One great pharmacological resource that every survivalist/prepper should have is the Pearson Nurse’s Drug Guide. It has accurate, clinical information on hundreds of drugs, including dosages, side effects, and interactions with other drugs, herbals and food. It also has a diagnostic glossary of clinical conditions and their related symptoms.
Now, anyone who knows me knows how much I utterly despise the pharmaceutical industry, and if you’re reading this, you’re probably of the same opinion. Many conditions can be treated with natural or herbal remedies, and if it’s not a life-threatening situation, you should try those first and give your immune system a chance to fight off the infection on its own before reaching for the antibiotics. However, there are also a lot of situations in which herbal remedies are absolutely ineffective and only antibiotics will get the job done.
That’s why it’s important to be as well educated as you can in terms of health and the treatment of illnesses. That also includes knowing yourself. Make sure that you don’t have any allergies, or suffer adverse reactions to anything that you plan on taking, whether it’s antibiotics, or rose hips. Taking medical advice blindly can make things worse than they were to begin with. And in a survival situation, that which does not kill you, doesn’t make you stronger; it makes you weak enough for something else to kill you.
Bear in mind that antibiotics are not a cure-all. They are effective in treating bacteriological infections, but viruses are much more complicated organisms than simple bacteria, and antibiotics are ineffective at killing them. Also, not all antibiotics will be effective for everybody. Depending on what part of the country (or world) you live in, some antibiotics will be less effective for people in that region. This is due to different strains of bacteria that are prevalent in certain areas, and the over-use of certain types of antibiotics, which make the bacteria resistant to them. This is where research will come into play in deciding which antibiotics you choose to store.
Now, you might be asking: "What about shelf-life? Storing antibiotics won’t do me any good if they expire before I need to use them!" Well, in the U.S., antibiotics (and nearly all drugs) remain stable for several months, or even years after the expiration date that’s stamped on them. This is another example of collusion between the FDA and Big Pharma, in order (you guessed it) to make more money. This only came to light after the military got fed up with having to dump millions of dollars’ worth of pharmaceuticals every time they passed their expiration date, and decided to investigate the situation.
Former FDA expiration-date compliance chief Joel Davis admits that with a handful of exceptions - most notably nitroglycerin, insulin and some liquid antibiotics - most drugs are probably as durable as those the agency has tested for the military. "Most drugs degrade very slowly," he says. "In all likelihood, you can take a product you have at home and keep it for many years, especially if it’s in the refrigerator."
Just be careful. Some drugs are harmful if taken after they (truly) expire. The military was forced to sign a non-disclosure agreement, preventing them from making the true expiration dates of drugs available to the public, but the information is out there.
Here are a few resources you can go to online for good, reliable health and medical info:
www.healthfreedomusa.com
www.naturalnews.com
www.mercola.com
You should also check out The Patriot Nurse on YouTube. She has a lot of great videos full of solid, credible medical advice geared toward the post-collapse survivalist.
In the interest of full disclosure, be advised that I am not a doctor, and I don’t even play one on TV. The information in this article is based on research, and I accept no responsibility for any injury resulting from the misapplication of this information.
Lone Wolf Syndrome
Why planning to go it alone is planning to fail
by Jim Cobb
It is a common enough theme in end of the world fiction: The loner hero travels the blasted landscape, wanting to be left alone but time and again is roped into righting wrongs and saving the day.
Fairly often, the hero is accompanied by his ever-faithful sidekick, someone who is usually something of a neophyte when it comes to survival tactics.
The first example that comes to mind is in Jerry Ahern’s popular THE SURVIVALIST series with his almost mythic survival expert John Thomas Rourke and his companion Paul Rubenstein. Quite regularly, the hero also ends up saving a damsel in distress, who is all too eager to, ahem, "thank" him profusely. Think Ben Raines and Jerre Hunter from the William Johnstone OUT OF THE ASHES series.
Time and again on various online forums devoted to survivalism, I see this same mindset being displayed. When the final trigger event takes place, the self-described survivalist plans to fade away into the forest and never again visit what might remain of civilization.
Occasionally, they might mention having a small retreat set up but often the only supplies stockpiled are a few cans of beans, a roll of toilet paper, and umpteen thousand rounds of ammunition in a wide assortment of calibers. The "plan," such as it is, is to live off the land for the rest of their days. Oh, and quite often something is said about killing anyone who happens to stumble across them.
Yes, these are, presumably, adults.
The reality is this plan, if you want to call it that, is doomed to failure. Sure, going it alone for the short-term isn’t necessarily a bad idea, assuming you don’t have family to care for. If you are in immediate need of disappearing, one person is harder to find than two or more. I’ll even go so far as to agree that, presuming the requisite skill sets are present, a single person could last a very long time living off the land in a remote area, successfully avoiding capture or discovery. But much like wearing size XXXL Spandex shorts, just because you can do it doesn’t mean it is a good idea.
Let’s say our hero makes it out of Dodge and to their preplanned retreat location. He is all set up with a stockpile of food, water, and ammo. My question is: what then?
Who is going to watch over your retreat while you’re out playing the Great White Hunter and checking your trap lines?
Who is going to stand watch against the mutant zombie bikers while you sleep? Even if you can manage to pull this off, it is subsistence living at best. You’re surviving, sure, but to what end? If your ultimate goal is just to stay above ground sucking air, well, O.K. But is that really a life worth living?
Outside Hollywood-created fantasies, no single survivalist can possibly know every skill that could come into play. There just aren’t enough hours in a day, or days in a lifetime, to learn it all. Sure, you could probably get by without knowing advanced chemistry or physics, but how about basic engine repair, animal husbandry, advanced first aid, gun-smithing, leather working, metal working, carpentry, basic plumbing, and any number of other skill sets? If you don’t have those skills now, when will you have the time to devote to learning them, while at the same time keeping up with your daily life? Sure, the pioneers (as just one example) were able to survive, even thrive, on their homesteads without much assistance. But, they also had practiced skills like these their entire lives.
I’d be willing to bet many, if not most, armchair survivalists have maybe a tenth of the practical knowledge those folks had in their day. And much of the knowledge and skills they do have just aren’t practiced very often.
Now, some folks have this as their basic plan but will be accompanied by their family, spouse, kids, perhaps a close family friend or two. We’ll call this the Lone Wolf Plus Family Plan. Ok, let’s play this out. You and your brood have successfully made it to your retreat. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of acres of wilderness surround you. You have food and supplies stockpiled to augment wild game and gathered veggies and fruits. You have enough heirloom seeds to last several years of crops. You and yours can conceivably last many years without ever seeing another human being.
Again: Then what?
Your kids are going to grow up. Unless you have some
vision of them living in a post-apocalyptic version of a V.C. Andrews novel, they are going to need some kind of contact with the outside world at some point. For starters, the gene pool is suddenly going to become awfully shallow and stagnant without some kind of interaction with a larger population.
What is the better alternative to being a Lone Wolf or the Lone Wolf Plus Family? Find like-minded individuals in your area and start getting to know them. Get out there and meet your neighbors. You might be surprised how many folks right in your area are interested in being prepared. If you already have property purchased for your retreat, get to know the people living in that area. Spend a lot of time getting acquainted with them and the area. Slowly introduce emergency preparedness into conversations and see where it leads.
Again, you might be pleasantly surprised. Learn who has the skills you might lack. If your retreat is near a small town, get involved to some degree. Attend the corn roasts, visit the library book sales, give the Mom-and-Pop businesses your patronage.
Let them get to know you, at least on a surface level.
The idea isn’t necessarily to invite a ton of people to your retreat. Please don’t think I’m suggesting or advocating that approach. Obviously, if you’ve taken the time to prepare a retreat and stockpile supplies, you want to keep it low-key. But, if there comes a time when society falls apart, you just might find yourself in need of a product or service another local could provide. That’s not the best time for a sudden introduction.
A final thought: Don’t underestimate the potentially lethal danger of loneliness.
Going it alone will get old after a while. Human beings are pack animals, to a degree. At our core, we’re kind of wired in such a way that we seek companionship and friendship. In fact, recent scientific studies indicate loneliness can raise the levels of stress hormones and also cause the heart and circulatory system to work harder. Further, research seems to indicate there is an increased risk of stroke. Mentally, it can lead to poor decision making as well as decreased memory and learning.
It is probably a given that, in an end of the world scenario, we’ll be engaging in more physical labor than we are probably used to performing on a daily basis. Adding in heart problems on top of that is pretty much a recipe for disaster, especially when coupled with poor decision-making.
One of the reasons solitary confinement is such a severe punishment is the mental toll it takes on a person. As a species, we crave personal interaction. We need the touch of another person, even if it is nothing more than a handshake or a pat on the back. What do you think the Tom Hanks character Chuck Noland would have traded to have Wilson be an actual human being? Even the prototypical survivalist, the mountain man of early 19th Century America, came to town from time to time. They would trade their pelts for needed supplies and likely as not stop by the local saloon for some respite. They also held annual rendezvous to keep in touch with one another. Whether consciously or otherwise, those redoubtable individualists recognized the need for fellowship among their kind.
I have met very few individuals who could likely pull off going it solo for the long-term. Interestingly enough, those same people rarely, if ever, brag about their skills and, in fact, don’t discuss their plans much at all. Take that for what it is worth.
Jim Cobb is a freelance writer, survivalist, and licensed private investigator residing in the Upper Midwest. He is the owner of www.SurvivalWeekly.com . Jim can be contacted via email to [email protected].
Spotlight: Midland GXT1050VP4 Two-Way Radios
by Ed Corcoran
In a disaster, or emergency situation, communication is a high-priority. When these events occur, land-lines are typically rendered useless and cell-phones may no longer work due to damage to the transmitting towers. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep at least one pair of two-way radios (or "walkie-talkies") in your family’s emergency kit.
This will allow you to get in touch with family members if you get separated, and also receive valuable information from the outside world.
Features: 22 Channels, JIS4 Waterproof, 284 Privacy Codes, 36 Mile Range, X-TRA TALK Power, SOS Siren, Weather Scan, Direct Call, NOAA Weather Alert Radio, 10 Call Alerts, eVOX voice activation, Channel Scan, Dual Watch, Vibrate Alert , Auto Squelch, Keypad Lock, Whisper, Monitor, HI/MED/LO Power Settings, Roger Beep, Silent Operation, Bright Backlit Display [LCD], Mic and Headphone Jacks, Battery Life Extender, Drop-in Charger Capable, Dual Power Options - 4 standard "AA" batteries (not included) or rechargeable batteries. List Price: $99.00
Book Review of American Apocalypse: The Beginning, by "Nova"
Reviewed by Jerry Erwin
While looking for some material for this summer’s post-apocalyptic reading list, I chose three titles: The old Pat Frank classic Alas, Babylon; a British novel called One; and a new book, just out since last year, entitled American Apocalypse: The Beginning. I figured that any book with the image of an 1886 Peacemaker Revolver on the cover had to be decent. (I learned later, however, that it was the main character’s revolver, a .44 Mag. Ruger Vaquero. Don’t I feel stupid? But then again, who makes their own design of a single-action cowboy revolver, in this day and age?)
The familiar classic Alas, Babylon was OK, if you visualize things around 1959-1960 (It reminded me of that retro post-apocalyptic RPG, Fallout). One, however, was an absolute joke. The author was constantly trying to emulate Poe: Every single page found something covered with maggots, or people missing limbs, and things of that kind. After about 70 pages it got so stupid and repetitive that I simply gave up on the book.
I’m happy to report that American Apocalypse: The Beginning was totally different. As soon as I started reading it, I knew I was going to love it! This novel perfectly blends current socio-economic events into a near-future, dystopian hell, where living conditions for the average American get worse, in a slow collapse that decides to speed up a little bit, not too different from the early part of Jim Rawles’ Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse. The book’s vision also reminded me of Octavia Butler’s masterpiece, Parable of the Sower.
The story follows the life of an unemployed IT support guy, Mike, as he adapts to the economically devastated world around Washington D.C. a few years from now. The action is set against a backdrop of ongoing wars (presumably in Afghanistan and elsewhere), along with increasing unemployment, the implacable growth of the federal government, and an equally relentless onslaught of bogus "happy" news from the government-allied, Orwellian news media. The protagonist bumps into a modern day specialist in violence, an Afghan War veteran, who is kind enough to train him in the use of firearms and other valuable skills.
One of my big issues with post-collapse fiction has been a lack of technical accuracy regarding weapons, military equipment, etc. Some authors simply try to "wing it," instead of doing the necessary research, or having a technical advisor available. In this case, author Steve Campbell, writing under the pseudonym "Nova," nails it in detail, whether describing a couple of people trying to heft a .50 BMG off a Humvee, or the sound of filled ammo cans hitting pavement.
The authors’ inspiration and information on current economic trends comes exclusively from the "Calculated Risk" website (www.calculatedriskblog.com) --which appears to be a highly detailed, predictive-analytical website similar to The Automatic Earth -- and other radical, yet highly qualified financial websites.
The only negative aspect of this novel is a lack of physical description of characters. Embarrassing as it is to say, I thought that the main character was African-American, almost until the near-end of the story, simply because of a reference he made early in the story to someone who "was cool for a white kid." Other than one specialist in violence, Max, whose description makes me think of a variation Dolph Lundgren, the author simply doesn’t help the reader clearly imagine the characters in his story.
I’m currently waiting for my copy of American Apocalypse II: Refuge, from Amazon. All I have to say to Nova at this point is,
"We want more! We want more!"
Jerry Erwin publishes the Suburban Self Reliance blog at www.suburban-self-reliance.com
Editor’s Note
by Ed Corcoran
Welcome to issue #2 of Survivalist Magazine! I’d like to take a moment to thank the talented contributors and staff of Survivalist for all the hard work that made our premiere issue possible.
And I’d especially like to thank our readers and subscribers for making it such a huge success! The response to the first issue was just incredible! Thanks for all your kind words, your kudos -- and yes, even criticisms. Publishing a magazine is an evolutionary process and your feedback helps us shape Survivalist into the best resource it can possibly be.
You’ve probably noticed that we’ve expanded the magazine another 16 pages in order to deliver more content and value to our readers. In this issue, we’ve focused on survival firearms and self-defense with a host of new contributing experts: Robert Scott Bell, Leon Pantenburg, Kellene Bishop, Chance Sanders, Mr. Smashy and Marty Hayes. We also offer articles from returning contributors Lisa Bedford, Jim Cobb, John Milandred and Jerry Erwin. In addition, we have received a lot of great submissions, which, due to space constraints, could not be included in this issue, even with the additional pages. We look forward to publishing their informative articles in future issues!
I’m happy to announce that Survivalist has been picked up by Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and several other major retail outlets and newsstands. If you don’t see Survivalist at your favorite store, ask the manager to carry it! Requests from the public play a big role in how bookstore owners and managers decide what goes on their shelves.
Survivalist Anthologies Volume 1 Page 5
