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It might be a global economic meltdown. It may be an earthquake or the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano. Possibly a flood situation arises, sometimes rather quickly.
Do you know the important things you need to prepare before such a disaster occurs?
For centuries, mankind has relied on Mother Nature to provide food, clothing, and even medicine. Yes, medicine. Some of today’s most effective medications are derived from natural food products in the world around us.
So, you might be wondering what are some natural ways to prepare for a disaster? Let’s talk about some important items you should add to your disaster kit.
Honey
Not only is the ‘food of the Gods’ good to eat and to sweeten foods with, but honey is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial. Honey spread on cuts or scrapes can encourage healing while destroying harmful bacteria.
According to the Mayo Clinic, honey has been proven beneficial in the treatment of ulcers, burns, gangrene, and diabetes.
But you can also use honey for sore throats, as a cough syrup, to treat acid reflux, as a sleep aid, to boost your immunity, to aid in digestion, and much more.
Store your honey at room temperature, not in the refrigerator, as this will hasten crystallization.
The crystals form naturally as part of the aging process. Honey can even be used as a replacement for sugar when cooking.
Coconut Oil
If you’re prepping for an emergency situation, make sure to store some virgin or unrefined coconut oil. You can use coconut oil on a cut to encourage healing and keep the wound clean, and it’s great for burns as well.
You can also use coconut oil for treating leather gloves, the wooden handles of axes or knives (to prevent cracking), and even to remove rust on knife blades.
Coconut oil is also an excellent carrier for other essential oils, and can be used in cooking.
Coconut oil has a much longer shelf life than regular vegetable oil and has been known to help regulate blood sugar in people with diabetes.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera can be used on burns simply by breaking off one of the thick, fleshy leaves and squeezing the juice directly onto the burn (I have actually used this remedy in real life, and it does work!).
The Aloe plant is a hearty desert plant that can be grown in the most severe of conditions.
Editor’s note: We always had aloe plants in our kitchen growing up and I still continue that tradition. They are extremely hard to kill, even if you forget to water it for a month.
The juice from the plant can be used to treat hemorrhoids, solve intestinal problems, boost the immune system, as a sunscreen, to treat canker sores, and to relieve joint pain.
Flax
According to the National Institutes of Health, flaxseed (also called linseed oil) contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, lignans, and fiber. The sprouts and seeds are edible food products.
Flax oil can condition woods and remove rust from metals, such as knife handles and blades. It can also be used to clean and soften leather.
Flaxseed tea can be used to treat cough and urinary tract issues. Flax seeds also contain high levels of the female hormone prostaglandin and can be used to ease labor.
The flax fibers can be used to make twine and ropes of varying thickness.
Red Chili
Chili pepper has been used as medicine for over 9,000 years. Capsaicin, one of the main ingredients in chili pepper, is used today in over-the-counter joint pain remedies. It’s naturally high in vitamin C and a good source of vitamin A as well.
Chili powder can be used to treat wounds. It acts to shut down the pain receptors in the nearby nerves, and helps to stop the bleeding by signaling the blood to clot.
It can also be used to treat the pain of shingles.
Used as food, chili peppers can help the heart and circulatory system, the digestive system, and help treat gas, diarrhea, and constipation.
Fire Cider, made of chili peppers, can be used to treat sore throats, mouth ulcers, and other sores in the mouth.
Sterilized Water
Water — seems simple enough, right? The fact of the matter is, when disaster strikes, having potable drinking water will be your most important concern.
While it may not be a “remedy” in the way that cinnamon or witch hazel are, drinking water actually has many health benefits. It can help cure asthma, high blood pressure, migraines, and colitis as well as being an appetite suppressant.
And, of course, it is also essential for living.
When SHTF, everyone in your household will require water to drink. This water should be distilled to prevent you or your family from contracting illnesses from contaminated water.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, each person should have at least one gallon of water per day. This includes half a gallon for drinking and a half gallon to use for food preparation.
Some authorities say you should store away at least 10 days’ worth of water for every member of your household.
If you have city or county water, which is already treated, you can store water in clean plastic soda bottles or milk jugs. Or, you can buy bottled water. Store your water in a dark, dry, and cool location.
If you need to treat possibly contaminated water, whether it’s water you find in the wild or from a suspicious looking spigot, there are two methods for doing so.
Boiling Method
You should heat the water to a rolling boil for 1-3 minutes in order to destroy contaminants.
Once the water is cooled, you can store it in clean bottles.
Bleach Method
Use regular, unscented household bleach to purify water. You should add about ¼ teaspoon bleach to a gallon of water and let it sit for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight bleach smell.
If it doesn’t, repeat the dose and let stand for 15 more minutes.
Other Natural Remedies
There are plenty of other easily found herbs and tinctures that can cure or help with a whole slew of ailments. Here are a few:
Of course, this is not even close to an exhaustive list but it should give you an idea of how plentiful and common these remedies are.
Are You Prepared?
If you’re wanting to prepare your family for an eventual emergency, adding several natural products to your repertoire can go a long way toward treating health conditions that might crop up.
Natural medicine and remedies have been used by humans since the dawn of time, and many of our modern-day medications are still derived from the fruits of the Earth.
Mother Nature gave us the tools we need to handle a multitude of problems. By identifying some natural products with excellent health benefits, you can give your family a leg up in the event the unthinkable happens.
Hey everyone I’m Chris. Founder and editor at Gun News Daily (www.gunnewsdaily.com). This site was originally started by my father who passed it on to me.
Gun News Daily has been reporting on gun news and conservative politics since 2001. We are the original gun news source. Life-long Second Amendment Supporter.
