Making a survival supplies list and checking it twice won’t determine who’s naughty and nice, but it will be helpful in ascertaining whether you have all of the items essential for emergency preparedness. There is a whole litany of possibilities of things you can include. That is why penning it to paper comes in handy. It is a matter of prioritization. The internet is a wonderful resource to help you in deciding what works best for you and your family’s needs. There are also dozens of fine books to be had on the subject. But here I want to expound upon some of the more “exotic” selections that you may have not considered, and will add immensely to your well being should you ever have to draw upon your emergency food storage and survival supplies. These items are not traditionally referenced elsewhere on the World Wide Web when topics revolving around emergency preparedness are published.

First off, remember that your health is one of the most important things that you have, and you don’t want to be compromising it in a survival situation. It’s of paramount importance that you be able to function optimally in times of distress. By the same token, it is also a plus to be able to eat some of the food selections that are delicious, simple pleasures. The nice thing about it is there doesn’t have to be a compromise here. You can get both healthy and delicious in the same package.

Endorphins are the body’s natural mood stabilizer. They are part of the family of neurotransmitters in the brain. More than just affecting mood, endorphins are also the body’s natural morphine, or painkiller. Picture yourself feeling a bit down in a survival situation (it’s not a very far stretch for the imagination). Wouldn’t it be nice to have at your disposal from your survival supplies something such as a nice bar of health-promoting (antioxidant-filled) and delectable dark chocolate to release a hardworking crew of endos (endorphins)? If it works for PMS, it should just as well for someone down on their luck, no?

For a more direct approach, it may be advantageous to store some natural herbal-based, mood enhancing supplements in your survival supplies. No matter how bullet proof you think you would be in an intermediate to long-term survival scenario, everybody handles stressors differently (and in an unanticipated way), and it’s not shameful to be a forward thinker in this manner. In fact, it’s quite intelligent.

Beyond mood enhancing supplementation, reflect upon other medical needs that may arise during an intermediate to long-term survival situation. I am not speaking here of first aid kit bandages and antiseptic. Here I focus upon health food supplements that can serve to address mild to moderate health concerns when the traditional prescription medication supply has been exhausted. It is certainly wise to stock up on prescription medications by having on hand the maximum amount possible by law for emergency purposes, but at some point you are prohibited from obtaining any more, and must have in mind an alternate supply of a remedy for your particular need. A menopausal woman, for example, may suffer mercilessly from hot flashes that gone untreated may be more than just a drag on her quality of life. Another person with asthma may not have access to a prescription inhaler, which could result in a life-threatening situation. Yet another may suffer a serious skin disorder and run out of a prescription ointment or cream that would leave them in a miserable state. These are just a few examples of many where preparation ahead of time by purchasing an ample supply of an herbal or homeopathic alternative for long-term storage makes sense.

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