mirkwood
12-02-2008, 01:24 PM
http://www.ldsmag.com/emergency/081029flu.html
Preparing for a Flu Pandemic?With Food Storage!
By Carolyn Nicolaysen
The economic crisis is deepening into recession. Experts say food prices will continue to rise for at least another four years, and no one can yet see the end of global credit problems. But on top of these worries, we are entering the flu season. And that is where our emergency preparation steps in, because there is a more sinister kind of flu to prepare for than the relatively mild one with which we are familiar. It's the one feared by emergency planners, called a ?pandemic?.
Within the last month there have been confirmed reports of bird flu in Germany . Disease experts keep a vigilant eye on these ?avian influenza? strains, especially the strains without an antidote. The Church remains concerned about preparing for a pandemic. As we have noted before, in 1918 there was such a tremendous flu pandemic that millions of Americans died, and almost every family was affected. Even the public funeral for President Joseph F. Smith was cancelled because of it.
In 2006, the impact of the 1918 flu pandemic was reviewed as part of a series of state-by-state Pandemic Planning Summits. At the summit in Utah, Secretary Mike Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services, said of the 1918 pandemic:
?All across the state, church meetings, private parties and all public gatherings were cancelled or limited. Spitting was fined. Facemasks were mandatory.
?Ogden City was placed under quarantine. No one could come in or out without a note from a doctor. In Panguitch (near Bryce Canyon ), Margaret Callister, a young child at the time, remembered, ?Dead people were all around us, three or four to a family.' To keep her and her siblings healthy, Margaret's mother put sacks of herbs around their necks.?
In California, Secretary Leavitt said of the 1918 pandemic in California:
?By the first week of November, more than 115,000 cases and hundreds of deaths across the state had been reported. Makeshift hospitals were hastily opened to deal with the surge of patients that were overwhelming the health care system. In San Francisco and elsewhere, mandates compelled the wearing of masks in public on penalty of fines or even imprisonment. The San Francisco Chronicle reported, ?The man who wears no mask will likely become isolated, suspected, and regarded as a slacker. Like a man of means without a Liberty Loan button, he'll be shy of friends.'
?A rhyme was used to help people remember the ordinance:
Obey the laws
And wear the gauze
Protect your jaws
From septic paws
?Though the pandemic began to subside in November, residents still felt its effects through the holiday season. Citizens were still asked to do their Christmas shopping by phone rather than to travel to stores in person. Shopkeepers were even asked not to hold holiday sales, as they might draw crowds.?
Everywhere Secretary Leavitt went, he told citizens: ?When it comes to pandemics, there is no rational basis to believe that the early years of the 21st century will be different than the past. If a pandemic strikes, it will come here.?
To better understand how to prepare our families, let's have a look at what professional planners are implementing. BYU Idaho, in fact, has become a leader in pandemic planning among universities. One of their preparations includes an emergency ?self imposed reverse quarantine? (SIRQ) for students. This would entail students remaining in their homes or apartments without venturing outside for days or weeks, depending on the severity of the flu. One of BYUI's recommendations to students, is to have a supply of food on hand in case of such an emergency. Should a SIRQ be required, there may be as little as a few hours or days to prepare. Once word is out in the community, whether in Rexburg or your hometown, grocery stores and pharmacies will quickly empty of needed supplies. If you live in a city such as New York or Los Angeles , your warning may be sudden indeed.
If a pandemic strain of flu is brought into the country by someone flying with a plane load of passengers, it could spread very rapidly across the world as each traveler carries the disease to their final destination. Thus we have the Center for Disease Control who watches for, monitors, and tries to prevent such events.
So here, and in at least our next article, we focus on preparing for pandemics ? one of a kind of health crisis that may leave you or your family quarantined.
When a pandemic strikes, we will be confined to our homes. The convenience of running to the grocery store will not be a possibility for however long our quarantine lasts. Food storage will become more important than ever. Since I have discussed food storage before, the question today is: Which foods do you need to have on hand to keep our healthy family members healthy and to help those who are ill to recover?
Now we pause momentarily to address our skeptics. You are thinking ?This is way over the top.? So be warned - empty grocery store shelves are not a scare tactic or exaggeration. Shelves have been empty before - due to natural disasters, economic downturns, and truckers strikes. When everyone is in danger, employees will not show up to risk their lives to bag groceries, stock shelves, or drive the truck that delivers the foodstuffs, just for a wage. History indicates that such events happen time-to-time, and as Secretary Leavitt said, when they come again, we can expect to find them where we live. It is not a matter of if but of when.
Back to our subject? To care for family members who are ill, there are several specific foods which should be stored. A pandemic flu is much more serious than a seasonal flu, however, many of the treatments for those suffering and recovering remain the same.
When children are young and suffer from a seasonal flu we are advised to feed them the BRAT diet as they recover. These foods will also help adults and all who are suffering from a pandemic flu.
B= Banana . Now we really can't store these effectively except to freeze a few. Bananas freeze best when left in the skin and stored in a freezer bag. They are great blended into a drink or added to banana bread, but after being frozen they are not great for eating. As an option, you could store freeze dried bananas, and reconstitute them like the dried strawberries in your morning cereal.
R=Rice . This one is very easy to store and should already be a part of your 3 month supply as well as long term storage. Rice is easy to digest for anyone recovering from a stomach or intestinal illness and also for anyone who has had surgery and is on a limited diet. White rice is what you want. Long grain, short grain, it doesn't matter, but it needs to be white. Rice can be purchased from the Church canneries, grocery stores, restaurant suppliers and membership stores. It will store for 20 plus years if kept in a cool, dark and dry environment. Pests and rodents love rice so be sure to store it in rodent proof containers.
Another use for rice: When suffering from the flu we always experience aches. A warm rice pack placed on an area that aches is wonderful. Make a few now or store a little extra rice so you have some to make rice packs when they are needed. The directions will be on my blog tomorrow.
A=Applesauce . This is one of those foods that should be on every shelf. It is easy to digest, perfect for infants and can be used in many recipes, making it easy to rotate. China has planted many apple orchards making our local apples less profitable to grow, and making it also more difficult to find apples for canning. Growers in the US have been removing orchards because of the flood of cheaper apples from China . During a pandemic, this source of imported apples would be interrupted. If you are considering planting fruit trees you should consider apples. Apples store well in a cool environment. Our ancestors stored and ate them all winter without refrigeration. They are also very easy to can? and have on hand for a pandemic.
T=Toast . No, you can't store large quantities of bread, but you can store flour and wheat to make your own. If you still have not learned the art of bread making, invite a friend or family member to teach you. There is nothing better than the smell of baking bread. That alone would cure me.
A few more foods are essential:
Chicken soup. Yes, really. Studies have shown that there are real health benefits from eating chicken soup. It helps relieve chest and nasal congestion and may inhibit inflammation that leads to the sore throat and phlegm we hate. It is also nutritious and fights dehydration - and of course, chicken soup tastes good and is easy to digest.
Herbal teas. They are easy to digest, feel good on a sore throat, and help to keep a patient hydrated. Dehydration is the largest cause of death from the flu. Herbal teas like chamomile are soothing to the stomach, calm the nerves, and help relieve cold symptoms. Just ask your grandma if you don't believe me. Don't overlook Fennel and Raspberry herbal teas for their benefits as well.
Flavored gelatins. After surgery or serious illness, the first thing you may be given to eat is a gelatin. They are easy to swallow, ease the craving for something sweet, are easily digested, kids love them, they help prevent dehydration and gelatin takes very little time and effort to prepare. All of these are important when you are a caregiver and your time is spent treating those who are ill.
Otter Pops. As I mentioned before, dehydration for those battling the flu, is a huge problem. Otter Pops provide liquid in a form the kids will love. Recently I had a friend tell me her husband always buys Otter Pops for their food storage, he's an Otter Pop junkie. These are easy to place in the freezer and are ready in a few hours.
Juices. Juices are another way to maintain hydration. They can be used as drinks or frozen into popsicles. Juices other than citrus are the best to store for use during an illness because they are less acidic.
Ginger Ale and Lemon-Lime sodas. These are great to settle the stomach, but do not rely on them as hydration sources. Sodas will dehydrate the body. But, if you can find Ginger Ale made with real ginger, there could be some legitimate benefits in treating nausea, settling the digestive tract, and even relieving arthritis symptoms, according to some research. Remember though, ginger flavoring is not enough ? we are talking about real ginger as a food ingredient. Sounds like a good reason to store and use some dried ginger or ginger capsules ? though clearly, fresh ginger has the most benefit.
It is so important to store liquids, from the chicken soup to the frozen pops to the real ginger ale. Have you ever been sick and had liquids forced on you by a loving mom? Can't you hear her now: "Just drink a little more juice, it's good for you." Having juices, herbal teas, gelatins, and Otter Pops on hand makes hydration so much easier on the caregiver. One hour you take in juice, the next a popsicle and the next gelatin. Now you are much more likely to get the patient to cooperate and consume them all.
Food storage is an absolutely essential part of planning for a pandemic or other health emergency. Don't delay. It's apple season, find some applies and start canning. Homemade applesauce can even be a thoughtful Christmas gift in an attractive jar with a personal label! But the bottom line is being prepared in case of a pandemic, because if Secretary Leavitt is right, a pandemic in the 21st Century - if and when it comes - it will come to yours' and my hometown, too.
Preparing for a Flu Pandemic?With Food Storage!
By Carolyn Nicolaysen
The economic crisis is deepening into recession. Experts say food prices will continue to rise for at least another four years, and no one can yet see the end of global credit problems. But on top of these worries, we are entering the flu season. And that is where our emergency preparation steps in, because there is a more sinister kind of flu to prepare for than the relatively mild one with which we are familiar. It's the one feared by emergency planners, called a ?pandemic?.
Within the last month there have been confirmed reports of bird flu in Germany . Disease experts keep a vigilant eye on these ?avian influenza? strains, especially the strains without an antidote. The Church remains concerned about preparing for a pandemic. As we have noted before, in 1918 there was such a tremendous flu pandemic that millions of Americans died, and almost every family was affected. Even the public funeral for President Joseph F. Smith was cancelled because of it.
In 2006, the impact of the 1918 flu pandemic was reviewed as part of a series of state-by-state Pandemic Planning Summits. At the summit in Utah, Secretary Mike Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services, said of the 1918 pandemic:
?All across the state, church meetings, private parties and all public gatherings were cancelled or limited. Spitting was fined. Facemasks were mandatory.
?Ogden City was placed under quarantine. No one could come in or out without a note from a doctor. In Panguitch (near Bryce Canyon ), Margaret Callister, a young child at the time, remembered, ?Dead people were all around us, three or four to a family.' To keep her and her siblings healthy, Margaret's mother put sacks of herbs around their necks.?
In California, Secretary Leavitt said of the 1918 pandemic in California:
?By the first week of November, more than 115,000 cases and hundreds of deaths across the state had been reported. Makeshift hospitals were hastily opened to deal with the surge of patients that were overwhelming the health care system. In San Francisco and elsewhere, mandates compelled the wearing of masks in public on penalty of fines or even imprisonment. The San Francisco Chronicle reported, ?The man who wears no mask will likely become isolated, suspected, and regarded as a slacker. Like a man of means without a Liberty Loan button, he'll be shy of friends.'
?A rhyme was used to help people remember the ordinance:
Obey the laws
And wear the gauze
Protect your jaws
From septic paws
?Though the pandemic began to subside in November, residents still felt its effects through the holiday season. Citizens were still asked to do their Christmas shopping by phone rather than to travel to stores in person. Shopkeepers were even asked not to hold holiday sales, as they might draw crowds.?
Everywhere Secretary Leavitt went, he told citizens: ?When it comes to pandemics, there is no rational basis to believe that the early years of the 21st century will be different than the past. If a pandemic strikes, it will come here.?
To better understand how to prepare our families, let's have a look at what professional planners are implementing. BYU Idaho, in fact, has become a leader in pandemic planning among universities. One of their preparations includes an emergency ?self imposed reverse quarantine? (SIRQ) for students. This would entail students remaining in their homes or apartments without venturing outside for days or weeks, depending on the severity of the flu. One of BYUI's recommendations to students, is to have a supply of food on hand in case of such an emergency. Should a SIRQ be required, there may be as little as a few hours or days to prepare. Once word is out in the community, whether in Rexburg or your hometown, grocery stores and pharmacies will quickly empty of needed supplies. If you live in a city such as New York or Los Angeles , your warning may be sudden indeed.
If a pandemic strain of flu is brought into the country by someone flying with a plane load of passengers, it could spread very rapidly across the world as each traveler carries the disease to their final destination. Thus we have the Center for Disease Control who watches for, monitors, and tries to prevent such events.
So here, and in at least our next article, we focus on preparing for pandemics ? one of a kind of health crisis that may leave you or your family quarantined.
When a pandemic strikes, we will be confined to our homes. The convenience of running to the grocery store will not be a possibility for however long our quarantine lasts. Food storage will become more important than ever. Since I have discussed food storage before, the question today is: Which foods do you need to have on hand to keep our healthy family members healthy and to help those who are ill to recover?
Now we pause momentarily to address our skeptics. You are thinking ?This is way over the top.? So be warned - empty grocery store shelves are not a scare tactic or exaggeration. Shelves have been empty before - due to natural disasters, economic downturns, and truckers strikes. When everyone is in danger, employees will not show up to risk their lives to bag groceries, stock shelves, or drive the truck that delivers the foodstuffs, just for a wage. History indicates that such events happen time-to-time, and as Secretary Leavitt said, when they come again, we can expect to find them where we live. It is not a matter of if but of when.
Back to our subject? To care for family members who are ill, there are several specific foods which should be stored. A pandemic flu is much more serious than a seasonal flu, however, many of the treatments for those suffering and recovering remain the same.
When children are young and suffer from a seasonal flu we are advised to feed them the BRAT diet as they recover. These foods will also help adults and all who are suffering from a pandemic flu.
B= Banana . Now we really can't store these effectively except to freeze a few. Bananas freeze best when left in the skin and stored in a freezer bag. They are great blended into a drink or added to banana bread, but after being frozen they are not great for eating. As an option, you could store freeze dried bananas, and reconstitute them like the dried strawberries in your morning cereal.
R=Rice . This one is very easy to store and should already be a part of your 3 month supply as well as long term storage. Rice is easy to digest for anyone recovering from a stomach or intestinal illness and also for anyone who has had surgery and is on a limited diet. White rice is what you want. Long grain, short grain, it doesn't matter, but it needs to be white. Rice can be purchased from the Church canneries, grocery stores, restaurant suppliers and membership stores. It will store for 20 plus years if kept in a cool, dark and dry environment. Pests and rodents love rice so be sure to store it in rodent proof containers.
Another use for rice: When suffering from the flu we always experience aches. A warm rice pack placed on an area that aches is wonderful. Make a few now or store a little extra rice so you have some to make rice packs when they are needed. The directions will be on my blog tomorrow.
A=Applesauce . This is one of those foods that should be on every shelf. It is easy to digest, perfect for infants and can be used in many recipes, making it easy to rotate. China has planted many apple orchards making our local apples less profitable to grow, and making it also more difficult to find apples for canning. Growers in the US have been removing orchards because of the flood of cheaper apples from China . During a pandemic, this source of imported apples would be interrupted. If you are considering planting fruit trees you should consider apples. Apples store well in a cool environment. Our ancestors stored and ate them all winter without refrigeration. They are also very easy to can? and have on hand for a pandemic.
T=Toast . No, you can't store large quantities of bread, but you can store flour and wheat to make your own. If you still have not learned the art of bread making, invite a friend or family member to teach you. There is nothing better than the smell of baking bread. That alone would cure me.
A few more foods are essential:
Chicken soup. Yes, really. Studies have shown that there are real health benefits from eating chicken soup. It helps relieve chest and nasal congestion and may inhibit inflammation that leads to the sore throat and phlegm we hate. It is also nutritious and fights dehydration - and of course, chicken soup tastes good and is easy to digest.
Herbal teas. They are easy to digest, feel good on a sore throat, and help to keep a patient hydrated. Dehydration is the largest cause of death from the flu. Herbal teas like chamomile are soothing to the stomach, calm the nerves, and help relieve cold symptoms. Just ask your grandma if you don't believe me. Don't overlook Fennel and Raspberry herbal teas for their benefits as well.
Flavored gelatins. After surgery or serious illness, the first thing you may be given to eat is a gelatin. They are easy to swallow, ease the craving for something sweet, are easily digested, kids love them, they help prevent dehydration and gelatin takes very little time and effort to prepare. All of these are important when you are a caregiver and your time is spent treating those who are ill.
Otter Pops. As I mentioned before, dehydration for those battling the flu, is a huge problem. Otter Pops provide liquid in a form the kids will love. Recently I had a friend tell me her husband always buys Otter Pops for their food storage, he's an Otter Pop junkie. These are easy to place in the freezer and are ready in a few hours.
Juices. Juices are another way to maintain hydration. They can be used as drinks or frozen into popsicles. Juices other than citrus are the best to store for use during an illness because they are less acidic.
Ginger Ale and Lemon-Lime sodas. These are great to settle the stomach, but do not rely on them as hydration sources. Sodas will dehydrate the body. But, if you can find Ginger Ale made with real ginger, there could be some legitimate benefits in treating nausea, settling the digestive tract, and even relieving arthritis symptoms, according to some research. Remember though, ginger flavoring is not enough ? we are talking about real ginger as a food ingredient. Sounds like a good reason to store and use some dried ginger or ginger capsules ? though clearly, fresh ginger has the most benefit.
It is so important to store liquids, from the chicken soup to the frozen pops to the real ginger ale. Have you ever been sick and had liquids forced on you by a loving mom? Can't you hear her now: "Just drink a little more juice, it's good for you." Having juices, herbal teas, gelatins, and Otter Pops on hand makes hydration so much easier on the caregiver. One hour you take in juice, the next a popsicle and the next gelatin. Now you are much more likely to get the patient to cooperate and consume them all.
Food storage is an absolutely essential part of planning for a pandemic or other health emergency. Don't delay. It's apple season, find some applies and start canning. Homemade applesauce can even be a thoughtful Christmas gift in an attractive jar with a personal label! But the bottom line is being prepared in case of a pandemic, because if Secretary Leavitt is right, a pandemic in the 21st Century - if and when it comes - it will come to yours' and my hometown, too.