside of the “hot zone” with a blower sending the attendant/nurse fresh outside air that doesn’t even need to be filtered. No filters. No batteries. Just a bunch of hose and a good blower motor!
PAPRs carried by Grainger are horribly expensive. However, a company named Supergum, from Israel, carries models designed for Israeli civilians to survive chemical, biological, and nuclear attacks. They carry models with one and two blowers. The two-blower model takes twice the batteries and twice the NATO gas mask filters but might be the better choice. I wonder how much time a nurse will have if their one-blower model quits/fails/runs out of power before they start sucking in outside (contaminated) air? Two blowers give redundancy.
The Supergum hoods were available through Amazon right at the beginning of the Ebola scare and quickly sold out. RDDUSA used to be the biggest reseller of Israeli gas mask equipment. Even if none are available now, they might come back on the market before you really need them, so don’t give up.
If you’re not going to buy a PAPR, then you’ll need a hood, respirator, goggles, and a face shield: Promax Hood
N95 respirator,
Goggles. Many models will do, but be sure to get “indirect” venting goggles with antifog coating. (You might consider buying some antifog treatment or spray for the goggles like Cat Crap.)
I wanted to order disposable face shields (new CDC guidelines), but Grainger USA says they’re out so they are not listed on their website. Home Depot has shields that would do just fine. Be sure to buy a shield that extends well below the face! Here’s a model from Home Depot.
We’re also going to need a lot of duct tape or medical tape to tape up the protective outfits, but I’m concerned that it NOT be too adhesive or it will tear up the coveralls and other items. Also, it needs to be really inexpensive, because they’re going to use a lot of it. THIS tape is ideal (tears by hand, not very adhesive), but it’s too expensive for most people. 

Tape doesn’t really need to be “chemical resistant”, it just needs to be impermeable to water/vomit/blood/etc. and stick for up to two hours at a time without coming off. Maybe even something like this.  Don’t forget the tape is not only to seal out contamination but to make your protective gear a single unit that won’t come apart if a delirious end-stage patient grabs at you.
We also need forehead thermometers, but Grainger doesn’t carry them. Here’s what Walgreens has. Don’t forget to get spare batteries! (The model from Walgreens uses AAA batteries.)
Of course there will be the odds-and-ends supplies and equipment, which should be available from many other sources. This list of items includes things like rope-handle tubs for soaking protective gear in bleach, clothesline, dowels for drying the reusable gloves and boots, rubber boots, trash cans, bed pads, buckets for building a cholera bed, lots and lots of rags and towels, and maybe an intercom or walki-talki type radio to communicate with the patient when you’re out of the sickroom, lime for dusting medical waste before burial, et cetera.


[25]It ought to even be possible to set up an Ebola victim with a supply of ORS and a gravity-fed bite-valve-controlled hydration solution that would keep them hydrated without having to get out of bed. Also, if you’ve got them on a “cholera bed”, they will do much better with the diarrhea and urination. They MIGHT be able to take care of themselves through the entire infection. This is something to consider if you’re hunkered down by yourself with no one to help you. With proper planning you might even be able to survive Ebola by yourself…


[26]http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/25/health/ebola-fatu-family/


[27]Remember: if the hospitals are still taking Ebola patients, get them to the hospital. Ebola is a serious, deadly disease, and you need all the help you can get.


[28]Of course, you still take every precaution you can. Then you just trust God with the outcome. It’s simple enough… “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” – Hebrews 2, 14-15 (KJV)

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (KJV)

Letter: Silver Prices

Mr. Editor,

Would you please ask Mr. Rawles why the price of silver coins and silver in general has dropped in price. Since I bought mine, it’s lost half its value. Is it going to go back up? Thanks so much. The info on your website is invaluable. – C. in OH

JWR responds: The futures and spot silver markets are quite thin and easily subject to manipulation. It is presently being pressed very hard by the market manipulators. The REAL price of silver is somewhere around $22 per ounce. Just look how quickly it sells for that on the physical market at coin shops and on eBay. (Traditionally, the “above spot” markup on silver was only around 3%. However, now it is closer to 20%. Also note that the US Mint recently SOLD OUT an entire year’s worth of silver in just a few days. When the market demand is this high, it tells you that the spot market is NOT reflecting reality.

I am confident that the price of silver will recover early next year and that it will be somewhere north of $60 an ounce by 2020. Hold on to your silver. I recently bought some more!

Economics and Investing:

Younger Generation Faces a Savings Deficit. – G.G.

o o o

Items from Mr. Econocobas:

Retailer Schism Widens Over Whether to Open Thanksgiving – This is sad, but the broader point is: if we had such a great recovery going on, why are these stores so intensely desperate for sales?

Predictors of ’29 Crash See 65% Chance of 2015 Recession – They don’t let on that they are aware of how structurally unsound the U.S. is, rather they point to weakness worldwide dragging the U.S. down; so, to that extent, I disagree.

Fed Money Printers At Work: Top 1% Gains Now Exceed Annual Social Security, Medicare & All Other Social Spending – Good article, but you must read all the way through to get the full context correct, as the author helps explain some distinctions to be made.

Odds ‘n Sods:

From Mike Williamson, SurvivalBlog Editor At Large: Veteran’s Memorial Park at Sunrise

The video was taken at sunrise at the Pensacola War Memorial Park. The park is located on the North Shore of Pensacola Bay. It includes memorials to all U.S. Armed Forces and foreign wars. It is also the location of the Wall South, which is an exact replica of the Viet Nam Memorial in Washington. The lighted tower in the Park is the Marine Corps Aviation Memorial and was built through private donations, and the bell clapper in the bell is made of the Naval Aviation Wings and Crew Wings worn by an H-46 Medevac Crew killed in Afghanistan. All crew and troops on board the a/c were KIA. A female Marine Pilot was the Aircraft Commander and they were hit by an RPG coming out of the Medevac P/U Landing Zone. Hope you enjoy this beautiful tribute to our troops as we remember Veterans Day 2014.

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If any SurvivalBlog readers are on a first name basis with the head of state, the foreign secretary, or other high-level government official of any country with a GDP of less than $30 Billion–an economy roughly the size of Paraguay’s– then I would appreciate hearing from you, via e-mail. (See this ranking at Wikipedia.) Thanks, – JWR

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Businesses fire back against ban on the word ‘gun’. – D.S.

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Apache Visits Shooters. – B.B.

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Ferguson Resident: ‘We are Getting Prepared for War’. – B.B.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“If someone ever tries to kill you try to kill them right back.” – Captain Malcolm Reynolds (fictional character on Firefly – “Our Mrs Reynolds” episode)

Notes for Tuesday – November 11, 2014

“The America we know – the greatest nation in the world – didn’t come without great sacrifice. The long difficult road to where we are today was paved by our men and women in uniform. Their courage and selflessness are a source of pride for all Americans. And while Veterans Day is a special time to honor the many accomplishments of these heroes, it is by no means the only day our veterans deserve recognition. Please join me in taking time to reflect on the sacrifices of our veterans, to personally thank someone who has worn the uniform and to remember that America’s veterans have earned our gratitude and support each and every day of the year.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

o o o

November 11th is the birthday of General George S. Patton, Jr. (born 1885, died December 21, 1945.) It is the birthday of Hugh Everett (born 1930, died July 19, 1982), the American physicist who first proposed the many-worlds interpretation (MWI) of quantum physics, which he termed his “relative state” formulation. November 11th also marks Rhodesia’s unilateral declaration of independence (UDI), in 1965. Remember Rhodesia.

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Ready Made Resources is running a Veteran’s Day sale. For every $100 in Mountain House Food ordered, they will send you twenty (20) silver dimes, rather than just the 15 they usually do.

o o o

JRH Enterprises is also running their usual Veteran’s Day sale on PVS14 3rd Gen Autogated Night Vision.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 55 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hardcase to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel which can be assembled in less then 1 minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouseis providing 30 DMPS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.
  12. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBoxis providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208, and
  7. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.
  9. Montie Gearis donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack. (a $379 value).

Round 55 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Making Your Own (An Ebola Unafraid Followup), by ShepherdFarmerGeek – Part 1

Optimistic. I continue to be guardedly optimistic that Ebola will not become the pandemic many people have feared.[1] News about its limited transmission in the United States is very encouraging.

Also encouraging is the fact that, should Ebola (or some other dangerous virus) become a pandemic and crash the nation’s healthcare system, we can still purchase our own protective equipment and supplies and even have a reasonable chance of treating it, which was the premise of my recent article “Ebola Unafraid: A Preliminary Ebola Treatment Protocol Part 1 and Part 2.”

Objections to Previous “Ebola Unafaid” Article

Now I’m hearing three main concerns about that article. The very idea of treating an Ebola patient may seem overwhelming, but it’s actually do-able.  Follow me as we look at these three objections:

  1. So much of it seems arbitrary.
    • For sure we don’t know what, if anything, will work against the Ebola virus. However, now that there are so many victims, the outbreak is so long, and people are so desperate, it seems likely we’ll learn more about “what works” pretty soon. There will be changes; of that I’m sure!
    • Complicating matters is that there are a lot of natural antivirals to choose from. That’s a good thing, because if one of those is unavailable in our area we can try something else. Or maybe we have a favorite product that has worked well for us in the past and we can try that. The Protocol just focused on products with the best reputation for antiviral activity. It gives people a place to start.
    • It would be great if we could “shotgun” an infection with a half-dozen supplements, or even with everything on the list, but trying to treat one person would quickly become prohibitively expensive. That leads me to the second important thing people are saying:
  2. It’s too expensive.
    • An 8 ounce bottle of Elderberry syrup cost me $23 at a national chain store last week. To have enough of just this one supplement for a low “priming” dose for just one person (my daughter, a nurse supervisor in a Liberian Ebola Treatment Unit) for six weeks requires three bottles. That’s $69 worth of Elderberry, and that’s not counting all of the other supplements we sent with her, which probably came close to $400.
    • Now what happens when you want to be able to protect/treat more than one person? What do you do when Ebola (or some other pandemic disease!) comes to town but never quite crosses your “hunker down” threshold for months? How do you keep your entire family at peak health and their immune systems primed? That is a problem.
  3. People don’t need to be able to treat Ebola if they hunker down.
    • In principle I agree with this, of course. Prevention is the best medicine! Meticulous hand hygiene, judicious choices of where to shop, avoiding crowds, and so forth are essential. It would be crazy not to do these things.
    • Unfortunately, accidents happen. Your personal “Black Swan” could expose you or a family member in some unexpected way. You must have a Plan B. That doesn’t mean you have to be afraid. You just prepare the best you can. Trust God with the rest, but do your part.

To all of this I say there is good news:

Some of these Protocol supplements are inexpensive. Buying the industrial-sized barrel o’ multivitamins from Costco is cost-effective, since any multivitamin is probably better than none at all. A good multivitamin is just “nutritional insurance” to try to be sure you’re not missing any nutrients in your diet, especially while ill. Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, and others are readily available and inexpensive.

Not a Costco member? Find a friend who is and get them to pick some up for you. Walmart is a good source, too. (I bought all my 10mg Melatonin tablets there.) Figure out what supplements or over-the-counter drugs are most important in your plan and purchase what you can.

You can also give supplements at half dosage, or (probably better) at full dosage for half as long. Something is better than nothing. Maybe by the time a pandemic actually hits your area you’ll have stockpiled “enough” or someone will make a better, more focused, and less expensive “Treatment Protocol”?

The best news of all is that you can make a lot of these supplements yourself.

That was actually a surprise to me, but let’s take a quick look at the top supplements, and please, look at the Internet links provided. There is a wealth of information there!

Disclaimer: There are many foods and supplements with antiviral properties[2]; some of them are common (Garlic[3]), while some of them are exotic (Star Anise[4]). What I’ve tried to do with the recommendations below is focus on the most common and highly recommended. Nobody knows what will work against Ebola, so try your own favorites, to see what you can tolerate when ill. None of this is “medical advice” for purposes of federal obfuscation and interference. Consult your doctor, who will have no idea what to do. The information below is not exhaustive. It is not authoritative, and it is untested. Do your own research, and be responsible for making your own decisions. I have no personal interest or investment in any product or item mentioned.

I wrote this up for my own use and for my family’s use. If it can help you, then great, but these are my personal notes that I’ve modified a bit for others to use. You have a favorite herb or supplement? Make your own treatment plan. If new research comes out about some product, add it to the Protocol. If the CDC or WHO or UN announces dosage recommendations for melatonin or some other medication, follow those guidelines. However, until then, we’re on our own.

  1. Vitamin D3 is pretty inexpensive if you shop around for high-dosage gel caps (2,000 – 5,000 units). Some foods are pretty high in D, such as cod liver oil, herring, salmon, tuna (and other cold water fish).[5] You can actually “make” it yourself by being outdoors in the sun:”In the winter, it’s impossible to produce vitamin D from the sun if you live north of Atlanta because the sun never gets high enough in the sky for its ultraviolet B rays to penetrate the atmosphere. But summer is a great time to stock up on the nutrient. When the sun’s UV-B rays hit the skin, a reaction takes place that enables skin cells to manufacture vitamin D. If you’re fair skinned, experts say going outside for 10 minutes in the midday sun—in shorts and a tank top with no sunscreen—will give you enough radiation to produce about 10,000 international units of the vitamin.”[6]Check out the link here[7] for an in-depth calculation of how much sun exposure you’ll need for your location, time of day, and time of year. Considering the essential function of Vitamin D, it’s nice to know your own body can make it!
  2. One vitamin your body can’t make is Vitamin C. Lots of foods contain Vitamin C[8] (The top of this list are “foods” with Vitamin C added.) Acerola cherries, guava, citrus fruits, peppers (surprisingly!), kale, cabbage, and more. Fortunately, Vitamin C in supplements is also incredibly inexpensive.
  3. You can buy garlic supplements in many different forms; all of them are fairly expensive, but garlic is easy enough to add to our meals. You can buy it fresh, dried and powdered, or chopped and dried. Fresh is better, of course…always. Garlic is such a stunningly nutritious food that you will learn to put up with the smell. One of my favorites is to microwave several cloves (or bake them in the oven) for a few seconds and dip them whole in Ranch dressing! Yum.
  4. I used to grow our own black Elderberries (and they grow wild in many parts of the U.S.), but our bushes died (out of sight, out of mind, hmm…). Just remember, if you’re growing your own, that unripe Elderberries are mildly toxic[9], and so are the tiny stems. Many people who can’t tolerate raw Elderberries like them better once they’ve been cooked.You can make your own black Elderberry syrup that should be just as healthy as the store-bought brands by either picking your own ripe berries or buying them fresh, dried, or freeze-dried. I just placed a three-pound order![10] There are many very tasty recipes, so check out these links.[11] Don’t blend the cooked berries, because the seeds don’t taste good. You’re just cooking off the fruit flesh, and don’t add your honey (if you’re using honey) until the cooked juice mixture has cooled to avoid cooking the honey and losing some of its medicinal value.
  5. I had no idea I could make my own milk thistle extract (silymarin)! I found the how-to at this link.[12] Apparently people can even just buy the seeds and grind them and add them directly into their food.[13] I suppose you could even buy the seeds (multiple providers online) and grow your own plants and harvest the seeds, but your neighbors might object to that (unless you grew them in a greenhouse or under row covers?). Considering how truly powerful milk thistle extract is for protecting your liver, making your own is an important option.
  6. Vitamin E and Lecithin. Why are these important anyway? It’s because (among other things) they “potentiate” the milk thistle; they make it many times more effective in protecting the patient’s liver from damage.[14] Vitamin E is found in foods such as wheat germ oil[15] and peanut butter (one third the amount of Vitamin E in wheat germ oil), sunflowers, and other nuts.[16] Doses in the 400 – 600 IU range should be effective. Unfortunately, wheat germ itself has very little oil in it and has to be pressed to extract the oil, so just eating wheat germ isn’t going to get you much Vitamin E. It’s one of the really inexpensive vitamins to buy, so unless you already use wheat germ oil for something, just buy the vitamins. (“Mixed tocopherols”[17] is the best.)Lecithin is found in egg yolks,[18] and both cod and salmon have about half as much.[19] One tablespoon of lecithin granules from a health foods store or pharmacy has about 6.6 grams of lecithin[20]. Since we don’t know how much Lecithin potentiates how much Milk Thistle, we’re just really guessing. However, reasonable amounts aren’t going to hurt you if you take more than you need for this effect in the short-term.

I’ll continue, in Part 2 of this article, the list of supplements that you can make yourself as well as provide concluding thoughts with more practical information for dealing with Ebola, or any dangerous virus.

References


[1]http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2014/10/23/why-you-wont-catch-ebola-on-the-new-york-city-subway/


[2]http://www.naturalnews.com/047232_ebola_natural_immunity_virus.html


[3]http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/ART00364


[4]http://www.livestrong.com/article/367860-health-uses-benefits-and-risks-of-star-anise/


[5]http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000102000000000000000.html


[6]http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/heart/articles/2008/06/23/time-in-the-sun-how-much-is-needed-for-vitamin-d


[7]http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/29/how-much-sunshine-does-it-take-to-make-enough-vitamin-d-perhaps-more-than-you-think.aspx


[8]http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000101000000000000000-w.html?categories=10,8,19,13


[9]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXFVfQMfZ8w#t=127


[10]http://www.sunburstsuperfoods.com/organic-dried-elderberries/


[11]http://wellnessmama.com/1888/elderberry-syrup/ OR http://studiobotanica.com/diy-elderberry-syrup/


[12]http://www.ehow.com/how_5626793_make-milk-thistle-seed-extract.html


[13]http://www.nuts.com/cookingbaking/seeds/milk-thistle.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pla&gclid=CKbatby_scECFQaCMgodYT0AgQ


[14]As documented in Ebola Unafraid


[15]http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/benefits-of/vitamin-e-tocopherol


[16]http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000103000000000000000-w.html?categories=3,10,11,14,0,19,22,15


[17]http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-mixed-tocopherols.htm


[18]http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000144000000000000000-1w.html


[19]http://www.livestrong.com/article/458869-foods-high-in-lecithin/


[20]Unfortunately, lecithin extracted from soy seems to have some health problems, but might not be an issue for short-term consumption in regard to Ebola. http://hsionline.com/2001/09/17/soy-controversy/

Two Letters Re: Silver Deliveries and Nosy Deliverymen

HJL,

We have ordered both ammo and silver through the mail from time to time and my response to my nosy FedEx guy is that it’s batteries for my UPS or the lawn mower. – WKJ

o o o

Hugh,

Regarding MF’s problem with the UPS driver being curious, first of all, the driver knew it wasn’t bullets by the lack of an ORM-D label. It was probably insured, and the drivers know that, too.

Tell him you’re getting into developing a wildcat cartridge loading and the box is full of custom machined solid copper bullets in say .284 caliber with a custom profile. His eyes will go up and left, then he will blink and act like he knows what your talking about. That story would make the weight and the insurance sensible. Chances are you’ve been made by the driver, so you should be very careful where you hide the silver and watch your back. Trust your UPS drive as much as you would a policeman; don’t tell him (or the cop) any more than you need to, and keep it short and sweet. – FB

Hugh Adds: Our UPS driver always makes conversation upon deliveries. We never lie, but we don’t discuss the contents either. They know it’s none of their business and any silver/gold deliveries are lost among all the other deliveries. It’s the modern way to shop. If you don’t give it away, they won’t guess. Most people are selling their silver/gold right now rather than buying it.

News From The American Redoubt:

Pastor Warren Luke Campbell has announced the formation of a new non-501(c)3 Reformed church meeting in Post Falls, Idaho:

Lordship Church
Pastor Warren Luke Campbell
Meeting at Red Lion Templin’s Hotel on the River
414 E 1st Ave
Post Falls, ID 83854

Contact phone: 559-740-9995
E-mail: lukester@cwo.com
www.Lordshipchurch.org

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2014 Elections Wrap Up – RBS

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102-year-old Idaho voter: ‘We’ve got a wonderful United States’. – RBS

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The absurdity of the present government: Bust You For It Now, Tax You For It Tomorrow. – RBS

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Police Deny Responsibility After Stingray Cell Phone Tracker Discovered in Idaho. – H.L.

Economics and Investing:

Physical gold and silver, which represent the only real money out there with no counterparty risk, are now such a threat to our rapidly crumbling global fiat currency system that the central banks are going to ever greater lengths to hoodwink the public and keep them away from the two assets. Instead of people selling their gold and silver, they should be buying it hand-over-fist and getting out of these overpriced bonds, stocks, etc. John Embry On The Ongoing War In The Gold & Silver Markets – J.W.

o o o

Items from Mr. Econocobas:

John Hussman: The Stock Market Is Overvalued By 100%

Wait Until You See What Alan Greenspan’s Been Saying

Myopic Domestic Delusion or Planned Monetary Demolition…….Two Views – This is a great article; it’s a little longer, so you have to stay with it.

Abe Will Raise Japan Sales Tax as Planned?

Odds ‘n Sods:

I recently received a review copy of the book How To Build The Perfect Off-Grid Home, by Roxyann Spanfelner. This profusely-illustrated 185-page large format paperback was recently released by Paladin Press. I was quite impressed with the author’s level of detail on site selection, foundations, general construction, trenching, pipe and conduit runs, plumbing, AC wiring, appliance selection and load estimation, backup generators, and photovoltaic system installation. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is planning to build a retreat, even if you plan to contract out all of the plumbing and electrical work. – JWR

o o o

How to Create a Safe Room in Your House or Apartment. – J.W.

o o o

Police Use Department Wish List When Deciding Which Assets to Seize . – RBS

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Merry Christmas: UN Declares Arms Trade Treaty to Go Into Effect Dec. 24. – B.B.

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The state of the U.S. nuclear arsenal is slowly getting worse … and the government has no plan to fix it. – T.P.

Notes for Monday – November 10, 2014

November 10th is remembered in the Unted States as the “birthday” of the U.S. Marine Corps. Coincidentally, the 10th is also the birthday of the late Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov, born in 1919, died December 23, 2013. He didn’t design a lot of different guns, but one of his few designs was the protoype for what turned out to be the world’s most widely produced assault rifle. Once an iconic symbol of international communism, the AK’s curved magazine profile has in more recent years become just a symbol of citizens being well-armed.

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Ready Made Resources is running a Veteran’s Day sale. For every $100 in Mountain House Food ordered, they will send you twenty (20) silver dimes, rather than just the 15 they usually do.

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JRH Enterprises is also running their usual Veteran’s Day sale on PVS14 3rd Gen Autogated Night Vision.

Advice on Caching Containers

I recently had a consulting client ask me about sources for waterproof containers that she could use for caching guns, ammo, food, camping gear, and so forth. I generally prefer military surplus ammo cans and shipping containers for two reasons:

  1. They are made to rigorous military specifications (“mil-spec”), and
  2. They are relatively inexpensive, compared to their civilian counterparts.

For ammunition caches, I generally prefer military surplus (“mil-surp”) 20mm ammo cans. The larger 30mm cans hold even more, but they are so heavy when full that they are a pain to transport any distance. If you opt for the 30mm size, then I recommend that the upper half of their available volume be filled with lighter weight items, such as cold weather clothing, socks, tentage, or bedding.

One key proviso: It is not a good idea to store anything that is oily, greasy, or flammable in the same container as any cached food, since such volatiles can quickly taint foods in even very heavy duty plastic packaging. You are better off burying separate, sealed ammo cans side by side with those items segregated.

For long items, such as a rifle that cannot be easily broken down into short lengths, I recommend U.S. Navy surplus sonobuoy shipping containers. See: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/ZAA-252 These hexagonal, gray plastic containers are generally available at surplus stores that are in proximity of any of the U.S. Navy P-3C Orion (or the new P-8 Poseidon) antisubmarine squadrons. In CONUS, these are presently located at Whidbey Island, Washington and Jacksonville Naval Air Station (Jacksonville, Florida.) You might also find some near the recently closed Naval Air Station Brunswick (Brunswick, Maine) or perhaps near the much longer-deactivated Moffet Field (Sunnyvale, California).

If you can’t find any sonobuoy shipping tubes, then an even sturdier civilian equivalent is made by Mono Vault. (They’re a great company and a former SurvivalBlog advertiser.)

For long-term underground storage, metal ammo cans should have a sacrificial zinc anode soldered on. (Note: Gluing it on will not work; it needs to make metal-to-metal contact!) After that is done, then the can–but not the anode–should have its exterior repainted in rust resistant paint, such as Rust-Oleum.

Small military surplus stores tend to charge a premium price for ammo cans and shipping containers. So, instead look for the bigger wholesale/retail stores that are in proximity to military posts. The real mecca for ammo cans is Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

See the SurvivalBlog archives for specific advice on how to prepare firearms for cached storage. (Search on the keywords: “RIG and silica”)

Some good mil-surp ammo can and container sources:

SG Ammo

Gotta Go Surplus

Keep Shooting (A SurvivalBlog advertiser)

Coleman’s Surplus

Army Surplus Warehouse

Spartan Surplus (on eBay)

And, for general reference, here is a map of military surplus stores in the United States and Canada.

Happy shoveling, folks! – JWR