Surviving Through A Nuclear Attack- How Ready Are You?

     Radiation exposure causes Radiation Sickness and the degree or severity of signs and symptoms depend entirely on how much exposure you may have had and for how long. The radiation dose that is absorbed by a human being is measured in Rads or Grays. In any case, the signs and symptoms of radiation exposure causing radiation sickness can present initially as nausea and vomiting, weakness, easy fatigability, followed by easy bleeding from mucosal surfaces, bloody diarrhea, sloughing of skin, and hair loss. This means literally all cells in the body are affected and in consequence as are organ functions.
   
     Radiation from a thermonuclear blast is different in that if you were to survive a nuclear blast or attack there are certain important factors to consider in terms of preparedness and survivability. A nuclear blast can produce a shock wave that can travel at a velocity almost as fast as the speed of sound and depending on the burst altitude and, more importantly, the explosive yield of the weapon, a blast radius can reach a circumference of of 60 miles or more.

     Of course it helps if you happen to have an underground bunker or shelter or if your house is made entirely of concrete walls, but honestly, how many of us have that? Here are some helpful key points or advice to consider:

1.      Distance is better. The further you are from the center the better chance of surviving. Also          stay close to ground level. Avoid being on anything but ground level floors.
2.      Depending on elevation and wind speed a blast wave can hit you in mere seconds so                  reaction time is crucial. Stay indoors. Look for a room in the house or wherever you may be      that, in your best judgement, think stands a fair chance of holding up against a concussion          blast. Basements are always better but if your house doesn't have that choose a room with          the least windows as long as it is in the ground floor.
3.      Once you got that settled there a handful of items you must prepare or have with you when        the time does come. This is not a thorough or complete list but it does entail the most                  important items you will be needing:

•  Drinking Water. You need at least a liter of water per family member per day and you need to multiply that by 3 because you might have to be "bunked in" for at least 3 days.
• Antibiotics, wound dressings, a good tourniquet, burn lotion or salves. Make or avail of a First Aid Kit.
• Flashlight, Flares, a Whistle.
• A fully charged cellphone ( or two)
• Important documents and ID's. Make a note of your blood type and every family member's blood type as well.
• Warm blankets and toiletries.
• Food, Honey, Beans, Dried Meats, Canned goods. MRE's
• Supplements that are high in antioxidants like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Vitamin D.
• A working transistor radio to listen in on emergency broadcasts.
• Shampoos and soaps to wash off parts of your body you think may have been exposed to radiation. Remember that if you go out you get exposed immediately.

     Try to resist the urge to go out unless you really have to because radiation levels vary depending on the materials which absorb them. The most important thing for you to do is to stay put and utilize your survival skills along with common sense to increase your chance of survival. Garlic, Onions, Green Juice, Apples, Beets, and even Papayas are foods that are high in anti-oxidant properties to try to cope with radiation damage but realistically speaking you probably will not have these around or even have time to gather them. Try to stock up on MRE's ( Meals-Ready to-Eat). Always hydrate and supplement. Also, know that your house is made of materials that can absorb or shield against radiation. Bottom line is you will have some degree of exposure even in the best or optimal settings.

     Remember that there is no real ideal model for surviving through a nuclear threat. Preparedness and a working knowledge can mean the difference between survival and demise. Let's hope and pray we never have to go through one.

Change your Diet, Change your Life.

A lot of people have misconceptions and false precepts about food in general. For the most part, this is due to what we see and hear and learn from the internet, television, and from colleagues and friends in general. It used to be that the old cliche would read," You are what you eat...". Nowadays, however with new technology and new discoveries on the nutritive value as well as healing and regenerative properties of different food types, it makes sense then that you as the consumer should and would benefit from having a wide understanding of what foodstuffs are actually made of and how they affect your health.

All food have nutritive value. Some, more so than others but in all there is nutrition to be had in food. At least, to that end we can all agree. What you should focus more on, however, is which types of foods offer the highest nutritive value? Also a lot of us have misconceptions on what proper and adequate nutrition should be. Let us take two very unique  examples of individuals who have certain eating habits, if you will.

Individual A works in an office, takes her kids to and from school, attends yoga or even a zumba fitness class whenever her time and schedule allows, and is really health conscious in terms of what she eats. She consumes a lot of salads, health drinks, nuts, fruits and vegetables, adheres to a low-fat, low-carb diet, but an occasional Friday night pasta wouldn't hurt either. The problem is she feels really tired most of the time, drowsy, and sometimes feels out of energy.

Then there is Individual B who works as a Construction Worker who is a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy who enjoys steaks, hearty sandwiches, and pan pizzas, with an occasional candy bar or two. None of that Tofu Bean sprout nonsense for this guy. The problem is as times goes by he starts to complain of irregular bowel habits, constipation, shortness of breath, drowsiness, and maybe an episode or two of chest discomfort.

Do you see where this is heading? If both individuals were to share their diets and eating habits with one another don't you think they can both benefit from it? YES!! They certainly can.

The point I am trying to get across here is that MODERATION IS THE KEY to healthy eating. Never dismiss the staying power and energy provided by a good slice of steak or even a glazed donut. However, don't dismiss the nutritive and rejuvenative value of a good bowl of salad or a tall glass of green Kale juice either.

You have to take into consideration several factors by which our bodies utilize food nutrients;

1. Your lifestyle- how much activity do you do on a daily basis.

2. How often do you eat in a day- do you space your meals or just constantly eat throughout the day.

3. Your age-you'll find that as you get older your nutritional demand changes as well.

4. Your BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate- how fast does your body burn utilize micro and 

     macronutrients.

5. The amount of mental or brain work you do in a day.

6. During Disease or Recovery states- when you are sick or are recovering from, say a surgical       

    procedure, then you will need special nutritional needs.

7. Your body's restive state- do you get enough sleep? If you lack sleep you find yourself eating more 

    to stay alert and focused

8. States of Hormonal Imbalance.

So there you have it.