Survivalist Anthologies Volume 1

by George Shepherd

  Another obstacle to staying healthy on stored food is getting enough variety of food to have a therapeutic effect. Different foods are higher in different nutrients. Nutritionists recommend eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables in order to get the necessary variety of nutrients. Maintaining a large enough variety of stock-piled fruits and vegetables requires dedicated intention if you want to provide enough variation to make a difference in health.

  There are many seed packs such as those by Heirloom Organics designed with self-reliance in mind that provide a variety of seeds. Prices range anywhere from $40.00 to $400.00, depending on your needs. A personal produce farm can be a treasury of nutritious foods which you control from planting to harvest. But requirements to do so go beyond just a stock-pile of seeds, including land for growing, water sources and weather/seasonal restrictions.

  There are two other options for providing your family with fresh foods in a survival situation. The most practical solution is the use of a true whole food supplement where the vitamin content comes from the foods in the ingredient list.

  The vast majority of so called “whole food supplements” are not truly whole food at all. Most of them are just synthetic vitamins (incomplete nutrients and unnatural) hidden in a culturing process with a little pinch of different foods sprinkled on top. It can be difficult to find a reliable company with integrity that provides truly naturally occurring nutrients.

  Raw Source Organics is a perfect example of the real thing. Organic freeze-dried fruits and vegetables in a capsule with absorbable minerals. The food is never exposed to high heat during processing, so it automatically contains the thousands of therapeutic compounds found in nutritious foods. Plus, they have a wide variety of food. For example, the Daily Vitamin C has 9 organic fruits and veggies in the ingredient list - nothing else - and two capsules give you 100% Recommended Daily Value. There are no synthetic vitamins added, which means it’s safe for adults and children with none of the negative side effects associated with conventional vitamins. One of the greatest things about these supplements is that the capsule allows you to sprinkle the contents out. You can add it to other food like yogurt, applesauce or water, rather than swallowing a pill if preferred.

  The vitamin content in these products does begin to deteriorate after the expiration date on the bottle. For those preparing for short term situations a month’s supply of the Daily Immune and Daily Multiple is going to provide a good amount of nutrition in a wide enough variety for one person. For long term preparation, rotate a 6 month supply from your survival cache to your pantry, enough for each person in your family. This way you will be receiving a good amount of raw fruits and vegetables every day, no matter what the circumstances may be.

  An alternative to whole-food supplements is a home grown sprouting system. Buying a sprouting kit for allows you to sprout nutritious seeds on your kitchen counter, providing your family with nutritious fresh sprouts in about 3 days time. [see: ‘How to Never Run Out of Food’; Issue 3 -Ed]

  There is a certain amount of work involved in the sprouting process, as you have to change the water in the containers at least every six hours to avoid bacteria growth. Without a continuous source of fresh water, sprouting is not a viable option. Also, by only eating fresh sprouts you are still not getting a very wide variety of foods, and therefore are missing many potentially powerful nutrients like those found in beets, carrots or berries.

  In case of crisis or disaster, most prepared people are equipped with enough calories from protein, fat and carbohydrates provided by shelf stable food to survive. What most people have not considered is how to equip themselves with enough nutrition necessary to stay healthy. By supplementing your preparation efforts with either raw, whole-food supplements or sprouts and seeds for growing, you are ensuring that your family will get the nutrients they need to stay healthy in almost any situation.

  Survival is not just about staying alive, its about living a reasonably healthy life in an unreasonable world.

  Rivanone Koz has 8 years of experience in the natural products industry and with advocacy for alternative health options. After witnessing firsthand the colossal economic crash of Argentina in 2001, she became active in promotion of crisis preparation as related to health. Through her product and informational blog site (www.naturesdose.com), she brings a sobering perspective and practical guidance for promoting all around health in any circumstance, she is also one of the founders of the supplement company Raw Source Organics.

  Resources: www.forgesurvivalsupply.com, www.tyry.com, www.rawsourceorganics.com, www.handypantry.com/sprout_growing_kit

  What I Have Learned About Greens and Wild Edibles

  by Sergei Boutenko

  It’s hard to know where to begin. How can I possibly summarize everything I’ve learned about health over the last 17 years in only 2,000 words? Over the last two decades, I have reversed my childhood health problems, been a hardcore vegan, lived solely on orange juice for months at a time, watched people recover from irreversible, degenerative diseases, and met many of the world’s renowned health guru’s. My lifestyle has led me to conclude that health is something that has to be fought for every moment of everyday. This fight consists of many puzzle pieces such as diet, exercise, and adequate sleep. I do not claim to know all of the pieces, but I do know there are many. In this article I would like to focus on one aspect of health; diet. Specifically how green leafy vegetables and wild edibles can positively influence ones health and wellbeing. I would like to break this subject down first by elaborating on the three major reasons why greens are so healthy, then I will discuss the benefits of wild edibles, as well as, how to easily incorporate more greens into your diet.

  Three Major Benefits of Greens: Fiber, Chlorophyll, and Protein

  The main purpose for consuming fiber is elimination. Our bodies are constantly struggling to filter the fuel we put in them. Just as a fuel filter in a car strains away unnecessary particles of gasoline that will eventually clog the car’s engine, our body strains away matter that is useless and can create a blockage. Because it would be dangerous to save and store pollutants such as pesticides, chemicals, toxins, and dead cell matter, our bodies do everything in their power to eliminate that which does not benefit them and thereby insure smooth running.

  Fiber plays an important role in this elimination process. According to Myron Winick, author of the Fiber Prescription, under a microscope the molecule of fiber looks like a sponge. It is porous and absorbent and has the ability to soak up what the body does not need. By binding all the toxic matter into one package and sending it out through the bowels, our bodies manage to purify their systems, remain healthy, and function properly without disease.

  How much fiber do we need? According to the United States Department of Agriculture each person should be getting between 26-31 grams of fiber per day. The average American consumes 15 grams or less per day. This is not surprising considering that the Standard American diet consists mainly of high fat and low fiber foods. On the other hand, one cup of collard greens contains almost 6 grams of fiber. If you were to start your day with a smoothie made from four cups of collards (approximately one bunch) and seasonal fruit, you could meet your daily fiber requirement before your day even began.

  More fiber perks:

  Balances pH level and maintains homeostasis

  Promotes weight loss

  Slows down absorption of sugar

  Decreases chances of diabetes and helps already diagnosed cases

  Reduces risk of cancer

  Reduces cholesterol

  Keeps bowels working properly

  Prevents hemorrhoids and ulcers

  Strengthens the heart

  Green leafy vegetables are an excellent source of fiber! Eating green salads, drinking green smoothies, and incorporating more greens into your recipes will guarantee an adequate fiber consumption and will allow you to reap all of the health benefits listed above.

  The miracles of chlorophyll

>   Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants that harnesses the sun’s energy in photosynthesis. When you see a piece of green kale, you are looking at chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is to plants what blood is to humans. Once a plant produces energy from sunlight, it then uses it to nourish itself by circulating essential vitamins and minerals through its veins. When you eat a leaf of Swiss chard, or sprinkle fresh parsley onto your salad, you are receiving energy straight from the sun. Your body uses chlorophyll for cleansing and healing organs, battling pathogenic bacteria, and supplying oxygen to where it is needed. As a general rule, the darker the green leaf, the more chlorophyll it contains and thus, the more health benefits are locked inside.

  Here are a few more advantages of eating chlorophyll rich foods:

  Increases red blood cell count

  Prevents cancer

  Alkalizes the body’s pH

  Boosts immune system

  Improves vision

  Reduces inflammation

  Counteracts toxins, pesticides, herbicides, and other pollutants

  Protein

  Often when I am asked whether or not I get enough protein from my diet, I become aware that the person inquiring is confused about what protein is. T. Colin Campbell, author of the acclaimed book The China Study writes:

  “There are hundreds of thousands of different kinds of proteins. These proteins are constructed as long chains of hundreds or thousands of amino acids, of which there are fifteen to twenty different kinds.”

  These proteins are found in everything from beef to apples and are extremely important to consume. Of the fifteen to twenty different kinds of amino acids that exist, there are nine that our body cannot synthesize. These amino acids are known as essential amino acids and are what people refer to when they talk about protein. Because proteins wear out on a regular basis and must be replaced, we need to receive these nine essential amino acids from our food regularly to remain healthy and balanced.

  What then is the best source of protein? Is it meat, beans, or soy products? One of the biggest misconceptions circulating around protein is that all of our essential amino acids must come from one source. For this reason many people look at animal products as the one and only viable protein source. This is a rather inaccurate outlook because while all of the essential amino acids may be present in the meat we consume for dinner, they are not arranged in the correct order for humans to digest. Our bodies have to pull each amino acid from the foreign chain and create a new one that fits our needs. This process is very cumbersome and stressful. On the other hand, eating a baby green salad offers these same essential amino acids to our bodies in a manner that easily accessible. T. Colin Campbell writes:

  “Animal foods are considered to be high quality proteins while plant foods are low quality, the greatest efficiency does not equal greatest health. There is much compelling research indicating that plant proteins, which allow for slow and steady synthesis of new proteins, are the healthiest types of proteins.”

  Green leafy vegetables contain the largest amount of protein out of all plant foods. By eating a diet rich in greens, our bodies can continue performing such tasks as repairing tissues, building muscle and bones, and aiding in the creation of enzymes and hormones.

  Wild Edibles

  Now that you know a thing or two about greens, can you think of anything better? How about FREE greens—wild edibles? Wild edibles add even more incentives to consume greens on a regular basis.

  Here are a few reasons to eat edible weeds:

  Weeds have longer roots and can absorb more minerals from soil

  Allow us the opportunity to eat locally and more sustainably

  Offer more diversity in our food

  Are genetically stronger plants

  Are a great backup plan for any survival situation

  Are completely free

  Unfortunately, within a few generations, we have forgotten how to identify edible plants thus, we have a hard time benefitting from them. Furthermore, modern culture scares us away from attempting to harvest wild edibles, claiming that it’s dangerous and stupid to eat non store-bought food. While I agree that caution, common sense, and some prior knowledge is required to avoid mishap, eating wild foods is not nearly as dangerous as it is portrayed in Hollywood. Picking weeds is not a new fad adopted by hippies, it has been practiced for thousands of years. You don’t need a degree in botany from an Ivy League school to learn to identify a few basic edibles and start living more sustainably! The bottom line is that edible weeds are readily available and excellent ingredients in the recipe of health. In this age of information it is easier than ever to safely educate yourself about wild edibles. Here are a few tips for newbie’s:

  Knowledge is power!

  The best way to stay safe is through good old-fashion education! The Internet is an invaluable tool for this. Do an internet search for wild edible classes in your area and sign up! I recommend the hands-on method because it enables information to stay with you longer. For example, during one edible foods workshop, I was taught that taking a few minutes to study each wild edible would help me remember it forever. I sat down with a dandelion and began to notice how many leaves it had, what shape the leaves were, if it had any specific markings or discolorations, etc. After this exercise, I will never have any doubts about what a dandelion looks like!

  Other Educational Tools

  Another way to educate yourself about wild edibles is to purchase a good book on the subject. When purchasing a book make sure that it has clear color pictures of the plants. It is also wise to consider book size as you may not want to carry heavy books with you on outings. You can also purchase a handy app, which you can download onto your phone, iPod, or tablet for a quick and easy reference on the go.

  Additional Recommendations

  Start small. By nature, we humans love to go overboard with things that are good for us. While many common edibles are great for your health they will be foreign to you the first time you taste them. I recommend that you approach new food cautiously (start by eating small amounts) until you know that you will not have any adverse effects. Once you have confirmed that the food you are consuming makes you feel good, then have at it!

  Don’t mix your weeds! If you mix 15 wild edibles into a salad and then have an allergic reaction, it will be very hard to determine which plant caused it. So, do your self a favor and simplify. Eat one wild edible at a time until you are absolutely sure it’s safe for you to consume.

  Green Smoothies

  Finally, as promised, I will share with you my favorite way to sneak greens into my diet. Make a green smoothie! It’s that simple! Because fruits tend to be sweeter and more delicious than greens, we tend to eat more of them and neglect their healthy relatives. You can trick your taste buds into liking greens by blending fresh fruit and greens in a blender and making a smoothie. The result is a fragrant and tasty smoothie with little to no chlorophyll taste and all of the benefits!

  Recipes:

  Peach-Spinach Smoothie

  4 peaches

  2 handfuls of spinach leaves

  1 banana

  1 cup of water

  Banan-delion-mango

  2 mangos

  1 handful fresh dandelion leaves

  1 banana

  ½ lemon juiced

  11/2 cups of water

  Pear-kale-mint

  2 ripe pears

  1-2 handfuls of kale

  ½ bunch of mint

  1 banana

  1-2 cups water

  Greens and Green Smoothie Resources:

  Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko

  Green Smoothie Revolution by Victoria Boutenko

  Green Smoothies App for iPhone, iPod, & iPad available through iTunes

  www.GreenSmoothiesBlog.com

  Wild Edible Resources: Fresh the Ultimate Live food Cookbook by Sergei and Valya Boutenko, Wild Edible App by Sergei Boutenko available from iTune for iPhone, iPod & iPad

  The Beck Protocol
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  by Mat Stein

  Bob Beck, DSc, an inventor and physicist, invented the modern Xenon electronic flash bulb when he was just a teenager. He was quite proud of the fact that he sold his patent for this device for $500, and used those proceeds to pay for his last year of university (the recipient of this patent made something on the order of $25 million over the following decades). When Beck was in his mid fifties, his health was failing. Doctors told him that a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, and old age had simply caught up with him, and there was very little he could do about it. Beck scoured various medical journals and books, and discovered groundbreaking medical research outlining procedures that had proven quite effective in clinical studies, yet had never gone through the long and expensive process of FDA approval (typically requiring on the order of $5-25 million) and commercialization. Beck focused his creative genius on developing a series of simple electronic devices and procedures to enable people to apply these medical innovations quite simply and cost effectively in the comfort of their own home. This resulted in what is now known as “The Beck Protocol,” which Beck refused to patent. Instead, he gifted it to the world, telling anyone who wished to listen how to make his devices and to practice his protocol.