Basic Home Preparedness

Published 12:09 pm Thursday, July 2, 2020

Hi Dr. Kim,

Since COVID-19 I have been stocking up on things my family needs to get along comfortably in case of emergency. We have sanitizer, masks, medications, snacks and things for the kids. What else should we keep at home in your opinion? — Prepared Dad

Dear Prepared Dad,

Thanks for writing in with your question. It is always a good idea to be prepared, whether we are living through a pandemic or not. Preparedness creates stability, order, and peace of mind. There is something so comforting knowing that if things take a turn for the worse, you won’t have to rush out and buy things last minute. To answer your question I will go over basic practical and health preparedness. Though it is impossible to prepare for every type of situation, you can do many things to ensure basic safety and health for your family. In this article I will share my tips with you. My first thought about preparedness is not to purchase exotic gadgets that you would never use otherwise. Think about what you need and use to get through a normal day, and make sure you have enough to last a while. Outside of your regular list, you may need to purchase just a few things to be fully prepared. The goal is to live comfortably at home without going out in case of an emergency situation. Keep sight of this goal and you can’t go wrong in your preparations.

It sounds like you have already thought of COVID related preparedness with the sanitizer and masks. Let me make some suggestions for preparing. First, consider the needs of each separate family member. Get a list of what each one routinely uses for health and have a small stock of those things. Think of what you may need if you are stuck at home for a while, like favorite foods and practical items such as charcoal for the grill, spring water, nonperishable foods (pasta and tomato sauce is an easy one), flashlights and batteries in case of power loss during storms, and a radio. For our family’s home wellness kit, we came up with five different areas and prepared each one.

1. Kitchen/Pantry: Spring water, Nonperishable food items, water filter (such as Brita). flashlights, batteries, and radio. Lighters, charcoal, cooking oil such as olive oil and whatever supplies you use often.

2. Wellness kit: Reference books. First aid kit. Activated charcoal capsules. Apple cider vinegar. Essential oil kit. Magnesium oil. Magnesium capsules. Vitamin C. Rose water. Chia seeds. Optional: Elderberry syrup.

3. Bathroom: Toilet paper, shampoo and conditioner, soap, toothpaste, extra toothbrushes (anything you could easily run out of), disinfecting wipes.

4. Car: Water, blankets, backups and extras of personal items (see below), map of the state (printed, not GPS), and consider a fuel can for collecting gas in an emergency. Travel only small distances with a full fuel can for safety reasons.

5. Personal: Masks, sanitizer, pocket essential oil, personal medications, cash in an event when it is not possible to use a card, phone charger.

For the home wellness kit, there are a few specific items to have on hand. For reference books I recommend the 3 books by Rachel Weaver:Backyard Pharmacy: Weeds that Heal,Be Your Own Doctor, and the companion bookBe Your Own Doctor II. They explain simple home remedies for helping most conditions when a doctor is not available and safety instructions for each. You may also needThe Portable Essential Oilsby Anne Kennedy andNatural Remedies Self Sufficiencyby Melissa Corkhill, if you intend on using essential oils as home remedies (more on this later).

The first and most basic thing you will need for supplies is a first aid kit with gauzes and bandages. Activated charcoal tablets are good for digestive upset and food poisoning. Activated charcoal has a wide range of uses, all explained in the books. Apple Cider Vinegar is also like this: good for so many things, it is hard to know where to start. You can use it for headaches, insect bites, upset stomach, skin problems, rising blood pressure and a good many other conditions. I keep several large bottles in the pantry since it is also a good cooking ingredient when you run out of red vinegar and as a natural cleaning product for many items. It is good to have a set of essential oils (in a wooden box to contain the fragrance and block the bottles from light). Essential oils are useful in a pinch for many things. Each essential oil has its own properties. For example, thyme is an antiviral oil for cleaning the air and surfaces, while peppermint alleviates migraine and muscle soreness. Essential oils also have their own individual contraindications. In short, they are used for more than aromatherapy and it takes a bit of knowledge to use the essential oils effectively. I recommend getting a good, thorough book on them to keep with the set. In general they should be mixed with a carrier oil with each use and never ingested. To learn to use them effectively, you will need a few good book references to get started. I recommendThe Portable Essential Oils by Anne Kennedy andNatural Remedies Self Sufficiencyby Melissa Corkhill. Magnesium oil (spray or massage oil) is great to keep on hand for tight muscles, muscle and joint pain. Magnesium or chelated magnesium capsules can be kept on hand for the same reason. Vitamin C should be kept for events of illness. Natural rose water to be used topically is good for skin conditions and inflammatory conditions. In the kitchen, I keep a large bag of Chia seeds. They are a powerful energizing food and can be mixed with water (let sit for 30 minutes so that the seeds will become a gel) as a natural cleanse with hydration and protein. Elderberry syrup has come around again as an immune system booster for contagious illnesses. It works by stimulating the immune system. I wrote on it extensively in my previous article The Power of Elderberry. The elderberry cannot be eaten raw. It must be well-cooked and is best in its syrup form. That is why so many elderberry products are syrups. If it makes you feel better to keep this product on hand, please do so. Consider that local, organic elderberry products will be higher in quality and better for your body than mass-produced products. After all, it is a traditional remedy and will work better when taken the traditional way.

Thanks for your question, Prepared Dad! I hope these tips will be of benefit to you and your family and that they will help people with the same question. If you have any insight or tips for us, feel free to write in and I will try to mention them in a future article.

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Dr. Kimberly McMurtrey DNP, APRN, FNP-C is the Primary Provider at Tri Cities Health, located on West Elk Ave., Elizabethton. If you would like to submit a question for her to answer you can call 423-543-7000 or email your questions to tricitieshealth@outlook.com.

**Medical Disclaimer: The information contained in this column is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.