Some people read for fun, others take it as a hobby, while some read to acquire knowledge. Regardless of the mode and the reason, choosing the right book to read could make the difference between life and death. For instance, some books contain constructive advice to help one escape a dangerous situation.
Many survival books are already in print to help readers survive multiple situations. By reading a book, one can unveil simple, practical guides to survive without electricity, live off the land, and get access to food and water during power outages.
Additionally, one can read doomsday prepper guides to glean advice to help people survive the world’s end, protect their families, and even prepare for the apocalypse. It’s always good to be prepared. Our editorial team looked into this issue and set out to discover the best survival books for 2022.
The Best Survival Books in 2022
After spending countless hours, reading, testing, researching, and deliberating among themselves, here are the findings:
The Lost Ways 2
Dark Age Defense
The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies
The Lost Superfoods
Food Freedom
Crisis Survival Institute
Local Harvest Gardening
The Lost Frontier Handbook
Ultimate Survival
Home Doctor
The Doctor’s Book Of Survival Home Remedies
Backyard Miracle Farm
World War Water (Mega Drought)
Final Survival Plan
The Encyclopedia of Medical Breakthroughs & Forbidden Treatments
The Water Freedom System
Easy DIY Power Plan
Quick Power System
Rapid Alert Survival Radio
EvaTac TacLite
EvaTac Combat Bag
To learn more about these items, here’s a summary of each:
The Lost Ways 2
The Lost Ways 2 is a subsequent production of the original text, which was meant for survival. Readers can get the book in either digital or physical form. Regardless of the structure, both books cover a range of topics about survival. These topics include deer hunting for specific meat cuts to building perfect wells. A product of various reputable marketing teams passionate about survival guides, it’s ideal for people who have never encountered survival situations.
Clause Davis is one of these authors. He is a husband, father, survivalist, and expert in the old west who authored The Lost Ways 1 and 2 before passing the responsibility to the concurrent generations. With modern living cushioned with technology, survival situations are almost impossible, explaining why most people lack survival skills.
Fortunately, Claude Davis foresaw the possibility and passed on the skills through his writing, a wealth of survival expertise. This book is the perfect way to equip yourself with survival tips and knowledge from an experienced person. It costs $37 and reveals the practical secrets to survival knowledge.
Dark Age Defense
Unknown to most people, the Dark Age Defense goes beyond being a class at Hogwarts and further becomes a survival wealth of knowledge teaching the world how to prepare for the end of the world. Besides shedding more knowledge about doomsday, the book also enlightens the world about possible emergencies and shows how to survive.
Dark Age Defense revolves around an “Infinity Coil” capable of powering the world during emergencies. By reading this book, readers can enlighten themselves about the specific solutions for a blackout, a pencil trick to illuminate the surroundings, and learn how to create a food oasis during such moments. The book may seem silly, as it primarily revolves around the apocalypse.
However, it is a rich and powerful source of information about crucial aspects such as finding water on demand, living off the grid, and lighting your environment without electricity. It costs $67 but carries a value beyond imagination.
The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies
The world is naturally filled with medications for various common illnesses in herbs, foods, and plants, which have been in use for many decades. Today, technology constantly proves that these natural medicines are powerful, regardless of the modern options. The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies discloses the most popular and practical organic ingredients you can use for medicinal purposes in the contemporary world.
A walk through the forest is like a visit to a pharmacy equipped with all types of treatment options for numerous ailments, including emergencies. The book is available in the physical and digital forms, providing the world with the wisdom of naturally treating the body. It was authored by Claude Davis and Nicole Apelian, Ph.D., and costs $37.
The Lost Superfoods
The Lost Superfoods is an Art Rude survival guide created to enlighten the world about optimizing organic superfoods. The world is naturally filled with superfoods rich in healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that nourish the human body. Superfoods are crucial for survival situations. People mainly rely on vitamin supplements and other convenient options today.
But what days when you can’t access these supplements and the usual food supplies? In such cases, natural food sources are the only available options. The book The Lost Superfoods becomes handy during such times –it teaches you and your loved ones about the hidden or forgotten organic superfoods suitable for emergencies. The tips in this book include:
126 durable foods your survival pantry should never lack today
Food storage hacks you must never forget
US Army-style doomsday rations and other survival foods
Depression-era foods to help you survive unexpected emergencies, among other tips
One of the unique aspects of this book is that its recommendations are exclusively built on real-life experiences besides the accurate and science-backed information about the superfoods it covers. It costs $27.
Food Freedom
Food is an integral part of human life, and it becomes more crucial during emergencies. It doesn’t matter whether it is a power outage or a nuclear apocalypse — everyone needs food to survive. The book Food Freedom outlines the practical strategies the world needs to survive during emergencies, including:
Do It Yourself Aquaponics: A Step-by-Step Guide to Growing Your Own Food
Build Your Own Geodome: Grow Food Year-Round – Even in the Dead of Winter
33 Things You Need to Survive That You Can’t Get During Disasters
Grow 100lbs of Potatoes in 4 Sq. Ft.
Firstly, according to this book, creating a secure food supply doesn’t need lots of space as most people believe. By reading this book, you will learn a wide range of tips about securing a food supply that lasts and serves you through unplanned events.
Get this book for $37. You get a lifetime of knowledge about great actionable advice you can implement in modern living, general tips for maximizing food during emergencies, gardening at the peak of crises, and ensuring long-term food storage.
Crisis Survival Institute
Crisis Survival Institute carries a perfect blueprint for unprepared people to survive and thrive through unplanned events. The authors, through the book, explain that America will experience immense food shortages because of Joe Biden’s politics pushing everyone to be prepared for the consequences and how to survive the potential famine and social unrest.
Aside from the conspiracy theories, the book also features some practical tips necessary for surviving emergencies, such as:
24 food items you need to get right now
Food security secrets the global elites don’t want you to know
The #1 item you need to survive a crisis, and why it will be so hard to find within 24 hours of a crisis
A sneaky way to protect frozen foods from spoiling during a power outage
The book contains knowledge for everyone, regardless of the potential unplanned events, from those who believe that the end of the world can happen in the next two weeks to those looking for practical food security advice and how to prepare for emergencies. You can find all this valuable information for $7.
Local Harvest Gardening
People do gardening for different reasons, from improving the quality of their lives to quenching their passion and as a valuable life skill, among others. If you fall in any of these categories, you need the self-paced virtual gardening course by Local Harvest Gardening. This course delivers practical skills to sharpen your gardening skills by learning about various subjects such as essential organic gardening, composting, winter gardening, succession farming, and no-till vegetable gardening, among others.
The course is ideal for all gardeners, beginners and advanced, regardless of whether it is your first day trying gardening or you intend to sharpen your existing gardening skills for self-sufficiency. There is something for everyone looking for gardening, sharpening knowledge mainly for emergencies with the course. It is led by Andrew, Dan, and Jack and designed like a master class in subsistence farming that covers a wide range of subjects, including:
How to grow food naturally in your yard or via a container garden
How to build microorganisms and nutrient-rich, fertile soil through three types of composting
How to convert your yard into a beautiful, usable, and edible landscape
How to set up an irrigation system and greenhouse to extend the season
The course is available for $177 and isn’t exclusively meant for preppers and survivalists but also any gardener looking for practical gardening knowledge and skills.
The Lost Frontier Handbook
The Lost Frontier Handbook is a Suzanne Sherman authored survival book created to enlighten the world about naturally sourcing water, food, and medicine during emergencies. Surviving during the early days of the American frontier was challenging due to the absence of hospitals, among other vital facilities.
People relied on the natural environment at the time, as covered by Suzanne in her book, The Lost Frontier Handbook — she outlines the crucial remedies that were used at the time but are almost forgotten today due to the coming of technology. The book covers a range of topics, some highlighted below, together with some high-resolution images, comprehensive diagrams, and a step-by-step guide on how to handle certain situations:
How to safely treat wounds, breaks, and burns without visiting a hospital or clinic
How to quickly soothe a sore throat or cough using natural remedies
How “frontier penicillin” can keep infection away – and how you can make it yourself using a few essential ingredients already in your kitchen
How to preserve meats for months on end
This book is suitable for people looking for cooking recipes at home, secrets to storing food, and natural medicines, among other practical tips for surviving unplanned situations. It is available for $37.
Ultimate Survival
An ex-military expert authored the Ultimate Survival and filled it with incredible real-world experience. Ultimate Survival provides a range of guides about family protection and survival during emergencies, staying alive in the wilderness and urban areas during unplanned events. The book package offers a range of eBooks such as:
Home Lockdown Survival: Turn your home into a well-protected fortress by securing the perimeter, reinforcing doors and windows, and keeping looters at bay.
Commerce Survival: How to survive in a world where the traditional banking system collapses. You need to barter for goods and services, including which items have the most barter value in the post-apocalyptic economy.
Water Crisis Survival: Secure a clean, safe, and healthy water supply in dangerous environments.
Ultimate Firearms Survival: Shoot your way out of dangerous situations and protect your family using military-approved tactics and firearms.
Depending on your survival needs, you can get the Essential package ($39) or the Ultimate package ($59). The book contains survival tips, from getting food and water during emergencies to using military-grade firearms and tactics training.
Home Doctor
Accessing quality medical care is a tremendous challenge during and after a disaster situation, a problem that can extend for several days and even weeks. The book Home Doctor, Practical Medicine for Every Household is a product of an approved and certified doctor. It outlines several vital strategies you should know under such circumstances, including:
How to treat illnesses and injuries at home
How to survive medical emergencies without running water, electricity, antibiotics, painkillers, anesthetics, and insulin
Ten medical supplies you need to have in your house today
The biggest mistakes you can make in a blackout
How to recognize a heart attack and what to do next
How to know what’s wrong if you have abdominal pain
The 304-page guide highlights the various treatment options for health conditions at home using limited supplies and training. It was written by the head and general surgeon at Caracas University Hospital, Venezuela, Dr. Maybell Nieves. The doctor has solid survival experience in harsh environments besides collecting great wisdom from the book. It is available for $37.
The Doctor’s Book of Survival Home Remedies
The Doctor’s Book of Survival Home Remedies is a survival book authored by Dr. John Herzog – a board-certified surgeon. Reading through the book enlightens you with various remedies, techniques, and strategies for treating different diseases and illnesses at home using limited supplies and experience. One of the significant medicinal products highlighted in the book is berberine, a powerful secret to increasing benefits in the gut and peppermint plants for their ancient therapeutic value.
The Dr. also outlines valerian to handle insomnia and chamomile for stress and anxiety management during emergencies. Besides, most of these remedies are easily found worldwide, either artificially grown or grown by themselves. The book costs $49 and holds the key to discovering your doctor-approved tips and advice for thriving through emergencies.
Backyard Miracle Farm
Backyard Miracle Farm teaches the world how to create automated supplies of fresh, quality, effortlessly, and organic foods in the backyard regardless of the ongoing situations around the world. It was authored by Michael Sherman, who states that a potentially disastrous famine is waiting to attack the world at any point. The best way to survive the possible food apocalypse and protect your loved ones is to implement the lessons outlined in Backyard Miracle Farm.
The book is designed for anyone willing to create a great garden in their backyard, but the limited experience is their biggest hindrance. Thanks to the gardening knowledge and wisdom shared, anyone, regardless of their experience, can create a practical garden. Just follow the step-by-step guides in the book, with the highlighted materials and resources for $39.69.
World War Water (Mega Drought)
World War Water is the perfect way to teach and prepare you on how to survive the potential global drought using an eBook. The world has a possibility of suffering a massive water crisis whose likelihood increases with the increasing water scarcity. In such cases, social unrest and apocalypse-like situations will be inevitable.
Unfortunately, humans can only survive for three days at most without water, after which they will be facing impending death. Besides people becoming more desperate and inhumane in such cases, preparedness becomes crucial. World War Water is the best way to learn how to secure a safe and durable water supply for you and your loved ones during such situations while protecting one another and surviving the prolonged drought successfully for $49.
Final Survival Plan
The Final Survival Plan writing was inspired by the assumption that America has made its final stand in the world’s uncertainty. Based on the author’s belief, an ordinary American’s life is likely to become ten times harder, necessitating the lessons highlighted in the book as the key to protecting your future and that of your loved ones.
The book is solely built around making a last stand alongside the US regardless of possible wars in the future. The author recommends the following strategies and implementations in the eBook as a way of keeping your family protected and safe:
Final Survival Plan: A survival guide to America’s next major conflict
How to Choose the Right Survival Knife: A good knife can make all the difference in survival or conflict situations.
How to Protect Yourself from Dangerous Viruses and Germs: How to stay safe from diseases even when conventional medical systems are breaking down around you
How to Train Your Mind to Handle Stressful Situations: Many are unprepared for the mental toll of survival situations. In this book, the author explains cognitive strategies for handling upcoming crises.
How to Create Your Best Survival Weapon and Trap: In a survival situation, you may need to trap your food and use weapons to hunt. This guide teaches you how.
Besides the above, the book also enlightens you and other readers about the vital knowledge you need to survive wars, conflicts, and general disasters for $37.
The Encyclopedia of Medical Breakthroughs & Forbidden Treatments
Big Pharma has been popularly known for suppressing natural treatments for many years now. However, The Encyclopedia of Medical Breakthroughs and Forbidden Treatments outlines some of the best and proven strategies, including tips on stopping cancer, reversing heart disease, preventing diabetes, and curing 60 common illnesses using alternative medicine.
The book’s author claims that the highlighted treatments can handle almost all diseases, from diabetes to Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s. The 380-page publication enlightens you on the most effective and potent herbal remedies, natural ingredients, and crucial lifestyle changes you should make to keep most diseases away. While there is no proof that the guide can cure Alzheimer’s and cancer as advertised, it provides basic crucial medical information excellent for emergencies for $49.95.
The Water Freedom System
The Water Freedom System was created by Chris Burns and designed for anyone looking for or preparing for a safe, healthy, clean, and secure water supply following a disaster. It is a step-by-step guide that can help you create an automated fresh, high-quality, clean water supply on an affordable budget.
It is backed by a 60-day moneyback guarantee and assures you of a reliable prepping plan and your safety during emergencies in any environment, from a desert to a wet climate. Ensure that you have all the required materials and resources and adhere to the given instructions – you will eventually enjoy a quality communal water resource at a significantly lower cost ($39.69). Every purchase comes with bonus guides on securing quality food supplies, bartering, and maximizing survival odds in various ways.
Easy DIY Power Plan
Easy DIY Power Plan is designed for creating a reliable power supply at home using readily available materials regardless of your building experience and technical skills. The key to adhering to the systematic guide is to create a highly effective and secure power source perfect for serving you during emergencies.
Every purchase comes with bonus guides and reports to cover different power generational technologies, among other survival technologies. Its authoring was led by Ryan Taylor, a self-described and incredible 45-year-old geography teacher. It is a series of five books:
Saving Power Saving the World
Money-Saving Tips for Families
15 Top Ways to Save Money
Go Green Save Green at the Same Time
How to Be Environmentally Friendly
The Easy DIY Power Plan is the system’s core, and it uses an endless power principle to constantly generate power using rare and unique strategies for $49.
Quick Power System
Quick Power System’s primary goal is to permanently change the world by teaching people how to create easy-to-implement and fast-working power generation systems to ensure an endless electricity supply. It is a series of five eBooks for $49, and every purchase comprises various power generation topics and strategies to guide you towards powering your world forever.
The Quick Power System was led by Ray Allen and is similar to the Easy DIY Power Plan discussed above. Despite being a beginner, the former equips you with the practical knowledge and wisdom necessary for creating power generation tools at home. Like other survival books on our rank list, this book recommends using readily available tools, materials, and resources to implement your electricity dream for $49.
Rapid Alert Survival Radio
Rapid Alert Survival Radio is a lightweight and hand-crank-powered radio designed to keep people alive and connected to the rest of the world during emergencies when the internet fails and smartphones, among other devices, go down. The internet, smartphones, and other technological devices can die, cutting you from the rest of the world.
Do you have any plans for such moments? What if you don’t have a battery to charge your phone or a torch to light up your surroundings? The Rapid Alert Survival Radio is perfect for such moments – it keeps you connected to the rest of the world via a radio-powered hand crank. Other perks that come with this $59.95 pack include a solar panel, an inbuilt alarm and USB charger, three inbuilt flashlights, and a 12″ antenna.
EvaTac TacLite
EvaTac TacLite is made using aircraft-grade aluminum. It is marketed as every survival situation’s necessity, featuring various components to ensure optimal effectiveness during your struggles as follows:
Powered by a single AA battery
Deep convex lens
Q5 CREE LED emitter
Aircraft-grade aluminum with stainless, rust-proof design
Adjustable zoom up to 1100ft
This crucial carry (EDC flashlight) can create a significant difference during an emergency, especially in the absence of electricity and other light sources.
It is a must-have for every unplanned event, especially in the absence of electricity and other light sources. It is also reliable and serves you for $9.95 for the first two weeks and $49.95 on the 14th day, giving you a unique trial period to test it and ascertain its effectiveness and experience.
EvaTac Combat Bag
EvaTac Combat Bag is the second EvaTac item on our rank list, available in military-style patterns such as midnight black, jungle camo, and sandy taupe. It is a heavy-duty combat bag, each piece specially designed to keep you equipped for all mission types. Thanks to its 600MD polyester material and EZ-Slide zippers, it is favored for its ease of access.
Other available options include ten individual waterproof compartments, large storage areas for your tools and gears, and a secure section for your laptop. These bags are the best for emergencies compared to ordinary backpacks to keep you protected, handle outdoor excursions, go hunting, travel, and visit the gym without any worries, all for $159.95.
How We Ranked the Best Survival Books
Survival guides come in a range of options, and each of them claims to offer valuable advice to guide you suitably. Sadly, not all these guides are as helpful as they claim to be and only waste your money and time. During our ranking, we selected our items based on various crucial factors to sort out the best from the worst, as shown below:
Quality and Complexity of Recommendations
Most survival guides include essential advice to guide you during the use, for instance, the importance of boiling the drinking water before using it and which canned foods you should store, among others. Other guides include complex information on creating rotating food storage systems and secure reliable shelter amidst emergencies. Our rank list comprises books with comprehensive quality recommendations while eliminating those with rehashed and standard vital advice that readers are already familiar with.
Author Credibility
Different survival guides are written by various authors, from marketing team members who randomly base their information on free blogs to former Special Forces operatives and off-the-grid survivalists, among other experts. In such cases, it is easier to trust credible authors, in a matter of life and death, over teams of marketers whose primary goal is to make money.
Actionable Information
It is common to see some survival guides filled with information about creating post-apocalyptic colonies and power generators. While such information may seem helpful, it is not suitable for an average human looking for actionable information to help them quickly survive an emergency.
Usefulness in Real-World Situations
Our rank list consists of items with valuable information for real-world situations. These guides include those teaching the world how to live off the grid, create an organic garden in the backyard, and survive off the land instead of building a nuclear bunker, among other less valuable topics. While countless guides talk about apocalypse-style prepping guides, we focused on survival guides that are most useful for real-world scenarios.
Ease of Use
We also paid more attention to the easy-to-follow and implemented guides for an average person. These guides were written by different authors, from the starters to those with years of prepping experience. Others were designed for the average audience. Regardless of the author, it is best to consider the ones that are easy to follow and implement.
Diagrams, Images, and Visual Learning Material
People are different, from visual learners to non-visual learners. Even if you are the latter, you can enjoy high-resolution photos and HD videos going through the guides. We considered visual tomes survival guides more, rich in valuable information as creating images and videos is more demanding and time-consuming than typing texts.
Crazy Conspiracy Index (CCI)
The Crazy Conspiracy Index (CCI) was also a vital factor of consideration we used in our ranking. It is common to see crazy claims such as the world ending in a few days or weeks, the nuclear apocalypse happening in a few days, and specific political policy causing mass shortages and riots, among other claims during the advertisement of these survival guides.
While it is impossible to guarantee what the future holds, it is doubtless that these people have been making the same claims for many years now without anything happening. So, we were cautious about guides that used false claims to market their products by instilling fear, and terror, manipulating the consumers or straying too far from reality to convince people to buy their products.
Price & Value
Getting a good survival guide doesn’t mean breaking the bank. Get these guides at an affordable rate through ebooks, ensuring that you get both value and reasonable prices. If you spend a lot of money, you must also get maximum value for every coin you pay with the items on our list ranging from $10 to $200, depending on your budget.
Complimentary Guides, Bonus Videos, Apps, and Educational Materials
While some survival guides are only books, others come with complementary features such as apps, educational materials, and videos, among other aspects, to enhance their value and allow you to implement them better. We ranked products on our list based on their value, including bonuses, guides, and complementary materials.
Moneyback Guarantee
A reliable survival guide should be confident in the information and advice it gives. In such cases, they should back their claims with a money-back guarantee, allowing you to get a refund for unsatisfactory investments. If you find the information in the book unreliable, filler, or standard, the seller should offer a 100% refund without any excuses.
Book Design, Aesthetic Appeal, and Publishing Quality
An aesthetic appeal may not seem crucial when choosing a survival guide. However, it becomes handy in ensuring you process the information better and quicker, making it a vital feature of any survival guide.
Our list comprises guides with great book designs, intelligent information layouts, and quality publishing techniques. Investing in these guides should carry more value in the form of their aesthetic appeal and no comparison to the free text files available online about free prepping advice.
Information Design
While some survival guides provide thoughtful information that is easy to follow, understand and implement, others throw a bunch of information to the reader, expecting them to figure out everything.
In such cases, the former is the best place to invest your time and money – the most convenient place to get quality, simple and great information to save you during emergencies. It is impossible to understand awkwardly-worded tutorials during stressful situations, making the best guides with simple and convenient designs.
Top 13 Things to Learn from Survival Guides
There are countless Survival guides designed for different areas, from gardening to trap setting – hunting – and the creation of power supplies. The topics may seem like a lot to learn but equipping knowledge in each area is the key to staying safe during an emergency. Here are some of the top things you can learn from these guides:
Securing Clean Water
The highest period anyone can go without water is three days, after which your chances for survival start diminishing. So, the best guides should teach you how to source clean water during emergencies to help you and your loved ones survive the challenges. Besides sourcing the water, the guides should further enlighten you on how to filter the water and maintain a steady water supply throughout the emergency. Building wells and using charcoal filters are some of the most common recommendations under this category.
Organic Gardening
To most people, surviving an emergency is all about hunting and using firearms. However, organic gardening is increasingly becoming a great strategy to survive unplanned events. It ensures a constant and fresh food supply from your backyard until things get back to normal. You don’t have to worry about getting a balanced diet with a good garden, especially fruits and vegetables.
Securing a Power Supply
People read survival guides for different reasons, from preparation for emergencies such as power outages and hurricanes to familiarization with apocalypse scenarios. Regardless of your goal, you must always ensure that you prepare for a secure power supply in the event of an unplanned occurrence. Fortunately, you can learn how to set up solar panels and generate mechanical power while maintaining your existing generator from these guides, among other related subjects.
Building and Securing Shelter
Shelter is one of the basic human needs besides food and water; your survival depends on a good cover. Most emergencies either destroy your home or throw you out, requiring you to learn how to create and secure good shelter for as long as the situation lasts.
The shelter should protect you and your loved ones from looters, wild animals, and harsh climatic conditions, among other potential risks. These guides describe different ways of creating shelter, from dirt to leaves, trees, branches, and other easily accessible resources. Others, such as The Lost Ways 2, describe the process of creating a comprehensive shelter – a log cabin—for as low as $500.
Food Storage Secrets
Food storage is a crucial aspect of surviving emergencies. Fortunately, most survival guides explain numerous ways of storing your food to last long and serve you during the ugly life events that cut you access to the fresh food supply from the rest of the world. These tips ensure that the little food you have remains durable (spoilage) and safe for use for a long time – it also prevents wastage.
Foraging Techniques & Edible Plants
The world is a rich place full of both poisonous and edible plants. With survival guides, you can familiarize yourself with the edible plants that you can eat during emergencies and the poisonous ones that you should avoid for your safety.
Urban and Wilderness Survival Techniques
There is a guide for those who live in remote places to those residing in small towns and cities. However, a good survival guide should teach you how to survive in multiple environments just in case an emergency throws you into a strange place you haven’t been to before. That way, you can survive anywhere you find yourself in the future as you are equipped with survival techniques for all environment types.
Natural & Traditional Medicine Techniques
The natural world is filled with numerous powerful medicines that can come in handy during emergencies to treat common ailments when quality medical care isn’t available. Walking through the forest when you know what you are looking for is as crucial as visiting the pharmacy. Ancient people and medical specialists have used these natural treatments for many decades with zero risks, and they can still save lives today in the absence of modern medication.
Firearms, Weapons, & Security Strategies
During an emergency, defending yourself and your loved ones is the key to surviving such occurrences’ hostility and life risks. Besides, you should also know how to use the weapons safely before buying them from the store today. What if you can’t access the ammunition during an emergency, but you face some danger? Some survival guides teach you how to create weapons from available resources and protect yourself in such moments besides securing the perimeter around your property.
Hunting, Butchering, & Livestock Strategies
Having a reliable meat supply during an emergency is one of the best things that can happen to anyone. Unfortunately, buying the meat at a butcher during disaster situations may be impossible, leaving you with no other option than hunting and butchering your animals while managing the existing ones for future use. You can learn all these and more from survival guides and survive the disaster situation easily.
Fishing Techniques
Living near a water source such as a river or lake during a disaster can be a blessing as it may mean endless fish supply to sustain you throughout the event. However, fishing may not be as easy as most people think, and you need some practical tips and guidance to enhance your skills at the game, thanks to survival guides that cover the topic.
Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Wisdom
If you are a beginner or intermediate, you shouldn’t shy away from these survival guides, as most are designed for these classes of consumers. You don’t need any solid skills to understand and implement the guides. Besides, some guides are intended for people who have already mastered basic survival skills and expertise. For this reason, there is something for everyone regardless of their knowledge, skills, and experience.
Practical Household Tips to Implement Today
Survival guides are designed for different moments depending on your needs and preferences. Do you need something to help you prepare for the next disaster occurrence or a guide to read after a disaster happens to help you know what you should have known before the event struck you?
Why Prepare for Disasters?
Survival guides are designed to help you prepare for potential disasters and emergencies. But why should you prepare for such ugly occurrences? Here are some of the reasons:
Natural disasters are not as new as they were in the past. The frequency of these events is higher today, from droughts and water shortages to wars, pandemics, and hurricanes, among others. For this reason, everyone should be prepared on how to survive on the day they strike.
The current power supply keeps aging with each passing day in the US, increasing the risk of power outages and other emergencies.
The United States debt currently hit its peak for the first time — $30 trillion, 130% — maximizing the risk for annual economic output.
Mass shootings, terrorism, and armed conflicts are at their highest today in America and worldwide.
Powerful enemies like Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea are constantly developing increasingly sophisticated weapons they could use to attack or intimidate the world.
There is no reason to stay unprepared for the above reasons when you have a chance today.
Prepping Isn’t Just About Doomsday Scenarios
Prepping for unplanned events isn’t exclusively meant for people who believe in doomsday. It is helpful for anyone who loves protecting themselves and their loved ones through disastrous moments. Unlike what most people think, associating prepping with post-apocalyptic events and nuclear winter, preparing further involves dealing with a range of challenges such as:
Power outages and other short-term, regional events
Natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, storms, and blizzards
Food crises and shortages
Social and economic unrest
Terrorist attacks, mass shootings, and other immediate survival situations
While you may see some preppers building bunkers in preparation for doomsday, and nuclear apocalypse, to an average person, it is all about innovating plans to secure food and water to survive unplanned events.
FAQs About The Best Survival Books
Our prepping team gets plenty of questions about surviving emergencies – securing water, food, and shelter. Here are some of the most common questions and answers:
Q: Are survival books only suitable for doomsday scenarios?
A: Survival books and “prepper” guides are designed for numerous other purposes beyond preparing you for doomsday situations and apocalyptic events; they’re also suitable for:
Natural disasters
Power outages
Economic turmoil
Social unrest
Technology outages and collapses
While most believers of people are the most prominent members of the prepping community, most want to be prepared for unexpected events.
Q: How do I start planning for an emergency?
A: Ready.gov recommends planning for an emergency by preparing food, water, medical supplies, extra clothing, batteries, and other materials in an emergency kit. Others recommend gathering at least 72 hours of emergency supplies at home or two weeks or more if preparing for larger emergencies.
Q: What should I stockpile before a disaster?
A: Your survival stockpile should mainly consist of food, water, matches or lighters, gas, medication, first aid supplies, hygienic supplies, communication devices, a flashlight, personal documents, batteries, cash, cooking supplies, tools, self-defense items, and other materials before a disaster to maximize your survivability.
Q: What skills should I learn before an emergency?
A: Some of the crucial survival skills you should learn in preparation for disaster include first aid, navigation without a GPS, building a fire, building a shelter, purifying water, tying knots, and finding food before an emergency.
Q: What is a prepper?
A: A prepper is anyone who prepares for unplanned occurrences before they happen. An average prepper should have an emergency plan, emergency supplies, food and water sources, and skills to navigate an emergency.
Q: Are preppers crazy?
A: Some people may see preppers as crazy, while others think it’s crazy not to be prepared for unexpected events. Most preppers aren’t preparing for the apocalypse: they’re preparing for natural disasters, economic turmoil, and other events that could jeopardize their safety.
Q: What’s the best survival book?
A: The Lost Ways 2, Dark Age Defense, The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies, and The Lost Superfoods are some of the best survival books available today.
Q: Are emergency food storage kits worth it?
A: Emergency freeze-dried food containers may be worth it, or they may not be worth it, depending on your level of preparation. Some people are willing to spend a few hundred or a few thousand dollars for good food storage and peace of mind, while others would instead make their food and storage solutions at home.
Q: What is freeze-dried food?
A: Freeze-dried food locks in the food’s nutrients while allowing it to be stored for long periods; just add water to restore freeze-dried food.
Q: How long does an emergency food supply last?
A: An emergency food supply can last anywhere from a few weeks to 30+ years – or forever – depending on the food you’re storing. Archaeologists have found honey in Egyptian tombs, for example, that is edible 2,000+ years later. Generally, most emergency food kits you buy are rated for 15 to 30+ years.
Q: What’s the best food to stock for an emergency?
A: Canned meat, canned fruits, canned vegetables, ready-to-eat cereals, peanut butter, jelly, hard candy, powdered milk, dried fruit, baby formula, and other long-lasting foods are ideal for emergencies.
Q: How do I rotate my emergency food storage?
A: Food storage rotation is essential for maintaining a good food supply. Track the expiration dates of the foods in your emergency storage, and be sure to use food that’s about to expire before it expires. Then, replace that food after using it.
Q: How do I get water in an emergency?
A: You can get water in an emergency by drinking sealed water containers, boiling specific water sources, filtering outdoor water sources (like rainwater, streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and natural springs), chlorinating water (using household liquid bleach at the right concentration), or distilling water, among other strategies.
Q: How long can I survive without water?
A: You can survive around 3 to 7 days without water, depending on exertion, physiology, and many other factors.
Q: How long can I survive without food?
A: You can survive anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months without food, depending on physiology and many other factors.
The Best Survival Books in 2022 Final Word
While some survival guides are designed for use after a disastrous occurrence, the best time to read these books is before the emergency. You equip yourself with the crucial skills, knowledge, resources, and materials you need to increase your survival odds. Above are some of the best survival books available in the market today that everyone should consider reading in preparation for potential disasters.
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02
Revive Superfoods products recalled due to possible norovirus contamination
As many as seven smoothies and oats products from Revive Organics Inc. have been recalled due to possible norovirus contamination of the raspberries used in these items, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Saturday.
The recalled products include the Açaí Twist Smoothie, Berry Blü Smoothie, Coconut Cream Smoothie, Heart Beet Smoothie, Raspberry and Mango Smoothie, Strawberry Zen Smoothie and Berry Patch Oats.
Since the products have been sold nationally and online, CFIA advises consumers to check if they have the recalled products and if so, to not consume them.
The CFIA says it is conducting a food safety investigation, “which may lead to the recall of other products.”
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“If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated food recall warnings,” the agency states on its website.
They are also looking into the removal of recalled products from the marketplace.
10 Kinder chocolate products recalled over possible salmonella contamination – Apr 12, 2022
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Norovirus is a group of contagious viruses that cause vomiting and diarrhea, according to Health Canada.
Infected individuals will usually develop symptoms — diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach cramps — within 24 to 48 hours, but symptoms can start as early as 12 hours after exposure.
Symptoms also include “low-grade fever, headache, chills, muscle aches and fatigue,” the CFIA says.
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“Most people feel better within one or two days, with symptoms resolving on their own, and experience no long-term health effects.”
However, the CFIA suggests that people who are sick “should drink plenty of liquids to replace lost body fluids and prevent dehydration. In severe cases, patients may need to be hospitalized and given fluids intravenously.”
According to the CFIA, recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased.
Individuals should contact their health-care provider if they suspect that they became sick from consuming a recalled product.
There are currently no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products, CIFA states.
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
03
Will superfoods help you stave off chronic diseases and health disorders?
Taken to extremes, this unhealthy approach could point to an eating disorder. But most people are just content to eat healthily. Quinoa, green tea, brown rice, protein powder, kale, nuts, seeds, fish like salmon and tuna, a gluten-free diet and milk alternatives are some of what tickles their palate. No doubt these are food with benefits, but are they really superfoods? Or are they fads?
What the experts say
‘There is no such thing as superfood’
Nutritionally speaking, there is no such thing as a superfood. The term was coined from a marketing point of view and to influence the food trends, said Clinical Dietician Sushma Ghag, Aster Hospital, Mankhool, Dubai.
Though many foods can be described as super or great, the Dubai-based dietician said that no single food holds the key to good health and disease prevention.
Many people have unrealistic expectations from superfoods, believing that it is a way to protect them from chronic diseases and health problems.
- Sushma Ghag, Clinical Dietician, Aster Hospital, Mankhool, Dubai
That doesn’t mean there aren’t foods that provide vital nutrients. Berries, dark leafy greens, green tea, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds, salmon, ginger, garlic, soy, and olive oil can be given the superfood title, Ghag said. They are packed with nutrients, especially vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, with fewer calories.
In fact, there is no alternative to a healthy meal as it provides nutrients beneficial to maintaining a healthy life.
For a healthy life, try to plan meals to include all food groups in the correct quantity, said Katheeja Basheer, Clinical Dietitian, NMC Royal Hospital, Sharjah.
For a healthy life, try to plan meals to include all food groups in the correct quantity.
- Katheeja Basheer, Clinical Dietitian, NMC Royal Hospital, Sharjah
A healthy diet provides the body with essential nutrition, from macro and micronutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals, fluid and fibre, she added.
Unrealistic expectations from superfoods
Many people have unrealistic expectations from superfoods, believing that it is a way to protect them from chronic diseases and health problems. This could eventually lead to a poor diet that is harmful or eating an excess amount of such foods, leading to the risk of toxicity, Ghag said.
Diets are individualised and based on different factors. It is important to plan your meals in advance. “Planning and prepping your food over the weekend ensures that you will eat healthy food the rest of the week, which will lessen the chances of giving in to your craving and making unhealthy choices,” Sharjah-based dietician Katheeja Basheer said.
Highlighting the importance of making a shopping list, Katheeja said: Be conscious of what you eat, reduce processed foods, store healthy snacks like cut fruits, low-fat yoghurt, and unsalted nuts and schedule your meal. And most of all, stay hydrated and say “no, thank you” to fad foods.
Here’s a look at some health trends and fads:
GREEN TEA
What’s it?
Green tea is made from unoxidised leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis, which is also used for all other teas except herbal tea. Since green tea is one of the least processed teas, it contains more antioxidants and beneficial polyphenols.
According to Medical News Today, green tea has been used in traditional Chinese, Japanese and Indian medicine for thousands of years.
Health benefits
It is used as a dietary supplement mainly to control bleeding and heal wounds, help in digestion, improve mental health and alertness, protect against heart disease and regulate body temperature, according to a report by the US National Institutes of Health. Green tea is also reported to be useful in reducing the risk of some types of cancer.
Despite green tea’s use in traditional medicine, scientists say that the results from the studies so far have been inconsistent, and hence it doesn’t conclusively prove its health benefits, especially in fighting cancer.
Is it harmful?
An ingredient in several weight-loss products, green tea has been linked to rare instances of liver issues and is reported to interact with other medicines.
According to an NDTV report, green tea is not ideal for hydration since it’s a natural diuretic, which causes the body to lose water. Drinking excessive green tea can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, resulting in headaches, lethargy and fatigue.
But a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition said that tea rehydrates as well as water. One of the authors of the study Dr Carrie Ruxton, a nutritionist, told the BBC: "Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so it's got two things going for it."
GLUTEN-FREE DIET
What’s it?
A gluten-free diet excludes all foods that contain gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and other grains. So all foods that use flour, such as cakes, pastries, biscuits, bread and pasta are not part of the diet. The focus is on consuming only vegetables, meat, eggs, rice, potatoes and processed gluten-free foods like gluten-free bread or pasta.
Health benefits
A gluten-free diet is a necessity for people with coeliac disease (an autoimmune disease where the consumption of gluten damages the small intestine) and people with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity.
People without these disorders need not follow a gluten-free diet, but it has developed a following since some studies say that the diet helps in weight loss and improves overall health, including gastrointestinal issues, besides enhancing athletic performance. But experts insist that more research is needed to verify the claims.
Is it harmful?
A gluten-free diet is not advisable for healthy people since the foods excluded in the diet provide important vitamins and other nutrients like iron, calcium, riboflavin, thiamin, folate, niacin, and fibre, a Mayo Clinic report says.
Some of the substitute gluten-free foods tend to be processed and hence have higher fat and sugar content than the food they replace.
DAIRY MILK ALTERNATIVES
What are they?
Dairy milk is produced by mammals, including cows, goats, sheep and camels. According to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, cow’s milk is around 87 per cent water, and the remaining 13 per cent contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
Since opinion is divided about the health benefits of milk, many people have switched to milk substitutes like soy milk, almond milk, flax milk and coconut milk. Lactose intolerance and milk protein allergy also force people to look for non-dairy alternatives.
Health benefits
Milk is a good source of essential nutrients and minerals, making it a near-complete meal. It offers a good balance of naturally occurring calories from fat, protein and nutrients like vitamin D, B12, iodine and calcium.
Soya milk is considered the best replacement for cow’s milk in terms of protein, while almond milk is low in calories and rich in monounsaturated fatty acids that help improve heart health.
Oat milk is high in fibre and vitamins, which will help reduce the risk of heart disease, and diabetes. And coconut milk reportedly can reduce inflammation and speed up the metabolism, thereby aiding weight loss.
Is it harmful?
Dairy milk alternatives have some drawbacks. Since they don’t have the nutrients found in cow’s milk, non-dairy milk is fortified with synthetic nutrients, including calcium. A common calcium alternative is calcium carbonate, which naturally occurs in the form of chalk, limestone, and marble. A 2018 study linked calcium carbonate to gastrointestinal side effects, but more research is required to confirm it.
Lots of sugar is added to most dairy alternatives to make them flavourful, although unsweetened varieties are also available. MSG or monosodium glutamate, emulsifiers to duplicate the texture and consistency of dairy milk, and oil are some of the common additives. They aren’t exactly good for health.
PROTEIN POWDERS
What are they?
Protein powders are concentrated sources of protein that come from plants (soybeans, peas, rice, potatoes, or hemp), eggs, or milk (casein or whey protein). They are used as nutritional supplements since protein helps build muscle and repair tissue. These powders can also be used for weight loss. Supplements used to build muscle contain more protein, and supplements for weight loss have relatively less protein.
Health benefits
Protein powders help athletes and gym users, who regularly lift weights, to maximise muscle gain and fat loss. They are also useful for people who are unable to meet protein needs from food, especially the elderly and vegetarians. The supplements must be used only under the supervision of nutritionists or physicians.
Is it harmful?
Protein powders may contain added sugar, calories, artificial flavouring, thickeners, vitamins, minerals and even toxic chemicals, according to a report in Harvard Health Publishing.
US dietitian Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, says the long-term effects of protein powders are not known. "There are limited data on the possible side effects of high protein intake from supplements," she adds.
A non-profit group called the Clean Label Project released a report that said, “researchers screened 134 products for 130 types of toxins and found that many protein powders contained heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury), bisphenol-A, pesticides, or other contaminants with links to cancer and other health conditions. Some toxins were present in significant quantities.”
JUICE CLEANSING
What’s it?
Juice cleansing is a low-calorie diet where only fruit and vegetable juices are consumed for a short period, usually one to three days, leading to weight loss. Philadelphia-based dietician Kelly Plowe says: "Juice cleanses specifically lack fibre, which helps control your appetite and helps your body 'cleanse' itself. Any weight lost is likely to be gained back, and enjoying only juices will likely leave you feeling hungry."
Health benefits
Research on juice cleansing is limited, so the health claims are not readily accepted by nutritionists and dieticians. Since fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients, there may be some benefits in consuming juices.
It boosts the intake of vitamins, minerals, and other anti-inflammatory compounds, and some people say they feel more energetic after a juice cleanse. This could be partly because juices help reduce dehydration. Many fruits and veggies are natural detoxifiers, and some juices may improve digestion.
Is it harmful?
One of the main drawbacks of juice cleansing is that it cannot be a substitute for whole foods since juice lacks important dietary fibre. Children, women who are pregnant or nursing and people with diabetes or chronic liver, kidney, or gall bladder problems are advised against undertaking juice cleansing.
Juices made from dark, leafy greens and beets may cause kidney stones, and could lead to low blood sugar since they are low in calories. That can be dangerous for people with diabetes and hypoglycemia. Juices that are not stored properly can cause bacterial infections, so vegetables and fruits have to be washed properly before juicing.
According to Amanda Beaver, wellness dietitian at Houston Methodist, juice cleansing could result in nutrient deficiency as juice is almost devoid of protein, healthy fats and some vitamins. The lack of fibre is unhealthy for the healthy bacteria in our gut and the limited amount of protein may lead to muscle and bone loss.
QUINOA
What’s it?
Quinoa is an edible seed that has gained popularity due to its health benefits. The gluten-free, nutrient-dense quinoa, considered the sacred food of the Inca people hundreds of years ago, is a good source of nutrients, including folate, magnesium, zinc, and iron.
Although there are more than 120 types of quinoa, the common versions available are white, red, and black quinoa.
Health benefits
MedineNet, quoting a Harvard Public School of Health study, states that “eating a bowl of quinoa daily may reduce the chances of early death risk from cancer, heart disease, respiratory ailments, diabetes, and other chronic diseases by 17 per cent.”
Quinoa is loaded with nutrients, including fibre, protein, folate, and magnesium. It contains flavonoids with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the body. Quinoa is low in sodium and high in calcium, potassium, and iron; the high fibre content supports gut health and helps in regulating body weight. The gluten-free grain is also a good source of protein and a smart carbohydrate choice.
Is it harmful?
Eating quinoa may cause stomachaches, itchy skin, hives, and other common symptoms of food allergies, according to Healthline, which says the symptoms are caused by the compound saponin found in the seed and its coating.
Since not enough is known about the use of quinoa during pregnancy and breastfeeding, it’s best avoided during such periods. That’s the advice from emedicinehealth.
KALE
What’s it?
Kale is a green, leafy vegetable that is rich in nutrients, offering a range of health benefits. A member of the cabbage family, kale can be eaten raw or cooked.
Although it’s been found on dinner tables since Roman times, kale has enjoyed a fresh bout of popularity following its rise in status as a superfood.
Health benefits
Kale is packed with nutrients, including vitamins A, K, B6 and C, calcium, potassium, copper and manganese. According to Medical News Today, possible benefits include helping manage blood pressure, improving digestive health, and safeguarding against cancer and type 2 diabetes.
Is it harmful?
Mayo Clinic says people should avoid or limit kale intake if they develop oxalate containing kidney stones or take certain blood thinners. People who use beta-blockers should consume high potassium foods, such as kale, in moderation, Medical News Today adds.
What’s the best option?
Among the superfoods listed here, quinoa is the best bet: it’s a complete protein. Throw some kale into the mix, and you get a large range of nutrients. But, as the dieticians said there is no magic formula. A meal that comprises all food groups will keep our bodies healthy. So don’t be swayed by the food fads.
Note: An earlier report wrongly attributed an NDTV report to Dr Carrie Ruxton. It has been rectified.
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