How to Stay Healthy During an Emergency

Often, when prepping for an emergency, people will focus on the base necessities but will forget about important health concerns that can come up, but could easily be avoided with survivalist supplements. Any serious survivalist will know that survival means more than just staying alive. They also know that in the event of a serious emergency, there may not be the resources to get the needed nutrition that one can get from a healthy and diversified diet. This is why there are a number of supplements for survival options. They can ensure that you will can remain healthy, vital and reactive in even the most dire of emergency situations.

Prepare for the Worst

Preparation is key to survival in an disaster. When readying yourself and your home for survival there are several things you’ll want to prepare for.  When most people think of survival they think of food and water, and while those are vital there are other things you will want to consider.

Your diet should be a large concern when planning a smart survival cache or bug-out bag, it’s when gonna keep you going through it all. Simple filling foods won’t cut it, survival rations, freeze dried food, even MRE’s will leave you lacking in essential nutrition required to survive in the worst situations.

Proper nutrition in these situations isn’t just keeping yourself from being hungry, you want it to provide efficient energy without leaving you feeling tired, and support your immune system and your bodies ability to heal.

There are a number of situations that can call for the need to prepare, including:

Pandemic

In our modern globalized world the threat of disease outbreaks become more and more of a reality. Due to increased global travel, the spread of foreign diseases, normally benign in their native environments spread, infecting people with no natural immunity. More “super viruses” are found every year, resistant or immune to modern antibiotics.  Areas suffering from pandemics are usually quick to lose access to vital resources, making survival difficult.’  Diet’s that don’t support immune function can quickly lead to you becoming one of the infected.

Terrorism

Both global and domestic threats by fanatical terrorist have become greater threat to day to day life for people living across the globe. On a daily basis the damage caused in terrorist attacks can be seen on both television news and across the web.  With such a random destructive threat out there, that could happen anytime, anywhere, being prepared is key to surviving the ensuing chaos that follows such disasters.

Natural Disasters

From floods and tornadoes to massive earthquakes or even a volcano, natural disasters can a wide reaching effect both on the environment and cities affected. The destruction caused locally can disrupt travel, agriculture, and many other facets of daily life. We have all seen on the news cities devastated natural disaster, the unprepared masses forced to either loot to survive or starve. With proper planning this won’t happen to you!

Hope for the Best

When planning for disaster it’s easy to get overwhelmed, but don’t let it get you down you’re already heading in the right direction. Having a bit of know-how and the foresight to plan ahead will increase your chances of survival immensely.

According to a national survey by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 2012, more than 50% of people said they were not familiar with local natural threats or government warning systems. Over 40% of people said they did not have any form of emergency supplies. 60% said they didn’t even have a flashlight!

So as you can see a little preparedness can put you way ahead of the game.

Supplements for Survival

When you are looking to survive in a real world emergency situation, one of the best things that you can do is to be prepared. Supplements are vital for preppers that want to ensure that they (and their family) are healthy, so that they can fend off environmental changes, disease (natural or intentional biological warfare), protect from radiation and much more. Essentially, supplements for survival can give you the upper hand that you need to stay alive.

What You Need to Stay Alive

Below you will find a list of vital supplements for survival that should be included in any prepper’s long term emergency kit. Furthermore, it is advised to put a small ration of supplies in a bug out bag, which should at the bare minimum include:

• Multivitamins for Survival (Similar to Food Replacement Rations but in pellet or pill form)
• First aid supplements such as tea tree oil and garlic
• Herbs for teas and tinctures

For long term kits, you will want to include up to two years of supplies, as most herbal supplements and vitamins have a shelflife of that long.

Create your kit from some of the choices below. Consider your own lifestyle and needs. If you are female or have women in your group, especially those around childbirth years or that may become pregnant, you will want to include added and specific supplements for survival that can help with women’s issues and fetal health.

Food Replacement Rations

A great start for any prepper survival supplement kit, Food replacement rations or Emergency Ration (ER) are calorie rich bars of dried food for a lightweight supply of food.  They are generally made to eat without any preperation and come with many of the vitamins and minerals required for healthy survival.

While their utility is obvious they do have some drawbacks. Due to their dried composition, these bars generally will require you to increase your water intake to make up for the difference, and with extended use can lead to several health problems including constipation and dehydration.

Additionally, because they are packaged to stay fresh for years or even decades, they lack some of the living bacteria and other essential nutritional elements needed to persevere in the harshest situations.

How Food Replacement Rations Will Help You Survive

While they have a few setbacks, food replacement Rations should be a staple of any emergency preparedness plans food supplies.  Their light weight design and easy to travel design makes it perfect for short term survival in almost any situation.

Elderberry

Also known as Sambucus, the elderberry has been used for centuries for the treatment of flu and other illness, as well as creating alcohol, fabric dyes, and even poison. There are over 30 different varieties of sambucus out there, most of which grow wildly throughout the northern hemisphere. Not all forms of sambucus grow elderberries, but the ones that do are grown commercially for both medicine as well as food and alcohol.

While the cooked form of sambucus berries, flowers, leaves and juice is non toxic,  when left unheated in any way are moderately toxic, and contain a cyanide inducing glycoside which becomes poisonous when eaten in abundance.

How Elderberry Will Help You Survive

Several scientific papers have shown the multiple beneficial medicinal effects of elderberry. In multiple studies it has shown a capacity to increase the immune function in its users, especially in people suffering or at risk for viral or bacterial infections.

The effectiveness of elderberry was shown in 1995 when it was successfully used for the treatment of a flu pandemic in Panama. Users reported they had less severe symptoms and recovered more rapidly than those that did not use elderberry juice.

Ginkgo Biloba

Native to China, the Ginkgo Biloba or “Maidenhair” tree is one of the oldest types of trees on earth with fossil records of it dating back over 270 million years. Since as early as the 15th century it has been used for the reduction of stress as well as increasing memory and cognitive function. Due to its medicinal properties it is now cultivated in several places across the globe including India and Germany where it has been a registered medicine since 1965.

How Ginkgo Biloba Will Help You Survive

One of the key benefits of ginkgo use is its ability to mitigate stress without dulling the senses, leaving you able to overcome any situation with a clear and level head. This can be vital in any emergency situation when things are at their most stressful, and give you the edge you’ll need to survive.

Panax Ginseng

Grown across the globe from china all the way to the united states, Ginseng has been used for centuries for reducing stress, as well as enhancing mental focus and immune function.  The name Panax comes from greek and means “All-Heal”, and is called this due to its multiple medicinal properties because of its effect as an adaptogen.

How Ginseng Will Help You Survive

Because of its effect as an adaptogen Panax Ginseng is a great addition to any survival cache. Adaptogens work to create homeostasis in your body, which is a internal balance. Think of it like a “reset” button to your body's hormone and chemical levels, a way to restore imbalances that can come up from stress, malnutrition, or other factors.  It does this by acting as a stimulant to some organs and glands while a depressant to others in a complex fashion.

Additionally in survival situations ginseng works as both a mild stimulant and stress reliever, perfect for situations where you need focus without the jitters.

Insect Repelling Supplements

One threat most people overlook when preparing for disaster is preparing for insects. In situations such as natural disasters or pandemics insects can be as much of a threat as the disaster itself due to their ability to spread disease and weaken morale.

While there are dozens of insect repellants available out there, many have toxic chemicals such as DEET, which are unsuitable for children, making them not safe for your family, plus they come in bulky aerosol containers, unsuited for long travel or emergency survival.  An alternative to these are certain supplements which make you unappealing meals to predatory insects.

How Insect Repelling Supplements Will Help You Survive

The two most readily available insect repelling supplements out there are Vitamin B1 and Garlic, both of which cause your skin to release certain aromas that have a natural insect repelling ability.  As they are both supplements helpful for maintaining a healthy diet anyhow, getting the additional benefit of naturally repelling harmful insects is a win-win.

Milk Thistle

Also known as Mary Thistle and Holy Thistle, milk thistle is a plant native to southern europe and asia and has been used for centuries as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory as well as been used to treat liver problems including jaundice, cirrhosis, and hepatitis. As an annual or biennial plant they are fairly easy to grow and harvest with little effort in most environments around the country.

How Milk Thistle Will Help You Survive

The primary benefit of milk thistle in survival situations is its ability to help people recover from liver damage caused by industrial toxins like xylene and toluene, which are common solvents used in everything from plastic to explosives and jet fuel.  Easy to absorb through contact with the skin or breathed in smoke from burning plastics and fuel, industrial materials like this can become a real hazard in any battlefield or other urban survival environment.  Additionally it works as both an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, both handy to have in dangerous situations.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Also known as W3 fatty acids and n-3 fatty acids, Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids that are necessary for healthy mental function, heart health, and to reduce the risk of some cancers.

There are three different types of omega 3 fatty acid,  eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), both of which are found in most marine life. Additionally there is  α-linolenic acid (ALA),  which can be found in some plant sources such as flaxseed, walnut, and hemp.

How Omega 3 Fatty Acids Will Help You Survive

Multiple studies have shown that omega 3 fatty acids are good for heart health, and can lower elevated triglyceride levels, a common problem when living off of rations.  Too many triglycerides in your system can leave you lacking energy, unable to perform at your peak.

Another benefit to those survivalist with asthma is omega 3 fatty acids effect as an anti-inflammatory on the lungs, which can be crucial if you are in an emergency situation and can’t be slowed down by an asthma attack.  While it won’t substitute as an inhaler, it can reduce your need for it drastically.

Probiotics

When most people think of bacteria they think of the harmful variety that causes deadly infectious diseases like tuberculosis and bubonic plague, but not all bacteria are harmful.

Probiotics are a type of living bacteria found in your body as well as foods like yeast, and are good for digestive and gastrointestinal health.   While we have only known about probiotics since the mid 1990s a lot of research has been done to see how they benefit stomach health.

How Probiotics Will Help You Survive

The greatest benefit of probiotics in a survival situation is there ability to restore beneficial bacteria to the gut after they have been lost from illness or antibiotic use. Without the beneficial bacteria helping you process nourishment your body won’t be able to use the nutrition available to it, leaving in an even worse condition.

Bee Pollen

Most people know that bee pollen can help to fend off allergies. This is because bees produce pollen from common local plants. This pollen is processed and used in the honey making process. You can get bee pollen straight from a beehive, but in the case of an emergency, do you really want to risk it? Rather, make sure to have some on hand with your prepper survival supplements. It can be frozen or kept cold to ensure that it lasts.

How Bee Pollen Will Help You Survive

The biggest benefit of bee pollen is that it will help you to adapt to changing environments or a new area. Additionally, bee pollen as a survival supplement can help your body adapt to radiation. It has been proven to work with patients of chemotherapy, where bee pollen aids antibody production and encourages growth of white and red blood cells.

Vitamins

Vitamins are a organic compound that is vital nutrient that required for continued survival.  Additionally something is only a vitamin if it is an organic compound that your body cannot synthesise a sufficient quantity of.  There are thirteen different known vitamins needed for human survival.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a group of unsaturated nutritional compounds that are important for both immune function and good vision. Comprised of several compounds including retinol and beta-carotene, which are used for creating and repairing the cells light absorbing of the eye. The vitamin is primarily found in foods such as carrots, green leafy vegetables, milk products and animal fat, but can also be found in most multivitamins.

How Vitamin A Will Help You Survive

Having vitamin A, like all other vitamins is a must for any survival cache. With its benefits to both immune function and vision health, as well as being necessary for the functioning of most of the organs in your body, it’s required packing if you plan to survive.

B-Complex Vitamins

Called a complex because it’s comprised of 6 different compounds (B1, B2, B3, B5, B9 and B12). Contained in all meats, green vegetables, grains, cereals, and most dairy products, it’s an abundant vitamin necessary for both healing and metabolism.

How B-Complex Vitamins Will Help You Survive

While it can be found in most foods, supplementing your intake in dangerous situations can never hurt.  As it is used for the production of bone, muscle and skin cells, it’s paramount that you have enough vitamin b complex anytime you are injured.  Additionally vitamin b deficiency can lead to a host of medical conditions including anemia and mental degradation, which can be fatal in life or death situations.

Vitamin C

Also known by its scientific name of L-ascorbic acid, or simply ascorbate, vitamin C is an essential nutrient, necessary for human survival. Used by the body for a variety of processes including collagen production, which is necessary for healing injuries. Additionally it works as a antioxidant, which reduces oxidative stress, a primary cause of cancer and tumors.  Found in fresh fruits and vegetables such as citrus fruits and tomatoes, it is easy to supplement into your diet. It also can be found rarely in colder climates, in green plants such as pine needles.

How Vitamin C Will Help You Survive

Vitamin C should be in any emergency cache as it is necessary for continued survival. Used by your body for both the healing of wounds and fractures, recovering from illness, as well as metabolising of iron means it’s a necessity.  Lack of vitamin C in the field can lead to a host of medical conditions including anemia, loss of teeth or hair, bleeding gums and mucus membranes, scurvy and even death.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a group of fat soluble steroids that are needed by your body to efficiently absorb necessary minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphate, and zinc. It can be found in dairy and animals, especially in fish. It is also enriched into certain juices and foods. Another way to get Vitamin D is through sunlight, however in certain emergency situations you might not be able to see the sun regularly enough to get the amount you need. This is why it is considered an essential supplement for survival.

How Vitamin D Will Help You Survive

Vitamin D supports a number of functions in the body, specifically strengthening the skeletal system and preventing illness. For pregnancy it is essential for a developing fetus’ bones. Vitamin D works with minerals directly as well. It works with Magnesium to help the muscles function and aids in regulation of both phosphorous and calcium.

Vitamin E

Dissolvable in fat, Vitamin A can be found in a host of cereals, fruits, vegetables and grains. It is used both topically and through ingestion, so it is always helpful to have a number of sources of Vitamin E on hand. As a survival supplement, this vitamin packs a punch because it is useful for so many functions within the body.

How Vitamin E Will Help You Survive

Vitamin E is a compound that helps with the cardiovascular system. It increases strength of the heart and helps to protect the arteries and capillaries, while increasing blood flow. The vitamin will encourage breakup of plaque off of arterial walls and many people use it to prevent leg and chest pain due to blocked arteries, reduce the risk of heart attack and to reduce blood pressure. Another condition it can help with is diabetes. Additionally, it is used to prevent a number of ailments as well. Applied topically to the mouth it can help to heal mouth sores and to prevent mouth cancer. Many healthcare professionals recommend this vitamin to maintain health of the eyes, sexual organs and for cramps.

Vitamin K

Found mostly from leafy green vegetables and meat sources, Vitamin K is common in cheese and eggs as well. It is helpful for anemia and bleeding disorders, mainly. While you can generally get the amount of Vitamin K from a multivitamin, if you have symptoms of Vitamin K deficiency, you should consider also having it on hand as a survival supplement.

How Vitamin K Will Help You Survive

A Vitamin K deficiency can cause problems for the body because it can cause blood thinning and a number of concerns. It is quite common that babies will be given an injection of the vitamin for clotting purposes. Adults don’t need it as often, but running the risk of being deficient in Vitamin K is certainly not worth the risk. If you get cut and your blood won't clot, you can’t heal. In extreme cases you could die.

Minerals

Aside from vitamins, minerals are also needed to help the body function. On a daily basis, minerals aid in many of the essential functions of the body for survival. However, a number of the minerals on this list can also help with out of the norm situations, such as aiding in resistance to radiation. These survival supplement minerals are often included in multivitamins, but since you never know what you may run into in an emergency situation, it is a good idea to have some backups in case you develop a deficiency and need the added benefits of a certain mineral.

Calcium

Calcium is required for healthy bone growth in both children and adults. Normally, you can get it from milk and dairy, but in the case of an emergency situation, it may be hard to get the enough to get the calcium that you need.

How Calcium Will Help You Survive

While there are many benefits to having calcium in your system on a regular basis, in the case of nuclear situation, you will be happy to have this mineral on hand in your prepper supplement kit. This is because it can block the intake of radioisotopes. So in the case of a nuclear event, it can keep your body healthy and help to process out what could kill you.

Iron

In an emergency situation the last thing that you want to is to feel anemic or fatigued, both of which can happen with an iron deficiency. It is suggested to have cast iron cookware and to incorporate iron as a supplement for survival as needed.

How Iron Will Help You Survive

Iron helps with blood production and is necessary for the creation of red blood cells in the body. It can help women with heavy menstruation flow, aid in healing from kidney disease and also filter out radiation in the blood. Additionally, there are a number of beneficial attributes for iron and women who are pregnant, babies and children. During pregnancy, the body needs support for the additional blood flow in order to help the growth of the fetus. Increased iron is recommended to prevent anemia and other prenatal complications. Babies will benefit from increased iron through breastmilk.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is normally easy enough for the human body to process and attain, however one can become deficient quickly. This is especially true if they are sick. Certain illnesses and disease like kidney infections can cause a person to not get enough phosphorus.

How Phosphorus Will Help You Survive

Phosphorus helps to keep the urinary tract clear, as it breaks down acids. If you are prone to this kind of illness or have any problems with your kidneys, then you need to be sure that you have phosphorus as part of your prepper survival supplement kit.

Potassium

Potassium is an easy enough to find supplement for survival when you have a grocery store on hand. Bananas, green leafy vegetables and many other plant sources have them. However, many of these plants are not local. Because of the benefits of potassium are so great, it would be good to not run the risk of depleting the resources in the body, so you want to make sure that you have some on hand.

How Potassium Will Help You Survive

Potassium performs a number of functions in the body, specifically regarding muscle function and waste removal. It reduces hypertension, lowers risks for stroke and can help to fight off depression, weakness, fatigue, insomnia and spasms. Additionally, potassium can help block radiation from being absorbed by the thyroid, which can be very helpful in the event of nuclear warfare.

Sulfur

Sulfur is another of those minerals that is common in a normal diet and is pretty easy to make sure that your levels are optimal. However, if you have troubles with general food storage and want to be sure that you have enough, you will want to consider an added sulfur supplement for your survival kit in order to protect from radiation.

How Sulfur Will Help You Survive

There were studies in Japan that showed that sulfur helped people survive post attack, which was noted by accident. Miso soup, popular in Japan and made from fermented soybeans, is loaded with sulfur and something that they ate a lot. It has also been noted since then that sulfur can help the body process harmful radiation. This is because sulfur aids in the oxidation of the cells and can promote filtration within the body.

Teas and Tinctures

One of the easiest ways to get additional vitamins and minerals is through tea and tinctures. Teas are crafted by steeping the plant or herb in hot water. Tinctures are created by mixing an alcohol-based extractant with the plant and letting it seep over time.  The benefits of using these kinds of supplements is that they are simple to make with items that you can either find in the wild or may already have on hand.

Blackberry Leaf

While blackberries themselves have a number of beneficial properties, thanks largely to the high amount of antioxidants found in the fruit. However, if you use the leaves as a survival supplement or as an ingredient in tea, you will find additional helpful qualities that can help you with discomforts such as diarrhea and ulcer treatments.

Additionally, it can also help when sipped in tea to defend your mouth from sores, your gums from bleeding and throat from hurting. There is some evidence that blackberry leaves provide both a reduction in mucus membrane inflammation as well as mild antibiotic qualities.

Dandelion

Dandelions are easy to find most of the year, as they grow all around the world. However, using the dried leaves and root of the plant as a survival supplement in a warm cup of tea is helpful, a good reason to have dried rations of the plant on hand in an emergency situation.

Dandelion tea is known to be a stomach tonic that can both help to prevent urinary tract infections (when paired with Uva Ursi, another herb) and to promote liver health. It should be noted that taking too much dandelion root as a prepper supplement, it can also promote weight loss. Because dandelion leaves acts as a diuretic, it should be avoided if you are lacking water to replace from that which you would expel with waste.

Elderberry Leaf

During an emergency situation, dried elderberry leaf should always be considered when planning your prepping supplements. Elderberry leaf, used in tea has some powerful properties that can keep you healthy. Known as a cleansing herb, high in antioxidants, it is often used for cleanses and to detoxify your body.

Where this survival supplement really shines though is as a treatment for the common cold and flu. Crushed leaves and elderberry tea have both been shown to reduce congestion, aid in fever reduction and to reduce aches and pains associated with both influenza and the common cold. Additionally, there is nutritional value to be found even in dried plant parts, so you are getting trace minerals and vitamins while drinking it as a tea.

Milk Thistle

We have already discussed some of the benefits of milk thistle as a prepper supplement, explaining why it is vital to have with you in the case of an emergency where you could need long term supplements for nutrients and overall health. As a tea, milk thistle is just as handy. The tea can help to maintain insulin levels for those with diabetes and also acts as an antiinflammatory on the digestive system when taken orally.

This is because the compound silymarin, which has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. When drinking milk thistle, you can also achieve the heart healthy benefits. However, if you have concerns about your cholesterol levels, you will need to drink up to three 8 oz glasses of the tea per day to have strong benefits.

Nettle

Nettle has been noted for its medicinal properties and has been used as a tea or tincture since before the dark ages. For many years it was considered the cure for joint problems, alleviating both swelling and pain associated with arthritis.

The anti-inflammatory properties of the plant can help other parts of the body as well. For example, nettle tea has been prescribed to help with prostate problems, namely in helping to reduce the size of an enlarged prostate. When used regularly, nettle can also help to combat illness and allergies.

Pine Needle

Pine needles aren’t used as often today as a common tea, unless you are caught in the wild. This is because there are a number of herbs that can do a similar job and that taste much better. However, pine needles are a great supplement for survival to have on hand as they provide more 3 times the amount of vitamin C as the average citrus fruit. Additionally, they can be used as an antiseptic mouthwash when you drink them.

Willow Bark

Similar to the effects of aspirin, Willow bark can reduce pain, specifically the kinds of pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis, menstrual cramps, muscle pain and headaches. Plus, it can ease congestion, so it is another survival supplement that you want on hand if you get the cold, flu or other illness.

Make Sure You Have Enough Supplements for Survival

Many people ignore the threats that surround us in the world today, living their lives with the mindset that the worst is never going to happen to them. Those are the people that are going to be in real trouble when a disaster is on their doorstep. Chances are that you will know a few people like this. You’ll have a choice to make. Do you have enough to help?

Survival supplements will act as a way to keep yourself and your family healthy, but keep in mind that many people will also be in need. It is a good idea to have enough supplements on hand for survival of your family in all aspects. Consider an extra amount of stored essential vitamins, minerals and supplements for your personal survival, but also for others – to help others in need or to barter for other items that you may need.

The End Is Near

Disasters happen. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Survival of the fittest is real and in the case of an national emergency, the best way to ensure survival is by making sure that you can take care of yourself. Prepper supplements give you the ability to do just that. So, what are you waiting for?

Complete your emergency kit with all of the essentials for your survival and find the supplements, vitamins and minerals that your body will need. Be prepared now so that you aren’t caught off guard when disaster does strike.