Can You Eat Raw Wild Garlic to Survive? Is it Safe?

When you’re in a real survival situation, your best-laid plans might come to nothing. You might run out of food, lose your food supply or just be forced to eat things that you wouldn’t normally eat. You might not even be able to cook your food!

People can eat a lot of things raw, but not everything, and eating certain things raw or eating too much of them might cause new problems.

Let’s look at wild garlic, for instance. Can you safely eat raw wild garlic to survive?

Yes, wild garlic is safe to eat raw. Wild garlic is reasonably tasty, fairly nutritious and quite common in the wilderness. This makes it a valuable survival edible but you must take care to not confuse it with several toxic look-alikes.

Wild garlic is a well-known veggie among outdoorsmen, survivalists, and other folks that spend a lot of time in deep country, but it also has a dedicated following among urban and suburban gardeners who use it in the same way that you would grocery store garlic, but appreciate its milder flavor.

It definitely has a place in your survival food plan, but there’s a lot more you’ll need to know, especially as it concerns potentially deadly plants that look nearly identical. I’ll tell you everything you need to know down below.

Be Careful! Some Toxic Plants Look Similar to Wild Garlic!

We cannot go any further without talking about what is potentially the most serious issue concerning the consumption of raw, wild garlic.

There are several plants that happen to grow in places where wild garlic can be found around the world, and they have a tendency to closely resemble wild garlic at various stages of growth.

In the United States, the death camas is notorious for imitating wild onions and wild garlic, and is potentially fatal if ingested.

It’s particularly a threat to animals and livestock that are allowed to graze or that eat it along with other plant matter harvested from areas that contain wild garlic or the death camas.

Long the bane of livestock keepers, it has also injured and killed human beings who mistakenly harvest it.

It should go without saying that you should never, ever touch or eat any plant you have not positively identified as safe, and it is up to you to familiarize yourself with the sometimes subtle differences between wild garlic and its potentially deadly impostors.

If you’re really in a jam and have no choice, always apply the field edibility test prior to eating.

Does Wild Garlic Taste Like Grocery-store Garlic?

Generally yes, though it is typically far milder in flavor. It still tastes like garlic, don’t get me wrong, but it is nowhere near as pungent as the varieties you can buy in the grocery store.

In fact, wild garlic might have a decidedly more onion or chive-like flavor compared to the garlic you are used to.

It isn’t offensive and it can definitely improve the flavor of other foods if you’re trying to whip up a proper dish in austere conditions.

The good news is, because it is so much milder, it’s easier to eat wild garlic raw compared to the stuff you have on your spice rack at home!

Typical garlic is so pungent it is liable to make you sick if you eat very much of it raw…

Are Wild Garlic Leaves Safe to Eat?

Yes, they are. The delicate leaves of wild garlic are completely safe to eat raw, or cooked, and can be used in much the same way as other greens or salad veggies can.

Of greater importance is the fact that the leaves of wild garlic are also quite nutritious and you should definitely harvest them along with the bulb which is usually considered the prize.

Are Wild Garlic Flowers Safe to Eat?

Yes. The small, delicate flowers of wild garlic are rarely considered particularly beautiful compared to other wildflowers.

But, they’re totally edible and can be added to other greens to make a salad when you’re in a survival situation, and they also contain a few vitamins and minerals.

Are Wild Garlic Roots Safe to Eat?

Yes, indeed they are. The roots of the wild garlic plant are not particularly tasty raw or cooked, and they also don’t contain much in the way of nutrition but they are totally edible.

If food is reasonably abundant in the area, don’t hesitate to discard them but if you’re truly scratching and clawing for every, single stray calorie you can get your hands on then you can eat them along with the rest of the plant.

Can You Eat Cooked Wild Garlic to Survive?

You sure can. Cooking wild garlic is a great way to improve the flavor even further, though this comes at the cost of some vitamins and minerals that will be lost during the cooking process.

However, cooking will make what nutrients are in the garlic more accessible or bioavailable to your body, generally increasing the overall benefit.

Something else that you shouldn’t discount is the fact that cooking will serve to kill off any germs present on or in the garlic which could make you deathly ill if you eat the garlic raw.

The very last thing you need to deal with in the middle of an already dire situation is food poisoning, and some foodborne illnesses can prove to be fatal!

If you can, you should generally cook your wild garlic if you have the resources, time and opportunity to do so but you don’t need to be too afraid of eating it raw, either.

Wild Garlic Nutritional Info

Because it is not typically grown, harvested and sold commercially for human consumption there have not been too many comprehensive studies on the nutritional content of wild garlic compared to other common cultivars.

That being said, we know the overall nutritional values are pretty similar to its close cousin, wild onions, and also commercially cultivated garlic.

Wild garlic has a surprisingly good complement of vitamins and minerals alike.

Concerning the vitamins, most of the B-complex ones are here in abundance with thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folate and B6 all being present along with lots of vitamin C, and some choline.

There’s a lot to like about the mineral content, too, with plenty of calcium and iron, phosphorus and manganese, zinc, potassium, and a somewhat lesser amount of magnesium. Wild garlic also has selenium…

Together, these vitamins and minerals will facilitate many vital processes throughout the body, everything from overall cellular health, organ function, oxygenation of the bloodstream, tissue repair and more.

But, because they’re comparatively so low in calories it’s pretty difficult to make a fortifying meal out of garlic alone, and as nutritious as it is, it’s nowhere close to nutritionally complete for humans.

That being said, it is undeniably valuable, and you should gather it and add it to your diet whenever possible during a survival situation.

Where Does Wild Garlic Grow?

Wild garlic can be found all around the globe, particularly in the northern hemisphere. Native to Europe, where it is found abundantly pretty much all over the place, it was brought to North America by settlers and has since been naturalized.

It is particularly abundant throughout New England and north of the Ohio River all the way to the Mississippi River and a little bit beyond, though it seems to have quite a foothold and the Cascadia region of the Northwest.

You can easily find wild garlic growing in its range anywhere you have moist conditions and partial shade, meaning it is especially common in forests, tree lines and other shady areas.

When conditions are ideal, it can quite literally outcompete all other vegetation growing close to the ground, and it isn’t out of the question that you might find a literal patch of wild garlic!

Any Health Issues to Worry About When Eating Wild Garlic?

There are a few health considerations on the consumption of wild garlic, and for some folks even a single bite might be problematic!

Wild garlic, like wild onions and all other allium genus plants has been known to cause allergic reactions in some sensitive individuals.

Depending on the individual in question, the symptoms could be tingling, numbness and mild discomfort all the way up to impaired breathing, swelling of the throat and airway, anaphylaxis and even death.

Obviously, this is no good, and doubly so if you’re already in the middle of a survival scenario!

The only way to know for sure if you are allergic to wild garlic is to either get tested at a doctor or to take the plunge and try it.

I believe it is in your best interest to know ahead of time one way or the other, but if you have a history of onion or garlic allergies, assume you’re already allergic.

Another consideration is one that wild garlic shares with all wild, forged foods and raw ones in particular.

Any raw food, including a vegetable like wild garlic, could harbor bacteria or viruses that can give you food poisoning or some other nasty foodborne illness.

Expect diarrhea, vomiting and nausea at the minimum which can again be devastating if you’re already sick, injured or fatigued. Even worse outcomes are not out of the question.

At the minimum, you should rinse any harvested wild garlic in fresh, clean water if you are able, and preferably cook it if that’s a possibility.

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Can You Eat Raw Honeysuckle to Survive? Is it Safe?

There are all kinds of plants serving all kinds of purposes in and around human habitation. Every once in a while, you come across a plant that is pretty divisive.

Some folks might love it for its beauty or aroma, but it might have physical characteristics that make it a nuisance to others.

Honeysuckle is one such plant, simultaneously loved for its beauty and fragrant, delicate flowers while simultaneously being hated because of its tendency to climb over every vertical surface and choke out other plants nearby.

But that’s for domestic life; we need to know whether or not we can eat honeysuckle to survive in the wilderness. So, is it safe to eat raw honeysuckle?

Yes, certain species of honeysuckle are safe to eat, even raw. However, there are many species of honeysuckle that are mildly poisonous. It’s important to thoroughly learn local and regional species if you want to make use of them as survival food.

Maybe you don’t have an opinion about honeysuckle one way or the other, except your fond childhood memories of trying a little drop of the sweet nectar.

In any case, honeysuckle is very common in most places around the country, but you just can’t eat them without any reservations since eating the wrong kind could make you seriously sick.

I’ll tell you everything you need to know about incorporating honeysuckle as a survival edible down below.

Be Careful: Some Honeysuckle Varieties are Poisonous

Okay, we need to tackle the obvious issue with depending on honeysuckle as a survival food before we do anything else.

The bottom line is that many honeysuckle species are toxic, though most are minimally poisonous.

As far as human beings are concerned, there are no known deaths that have resulted from eating toxic honeysuckle, berries, flowers or any other part of the plant, but animal deaths have indeed happened.

In any case, ingesting toxic honeysuckle is going to make you sick, likely resulting in serious digestive upset.

And identification might not be easy: most species produce those beautiful, delicate and sweet-smelling flowers and also glossy berries which are bound to look very appetizing when you’re hungry.

The trick is that these flowers and berries are produced by safe and by toxic species alike. It’s up to you to learn, and learn precisely, which species are safe and which aren’t…

For instance, the common tartarian and fly honeysuckle varieties are very toxic, and both produce delicious-looking berries.

But you can avoid the berries and still get sick off of these plants because the toxin is present in all parts.

On the other end of the spectrum, the beloved sweetberry honeysuckle produces, as the name would suggest, sweet, safe and delicious berries.

Finding one of these plants any survival situation would be a godsend because you can eat the flowers and other parts too!

And, there’s a little more good news for savvy survivors: most places around the globe only have two to three honeysuckle species that are commonly encountered.

What this means is, it isn’t too hard to figure out which ones are safe and which ones aren’t by memorizing their distinctive characteristics.

Does Raw Honeysuckle Taste Good?

The honeysuckle plant usually tastes quite very grassy, or vegetal, and some have been reported to taste unpleasantly bitter even though they are safe to eat.

That being said, the safe species can be used very much like you would ordinary salad greens and eaten as is, or they can be boiled as part of a stew or even steeped to use for tea.

Also note that most of the berries grown on edible varieties of honeysuckle don’t taste very sweet.

They usually taste better than the rest of the plant, but they tend towards being tart and astringent tasting.

As previously mentioned, one notable exception is the sweetberry species which produces those delicious berries…

Is Honeysuckle Nectar Safe to Eat?

Yes, it is. It is worth mentioning that the nectar of all honeysuckle species is safe to eat.

However, you get so precious little of it from any given bloom that deriving anything in the way of actual nutrients from it is going to be a highly laborious and time-consuming task.

Are Honeysuckle Flowers Safe to Eat?

Yes, assuming they are from a non-toxic variety of honeysuckle. The blooms of the honeysuckle are safe to eat raw as they are and they are also a common ingredient in many teas and tinctures.

Are Honeysuckle Berries Safe to Eat?

Yes, once again as long as they come from a non-toxic variety of honeysuckle. In most cases, even berries from toxic plants are only mildly poisonous, though that’s no reason to eat them if you can avoid it!

Assuming the berries are safe, they are safe to eat raw right off of the plant, though they tend to be tart.

A few varieties produce sweet, delicious berries that you’ll be glad to get, and the high sugar content of these varieties is great for a quick boost of energy.

Can You Eat Cooked Honeysuckle to Survive?

Yes, you can as long as it is a safe species. Cooking a honeysuckle plant will reduce the overall level of vitamins and minerals present, but it also kills off any germs that might be lurking on or in the plant, potentially preventing you from getting sick.

This is also a good time to mention that cooking a toxic species will not destroy the toxins, or destroy enough of them, to make it non-toxic and therefore it won’t make it safe to eat just because it’s cooked.

Honeysuckle Nutritional Info

There isn’t much reliable nutritional information about honeysuckles because they are not cultivated and harvested for regular human consumption.

We do know that safe species are indeed truly safe to eat like many other wild edibles, and that you can expect to get vitamins, minerals and some calories from these plants.

That might be enough to help you supplement a diet that is lacking in one or two nutrients, help fill you up and stave off hunger pangs, or provide you with calories to keep your energy levels a little bit higher.

As you might have expected, honeysuckles are nowhere close to nutritionally complete for people.

Where Does Honeysuckle Grow?

Honeysuckle, of one type or another, can be found globally and is particularly abundant throughout the northern hemisphere.

There are well over 150 varieties of honeysuckle growing in various places, though the majority is spread across Europe, North America, and much of Asia.

Further complicating matters, you can sometimes find invasive species growing right alongside indigenous species, though invasive species tend to outcompete their indigenous cousins.

Honeysuckle generally prefers temperate environments, not too hot or too cold, neither too shady nor too sunny.

Honeysuckle is truly a plant species that prefers “just right” conditions, and if you are living or traveling through any such temperate zone there’s probably going to be at least one honeysuckle species you can find.

Something else to keep in mind is that various species are also cultivated as garden or landscape plants, so it’s not uncommon to encounter them in urban and suburban areas.

Something to possibly keep in mind if you’re able to track down a sweetberry honeysuckle growing in someone’s garden during an urban survival scenario.

Any Health Issues to Worry About When Eating Honeysuckle?

The single biggest risk associated with eating honeysuckle is if you eat any part of the plant from a toxic variety.

Typically, the toxins present in these species are pretty mild, and as mentioned above, no human deaths have been reported.

Even so, it won’t take too many for you to wind up with serious abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and potentially a headache and loss of coordination.

Eating way, way too many berries or other parts of the plant could result in more serious trouble, to include death, so take it seriously.

Once again, consider this your reminder to never eat any plant, including honeysuckle, that you have not positively identified as safe to eat.

The other major thing to be aware of when eating honeysuckle raw is the same for any sort of raw plant or produce, and that’s the presence of germs.

There are all sorts of viruses, bacteria, and other gribblies that can give you food poisoning or worse.

Food poisoning might not be that bad when you were in the middle of a functioning society with help just a few minutes away, but in a survival scenario it could prove fatal.

Vomiting, diarrhea and the overall loss of electrolytes could stress your body to the breaking point when you’re already in trouble, or just prevent you from taking care of all of the many survival tasks that you must attend to under the circumstances.

If possible, try to wash any harvested honeysuckle at a minimum, and consider lightly cooking it if you can.

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Can You Eat Raw Corn to Survive? Is it Safe?

Every self-reliant person I know spends hour upon hour planning to accommodate the need for food in all kinds of survival situations. Yeah, you can go for weeks without food before you starve, but only a handful of days without food before you’re dangerously low on energy.

But one thing that is routinely overlooked in all of these plans and preps is the fact that you might not be able to cook food even if you have it on hand.

In such a situation, knowing what is safe to eat raw might make a difference in your chances of survival. Let’s look at corn. Can you eat raw corn in a survival situation?

Yes, you can safely eat corn raw to survive. Raw, fresh corn is easy to eat, pretty tasty and offers plenty of calories, vitamins and minerals making it a good option.

Today, corn is eaten all around the globe as a true staple food source.

Nutritionally, it has a lot to offer although our overreliance on it in the modern American diet and its high level of calories in the form of carbohydrates has given it an unsavory reputation.

But, when it comes to survival, believe me, you can do a whole lot worse! I’ll tell you everything you need to know about incorporating corn into your survival diet below…

Be Careful: Dry Corn Can Break Your Teeth!

You can eat raw corn to survive, and it’s completely safe to do so, but you’d better be very cautious if you plan on eating raw, dry corn.

You can dry out just about any vegetable or grain, or any food for that matter, if you really want to but dry corn gets so hard it basically turns into stone!

Now, you might be hungry, you might even be borderline starving, but if you try to wolf down some dry corn without at least softening it in water first you’re probably going to have a bunch of jagged and broken stumps where your teeth used to be.

Also, take care if you were just eating older stored kernels too: most of them might be soft and edible as they are, but if you run into a kernel that has dried out more thoroughly than the others, you’ll easily chip or break a tooth.

Can You Eat Cooked Corn to Survive?

Yes, and you should if you have the opportunity. Cooked corn will lose a significant amount of vitamins and minerals, but the nutrition present in the corn will be easier for your body to access since the corn will become more digestible. Generally, this is a good trade-off.

Also, cooking corn will ensure that harmful germs responsible for causing food poisoning and other illnesses will be killed off, increasing safety overall.

This isn’t to scare you off of eating raw corn if you’re truly in a bind and have neither the time nor the resources to cook it, but cooking is best if you can…

Corn Nutritional Info

Corn, despite being ever-present in all sorts of junk foods and snacks, is surprisingly healthy in its natural form, with a good amount of protein and plenty of carbohydrates for energy.

This is obviously important for your diet during a survival situation, but even better is the great assortment of vitamins and minerals that it contains.

Looking at the vitamins first, we see that corn has a little bit of vitamin A and a good shot of vitamin C, but the best it has on offer is most of the B-complex vitamins, including great amounts of thiamine, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate along with lesser amounts of riboflavin and vitamin B6.

The mineral content is more limited but still highly respectable and useful, with great amounts of phosphorus and magnesium along with lesser amounts of zinc potassium, manganese and iron.

Altogether, corn will provide you plenty of energy even when eaten raw and it can improve all sorts of processes throughout the body, from promoting the formation of new red blood cells and the oxygenation of the blood supply to overall cellular function, electrolyte balance, tissue healing, and more.

If you need calories and a good shot of nutrition in the middle of a survival situation, but all you have on hand is raw corn you can do a whole lot worse.

It is not nutritionally complete, but very few grains and veggies are anyway!

Are Corn Husks Safe to Eat?

Raw corn husks are safe to eat, but they sure aren’t very good. Yes, corn husks are used in various ways in various kinds of cuisine, most notably as natural wrappers for tamales, but despite this they just are not good to eat when raw.

They are very fibrous, chewy and pretty tough, and assuming you wanted to go through all that trouble they have very little to offer in the way of calories or overall nutrition.

The husks are something you should only eat raw if you are truly desperate for calories.

Are Corn Cobs Safe to Eat?

No. The corn cob, the part that grows and holds all of the kernels, is just too tough and dense to eat.

Strictly speaking, it is edible if it is boiled for a long time but it doesn’t have anything to offer you in terms of nutrition because it is mostly cellulose which is indigestible by people.

No matter how hungry you are, you can discard the cob without worry.

Are Corn Stalks Safe to Eat?

Absolutely not! The actual stalk that the corn cob grows on is way too tough and hard to be edible, and like the cob itself, it is mostly cellulose with very little else that it can provide in terms of nutrients.

Pick the ears of corn, remove the kernels and leave the stalks and cobs alone.

Are Corn Roots Safe to Eat?

Yes, the roots of the corn plant are safe to eat but not very tasty and not particularly nutritious.

They can be boiled and eaten if you want to make maximum use of all parts of the plant, but they should not be the first part that you reach for, obviously.

Where Does Corn Grow?

Today, corn can be found growing in unbelievable quantities all around the globe. It has become a staple to many populations around the world, and even those where it is not it is typically still a regular fixture at mealtime.

Though it originally was found growing wild only in Central America, today thanks to the proliferation of trade around the world and countless selective breeding programs there are a dizzying amount of corn cultivars on farms virtually everywhere.

Anywhere there is a hot, humid climate you will probably find major corn-growing operations, but it isn’t out of the question you can find it growing wild periodically, especially in its original historical range.

Because corn is nutritious, generally easy to grow, and very calorie dense it is in your best interest to factor known farms into your survival plans if you live anywhere near them.

Any Health Issues to Worry About When Eating Raw Corn?

Not really, although there are some concerns regarding long-term nutrition. Overall, corn is entirely safe to eat, even when eaten raw, so long as it is not so dry that it poses a hazard to your teeth.

Raw corn does not contain any compounds or other things that pose a health risk.

That being said, you definitely want to be aware of the fact that raw corn, like any other raw produce or cereal, might contain bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms that can cause foodborne illness.

Basic food poisoning is definitely unpleasant, but it can be a showstopper and potentially even fatal when you were already in the middle of a survival situation.

If you are dealing with illness, injury or long-term malnutrition it could be enough to finish you off. Also don’t discount that some foodborne germs can be fatal all by themselves!

Keep in mind that corn, as good as it is, is not nutritionally complete. Yes, it has lots of stuff that people do need, both vitamins and minerals, but it doesn’t have everything.

You need a varied diet in order to survive, and if you are subsisting entirely on corn you’re probably getting too little protein and too much sugar over time.

This might only be a serious concern for the most long-term survival scenarios, but it’s something you need to remember and work to avoid!

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Can You Eat Raw Potatoes to Survive? Is it Safe?

When you’re talking about survival, real survival, your wants and preferences will rarely factor into the equation. Survival is mostly about making the best of a bad situation, or choosing the lesser of the two evils much of the time.

As always, necessity is going to be the ultimate decider of your actions. This certainly applies when it comes to the food you eat, and you may not always have a well-rounded diet or even food that is properly cooked.

Let’s look at potatoes. Potatoes are certainly popular and surprisingly nutritious, but can you survive on raw potatoes?

Yes, you can survive on raw potatoes for a time. Potatoes are calorie dense and highly nutritious, though they are not nutritionally complete.

Raw potatoes may also cause diarrhea and other digestive problems when eaten often, and you should never eat green potatoes or any other parts of the plant because they contain toxic solanine.

The humble potato is one of the most commonly eaten staple foods around the world, and it is an inseparable fixture in all kinds of cuisines.

Also, potatoes can be prepared in all kinds of ways, but they are safe to eat raw in limited quantities.

You can do a lot worse than potatoes as a survival staple, but you can’t live on them forever, and you cannot rule out the possibility of eating a toxic potato which can be bad news.

I’ll tell you everything you need to know about surviving on potatoes below…

Take Care! Green Potatoes Contain Toxic Solanine!

One thing you must be aware of concerning potatoes in a survival situation, and a fact that most people don’t know, is that they can be extremely toxic. Hard to believe, I know, but it’s true!

As it turns out, potatoes belong to the nightshade family of plants, which includes several illustrious members that are shockingly dangerous.

Now, the everyday potatoes that you and I eat from the grocery store aren’t toxic, of course (or at least not toxic most of the time) but all parts of the potato plant do have this toxin…

The trick is that the potato itself doesn’t develop this toxin when it is protected from sunlight.

You can tell if a potato is toxic simply by looking at it: if you see green skin or flesh, it contains solanine, and the more green you see, or the deeper the color, the more dangerous it is!

Also, don’t even think about cooking it to make it safe because cooking will only slightly reduce the overall load of toxins.

If you see a green potato, get rid of it, never eat it and don’t feed it to animals whether it is raw or cooked!

Solanine is bad news, and in small doses will cause serious vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and nausea but higher doses will lead to migraines, high fevers, and death.

Can You Eat Raw Potatoes to Survive?

Yes, it is safe to eat a raw potato assuming it isn’t green as detailed above. Although they are fairly digestible when they are raw, they aren’t very tasty, and eating too many raw potatoes can also cause indigestion.

But if you’re in a pinch and need calories desperately you can do a lot worse than eating a raw potato.

Can You Eat Cooked Potatoes to Survive?

Yes, you definitely can and you should if you have time and opportunity to cook them.

A cooked potato will have somewhat lower amounts of vitamins and minerals compared to a raw one; most of them will be more bioavailable and accessible to your body because they’ll be easier to digest.

Also, not for nothing, a potato that is cooked is far tastier than a raw one…

Potatoes Nutritional Info

Potatoes are probably best loved as a delicious side dish, either in the form of french fries, hash browns or just a good old-fashioned baked potato, but don’t forget they are surprisingly nutritious.

Potatoes have a lot to offer a survivor in terms of both macro and micronutrients, and you can do a whole lot worse than adding potatoes to your survival menu when you’re in a pinch.

Right up front, potatoes can give you a good shot of protein and plenty of carbohydrates that can contribute to both short and long-term energy.

The vitamin profile is also impressive, and most of the B-complex vitamins are here including thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and also vitamins K and A. Mineral content is likewise good.

You’ll find plenty of phosphorus and calcium, a great amount of potassium which can help with your cellular function and electrolyte levels, and a small amount of other similarly important minerals, such as copper, manganese, zinc, and iron.

Overall, the potato is considered a staple food for a reason, and it can definitely keep you alive when the chips are down, no pun intended.

However, potatoes are not nutritionally complete and don’t have everything that your body needs. More on that in a bit.

Are Potato Skins Safe to Eat?

Yes, generally, and assuming the potato is not green it isn’t toxic. But raw potato skins are particularly prone to causing significant digestive troubles in quite a few people, particularly when raw.

Also, make sure you look over the skin for any green spots, because even on an otherwise good, safe potato those green patches contain toxins, so you never want to eat that.

Are Potato Roots Safe to Eat?

No, not raw or cooked. Potatoes are a root vegetable, but you don’t want to eat the actual frond-like roots of the plant at all because they have tons of that terrible toxin, solanine.

You can’t make them safe by cooking them, so discard that part of the plant entirely.

Can You Eat Potato Leaves and Stalks?

No. All other parts of the potato plant, including the leaves, stalks, vines and so forth contain solanine in varying amounts, and are therefore dangerous.

No matter how hungry you are, eating these parts, raw or cooked, is only going to make your life and your situation a whole lot worse…

Where are Potatoes Found?

Potatoes, today, can be found growing all over the world. Also, potatoes are actually native to the Americas, not from Ireland as is popularly thought, but we’re here for practical potato facts, not potato history…

All you need to know is that potatoes can grow almost anywhere as long as the soil composition is suitable for them, though they grow best and warmer areas.

If you know what to look for and how to identify the plant, and also how to identify a safe potato, you can find them growing wild in many areas, and of course they are grown in tremendous abundance on commercial farms and in smaller gardens… basically anywhere you can find people.

Are There Health Risks Associated with Eating Potatoes?

The single biggest health risk associated with eating potatoes, particularly raw potatoes, is ingesting a dangerous dose of solanine.

A small dose will make you miserable, but is generally manageable though it can complicate your survival situation dramatically if you’re suffering from crippling diarrhea or vomiting.

So long as you pay attention, avoid eating any potato that was obviously exposed to the sun, and also avoid any green potatoes you shouldn’t have much to worry about.

Potatoes can be safely eaten raw, as mentioned, but they’ll be easier to digest overall if you cook them.

Eating large amounts of raw potatoes can cause other problems, but smaller amounts are okay.

Also, of serious concern for long-term survival scenarios, particularly when your food variety is quite limited, is that potatoes are not nutritionally complete. Yes, they provide plenty of calories and even some protein.

Yes, they have many vitamins and minerals that humans need to survive.

But, no, they don’t have everything that people need to survive and trying to live on nothing but potatoes means that malnutrition is definitely going to be a factor in time.

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So, How Long Can an Overweight Person Live Without Food?

Whatever kind of disaster or crisis you are preparing for, one of the most fundamentally important resources to have on hand is food.

Everyone, everywhere, instinctively feels the need to eat, and accordingly it is a good idea to stockpile food in order to have it on hand.

If you don’t have enough food to eat your body will switch to burning fat reserves and then eventually other tissues to keep you alive. It’s just a matter of time, at that point, until you starve to death. It’s a grim prospect that no one wants to consider.

But, is it possible to live a little longer under starvation conditions if you’re carrying some extra weight around? Just how long can an overweight person live without any food?

An overweight person will live about as long as anyone else when starving, around 8 weeks, maybe 12. Fat can supply calories and some nutrients when starving, but it is not nutritionally complete and will not guarantee survival in the total absence of other food.

Any of us who are carrying around a few extra pounds have probably joked before that, “at least we won’t starve!” when justifying our weight gain.

It’s true, we won’t starve, if we have a little bit of extra fat but it does not give us a longer survival time under true starvation conditions.

It doesn’t sound reasonable, but that’s the truth. I’ll tell you everything you need to know below…

Never Assume You’ll Always Have Food on Hand

If there’s one thing I’ve encountered repeatedly in my travels and work talking to other preppers, there’s almost a certain hubris that’s associated with a properly stocked stash of survival food supplies.

Purchasing and storing, to say nothing of maintaining, a huge supply of food is a major investment of resources and time, and many preppers are rightly proud of the fact that they and their families won’t starve in times of crisis.

That’s true, and I’m happy for them. But the issue I’ve seen is that people check this box off the list and then just assume they won’t starve, ever, when trouble strikes.

After all, they are prepared, right?

No! This overconfidence could be suicidal! Any number of things might happen during a live event that could keep you or your loved ones from eating.

You might find yourself stranded far away from your meticulously prepared food supply. The event might simply last long enough that you run out.

A natural- or man-made disaster might destroy your home or your bug-out location, and all of your food with it. It could be anything!

And because anything can happen, the possibility of starvation, no matter how remote is always on the table.

Without Enough Food, You’ll Start to Starve

Once you no longer have food to eat, or are no longer eating enough food to cover your calorie and nutrient requirements, you will start to starve.

A slight deficit means that starvation will take a lot longer. A major deficit, or total absence of food, means that starvation will take hold relatively quickly.

Something else to keep in mind is that the business of survival, so much of the time, involves a never-ending list of tasks that absolutely must be accomplished if you want to stay safe and stay alive.

That means you’re going to be using even more energy (for things like hiking, foraging, and shelter building), and you’ll need even more calories to maintain that energy level.

Food is fuel, nothing more. It is a complex fuel, but fuel for our body all the same. You don’t have to be truly starving with an empty belly to start suffering from a calorie deficit in a survival situation.

And once that deficit goes on long enough, or grows large enough, you’ll really start to suffer from it.

What are the Stages of Starvation?

Starvation progresses in distinct stages with distinct processes. Everyone will experience these stages when they are starving, though some may take hold a little bit quicker or last a little bit longer. There are many variables.

Stage one will last 7 to 10 days, and will be experienced during a period of significant calorie deficit.

The body begins covering this deficit, or covering for a complete lack of food, by using up previously stored reserve energy sources of glycogen, stored in the muscles and liver.

This process is accelerated if there is a total or near-total lack of carbohydrates in the diet.

Stage two consists of the body turning to other tissues to further cover the energy deficit after glycogen stores are depleted.

This is where fat starts to be burned off in quantity, but also muscle protein. This leads to a loss of strength, a greatly reduced overall energy level, weakness, and eventually pronounced fatigue and mental fogginess.

After a few more weeks of total or near total starvation, the body will have burned through all fat and all sacrificial muscle reserves for energy, and then it will turn to other tissues, including non-critical organ tissues, to keep itself alive; stage three.

This is a terrible bargain as you might imagine, and as soon after this stage kicks in a person will perish.

What are the Symptoms of Starvation?

As a person that struggles on under starvation conditions, the symptoms get worse and worse, and the longer starvation lasts the more severe the effects and they might not be reversible.

People suffering from starvation in the short term will invariably feel greatly reduced strength, work capacity, and an overall lack of energy.

Mental problems will manifest as well in the form of pronounced irritability, dizziness and loss of equilibrium, and difficulty concentrating on complex tasks.

As starvation starts taking a greater toll on the body more obvious and severe physical effects will manifest, including a pronounced loss of muscle tone and mass, swollen limbs, significant weight loss, hair loss, pale or jaundiced skin, and even ulceration of the skin.

Anemia will take hold in the later stages of starvation, followed by organ failure, and death.

Stored Body Far Can Provide Energy, But Only for a Time

The moral of this awful story is that fat can and will provide energy when you are starving, but only for a time.

What’s worse, fat is not as readily available for use as energy compared to the stored glycogen mentioned previously.

So, considering that fat is a source of energy that is valuable during starvation conditions, why wouldn’t an overweight person live longer?

If they have a larger store of fat, wouldn’t that be a larger “fuel tank” for the body to call upon under the circumstances?

Body Fat Does Not Provide Essential Nutrients

The problem with relying on fat alone as a countermeasure to starvation is it fat is not a complete nutritional resource.

It provides calories, but not much in the way of minerals or vitamins, both of which are critical to beating starvation. Remember, it is possible to get plenty of calories and still die of malnutrition.

Accordingly, our bodies will burn up the fat for what nutrients and calories it contains, but the other, critical nutrients must come from other tissues, and those tissues are nowhere near as sacrificial as mere fat.

No matter how much fat you have on your body, this is why you will starve in about the same amount of time all other factors being equal.

How Long Will an Overweight Person Live When Starving?

A fat person will survive anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks under conditions of intense and prolonged starvation.

For all the reasons described above, that surplus body fat is not a major contributor to increased survival time.

How Long Will a Fit Person Live When Starving?

A leaner person will survive the same amount of time, all things being equal, as a fat person under severe starvation conditions: 8 to 12 weeks.

The major variables that affect this timeline are age, overall health, pre-existing conditions and other comorbidities.

Will Extra Muscle Mass or Extra Fat Keep You Alive Longer?

No, or at least it won’t up to a point. A person who is already chronically underweight, suffering from wasting diseases, anorexic or has been battling on-again, off-again calorie deficits will not survive as long as someone who has ample amounts of muscle and fat.

So, assuming you’re not drastically underweight, you’ll be about as well equipped for starvation conditions as you can be.

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Can You Eat Brussels Sprouts Raw to Survive? Is it Safe?

It’s a good thing to be a prepper, in the context that you accept that bad things can happen, happen unexpectedly and it is in your best interest and the best interest of your loved ones to be ready for those occasions.

But, it is easy to forget that despite your efforts you might not have access to everything that you think you will when you need it.

Supply shortages, loss of stored food, loss of crops and more can lead to some desperate measures when it comes to food, and the simple necessity of the event might mean you aren’t even able to cook food prior to eating it.

Most fruits and veggies can be eaten safely when raw, but not quite all. Take brussels sprouts, for instance: can you eat raw brussels sprouts to survive?

Yes, raw brussels sprouts are safe to eat. Brussels sprouts are extremely nutritious and edible when raw, but not particularly appetizing and they can be difficult to digest. But, if you need food, you shouldn’t hesitate to eat them.

I can already hear some people raising an issue in the comments that you should never, ever be in a situation, even in an austere environment, where you’re unable to cook brussels sprouts, but that’s not the point.

Necessity, at one point or another, will dictate your actions, and if you find yourself in a situation where time and resources are sharply limited you’ll only need to know whether you can or you can’t.

You can eat brussels sprouts raw, but as you imagine, there is a lot more you should know. I’ll tell you all about it down below.

Are Brussels Sprouts Actually Edible When Raw?

Yes, really! Brussels sprouts are the most hated vegetable by far in North America, at least according to my own anecdotal surveys!

Naturally, the notion of eating them raw is enough to give most people fits. Brussels sprouts aren’t crisp and crunchy when raw: they are dense, chewy, dry and many types tend to be pretty bitter.

But you can eat raw brussels sprouts to survive. They are not tasty, and they have a tendency to cause indigestion when eaten in large quantities if not chewed up very well, but they’re edible and safe.

There is frankly not much about the experience that’s going to be pleasant, but it’s good to know that you can eat them raw, you can get nutrients from them and therefore they will keep you alive.

Can You Eat Cooked Brussels Sprouts to Survive?

Yes, you can, and if you have the time and resources available, cooking Brussels sprouts is the best way to prepare them as you might imagine.

Although cooked Brussels sprouts will lose significant amounts of vitamins and minerals, the nutritional content they have after cooking will be more easily digestible, and therefore more easily absorbed and utilized by the body.

Considering that cooked brussels sprouts are far tenderer and also likely to be tastier you should definitely cook them if you’re able.

Brussels Sprouts Nutritional Info

Brussels sprouts are so hated in the pantheon of vegetables, it stands to reason that they must also be highly nutritious. Generations of well-meaning parents can’t be wrong, after all!

I’m happy to report that brussels sprouts are indeed extremely nutritious, and packed with protein in a highly diverse array of vitamins and minerals that your body needs.

Examining the vitamin content first we see that they are rich with them, containing a little bit of vitamin a, beta carotene and vitamin E along with a great assortment of the B complex vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, and folate.

Choline is also present along with tremendous amounts of vitamins C and K.

And that’s just the start! The mineral content is also very impressive, and brussels sprouts are packed with manganese, iron and phosphorus along with slightly lesser amounts of potassium and magnesium and rounded out by a good shot of calcium and zinc.

Brussels sprouts also naturally contain a little bit of sodium which can help to balance your electrolytes.

All told, this excellent nutritional profile will help virtually every function in your body, and can keep you working hard over the long haul when eating regularly.

Basically, there’s no good reason why Brussels sprouts shouldn’t be a part of your diet, and that counts double if you are in the middle of a survival situation!

Are Brussels Sprout Leaves Safe to Eat?

Yes, of course! The leaves are what make up the brussels sprout itself, just like any other member of the cabbage family.

Although the Brussels sprout as a whole might feel quite dense and difficult to bite into, the individual leaves are tender, so keep that in mind if you want to make them easier to eat when raw; try picking them apart into a salad.

However, I highly recommend you discard the outermost leaves on each sprout since they will be subject to the most environmental contamination.

Germs and other things can make you sick when eating any kind of raw produce, brussels sprouts included!

Are Brussels Sprout Stems Safe to Eat?

Yes, strictly speaking, they are safe to eat, but they don’t make for good eating and they aren’t easy to eat in the first place!

The stems of the individual Brussels sprouts are extremely dense and woody. There is a reason why they are typically cut away and discarded when preparing brussels sprouts.

Can You Eat Brussels Sprout Stalks?

No. The main stalk of Brussels sprouts, which is the part that all of the tiny sprouts themselves grow on, is usually very thick, hard and unyielding even when cooked. Don’t waste your time trying to eat it!

Where Do Brussels Sprouts Grow?

Brussels sprouts, despite their reputation, are popular the world over and cultivated as a vegetable in many places anywhere they’re ideal temperature range can be attained.

Temperate areas that trend towards being cool are ideal, and a median temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 Celsius) is perfect for most varieties.

Although you might not find them growing wild in these areas, you can expect to find farms or even backyard gardens where they are being grown.

Wild or semi-wild brussels sprouts can also be found growing across most of Europe and in several areas throughout North and Central America, meaning you might luck out and locate some if you’re in the middle of a short or long-term survival situation.

It’s definitely a good idea to familiarize yourself with the prevalence of Brussels sprouts in your area so you know if you’ll be able to make use of them when and if the time comes.

Any Health Issues to Worry About When Eating Raw Brussels Sprouts?

Brussels sprouts are generally safe to eat raw, with a few specific exceptions.

The most common risk is one that is shared with pretty much every other kind of raw food, and raw produce in particular.

Brussels sprouts, like all veggies, can play host to harmful bacteria or viruses that are responsible for foodborne illnesses.

A simple case of food poisoning can make you miserable and half-cripple you with diarrhea and vomiting while more serious germs can cause weakness, fever, and other flu-like symptoms and potentially even life-threatening or fatal consequences like meningitis!

The moral of the story is that you should cook your brussels sprouts if you are able, or at least try to wash them if you are not.

At the very least, remove the outermost leaves from each sprout and hopefully it will take the majority of the germs with them.

But there are other issues to be aware of when eating raw brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts, as mentioned above, are amazingly rich with vitamin K.

Brussels sprouts have a tendency to cause indigestion, constipation and upset stomach when eaten raw unless they are very thoroughly chewed.

Most people don’t want to sit there chewing and chewing on leaves for a long period of time like some cow when they already hate the experience.

This leads to most people swallowing raw Brussels sprouts when they aren’t fully “processed” and suffering the consequences.

If you are eating Brussels sprouts raw, make it a point to thoroughly chew them and you should be okay.

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Here Are 7 Ways to Make Fishing Hooks

In any wilderness survival situation, obtaining food is a priority. Though you can stay alive for weeks without any food, you’ll become so mentally and physically degraded your chances of survival will dwindle every day that you do not eat.

Naturally, many folks include hunting and trapping gear in their survival kits for the purpose, but both activities require a ton of skill, and more than a little luck.

A better option, if you are anywhere with a sizable body of water, is fishing. Fish are easy to catch with a little bit of know-how, and it is a lot easier to craft improvised fishing gear from natural and man-made materials than weapons suitable for bringing down large or small game.

The list below has 10 improvised fishing hook designs that are guaranteed to put a fish over your campfire.

1. Soda Can Tab Hook

Far and away my favorite design on this list. Soda can tabs are perfect for fashioning into hooks since they are a rolled and stamped metal design that is extremely rigid and tough for its size and weight.

For our purposes, the preponderance of litter around the world means that you’ll probably only have to look around a little while until you find an old crumpled beer or soda can that you can harvest the tab from.

As long as you find an intact tab, you’re in business. Do the following:

1. Free the tab from the can without damaging or bending it. Usually you can pry it off at the attachment point with little trouble.

2. Using nippers, a chisel, a knife, a sharp rock or anything else that can cut the metal of the tab take out one side of the larger opening in the tab, leaving the rounded part in the shape of an uppercase J.

3. File or cut the short end of the opening into a sharp angle, creating your point.

4. Take the time to file off any burrs or other sharp edges on the opposite end of the tab so it does not fray or cut your line.

5. Now simply tie on your newly created hook using the small opening in the opposite end of the tab.

6. Bait your hook as normal, and then cast.

2. Safety Pin Hook

This is another tried and true method in a prepper’s toolbox. The durability, springiness and design of safety pins means they are easily repurposed into quality fishing hooks and they are easily strong enough to catch a decent sized fish.

My favorite part about this method is that absolutely no tools whatsoever are required, except perhaps a sturdy, small object that can help you bend one end of the open pin.

Grab a safety pin, and then do the following:

1. Open the pin.

2. Bend the free end outward until it protrudes at roughly a 45 degree angle from vertical.

3. Using your fingers or a smooth tool, gently curve the free end of pin into a classic hook shape.

4. Tie your new hook onto the line using the loop at the opposite end of the hook.

5. Bait and cast as normal.

3. Sewing Needle

Sewing needles are also a nice base metallic object to use for hook crafting. But compared to safety pins, you’ll have a little more work to do, and will struggle a bit more to get your line threaded, especially if it is larger or the sewing needle is very small.

In my experience, larger sewing needles with more generous eyes work best. Grab the needle (not by the sharp end, hopefully) and then do the following:

1. Using your fingers, or with a sturdy small diameter round tool, gently bend the sewing needle into a hook shape.
2. Ensure that you don’t damage or bend the point while shaping the hook.
3. Using eyelet on needle fasten to line.
4. Bait and cast.

Another interesting thing you can do is sewing needles and a little bit of extra cordage or adhesive is to tie a group of them together into a multi-pointed hook.

This may or may not be necessary depending on what you were fishing for, but it’s nice to know you can do it.

4. Wood Hook

Believe it or not, you can use wood to make a very serviceable fishing hook. Historically, wood has been used on all kinds of hooks, and you can do the same thing.

There are two basic approaches to making wood hooks, detailed below:

Method 1

1. Find a small sturdy stick about 3 inches long.
2. Cut off one inch from this stick.
3. From the shorter piece you broke off, peel off the bark and then sharpen it into a fine point.
4. Peel the bark from the remaining larger piece of the stick.
5. If able, drill a hole through one end of the longer piece, or alternately carve notches on either side of one end. This will be used to attach your line.
6. Use cordage and lash the sharpened point to the base of the longer piece with the hook sticking up at an angle.
7. Tie your newly made hook to your line.
8. Bait and cast.

Method 2

1. Find a small branching stick that is two to three inches long.
2. Remove the bark, and then cut down the smaller branching fork into a length suitable for a hook.
3. Sharpen this forked part into a point.
4. Drill a hole into the farther end of the longer part, or put a notch in either side as a detailed in the previous method for tying line.
5. Tie on normally.
6. Bait, cast, and hope for the best.

5. Wood Gorge

Hooks aren’t the only way to catch a fish; you can easily fashion a gorge from all sorts of materials.

Gorges, sometimes called gorge hooks, are an ancient design that can still catch fish today. The trick is that the size of the gorge hook must be properly sized for the type of fish you’re catching.

small gorge hook in hand

If the gorge is too large, smaller fish won’t even make an attempt on it. Too small, and larger fish won’t be caught. Luckily, it is easy to quickly craft a variety of sizes. Use the following steps:

Step 1. Find a sturdy stick or branch that can be easily cut down to size. The stick should be anywhere from a ¼ to ⅜ of an inch thick depending on the size of the fish you’re trying to catch. Bigger fish need a larger stick.

string knife and small piece of wood

Step 2. Strip all bark from the stick.

wooden gorge hook stub with shaved bark

Step 3. Sharpen both ends of the stick into a pronounced, tapering point.

Step 4. Carefully carve or sand a groove around the middle of the stick, all the way around. This is where you will attach your line.

cutting a notch into a small gorge hook

Step 5. Tie the hook onto your line so that it’s held parallel with the line when in the water.

Gorge hooks work by lodging in the throat of the fish after they swallow the bait and the gorge in the bargain.

When tension is applied after swallowing, the gorge will rotate and become stuck in the throat of the fish, allowing you to reel it in.

6. Thorn Hook

You might not have to work very hard at all to fashion a fishing hook if you start with a natural hook shape.

Choosing a live, sturdy thorny branch clean off as many thorns as necessary. This is it easily and quickly done, and you can catch fish that are proportionate to the size and strength of the thorns.

Do the following:

1. Snap off a short length of a thorny branch.
2. Clean off as many thorns as necessary to allow for tying. Make sure to leave the most prominent and strongest thorn in place to serve as the actual hook.
3. Whittle a groove, or drill a hole around the opposite end in the branch farthest from the remaining thorn. Use this for tying on your line.
4. After tying, bait the thorn as normal, and then cast.

Many species of thorny plant are surprisingly tough and flexible when live, and they make great fish hooks, though they don’t last very long.

The good news is you can probably easily find more where those came from with a little bit of time!

This method is great if you live in a place that has abundant thorny foliage, and plants with large, impaling thorns are some of the best for larger fish.

7. Bone Hook

Bone is another classic material for fashioning fishing hooks, and one that has been used for ages. If you’re able to scavenge any bones from dead animals in the area, or just have leftovers from a successful hunt, use them to make some really nice hooks with a little carving.

You want to use raw, uncooked bones for the purpose since they are stronger than cooked bones. Try the following:

1. Locate a bone that looks like a wishbone, something similar to a forked branch.
2. Choose one limb of this bone and break, or cut it off in a length that is appropriate for fashioning a hook.
3. Carve and sharpen the short end of the fork into a point. Once this is done, you can improve effectiveness by carving a notched barb into the interior surface just behind the point.
4. Now either drill a hole or carve notches in the far end of the long leg to serve as your attachment point for your line.
5. Tie on your line as normal.
6. Bait, cast and be patient!

As a material, bone has some advantages when it comes to durability while also being fairly easy to work with just a few tools.

The extra time you spend fashioning a bone hook can pay off in the ability to more reliably land fish.

Also note that you can use bone hooks to make gorges as described above. You’ll follow the exact same steps that you would for crafting one from wood, so refer back to that section.

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Will Mylar Bags Protect Devices from an EMP?

One of the most devastating, and sadly, one of the most plausible, mega disasters that preppers worry about today is that of an EMP, or electromagnetic pulse.

Generated by the detonation of a nuclear warhead, a specialized EMP device or even powerful cosmic phenomena, a potent EMP can completely destroy the electrical grid, anything connected to it and many other electronic devices. Accordingly, EMP protection is near the top of major disaster preparations.

sealed Mylar bag of white rice with date on it

Some folks claim that common mylar bags can be used to protect electronic devices from the effects of an EMP. Is it true?

No, typical mylar bags will not provide significant protection from the effects of a powerful EMP. Although these bags usually have a metallized coating, it’s not adequate to protect items inside from the most threatening EMPs.

It is difficult to say just how bad the consequences of a major EMP could be. A total blackout is all but certain, and many electronic devices will be temporarily offline with damaged components or even completely destroyed.

It’s certainly in your best interest to protect the devices you depend on against EMPs, but I don’t think a common mylar bag is going to do it. I’ll tell you why below…

What Exactly is a Mylar Bag, Anyway?

To make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to mylar bags, we were referring to PET plastic bags, the kind that is usually, but not always, made with a super-thin aluminum skin on one or both sides of the plastic itself.

PET, an acronym for polyethylene terephthalate, is a ubiquitous type of plastic that’s used to make everything from packaging for food and other goods to plumbing components, clothing, water bottles, and a whole lot more.

This plastic has a good reputation in these applications because it provides a good seal that will keep oxygen out and also resist degradation from oxygen and many other environmental factors.

Lightweight, inexpensive and effective, PET has a lot going for it, and mylar bags are some of the very best you can get for food storage or for storing anything that needs protection from the elements, including moisture and pests.

But the big question that we need answered is whether or not mylar bags can and will protect electronics placed inside them from the damaging effects of a major EMP.

The Popular Case for Mylar Bags

The popular case that is sometimes sincerely, but erroneously, made from mylar bags as EMP protective enclosures is based on the fact that they can sometimes block various cell phone and other radio signals, in addition to being advertised for static protection as described above.

The test, such as it is, that is usually performed is a person placing a cell phone or other device inside the mylar bag before closing it and then trying either to receive a call on the phone or place a call with the phone.

People also demonstrate various bluetooth devices and other connected electronics that will or will not sometimes lose communication with the host device inside the bag.

The reasoning is that, because these signals are being blocked, the harmful emanations of an EMP must likewise be blocked. This determination is false: those with even a little bit of experience or theoretical expertise with electrical theory will quickly see the flaw with this testing protocol.

Cell phone signals are electromagnetic waves themselves, but they are far, far weaker than the potent emissions of a major EMP. Cell phone and bluetooth signals are relatively easy to interfere with, and a variety of materials, not just metal, will successfully do it.

Defeating these low-power waves is not evidence that the same material can defeat EMP waves coming from the other direction.

But there are other shortcomings in this equation besides the premise of the test and the supposed evidence itself. I’ll tell you more about them in the next sections…

The Metal Coating on Mylar is Insufficient for EMP Protection

One of the major shortcomings with metallic mylar bags as EMP protective envelopes is that the component that actually provides the protection, the aluminum or other metal, is simply insufficient for the task.

Mylar bags are incredibly thin, and the metallic skin that is applied over the plastic is even thinner.

This simply will not provide enough of a barrier to completely enclose the protected electronics via the Faraday cage approach.

Looking at purpose-designed and built or improvised Faraday cages that are likely to offer significant or total protection against an EMP, we will see they are invariably made of multiple layers of metal foil, metal mesh, solid metal paneling or other substantial metal material.

An EMP is going to be a significant electrical event, and the generated waves must be deflected, absorbed or redirected completely and adequately enough to protect the vulnerable electronics inside the cage.

Any metal that isn’t thick enough will allow the emanations to reach past the surface to the interior, endangering the protective device.

Typical Mylar Bags Have Inadequate EMP “Sealing”

Another principle of EMP protection via Faraday cage to keep in mind is another one where mylar bags again fall short.

A Faraday cage must offer a complete enclosure of the protected electronics and be sealed shut on all sides, with no gaps or weak points where the EMP waves could penetrate or “squirt” through to the interior.

Metal-to-metal contact, or specially constructed gaskets on larger containers are required for assured protection, and common Mylar bags just don’t offer it.

They might get close, assuming they are vibration welded or otherwise permanently bonded somehow, but common zipper, clicker or slider closures on these bags are just not sufficient for the threat.

Any of these closure types are weak spots that can allow EMP waves to easily access the interior of the bag, completely compromising whatever assumed protective value is there in the first place.

Something else to keep in mind is that even in the case of vibration-welded, vacuum-sealed or heat-sealed closures there has been basically no real word testing performed using Mylar bags against powerful EMP sources.

As you might imagine, common at-home tests are not proof of adequate protection, as described above.

At best, the level of protection is going to be marginal. At worst, it will give you a false sense of security and let you down on that fateful day.

Serious EMP Protection Requires Purpose-Designed Solutions

If you are serious about providing EMP protection for your vehicle, tools or devices, then it’s time to get serious about crafting it yourself or properly investing in it.

I am not claiming that it is impossible to craft your own completely effective EMP protection.

The principals are easily understood, even though publicly accessible data on the effects of the most powerful EMPs, and how our devices handle it even when protected is sketchy to non-existent.

In theory, you should be able to craft worthwhile protection using a little bit of elbow grease, ingenuity and common building materials. That said, mylar bags just don’t have a place in your arsenal.

Alternatively, you might find it more cost-effective to purchase purpose-designed EMP protective enclosures, of all sizes, from manufacturers and retailers that specialize in the sector.

Whichever way you decide to go, it is old but certain that you’ll wind up with superior protection compared to a common mylar bag.

Understanding these principles and figuring out the best approaches is a fairly lengthy conversation, and you’ll find lots of information here on that very topic.

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The Right Way to Shoot a Bow

Humans have had bows for millions of years, before that the ranged arrow was loosed from an atl-atl, which still exists today.

The invention of the bow changed hunting and over the years changed warfare.

The English used longbows to dominate warfare for hundreds of years, as the bow could be nocked, drawn and loosed at hundreds of arrows a minute creating a rain of arrows that rained down on the charging enemy to reduce their ranks.

Today, arrows are still a go-to for hunting as they are more silent than guns and you can learn to make arrows.

Archery Anxiety

First-time archers may get anxiety when shooting a bow and cause the aim to be off, the same can happen with experienced shooters.

What is happening is your brain refuses to accept the arrow or pins are on the target.

You simply pick up your bow and an arrow, aim and draw; that’s it. Train your brain to recognize that the arrow is on target for as long as you need.

Remember to breathe as you draw and relax…

How Should I Stand?

Your shooting stance would have your body sideways with your feet shoulder-width apart for a strong and steady stance. This allows you to have a more effective aim.

A narrow stance is never a good thing, no matter what you’re doing.

Are My Bow and Arrows In Working Shape?

You need to learn how to recognize the bow’s health. Do the bow limbs look warped or cracked?

Over time limbs will begin to lose strength and begin to crack, and could will cause an accident if they snap when drawn.

Some cracks will be visible and felt when lightly felt with your fingers. If you think your bow has a crack it is better to buy a new set of limbs than take a chance as breaking bow limbs with cracks could cause an injury.

Does the Bowstring Look Frayed or Worn?

The bowstring is lots of fibers tied together with a wrap in the middle for the arrow notch. Over time, bowstrings will wear out through use.

If the bowstring is not replaced it will cause an accident.

Do the Bowstring Loops Look Worn or Frayed?

The loops are the connection to the bow, if the wrap holding the loops together begins to fray or the loop itself looks worn, just replace it.

Yes, bowstring replacement can be a frustrating time for some archers, but the more you do it the better you understand.

What about your compound bow cams? Do they still look in working order?

Check for cracks and stress marks on the cams.

Does the Riser Have Cracks?

Risers take a lot of stress, they are built to take it but will falter over time with age. If it has cracks, best to get new ones.

Do the Flights or Fletchings and Shaft Look Straight and True?

Arrow flights are an essential part of the arrow, if they are damaged or some are missing then the arrow is not usable and should be replaced.

Does the Arrow Shaft Look Straight and True?

The arrow shaft does wobble in the air when loosed, however, the arrow should be straight, and the nock and tip should be inline.

If they are not inline then the arrow will be unpredictable in flight.

Archery Safety

A good archer ensures their equipment is in working order before use so they do not snap and cause injuries, they also know that the bow is set to their needed draw weight as if it is not there could be an injury.

A good archer gives their fellow archers about three feet to their left and right for a good experience.

A good archer will make sure no one is on the range in front of them before nocking an arrow and ensure this before losing any arrows downrange.

If you’re using your bow to hunt wear bright colors, orange is usually recommended, never make animal calls and alert other hunters you are there, you need to make sure that hunters know it is a human rather than an animal.

Make sure you can see in all directions and have clearly identified your target before losing your arrow.

Know the range of your bow before you use your bow.

If hunting and just injured the prey you have to wait an hour before following the trail, the wait can be longer, up to six hours, if you’ve identified a shot outside of vital organs and as a hunter you kill it you recover it.

Terminology

• Nock: The means to attach the arrow to the bowstring via the notch on the arrow past the flights.
• Flights or Fletchins: The multicolored curved pieces that on modern arrows replace shaped feathers.
• Arrow Shaft: This is the body of the arrow that fletchings, heads and nocks are attached to.
• Arrowhead: is the part of the arrow that enters the targets, traditional arrows can have either sharpened wood points or broadheads, other heads are available for different purposes.
• Draw: To pull back the bowstring to your chin and create power for the arrow to fly.
• Loose: Means to let go of the bowstring to release that energy to send the arrow where you’ve aimed it.
• Arrow Rest: Usually part of a modern bow, a shelf sure into the Riser.
• Riser: The body of the bow to which you attach limbs to.
• Limbs: The slightly curved pair of wood or laminated arms to attach the bowstring to.
• Bow Arm: this is your less dominant arm, right-handers have a left bow arm, vice versa for southpaws. Ambidextrous can feel free to pick left or right-handed bow.

Steps to Shooting A Bow

Step One: Understand Your Target.

See it and keep your eyes on it.

Step Two: Ensure the Arrow is Nocked.

This is easy enough: just attach the arrow to the bowstring, and keep it on the arrow rest (if you have one):

Some archers like to use their bow hand index to help keep the arrow on the rest:

Step Three: Draw the Bowstring.

Bring it to your chin and aim carefully at your target. There are two draw styles:

The first is the one where the riser is lifted to help draw the bowstring, and aimed.

The other is riser and arrow in the general direction of your target, and then drawn and aimed.

Step Four: Aim the Arrow.

The tip of the arrow should be pointing at the target. Focus on just aiming and preparing to shoot. Your bow arm should be relaxed enough to keep the riser raised.

Step Five: Release the Bowstring, and Watch the Arrow Fly and Hit Your Target.

When I was preparing to nock the arrow, the shaft fell to the side. It’s not an issue, just use your bowstring fingers to tilt it back to level or onto the arrow rest.

That is it. You’ve learned to shoot a bow and now you need to pick your bow if you do not have one, which we covered in a previous article and shoot your bow in a safe environment to hone your new skill.

via Modern Survival Online https://ift.tt/aADThtM