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Creating Wellness with your Food, Lifestyle and Environment Choices
Contact Information
Joy Lasseter, Ph.D.
Nutritionist
Hypnotherapist
Professional Speaker
Author
email joylasseter@earthlink.net
web address - www.joyhealth.com
360 944-9119
"Some people live to eat...
anything in sight.
I teach people to eat to live,
a long and healthy life."
Dr. Joy
"Forget aging,
I teach youngering."
Dr. Joy
by Joy Lasseter, Ph.D., Nutritionist
During emergencies the services you depend on and often
take for granted can be temporarily interrupted. You may
have experienced some of these emergencies: fires,
tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, mud slides, snow
storms. strikes, riots or power outages. What ever the
emergency, you don't know when it will happen!
Whatever your experience or belief, it is prudent to have a
preparedness plan. Your local city can provide you with free
booklets and information about what to do. This article will
focus on how you will feed yourself and your family or
neighbor. Crisis is an opportunity for community building.
Talk to your neighbors about this and share information and
resources.
First, don't wait. Every time you go to the grocery store,
pick up a few extra items of non perishable foods and set
them aside at home. It will not break your food budget to
buy a few things each week and you will feel relieved when
you are prepared. (Remember grocery stores only stock 3 days
of goods. If the power is off and their cash registers don't
work you may not be able to get any food.) Start today!
Second, store your food in a cool, dry place away from
toxins or fumes. Do not store it in the garage, in plastic
garbage cans or trash bags that have been treated with
pesticides. Do not store it closer than 6 inches from walls
or floors where it can pick up moisture. Move the dishes or
appliances that you never use out of the cupboards. Store
that in the garage or shed and put your food in the
kitchen.
Third, store water, a minimum of 1 gallon per person per day
in glass or hard plastic containers designed for water
storage. Do not use milk cartons. It is hard to clean out
the milk residue and after taste. Replace your stored water
about every six months to keep it fresh.
Fourth, keep the necessary non electric tools you need on
hand. A mechanical can opener, paper plates and cups (there
may be no water to wash dishes), a camp stove and fuel, etc.
Do not use open flames inside your home for heating,
lighting or cooking. Some fuels give off toxic fumes and
carbon monoxide. The fire risk is also high. Cook with camp
stoves or barbeques outside only and keep a fire
extinguisher handy. Wear layered clothing and use extra
blankets for warmth. Use flashlights for light, one for each
family member. Store extra batteries.
Fifth, buy a variety of non perishable foods so that you
will have a balanced diet and not get bored. Look for sales
and buy canned vegetables, beans, fruit and meats, tomato
sauce, dry pasta, crackers, vegetable and fruit juices.
Empty calorie foods that will leave you hungry should be
avoided: sodas, fruit punches or drinks, cookies, cake,
candy, chips and salty snack items. They take up space in
your food storage cupboard and don't deliver the nutrients
your body needs for survival!
How much do you store? That is up to your beliefs. Nobody
knows when an emergency will come or how long it will last.
How big is your family? How much do they eat in a week?
Above all, store foods you eat, and eat what you store.
Rotate your foods. Eat the oldest purchases first and put
the new purchases in the back of the cupboard. This way you
will always have good quality foods that your family likes.
If you don't eat freeze dried foods, don't buy them. (They
require alot of water to rehydrate and cooking too in some
cases.) Be practical and sensible.
If the power goes out, use the foods in your refrigerator
first. (exception: ice cream) If the power stays off and
your freezer foods defrost, eat them too. Do not refreeze
defrosted frozen foods. (Refrigerate them if the power comes
back on soon.) When all your perishable foods have been
consumed and there is still no restoration of services, then
eat your canned goods.
I have heard stories from friends and clients that said they
were so grateful for their food storage when their husband
was unexpectedly laid off work or a trucker's strike
interrupted food delivery to their town's grocery stores.
You never know when you will need it. Being prepared is
prudent and easy, if you start today.
Canned Foods
beans, soup, vegetables, fruit, meat, chicken, fish,
tomato sauce
Dry Foods
pasta, dried fruits, jerky, powdered milk
Packaged Foods
crackers, granola, cereals, pancake mix, biscuit mix
Staples
sugar, salt, flour, baking powder, baking soda, oil, spices,
whole grains (rice, barley, oats)
Joy Lasseter, Ph.D. is a Nutritionist, Hypnotherapist, Author and Professional Speaker who specializes in health and success programs. Dr. Joy's speaking topics and health education products are listed on her website at joyhealth.com. Her books, are available by mail order. Visit her website or email her at joylasseter@earthlink.net.