Living Well Grocery store shelves are emptying in Germany.
With three newly confirmed cases of coronavirus in Berlin, one of our acquaintances told us folks wiped out her local store out of fear they'd face quarantines and not be able to leave home.
Even here in Maryland, with no confirmed cases, some stores have run out of face masks, isopropyl alcohol, and hand sanitizer. We've even heard reports of people buying up several gallons of water.
Here at Health & Wealth Bulletin, we're not panicking. But we think this is a good time to remind you to always be prepared for emergencies... whether it's a pandemic, a natural disaster, or a terrorist attack.
Unexpected, disruptive events are a fact of life. It is never a question of "if"... it is only a matter of "when." There's no good reason to be at the mercy of these unexpected, but inevitable, events. You can take some simple steps right now to protect you and your family against enduring crises...
1. Water. Water tops the list because it is most critical to your survival. The human body can last for weeks without food, but only a few days without water.
You should keep at least one gallon of water per person per day in reserve for drinking purposes. If you live in an arid climate, you may want to store up to three gallons of water per person per day. Use the formula below to calculate the total amount of water you need:
Number of people x Number of gallons x Number of days = Total gallons needed
So if you have four people in your family... and plan for one gallon of drinking water per day for each person... and you plan to keep a seven-day supply... you'll need to store at least 28 gallons of water (4 x 1 x 7 = 28).
2. Food. Just as with water, you will want to keep at least one week of food per person in reserve. The best foods to buy for storage purposes are staples in your regular diet. Then, you can rotate them into your regular consumption patterns before their expiration dates approach.
Canned vegetables, beans, and soup work best for this. You can also store canned meats and fish, like chicken, tuna, and salmon. Canned food may "keep" for longer than one year... but its nutritional value breaks down faster than its palatability. As a result, you'll need to eat more just to feel "full"... and this could end up turning what you thought was two weeks of food into less than you expected.
Bottom line: It's important to keep canned foods "fresh." Rotate them into your normal consumption. At most, keep canned food for no longer than one year. If you find cans in your stockpile bulging at the ends, the food inside has spoiled. Throw them out. Never eat a can that looks like it's about to burst, no matter how hungry you are. Remember this adage, "When in doubt, throw it out."
3. Medication. If you're on medications, especially medications that could cause life-threatening issues if you suddenly stop them, have backups. Certain drugs like beta blockers, anti-depressants, and benzodiazepines (used to treat anxiety symptoms) can lead to dangerous withdrawal symptoms or a rapid return of the health issue they're meant to treat.
Talk to your doctor about keeping extra medication if you're worried you'll be unable to access refills in cases of emergencies, disasters, or illness.
Preparing for the worst means less stress and a clear plan of action when disaster strikes. Learn more about preparing for major weather events, blackouts, health scares, and financial crises in The Doctor's Protocol Field Manual. Click here to get your electronic copy today.
Do you have a plan for emergencies? Share it with us... [email protected].
What We're Reading...
- Ten medications that are dangerous to stop abruptly.
- Something different: Ever wanted to be an astronaut? Now's your chance.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
March 3, 2020