When the supply chain grinds to a halt, when there is no food in stores, and when we are finally truly living off whatever we have stored or can grow, we will shortly thereafter look at what we really have and decide how our stores will be allocated to make them last as long as possible. And one of the first adjustments to be made will be to the diet—the calorie intake—of those who chose the path of pre-positioned food storage. You know, excess body fat.
Articles dealing with calorie management for the obese and safe weight loss for all who are overweight were posted earlier this month. However, the reality is that all of us, fit or fat, are going to be getting hungry in the near future. So we all need to know how to deal with it. There are ways to prevent becoming hungry in the first place, and other ways for dealing with hunger pang management. One size does not fit all here. And sometimes it will take a couple of different methods to do the job.
HABITS
Get away from the kitchen. While this won’t work for the person preparing the meals, for everyone else, keeping away from the food and from the delicious odors of food being prepared will help reduce hunger pangs. So many of us have grown up (and out) because we eat out of boredom—just because the food is available.
Get adequate sleep. Overeating and excess weight often occur as a result of poor sleep and sleep deprivation.
Avoid stress. This could be a bit difficult in TEOTWAWKI. We’re all going to be a little stressed at times. Recognize that stress is going to make some people very hungry.
Eat at regular intervals. The stomach releases ghrelin, the hunger hormone, when it’s hungry or time to eat. Because ghrelin is also released according to a schedule—for those who are on a schedule—eating at regular intervals can avoid having ghrelin build up and subsequent overeating when meals are delayed.
Eat slowly. The old ideas of chewing each bite 25 times—basically just eating slowly—allow extra time for the stomach to tell the brain that it’s full.
Chew sugarless mint gum. Chewing gum before and after meals helps reduce the number of calories consumed, and mint is a natural hunger reducer.
Try intermittent fasting. For some people, intermittent fasting works really well. Instead of the usual five days of regular eating with two diet days of 500-600 calories each, these intermittent fasters consume a normal diet during a set 8-hour period each day, and then nothing but water for the other 16 hours.
DIETARY CHOICES
Choose nutrient dense foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean protein like beans. Popcorn (without the butter) is a whole grain and very filling. Eat protein with every meal.
Avoid junk food. Junk foods contain a lot of sugar and simple carbohydrates which serve to spike insulin levels, which then also drop just as quickly, which then triggers hunger pangs. Fortunately, avoiding junk food will become pretty easy when there isn’t any.
Fill up on low calorie foods. Salads, vegetable soups, and green smoothies are very filling—just what is needed to reduce ghrelin levels.
Keep hydrated. Water is filling and keeping well hydrated will prevent dehydration and related health conditions. Interestingly, the symptoms people feel when they are thirsty and when they are hungry are very similar and many cannot distinguish between the two. Just like hunger, thirst can also cause symptoms like stomach pains, shaking, irritability, and lightheadedness.
HERBS/SUPPLEMENTS
The following herbs and supplements have been shown to help people lose weight.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dandelion tea (reduces sugar cravings)
- Gelatin
- Pectin
DISTRACTIONS
When people do not truly need calories, distractions can serve well to allay hunger pangs. In a societal collapse, we will be working a lot more to raise our food and satisfy other needs. We may be walking more and exercising in other ways. Socializing will become more important as cell phones and other electronic pacifiers no longer work. Engaging in an enjoyable project or hobby also works well.
Links to related posts:
How Many Calories Do the Obese Need in TEOTWAWKI?
The Apocalyptic Diet and Safe Weight Loss
The Medicinal Uses of Apple Cider Vinegar
The Medicinal Uses of Dandelion
4.24.24
I was cooking today & thinking about whether we could learn to eat two meals a day. As in NOW. It is so sad to think about so much hunger. Thanks for keeping us mindful.
ReplyDeleteDuring my medical mission to Bosnia during the Ethnic Cleansing I saw what real hunger looks like, how folks suffered and acted to each other, and folks sickened by trying to eat what looked ok. Thus, my food focus.
ReplyDeleteCurrently food IS CHEAP in America, getting more expensive but basics are still cheap.
I've posted Mercy Buckets elsewhere as a cheap start to food storage. Prices today only a little higher than listed, still cheaper than a dinner out for most folks.
2 X 5 gallon Buckets and lids = 9.28
2 X 8 pound dried GV pinto Beans = 11.96 100 calories per 1/4 cup dry (or about 1/3 cup cooked) 8 grams protein x 206 servings = 20,600 calories and 1,648 grams protein
1 X 20 pound GV White rice = 8.98 160 cal per 1/4 cup dry (or a bit over 1/2 cup cooked) 3 grams protein X 202 servings = 32,320 calories and 606 grams protein
6 X 12 ounce GV luncheon loaf various flavors = 13.08 180 calories per 2 oz serving, 7 grams protein X 36 servings = 6,480 calories and 252 grams protein
26 oz container Iodized Salt 54 cents
3 oz black pepper 2.68
2 oz jar chili pepper (pick the spice you like here) 3.98
4 pounds pure cane sugar 2.08 Calories NOT Counted just flavoring for Japanese Sweet Beans, Sweet Rice and so on.
16 oz cooking oil 2.00 (Get the BEST Bottle you can leaks suck) Calories not counted just needed for cooking say refried beans and such.
130 count adult multivitamin 4.88
120 count 500 mg Vitamin C 3.96
25 +25 Beef and Chicken Bouillon cubes 3.76
Box of 100 black tea bags 1.00
Total cost 68.36
Total calories 59,400 /2,000 calories per day adult = 29.7 Man-days
Total Protein 2,506 / 30 days = 83 grams protein daily WELL over min needed here.
Mercy Bucket part two adds one more 5 gallon bucket with lid, an extra 20 pound WM GV White Rice and space for extras to double the 30 man days to 60 with still 40 grams protein. Cost + 8.98 for rice, + 4.64 for bucket and lid.
60 man days of basic food @2K calories and 40 grams daily protein, vitamins and seasonings for about 90 dollars (yes upped the prices to last week).
Skip the overpriced freeze dried stuff unless you really think that the economic storm isn't going to show up in more than 2 years from now.
Learn how to cook up good beans and rice dishes so you can buy NOW the seasonings to make your family happy.
Starting today do a weekly bean pot, learn how to enjoy a side of beans and less meat in your meals. White beans are mild tasting and do well blended into spaghetti sauce for a nice high protein spaghetti meal.
I pick up an extra 3 bucket set of Mercy Buckets every month recently. That way the Walmart keeps restocking beans and rice and I feel I'm not keeping others from buying them.
GV? Luncheon loaf?
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing GV is Walmart's Great Value brand. I have no idea what luncheon loaf is.
DeleteWalmart correct, GV = Great Value, Luncheon Loaf is a marginally edible Walmart version of SPAM. Cubed and fried nice in fried rice style dishes.
ReplyDeleteI've done variations depending on what I find like adding NIDO or GV Dry milk and such.
Shelter, water, food all critical.
I just hope that all the hungry people don't eat my dogs. :(
ReplyDeleteI suspect many of us will start keeping our dogs closer to home--inside.
DeleteAnd thus lose the advantages they give us? No "Night Shift" will occur with an armed human backing the dogs.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, why feed the dogs inside while predators two and four legged raid the gardens and henhouse?
You know, we're all in different situations and dogs are as varied as can be as well. We've got a lab mix that would sell us out for a Cheerio. The Pyrenees, while generally protective, are a mixed lot. But they would at least warn us. At this point, we prefer having them inside, but that's what's easiest for us now. That may change as circumstances change.
DeleteThen there are those people who have their therapy pets, and their number is growing.