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Knowledge And Diet Changes Required Now

Planning for better nutrition during TEOTWAWKI isn’t merely about eating delicious foods we’re already accustomed to so that the transition from our present state to the coming chaos is as seamless as possible. It is really more about saving our loved ones. However, in order to save our loved ones, the aforementioned transition needs to be seamless. To make it seamless necessitates increased knowledge of nutrition as well as changes in our diet now.

Our future will include the confrontation of diseases and conditions that most of us cannot comprehend. We can’t grasp them because we haven’t lived in third world countries. Most who read this blog have always had an abundance (or overabundance!) of food. Most have never seen the effects of a lack of fat, protein, or even vitamins in diet. And even if we have read about malnutrition, we still are not fully prepared to prevent it in our families.

Myth Busting

Let’s begin with a little myth-busting. It’s often said that when TEOTWAWKI occurs, we’ll be grateful to have anything to eat. Unfortunately, research and historical observations show otherwise. This is especially true among children and the elderly. These groups, in particular, will simply stop eating. Another myth that we deceive ourselves with is that it will be time to start that diet. We need to lose excess weight now rather than during TEOTWAWKI.

Carbohydrate, protein, and fat are macronutrients– the basic building blocks of nutrition. Let’s first examine what happens when the body lacks any one of these.


Carbohydrates

Actually, a lack of carbohydrate in the diet is extremely rare. This condition should be non-existent among any who call themselves preppers. This is because carbohydrate sources are the least expensive foods. You can raise fruit and vegetable carbohydrate sources easily in gardens. It is easy to store grains in abundance. This is not only because they are so inexpensive now but also because they are difficult to raise in the quantities needed to support a family with only manual labor.

Carbohydrates are the high octane fuel that the body prefers for the central nervous system. Carbohydrates have four calories per gram and are needed to burn fat completely. A low carb diet makes people fatigued, irritable, and lethargic. In the absence of carbohydrates, fat breakdown is incomplete, and the waste product is ketones. The condition that arises is called ketosis, which can cause nausea among other things. So carbohydrates have a valuable role in sparing protein and preventing ketosis.

Carbohydrate protects protein so that it is available for building tissue. When there is inadequate carbohydrate intake, protein gets broken down. Why is this? Because protein can serve as a source of carbohydrate if carbohydrate intake is too low. Carbohydrates should comprise 50% of the diet for most people. The best carbohydrate sources are whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Proteins

Protein should be consumed just to build and repair tissue, not for calories or energy. Yes, protein can be a source of energy, but it should not be considered a primary source for a few reasons. For one, the body does not need excess protein. Indeed, excess protein can contribute to kidney stones. Furthermore, the body can’t actually store surplus protein. Any excess goes to the liver and gets converted to carbohydrate.

On the other hand, insufficient protein consumption will prompt the body to start breaking down muscle. This also happens when the body is injured, as protein is required for the body to repair and build tissue. Anyone recovering from a physical injury or surgery needs a great deal of protein. Inadequate protein intake can also interfere with medications, because protein is not available to transport drugs.

Protein deficiency can lead to mental retardation and kwashiorkor. The swollen belly you see in pictures of starving children in third world countries is one of the symptoms of kwashiorkor. Kwashiorkor is also marked by apathy, fatigue, failure to grow, and flaky skin. Protein deficiency in pregnant women will also have lifelong detrimental effects on the fetus.

Complete and Combined Proteins

Complete proteins are animal-based—meat, fish, eggs, milk, and cheese. For most people, chickens and rabbits are the most economically feasible way to insure a supply of fresh protein during TEOTWAWKI. The only complete proteins that are plant-based are soybeans, quinoa, hemp, and buckwheat.

Dry beans are not complete proteins and must be combined with other foods to make a complete protein that provides all the essential amino acids. Examples of foods combined to make a complete protein are beans and rice, wheat and milk, lentils and barley, and peanut butter and whole wheat bread. Fortunately, these foods do not need to be combined in the same meal, but they definitely need to be consumed within the same day. A well-balanced, varied diet will naturally provide all the essential amino acids for optimal health.

Fat

Fat is the most energy-dense macronutrient. It has nine calories per gram, while protein and carbohydrate have just four calories per gram. Dietary fat is essential for transporting fat-soluble vitamins. It slows digestion to give the digestive tract time to absorb nutrients from food. It is essential for brain development and function, the protection of vital organs, thermal insulation, and the production of regulatory hormones. A diet too low in fat can contribute to the formation of gallstones.

There isn’t a lot of information on diseases that occur due to a lack of fat in the diet. Most readers of this blog will be at least somewhat familiar with “rabbit starvation” (also known as protein poisoning). We see this condition when people eat only protein, such as wild rabbits. The condition may be due to the body’s inability to metabolize excess protein in the complete absence of fat and carbohydrate in the diet. Please note that an individual who consumes rabbit as the sole source of protein is not going to be at risk for protein poisoning if they also incorporate fats and carbohydrates into their diet.

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