Disasters can happen at any moment. You might not be able to avoid them, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t prepare for them. Having a proper survival plan in place can definitely help you get through even the most difficult situations. Improve your chances of survival by following these essential disaster preparedness tips when SHTF. (h/t to Survivopedia.com)

Learn what potential disasters your area could face

Different geographical locations face different kinds of natural disasters. Read up on your local area’s history to find out what kind of disasters your area is prone to. Does your area frequently experience hurricanes, earthquakes, or other natural calamities? Once you know the past, you can be better prepared for the future. Finding out what you are likely to face can go a long way in helping you formulate your survival plan. (Related: You need to know these 8 essential survival tips to prepare you for the next catastrophe.)

Sign up for emergency alerts

It is important to stay informed and up-to-date on your local news and weather reports. Nowadays, you can easily sign up to receive emergency alerts on your cell phone. That way, you can always know ahead of time when severe weather is on its way.  There are also plenty of emergency apps you can download on your phone that can serve as useful tools when SHTF.

Prepare your family’s emergency kits and bug-out bags

You and your family members should each have a 72-hour emergency kit containing all the essential items that you need to survive for at least that amount of time. If you need to make a sudden evacuation, you should also have bug-out bags ready in easily accessible areas in your home. Some preppers may combine both their emergency kit and bug-out bag in one convenient pack. Depending on your needs and priorities, you can choose to do the same. Some of the important items you should pack include water, food, first aid supplies, flashlights, blankets, a cell phone charger, a multipurpose tool, spare cash, and personal hygiene items. Make sure that you and your family members know how to properly use the items in your emergency kits and bug-out bags.

Learn your local area’s evacuation routes and shelter locations

In dire emergency situations, you might need to bug out somewhere else until it is safe for you and your loved ones to return home. In this case, knowing your local area’s evacuation routes and shelter locations can certainly come in handy, especially if you and your family are separated when the disaster hits. Planning a designated meeting point can let you and your family know where to go, even if the cell phone towers are down and no one has any access to other forms of communication.

Do an indoor and outdoor home assessment

On the other hand, there might also be times when it is simply safer to stay put and bug in. In this case, you will need to do a thorough assessment of the interior and exterior of you home to make sure that it can provide ample protection when SHTF. Get rid of any dead trees or overhanging branches that may pose as hazards during a hurricane. You may also need to upgrade your home’s security and defense systems. Additionally, you should make an inventory of the supplies you will need to wait out a potential disaster and stock up on these items.

Learn more disaster preparedness tips by going to Preparedness.news.

Sources include:

Survivopedia.com

WorkingMother.com

Knowing about various medicinal plants can help you survive in a post-SHTF world. Preppers often use arnica or wolf’s bane, an herb with anti-inflammatory properties, to create natural remedies for pain relief. (h/t to SHTFPlan.com)

What is arnica?

Arnica is an herb with potent healing properties. You can use this plant to make an arnica salve, which is a must-have for your emergency kit. When used properly, arnica salve is a natural alternative to non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that may have harmful side effects. (Related: Have you heard of wolf’s bane? This pretty yellow plant has many medicinal uses.)

Guidelines for using arnica

Do not use arnica salve on open wounds or for extended periods of time since it may cause irritation. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult a healthcare professional before using arnica.

You may have allergic reactions or hypersensitivity to arnica. If this occurs, stop using arnica-based remedies. People who are allergic or hypersensitive to any plant in the Asteraceae family must avoid using arnica. Other members of this family include dahlias, daisies, dandelions, marigolds, and sunflowers.

Arnica is a powerful anti-inflammatory. The plant can be used to make a healing compress, salve, or tincture that can stimulate blood flow. Arnica can also help alleviate swelling, heal bruises and hematomas, and reduce pain.

The herb can also increase the rate of tissue regeneration. Arnica salve can address carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), osteoarthritis, and other issues linked to muscle and joint pain. Arnica can also be used as a remedy for bug bites and other minor injuries where the skin is not broken.

How to make DIY arnica salve

You can make an herbal salve once you have dried arnica blossoms. Start by making arnica-infused oil.

Arnica-infused oil recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried arnica flowers
• Olive oil (Or other carrier oils like almond oil or fractionated coconut oil)
• Vitamin E oil (optional)

Steps:

1. Put the dried arnica flowers in a pint-size Mason jar.
2. Cover the flowers with a carrier oil. The flowers must be fully submerged before you proceed.
3. Close the jar and place it in a warm cupboard away from direct sunlight. Shake the jar several times a day.
4. After four to six weeks, strain the contents of the jar to get the arnica-infused oil. Squeeze the flowers using a potato ricer or a cheesecloth, to get as much of the oil as possible.
5. This step is optional, but you can add ¼ teaspoon of vitamin E per pint of oil. Vitamin E oil is good for your skin.
6. Label and date the jar, unless you are making the arnica salve once the infused oil is done.

Arnica-infused oil will last for three years if you keep it away from light and heat.

Arnica salve recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 tablespoons arnica-infused oil
• 2 teaspoons beeswax (8 g)

Steps:

1. Make a double boiler using a heat-safe glass measuring cup and a deep saucepan. Pour some water in the pan, then place the measuring cup inside the pan. Don’t add too much water so it doesn’t spill when the water starts boiling.
2. Add the arnica-infused oil and beeswax to the glass measuring cup. Simmer the water in the pan until the beeswax has completely melted.
3. Remove the measuring cup from the pan. Stir the mixture as it cools to prevent separation.
4. Spoon the mixture into a salve tin. Alternatively, you can use a smaller jar.

Use this arnica salve to relieve aching joints, bruises, sore muscles, sprains, strains, and swelling.

As long as you do your research on medicinal plants, you will have access to natural remedies for minor aches and pains even after SHTF.

Sources include:

SHTFPlan.com

Healthline.com

JenniferMaker.com

In a SHTF situation, it is important to avoid things that could cause injuries or diseases since these could significantly diminish your chances of survival. Although most health problems are not immediately fatal, they are often accompanied by pain, which adds to the pile of things that you should worry about. Without proper care and attention, pain can become unbearable and disabling faster than its underlying cause. Fortunately, there are many natural products that can be easily accessed and utilized as pain relievers even in the absence of professional medical attention. (h/t to BioPrepper.com)

Plants are widely utilized as natural remedies for different diseases. However, not all natural products are beneficial to you. There are some that are actually harmful, especially when ingested since they could attack your body from the inside. It is important that you know the plants that are safe for use to avoid harming the body with naturally occurring toxins, such as arsenic.

Some of the most commonly utilized natural painkillers include:

• Clove oil — Based on studies, the ability of clove oil to alleviate pain is comparable to the conventional anesthetic benzocaine. People commonly used this product to treat toothaches, as well as skin itching and burning due to dryness or poisoning. Clove oil contains eugenol, a bioactive compound that can numb the pain and reduce inflammation on the affected area. Clove oil can be directly applied or it can also be made into a gel first.
• Cayenne pepper — Many people enjoy cayenne peppers because of their flavor, but there’s much more to them than that. They contain capsaicin, which stimulates the rapid release of Substance P. This compound is involved in transmitting pain signals to the brain, and since there is only a limited amount of it, the source soon becomes depleted. This causes the pain threshold to increase so that the same amount of stimuli from before won’t cause the same level of pain. Moreover, cayenne peppers contain salicylates that are also found in aspirin. To use cayenne pepper, mix it with coconut oil to form a gel or cream that can be applied directly on the skin. Don’t worry if it feels hot at first since this signals the flooding of Substance P, which precedes relief.
• Lavender — Many people are familiar with lavender because of its pretty purple flowers. Aside from this, it is widely used for killing bacteria, inducing a state of calmness, and alleviating pain. It is highly recommended for treating wounds because it doesn’t just relieve pain, it also prevents scarring and bleeding. Use lavender as a salve and rub it all over the affected area, which can also include sore muscles and joints.
• Wintergreen — Although wintergreen is not as effective as the others, it makes up for this by being widely accessible since it is very easy to grow. Many people use this as a natural remedy for headaches, toothaches, and musculoskeletal pain. Similar to cayenne pepper, wintergreen also contains methyl salicylate, which reduces pain. The most widely used form of this plant is as an essential oil, which is then topically applied to the affected area.

Many plants can serve as natural pain relievers – as long as you have these in your survival kit, you’ll have one less thing to worry about. (Related: Treating burns when SHTF: Natural ingredients for any survival scenario.)

Common causes of pain

Pain relief is an important part of survival since it is implicated in many common health problems. These may include:

• Headache
• Arthritis
• Stomachache
• Cramps
• Flu
• Irritable bowel syndrome

Learn of more plants that are good to include in your survival kit by visiting Preparedness.news.

Sources include:

BioPrepper.com

Healthline.com 1

Healthline.com 2

Blogs.ScienceMag.org

PlantEssentials.com.au

MotherEarthNews.com

Many people have become extremely dependent on technology and other scientific advancements for almost everything in life. However, for those who are living off-grid, conveniences like treatments for cuts and bruises may not be accessible. Fortunately, nature can provide almost everything that’s needed to survive in this world; people just have to know where to look. Essential oils, for instance, are some of the most versatile natural products out there. They have many purposes, including treating scrapes and wounds. (h/t to BackdoorSurvival.com.)

Essential oils are extremely concentrated aromatic extracts derived from different parts of plants. They are produced through steam or water distillation or by cold pressing. Large amounts of plant material are used to get even just a little bit of essential oil, making them rich in bioactive compounds.

Essential oils have many uses, including skin healing, which makes it an important part of a survival kit.

Wounds and scrapes are relatively small problems compared to other health conditions, but if not properly managed, germs can infect the wound and become life-threatening. Skin injuries can be treated with essential oils since these are packed with compounds that have antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties that promote healing. Here is a list of essential oils that can be used for this purpose:

• Tea tree – This traditional remedy is known for having antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties so it can prevent pathogens from infecting the wound and entering the body. It also prevents inflammation by promoting leukocyte activity against pathogens. Use tea tree oil by applying it on the wound before putting the bandage or use it as a disinfecting rinse by mixing it with aloe vera gel and hot water.
• Lavender — Many people are familiar with lavender essential oil because it is used for many purposes, like repelling insects, improving sleeping problems, and curing common colds. Many people also use this for its antimicrobial activities, especially against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Lavender essential oil also promotes collagen production and tissue formation, which are involved in the last stages of the healing process. Before using lavender oil, dilute it first in distilled water or in a carrier oil that also has healing properties, such as coconut and rosehip seed oil.
• Calendula — Calendula essential oil contains various compounds that encourage blood flow to the injured area so it gets the necessary amounts of oxygen and nutrients for healing. It also has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. When using calendula essential oil, it is recommended to dilute it in sunflower oil to enhance these healing properties.
• Helichrysum — Although helichrysum essential oil is relatively expensive, it’s worth getting because of its potent antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Because it is highly concentrated, make a two percent dilution of the extracts in a carrier oil before applying it on the wound. It can also be used after the wound has healed to prevent scars.
• Frankincense — Applying frankincense oil on wounds reduces inflammation and relieves pain. However, this extract should not be applied on fresh wounds and can only be applied once a scar has formed. Like most essential oils, frankincense should also be diluted in carrier oils that support its rejuvenating properties, like argan, sweet almond, and pomegranate oil.

There are many different essential oils that can be used to treat wounds. However, before using them, it is important to make sure that the wound is not too severe to avoid complications since deep and profusely bleeding wounds might need stitching. (Related: 13 Essential oils for your natural emergency kit.)

With essential oils, off-the-grid living will become so much easier. Learn more about the different uses of essential oils by visiting EssentialOils.news today.

Sources include:

BackdoorSurvival.com

AromaWeb.com

AdvancedTissue.com