Most prepping articles assume you are at your best or darn near your best. That you may need to lose an extra few pounds, run a few more miles, or take up the next hand-to-hand combat phase is acknowledged, but with the understanding that you’ll do it.
This article is about those preppers who may have had surgery recently, who may have a chronic condition, who have a child with a disability, and who may feel the prepper-sphere has left them behind.
My personal experience as a prepper when I was not at my best
Last summer, I had knee replacement surgery. I went through 6 months of physical therapy, struggling to get back function in my leg. I still have a limited range of motion and pain, but nothing could have prepared me for the next wrung of the recovery ladder.
In January, I woke up with all my joints and my teeth in pain. “No worries,” I thought, ” I’m coming down with something or trying to fight it off.” Weeks went by, and my joints hurt more and more. When I lay down to sleep, I cried from the pain, which permeated all my joints. In the morning, I cried again from the pain. I could hardly walk, and my hands were so swollen and painful, they were unusable.
Finally, a diagnosis and some relief, although it was not over
I was working from home, and it was becoming impossible to type—a necessary skill when working from home. Finally, I went to urgent care, where they put me on a short course of steroids. The steroids took the edge off, and the tears subsided, but I was back to unbelievable pain when they ran out.
A friend got me in to see her rheumatologist, who wasn’t seeing new patients but would accept me. It would be eight weeks before I could see him. Finally, after an initial visit and lots of blood tests, he diagnosed me with psoriatic arthritis, a lifelong condition that involves lots of pain and difficulty in walking, using hands, and lifting. I started on more steroids and on a treatment plan supposed to take the edge off in 3-6 months.
Sharing, as a prepper, the thoughts and emotions I went through
My initial thoughts conveyed to my family were, “If you need to bug out, leave me behind because I’ll slow you down.” That was a sobering thought.
After coming to that conclusion, I started trying to think of what was going right. First, I was grateful for all I’d done over the years, and especially since the pandemic, to prepare my household for difficulties. We had almost a year’s worth of food put back and many of the preps needed for a grid-down situation.
Still, I worried, so I did what I could
I learned that I could still do research. I could still order groceries from Walmart and have them loaded into the back of my car. I could still order from Amazon, and the retailer would deliver the goods to my house. Trust me when I say that those services have been lifesavers for someone who can’t walk well or even hold a pen to sign a check.
I learned that if I had to fly somewhere, I could order a wheelchair from ticketing to the gate and between flights at no extra charge, except for tips. I learned that if I needed to bug out, I’d need motorized transportation.
Reflecting and identifying became handy tools for me
Given my recent experience, I’d like to suggest these thoughts and reactions in the face of a chronic or acute illness.
- Start with reflecting on what you can do.
- What are things you can still do but may need helper tools to complete? Get those tools. I’ve used scissors or a knife to pry open a can lid with a pull-tab.
- Identify what you can’t do and train others to do it.
- Write down what you know or print out articles and make a binder. Knowledge transfer is essential for a group working together. (This PDF book has a great print out for making your own binder)
- Allow for more time to accomplish the tasks than you’re used to allotting.
- Accept help when necessary.
- Don’t lose hope. Every operation needs brains and brawn. Be the brains.
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional
People who’ve been through difficulties are more creative in their solutions. They’ve thought through things in more detail than those who have not had to struggle. They can provide step-by-step analyses and solutions.
People who’ve been through hard things are more resilient. People who’ve been through problems are more understanding of other people’s problems—they have bigger hearts and can be more empathetic.
What kinds of difficulties have you had? How have you coped? How have you prepped? Is there anything that makes it tougher for you to prep or would make it harder in an emergency? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
About Linnea
Linnea Johnson has her MA in Curriculum and Instruction and has taught preschool students through adults on topics including music, English as a 2nd language, technology, business, and personal finance. She now works in technical business development with universities. She and her husband homeschooled their two active sons, who went on to careers in mechanical engineering and entrepreneurship. Her greatest joy is spending time with her family, cultivating a little urban farm, and traveling with her husband of 31 years.
Very good article thanks for sharing your experience Linnea. This is a really important topic for so many people, it really should be covered more often in preppersphere.
I myself have been struggling with both arms broken from a bike accident a couple of weeks ago lol. Only the left had to be immobilized. It’s almost over now but I took the opportunity to keep going with my survival training both in the city and wilderness, all my activities except some sports or driving or biking of course. But I wanted to know better how I can fare in this condition, how I actually perform with pain and limitations. Obviously it’s a lot worse but it’s been a lesson. We can adapt much more than we think.
I’ve worked with beginners here who wanted to stay prepared and had conditions that imposed limitations to carrying gear or doing some other activities. After some study and research we came with workarounds and some really cool solutions. They’re now training street survival normally. I tell about this in my upcoming book on survival gear this is a really cool story and they’re really examples and inspiration to me.
Neither want to bug-out into the woods or anything like that, because they know it’d be impossible for them. But that’s not the only strategy or even the right thing to do every time.
It’s just about being better prepared. They want to stay mobile so they can relocate to relative’s in other areas of town, and be able to help them in case SHTF. And now they can so indeed being realistic, creative, resilient and motivated makes all the difference.
Thank you, Fabian! I sure hope your arms heal quickly. Looking to your book.
I so appreciated this article!
I became very sick in 2003 and was in my late 40’s at the time.
I was just stepping into the early dawn of “wokeness” then and still had not been overtaken by the knowledge of what damage big Pharma could to to a persons mind and body. After almost 10 years of taking the ever growing pharmaceutical cocktails I had had enough of being in a stupor and stopped taking most of them straight out. The pain meds took me 6 months to overcome.
One would think that would have been an a beautiful ending to a decade long nightmare but it wasn’t. One day months into being drug free for about 8 months my husband and I were eating a nice meal of freshly grown green beans and cornbread and other veggies from our huge garden. We’d just finished and had pushed our plates back and I patted my tummy and said ” I’m as fat as a tick!” Not a phrase I’d used often for sure!
The look on my husbands face told me that was not what I had said. What had come out of my mouth was ” I’m a scat fairy!! ☺
That was when I realized how the prescribed meds had not just altered the way my brain functions as far as remembering things but also left me with leg spasms that are very painful, speech issues. I have been chair bound for the most part for 5 years now and have not left my house at all for two years now.
I had a blood clot develop in my leg 3 years ago and the clot busting drugs they pumped into me for 24 hours before surgery needed to save my life effected my pancreas and three weeks after coming home I was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic.
I have been using Chromium -Piconlinate and an almost sugar free diet since.
The loss full body function has kept me from putting in a garden which I miss terribly but still pressure can with some help from my husband and am able to get some other things put up as well. If it were not for being able to order from stores like Amazon and Walmart I’d not been able to prep for much at all. I am grateful that they have helped us get prepared.
I would just like to add here that my mom left us due to illness when I 3 1/2 and I was placed in home after home until I was 12. At that time my dad relinquished his parental rights to me and I was placed in foster care until I was 18.
On becoming an adult legally at 18 I aged out of the foster care system and I was on my own with no family whatsoever. So I guess one could say I have been a survivor all my life and it’s given me a birds eye view of what SHTF really means. I really started young at being prepared to the best of my ability at all times.
One of the things I most appreciate about this site Daisy, is that it allows us who do not have full body movement or other issues to realize we are not alone. We come in all shapes and sizes and from different backgrounds but we all want to survive the best we can! I have benefited so much from everyone’s input and I am grateful for it!
I will be 67 in a few months, my husband who served in the U.S.A.F for over 24 years will soon be 70! Our time left here on earth is quickly winding down but the desire to survive as best as we can and also be a help to others runs strongly in our veins and we appreciate all the ideas, mental, emotional support and comradely we find here.
Thank you Linnea Johnson for sharing your story!
I apologize now for any errors in spelling or grammar you may have come across. I rechecked twice to make corrections but my brain does not always catch what may be obvious to others and I refuse to be silenced by illnesses beyond my control.
““Survival can be summed up in three words, never give up. That’s the heart of it really. Just keep trying.” – Bear Grylls
Thank you for sharing your experience, Shelly. I love the Bear Grylls quote!
Wife’s got lupus. We’ve discussed her inability to survive or even just move daily without treatments. She’s knows the clocks ticking fast once the ballon goes up. We can utilize alternative medicine for about 2 months. She will be all but useless in those 2 months but we will use the time to mentally prepare.
At some point you will hit the wall and as for myself I’m not preparing for me and her as much as I am the kids and grandkids. My goal is to leave them in the best condition possible before I go. I’m in pretty good health but I know how these things go from being in other countries. Just look at the cowboy days where 40 was an old man.
Something as simple as acid reflux will shorten your span significantly without meds. Even at that quality of life will not be good.
It’s the reason the die off will be so large.
You must accept realism and do what is possible within confines.
Lewis, I have found that goat’s milk is a really good treatment for acid reflux. It puts out the “fire” of my heartburn right away! Plus it is totally natural. A half gallon carton will run about $7 and change, but it is totally worth it when you have a flareup. It also comes in a smaller size, and also in cans for longterm storage. Not all grocery stores carry it, so you may have to shop around. If you haven’t already tried it, see if it works.(A friend says buttermilk also works for her acid reflux, but that has not been my experience.)
Hope this info helps and hope you feel better fast!
After reading many of the comments:
ACCEPT REALITY
It’ll hurt less in the future if you accept what is going to happen or that you might even have to do.
Many are being unrealistic
Matt, (and Daisy)
YES! Reading “One Second After” and realizing that not only was I the lady at the nursing home (or could be if Hubby didn’t grab me), but ALSO one of the 90% that would probably die was extremely sobering.
I also told Hubby that if something happened and I became too much of a burden, that he should “do what is necessary”. With heart conditions AND psoriatic/crohn’s related arthritis, the only thing I fear now is a zombie apocalypse… all that walking… lol.
I have accepted the fact that at some point I will be wheelchair or bed-bound without the medications helping me, I gather gardening and canning books, and recipes, for those who will need them when I am gone. I am also working on gathering sewing/knitting/crochet manuals as well, so someone will be able to use my stash and mend/repair/recut as I will do until I am unable.
These are things I can do – besides pray- to pay back the HUGE amount of support I will need if I no longer have access to the medications.
Oh, and Daisy, be aware that inflammation at that level can become systemic and affect your heart and other internal organs. My latest test showed diffuse inflammation/plaque buildup in every single artery feeding my heart.
God Bless
Amy
When I ran this search on DuckDuckGo.com
Can sleeping with the head of your bed slightly upward on an incline minimize acid reflux?
I got several helpfully consistent hits of confirmation. This was something I learned 15-20 years ago that works WITHOUT medication. YMMV.
Sadly, the cowboys in my ancestry didn’t have the research tools we have today.
–Lewis
Most true gerd will happen even in daytime standing upright. Untreated it’ll burn a hole in the esophagus and cancer that’ll kill you in SHTF. It’ll take time but you’ll die.
It was just an example of what we consider minor now but will be much harsher in SHTF
I’ve found relief with apple cider vinegar and Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice, too. Of course, when it’s really bad, only Prilosec will do!
Lewis. Not a dr here but I know from experience that taking apple cider vinegar with the mothers will help with acid reflux. I learned this a long time ago.
My mom had it so bad sometimes she would spew it out of her mouth. She finally listen to me. I told her to work her way up to about 2 tablespoon a day.
She did & she has got down to 1 pill a day . She is almost off that pill as well.
What happens is your body is trying to level out your pH but when a person takes all those antacid meds they are lowering the ph in the body so in response the body makes more acid to bring your ph up to balance then you take more anti acid & on & on
The acv is giving the body what it needs to balance out your ph.
It took my mom almost a month to get hers under control but she is needing the acv less & less & has no more acid reflex any more
I take it my self. I make it like a warm tea & sweeten mine with honey to taste.
Make sure you brush your teeth right after though as you don’t want the acid eating your enamel.
Pray this helps
Lewis also ck your diet. Look for thing that cause the reflux like coffee.
If there is arthritis then eliminate all the sugar & dairy you can. They cause inflammation then your body responds to that which causes arthritis. That’s not the only cause if arthritis.
Getting rid of sugar & dairy will help
You tube. Dr Josh Axe. He is a medical dr that went herbal. He has helped us so much
Pray this helps
For humanity the answer is simple, it’s what they desire to destroy, Human faith is the answer. It’s all you need. They destroy your faith in your health. It takes a toll on your health. It’s why the masks. They know the power of human faith. They fear it.
Faith is the answer to your freedom
Great topic and perspectives. At the end of the day, anyone is one crisis away from poor health from natural decline or a life event. Helps to have some empathy, for one day we may need to have some acceptance for our own condition.
I am paralyzed from the chest down but have consistently helped my husband with prepping and planning. I learned how to shoot and have practiced to hone my skills. Without him, though, I don’t know how I would do it.
I am 68 and became disabled 12 years ago. I can do most anything, I am just slow and need time to recover from any work. I do not travel well, last year I went to Prepper Camp with my wife, I lasted until noon the first day. No bugging out, I have to bug in. I have some land and live next to a 40 acre field. I plan on having some of my children move in so am stocking up on supplies.
Great topic! For us, aging and the associated nagging health issues are the main issue. He has high blood pressure (lifelong) and I have blood sugar and thyroid issues. While I keep our preps well in hand, at some point the meds run out.
You really can’t use the mainstream prepper guidelines as you get into old age. Take your own nutritional requirements and morph them into a long-term storage plan. Stockpile meds as best as you can and do the research to see how nutrition can help. Stay in shape as best you can. Set up your house for a SHTF scenario (tools, safety, etc.). Hope is not a strategy. Prepping takes planning, and prepping into old age has it’s own challenges. Take them on as they come up and your chances of surviving will be that much greater.
Linnea, I felt I was reading about myself in some regards! I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis about 15 years ago, and boy, do I remember the tears of pain that came from turning over in bed before my diagnosis! I had my second knee replacement surgery on April 1, so I am mid-rehab for that.
While there are many things I cannot do, I have gained a fairly good stock of prepper supplies. My plan has been for my adult daughter and son-in-law to join us, along with my elderly parents. After a fall in mid-Feb., my Mom (88) is essentially bed-bound in a care facility. I am frantically trying to figure out how to care for her in a SHTF situation, as her needs for care are beyond our abilities at present. Any ideas, anyone? She is only out of bed with a lift, and really cannot do anything for herself.
Amy, something that comes to mind is finding another family in the same situation and swap off taking care of each other’s parent. Perhaps a barter exchange–food or something else for care for your Mother by work? You’re in a tough situation–hang in there.
Amy,
Trust me I understand. The care for an elderly parent can be a challenge. The advice I have is proper equipment makes a huge difference. I’d suggest finding a friend that has CNA or nursing experience and have them help you setup a room and gear. A good homecare bed, manual hydraulic hoyer lift, bedside commode , transfer chair etc all makes a huge difference. Have them train you on use or bring in a home care consultant with actual hands on experience. Incontinence care, basic diagnostic equipment etc give great confidence to you and the patient. I have EMS and nursing background. I understand the challenges BUT most tasks are not that hard. Not necessarily all fun but super important.
You can actually get a lift from a place that has wheelchairs and that sort of thing if you have floor space for it.
If she can be on a home health program they might be able to arrange it for you. of course it depends upon your circumstances. My former DH was able to get help from the VA since he was a veteran and that was a life saver. Before he died I took care of him 24/7 and home health care came a couple times a week for a nurse visit. I tried a bed with a lift but not enough floor space so had to make do with bed baths. Its something to check on even if you don’t wind up doing it.
The VA often gets a bad rap and in some places they may deserve it but in my area I had no complaints so if this doesn’t help you, it may help someone else to know that help can be available. He had such severe problems that as they progressed, more help was available even to hiring someone to get a couple hours break once in a while.
Another thing you could do is to discuss what is possible with your local commission on aging. I know that once someone is in a nursing home for the long haul it is harder to get them home again but not impossible.
My husband has had psoriatic arthritis for the past 15 years and was just recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s . There will be no bugging out for us. Just trying to keep up with stocking up on food and barter items for use if needed. We have several friends who are of the same mindset and together we have started planning how to take care of each other when the SHTF. They are our lifeline as our kids are several hours from us.
Thanks for the shtf article. May I suggest you try turmeric for your pain and inflammation but please research for yourself. Turmeric for health .com has good info. Good luck!
I have been taking turmeric for over a year now and it has helped tremendously with my osteoarthritis symptoms. It should be noted, however, that you must also take black pepper since that helps with absorption. I fill empty gel capsules with black pepper from Whole Foods, capsule size #1. It’s helpful to use a squeeze bottle to fill the capsules. If you take blood thinners, do NOT take turmeric. I tremendously appreciate everyone’s sharing. It’s very calming to know others are facing difficult situations with hope.. Stay calm, keep the faith and take care
Thanks Kathleen–I’ve been taken Curcumin, the concentrated aspect of Turmeric that acts as an anti-inflammatory. I didn’t realize that is required black pepper for absorption, so will look into that.
Curcumin doesnt require black pepper for absorption but it greatly enhances it’s absorption. Many turmeric supplements include it now for this reason. God bless!
I’m sorry for the pain a nd frustration so many are experiencing. We’re 74 and 82. He has Alzheimers on the s e comd pacemaker from Atrilfibrulation. He must take a blood thinner. He’s had a heartattack. I resuscitated him with Chest compressions and lots of prayer while doing that. He’s getting feeble. He falls easy and walks with a cane. Soon he will progress to a walker.
I have idiopathic periferal neuropathy, fibromyalgia, and worsening arthritis. Fresh vegetables do help with the fibromyalgia. I still garden, can and dehydrate. It’s getting hard. We live 15 miles from the nearest rural town. Going shopping is hard for me. Husband must stay home alone. I only get him out for his Dr appointments.
I have food always here. That has been a blessing the past year. We live a month at a time between shopping trips. Food for a year is set back. I replace food month to month and if there is a sale I add to the stored foods.
I’m finding ways to work less and less while still growing more. Old injuries are making walking harder and harder. We plan to bug in… not out. If things get bad in the city a son may join us here. I’d planned on living here in the long run. I have hand and power tools, stored foods, and lots of old time things that could help if times get real bad.
We had off grid solar power that weather destroyed. I have all but the last 4 batteries to redo the solar power to my home. We’ve been living for 15 months without home power. Not easy but doable. I have e been teaching a choosen few how to do things as my parents(1904, 1907) and grandparents (1870, 1876) did it. I still have manual tools for a shop and a kitchen.
Somehow I’ll soon need a ramp for my husband and help sometimes. I’m not sure how that will happen. But I’ll find a way.
I still manage to care for chickens, ducks, and rabbits. I’m making places for them here by our home. That’s easier than in sheds further away. Less walking and less hauling bags of feed. Each step saved makes it a bit easier on me.
My main helper planned to help us if things got bad. He died of covid a few months ago. He repaired vehicles, did some shopping when I was sick last year. It’s that day to day help we miss the most.
I use small wheeled carts and wagons to move things I can’t carry. A lot of it is thinking ahead and preparing.
Getting older isn’t easy. Failing health and pain make life harder.
Thank you, Linnea, for an excellent post. You have inspired some great response from this online community. I agree with others that considering physical challenges, whether from injury or aging or illness, is worthy of more coverage and discussion.
I spent 10 years recovering from an accident so I understand prepping and not being fully able.
I’ve talked with several people over the years who were in a wheel chair or were old, or for some reason felt they weren’t worth the time for other people to put in the effort.
I’ve asked them all the same questions. Can you listen to a radio? Can you teach people what you know? Help teens and older kids do laundry or make dinner or weed a garden?
In a SHTF situation I’ll be able to find lots of strong backs with the will to work but not the skills and knowledge.
If I’ve been busting my butt doing something physical and come back to a hot meal and clean sheets then the person who made the possible is MY hero.
Hands and backs are common, brains and knowledge are not. If you have the will and some skills then you have something to contribute.
#5 Allow for more time to accomplish the tasks than you’re used to allotting.
Yep. Two yrs ago I had back surgery. Been a long road to recovery but… I have found I can still do most of the things I did but it does take longer.
This year it only took about 40 minutes to plant a row of seeds. I know, right? That long!?!? Yep, that long to hoe the row, rest. Plant the seed, rest. Cover the seed, rest. I have 4 rows of green beans, 4 rows of black eye peas, 5 rows of heirloom corn, 1 row of green peas on the fence. A 4×8 box of potatoes and one of broccoli and cabbage. More to do with sweet potatoes and tomatoes, etc.
One of the nicest things I discovered while working this way is getting to spend more time enjoying the warm sunshine, the birds in the trees, the chickens cooing in their yard.
Really very peaceful, where before I might have been in a huge hurry to get the planting done. Life is good in my backyard.
One thing we must not overlook is that not all SHTF events are ones in which we’ll be fleeing through the forest for our lives or evading urban warlords. Not every disaster is the SHTF and for most of our more ordinary disasters, with modifications, you can survive.
Have plans for things local to you – tornadoes, hurricanes, drought, and even more importantly, right now, economic problems. These are all things you can make a plan for that will work for you.
I remember spraining my ankle badly when one of my kids was a toddler. We lived in a townhouse with three stories. One day when my husband forgot to put up the baby gate before leaving for work, I sat on the stairs and bumped down them on my rear end like a little kid because there was no way I could walk on that ankle. I wasn’t speedy, graceful, or dignified, but I got to my child who was too young to be down there unsupervised.
My advice:
~ Think of alternate means to get yourself to safety.
~ Evacuate early if there’s even a chance you’re going to need to bug out.
~ Stock up on meds for as long a term as possible. (A trip to someplace like Mexico might be nice when travel becomes a little less complicated, although if you tell the border crossing guard you are visiting for medical reasons, they’ll let you in. Also, keep in mind there are laws about what and how much you can bring back and you need to familiarize yourself.)
~ Begin looking into alternative remedies and treatments to keep yourself going longer.
~ Keep your spirits high.
~ Focus on the skills you have and can perform, and teach those skills to others.
~ Modify everything. When my back was injured I still had a garden. I used one of those little planting stools you turn upside down, and then you have handles to help get yourself off the ground.
At the same time, keep your feet on the ground and understand that all events may not be survivable but that is true for ANY of us. Even the most healthy and strong among us can find ourselves in a position that we can’t overcome.
Do what you can – it’s all any of us are doing regardless of our levels of money, fitness, and health. This was a great article and I’m wishing you relief from the pain and the stress of your situation.
Hugs,
Daisy
Thanks, Daisy…great comments. All of us with pain appreciate your good wishes 🙂
“Start with reflecting on what you can do”
any thought of prepping for others instead of just for yourself?
I’ve had to work around permanent injuries almost all my life. I can do most of everything around the house, but it takes longer.
I’m also responsible for a nonagenarian parent, who is ambulatory but cannot hike long distances. Therefore, bug-in-place is our only option, with the exception of driving to an alternate place with a relative (already discussed). That nonagenarian remembers the 1930s, but can’t imagine anything worse than that, therefore doesn’t believe in prepping.
Around here, if the water goes, we’ll have to leave. Where we live, gardening is out of the question (I keep reading all those who have gardens, and wish we could have one too). It’s so dry here that even some of the cacti are dying.
The problem is: how does one prepare when he doesn’t know what form the SHTF will take? If economic collapse, prepare to make things. If violence in the streets, prepare to defend strongholds. If no electricity, there’s enough brushwood to last a while for cooking. But loss of water means leave, because there’s no nearby rivers nor lakes. What about a combination of things? There’s no way to prepare for everything. Only very little will require that everyone be in top physical shape. The only thing I can really predict is that as we come out of SHTF, we will have to be able to make the things we need—sewing, cooking, carpentry and cabinet making, and so forth. In these, knowledge is just as important as brawn. And for moral building, make music and tell stories.
So for those who are declining in years, take heart. You have knowledge that many young people don’t have. You can be the teachers, music makers, story tellers, cooks, menders, and so forth. I speak from experience, as I’m no longer a spring chicken, but I’m called on by younger people because I have experience in many fields, and can teach. It doesn’t matter that I don’t have the physical strength nor agility to be a front-line warrior, I can contribute in other ways. The same with all of those who commented on their disabilities.
“if the water goes”
if you’re on a well could you draw water using a wind mill pump?
To all the people who pitched in with their knowledge of what’s worked for some with acid reflux issues, your contributions are very much appreciated. In my case the usual diet suspects were removed long ago. It was just a friend’s holiday cooking that suddenly did me in. But the many recommendations here can potentially help lots more people in our/Daisy’s wonderful community of readers.
–Lewis
My health was destroyed slowly then suddenly in my 20s. Decades have passed and ive gotten out of a wheelchair, reduced chronic pain and im off all prescription medications. The last one was especially important. I do have a homeopath who has made a huge difference in my health and if the SHTF I will be on my own which is scary. I gained a lot of weight from meds then i felt WTH and ate myself bigger and made things worse. This year i started IF and have safely lost almost 20 pounds of only fat. I move better now and no longer obese. This is also prepping. Over the last two decades ive learned and used many methods of healing mind and body that dont require a doctor. I got medical training before i was disabled. Information is key and removing reliance on pharma and doctors is part of prepping. Docs practice sick medicine anyway. Look for healers.