Prepared to Stay Gluten Free During an Emergency?
Here Are Things You Should Consider this Winter
Hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, and earthquakes are all-natural disasters that can happen and unfortunately are happening everywhere. Personally, I experienced two different disasters. The first disaster I experienced was the fires in CA and the second one was last year during the Texas winter storm. Both experiences resulted in an emergency that I had to deal with while being gluten-free.
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The storm resulted in over 170 million people being placed under winter weather alerts, stretching from the West Coast to the East Coast. Over 4 million people lost power due to the storm, particularly in areas of the Deep South and interior Southeast. The storm worsened the 2021 Texas power crisis, causing additional major damage to the Texas power grid just days after another destructive winter storm came through the area and hampering recovery efforts. It also contributed to a historic cold wave that affected most of the Central United States.
I can’t say which one was worse, but both were life-threatening and awakening experiences that made me come up with a better plan that I would like to share with you all especially when you are on a gluten-free diet. The possibility of being evacuated is real and you absolutely want to prepare yourself.
Would you like to share your experience of last year’s storm? CONTACT me to schedule a FREE 20-minute phone consultation where we could discuss how you could prepare for winter 2022.
No one relishes the thought of natural disasters or unforeseen emergencies, but they are a reality we can’t ignore. Being prepared for an emergency or natural disaster includes many components. Food planning is one of these. For people who require a gluten-free diet, extra attention needs to be paid to having safe food available, whether isolated at home or at an emergency shelter. Are you prepared to stay gluten-free during an emergency? Do you have your gluten-free survival food stocked? Do you have a contingency plan if the power goes out, if a snowstorm or hurricane strikes, or if food shortages occur? The reality of a natural disaster or emergency is very real. As I just mentioned, I have been through some major events in the last several years, and I can vouch from experience that being prepared ahead of time helped keep my family and me healthy and free of gluten-induced damage. [2]
Being prepared is key to overcoming any unplanned event such as these natural disasters.
Do You Have a Gluten-Free Emergency Plan in Place?
When looking into this subject, I learned that the estimated time for the relief workers to reach your disaster area could be an average of 3-5 days. The conclusion obviously is, to prepare emergency kits, at a minimum, for all individuals in your family for 72 hours. If you may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You will probably not have time to search for the supplies you need or shop for them.
The six basic groups of emergency supply you should prepare are:
Water
- Prepare drinking/cooking water
Food
- Canned Foods: Choose a place in your home to store non-perishable canned foods. Canned meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables are all obviously gluten free. If you don’t can yourself, you can stock up on things like canned salmon, tuna, sardines, organic vegetables, etc. All of these are typically available at most grocery stores. Try to have a month’s supply stocked away. Canned foods can last for several years without spoiling.
- Nuts in the Shell: Stock up on nuts in the shell. Look for organic options where possible. They can last for up to 2 years without going bad. With some nuts being 70% fat, these are a great resource for calories when you need them. Buying in the shell also prevents the potential for gluten cross contamination during processing. Consider pecans, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, and pine nuts.
- Dehydrated Meats: Dehydrated, vacuum sealed, jerky has a long shelf life and can provide a solution to food storage using less shelf space. Beware that jerky is commonly made using MSG, wheat, and other toxic preservatives. I always go for those that are gluten free, and are not processed with chemical nitrates. I prioritize grass fed beef, chicken, and turkey options.
- Dehydrated food bags that you can find in camping stores are better option -just adding water
- Dehydrated Fruit: Organic dehydrated fruit is another great gluten free emergency storage food option. Dehydrated fruits, though higher in natural sugar, are nutrient dense options rich in vitamin C and other natural antioxidants. Dried berries, pineapple, apples, bananas, and cherries are all good options. My favorite is dried apricot.
- Frozen Foods: If you have the space and can afford to put a deep freezer in your garage, definitely add it to your list. You can freeze fresh meats like chicken, beef, bison, pork, fish, turkey, and more. You can also stock up on some organic frozen fruits and vegetables. Cauliflower, broccoli, blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, and more.
- Gluten Free Protein Powders/Bars: One of my recommended high Calorie storage food options is proteins bars or protein powder .
- Dried Beans, Legumes, and Seeds: Many with past gluten induced gut damage struggle to digest these foods, making them last on my list. That being said, they are a good source of protein, and have a long shelf life. If you tolerate beans, legumes, and seeds well, they are a good emergency food item to keep on hand. Kidney, pinto, navy, white beans, peanuts, cashews, lentils, flax, sunflower, pumpkin, and chia are all good options. If you would like to learn more about other foods you could consider, don’t hesitate to CONTACT me for more support.
I have never been a fan of dehydrated powder foods that claim to have a 25-year shelf life.
This is because most of these products are not organic. They typically contain a lot of grains like wheat, corn, oats, and rice. If you are trying to stay gluten-free, the vast majority of these products won’t work for you. If you are working with a restricted budget or storage space, make sure to stock up on foods that are higher in protein and fat as they will literally give you and your family better gas mileage. Remember that the average person weighing 150 lbs. needs about 1500-2000 Calories daily to function at high capacity. So consider your family’s needs as a whole. Also, consider that buying foods that your family already eats is ideal. That way, you can eat through your stock and replenish it as you do instead of storing highly processed dehydrated powder food canisters that will most likely never be eaten.
First Aid
- First Aid Kit (most kits will carry the following items)
- Adhesive tape
- Elastic wrap bandages
- Bandage strips and “butterfly” bandages in assorted sizes
- Super glue
- Rubber tourniquet or 16 French catheter
- Non Stick sterile bandages and roller gauze in assorted sizes
- Eye shield or pad
- Large triangular bandage (may be used as a sling)
- Aluminum finger splint
- Instant cold packs
- Cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs
- Disposable non latex examination gloves, several pairs
- Duct tape
- Petroleum jelly or other lubricant
- Plastic bags, assorted sizes
- Safety pins in assorted sizes
- Scissors and tweezers
- Hand sanitizer
- Antibiotic ointment
- Antiseptic solution and towelettes
- Eyewash solution
- Thermometer
- Turkey baster or other bulb suction device for flushing wounds
- Sterile saline for irrigation, flushing
- Breathing barrier (surgical mask)
- Syringe, medicine cup or spoon
- First-aid manual
- Hydrogen peroxide to disinfect
Medications
- Aloe vera gel
- Calamine lotion
- Anti-diarrhea medication
- Laxative
- Antacids
- Antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine
- Hydrocortisone cream
- Cough and cold medications
- Personal medications that don’t need refrigeration
- Auto-injector of epinephrine, if prescribed by your doctor
- Pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others)
- Any other personal medications
Clothing, Bedding, and Sanitation Supplies
- Pack a backpack with warm cloths (gloves, boots), blanket
Tools
- Candles and matches, flashlights, Batteries, and charges
- Gas stove vs. electrical stove – gas burner (camping stores), propane gas
- Generator, fuel
- Knifes, Swiss Army knife,
- Whistle (Getting trapped under debiris is a very real possibility during fires or earthquakes, so having a whistle to call rescures’ attention to your location can make the difference betweeen life and death)
- Rope
- Air Activated Warmers
In Summary
There are many factors to consider when planning for your gluten-free emergency. Food is only one of them. You need to consider other things as well. Backup power and electricity options, cooking alternatives, water storage, communications, home protection, and connecting with other prepared individuals in your community should all be a part of your contingency plan. Don’t forget that emergencies are not something we can accurately predict, so planning for the absolute worst should also be part of your mindset. Consider that you might need other tools that could prove to be invaluable should the emergency last longer than anticipated. Take the time to prepare today. But if you need some more information on this, I’ll advise you CONTACT me to schedule a FREE 20-minute phone consultation to discuss your unique case.
Take The Next Step and Schedule Today
Are you prepared to stay gluten-free during an emergency? You could take charge of your health today with a FREE 20-minute phone consultation. We will identify the key areas that need support and give the necessary support to show what needs to be done uniquely for your case. Please CONTACT me to schedule a FREE 20-minute phone consultation if you or your loved ones would like to prepare for a gluten-free emergency. Chen Ben Asher will give you her best care recommendations and give recommendations based on what’s happening inside your body on a cellular level, in a bid to achieve optimum results. Be rest assured that no stone will be left unturned as we look for the root cause!
