How Preppers can Prevent Scurvy

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#4: Know how to recognize and treat scurvy.
Scurvy is the dreaded pirate's disease brought on by an absence
of Vitamin C from a diet. The deficiency of Vitamin C causes
purple sores, pale skin and depression. Could people again
become susceptible to scurvy? Not if they are prepared!

Pirates were at sea longer than the supplies of fresh meats,
citrus fruits and Vitamin C bearing fresh vegetables could last,
which could be the same fate preppers will face in apocalyptic
times. Compounding the problem of a lack of Vitamin C, pirates
subsisted on cured and salted meats, which robbed them of any
Vitamin C their bodies had stored. (This is the same diet that
preppers may subsist on if they don't quickly begin to grow their
own food.) As a result, pirates developed a particularly nasty set
of ailments, including bleeding gums, symptoms of malaise and
lethargy, and finally death.

Certainly preppers must prepare their pantry and garden to supply
a diet rich in Vitamin C, and learn how to forage for Vitamin C rich
foods in the wild if they want to avoid the pirates plight. They
also must know
  • what are the signs of scurvy
  • who is most susceptible and
  • how to treat the disease.

What are the symptoms of scurvy?
In scurvy, you might see:
  • bleeding and inflammation gums (gingivitis);
  • dry and splitting hair
  • rough, dry, scaly skin;
  • decreased wound-healing rate;
  • easy bruising;
  • nosebleeds;
  • decreased ability to ward off infection.

Who might get scurvy following a catastrophe?
In addition to people eating a diet too high in salted and cured
foods anyone on poor diets who are not eating fresh fruits and
vegetables is susceptible. People particularly at risk include:

  • Alcoholics. Those who have alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver are
    at risk for scurvy.


  • Children, infants and developing fetus. Kids who eat less
    than 2 servings of fruits/vegetables per day are at risk for
    getting scurvy. Researchers from the University of
    Copenhagen reported that "Vitamin C deficiency is especially
    dangerous for the fetus (developing baby in the womb).

  • Cigarette smokers. Smoking cigarettes lowers the amount
    of vitamin C in the body, so smokers are at a higher risk of
    deficiency.

  • People who don't eat fresh meats. Meat is not only the
    perfect prepper protein, but it also has all the essential
    nutrients. If you ate nothing but fresh meat you would have
    every vitamin, mineral and nutrient you need. If you have
    fresh meat cook it, but don't overcook it. Meat has enough C
    from that source alone to prevent scurvy!

  • People with medical conditions. People who suffer from
    medical conditions which prevent the intake or absorption of
    vitamin C have a risk of scurvy, for example people suffering
    with:

  • Crohn's Disease (inflammatory bowle disease)
  • Dialysis
  • Dyspepsi
  • other malabsporption disorders

  • Preppers who have limited resources. Preppers who are
    planning to subsist mostly on grains without any access to
    fresh fruit or vegetables.  Nearly all of us preppers get
    enough vitamin C in our regular diets. Preppers into canning
    should add canned sauerkraut to their preps. Fermented
    Cabbage is loaded with scurvy preventing Vitamin C.

Why do humans get scurvy (and not animals)?
Astonishingly, scurvy is not found in animals. That's because they
have an enzyme to synthesize their own. Humans lack an enzyme
(L-gulonolactone oxidase) necessary for synthesis and must
supplement with diet.

What can you do to prevent and treat scurvy?
Thankfully preparation is easy and so is the treatment. Stockpile
Vitamin C rich foods, know where to forage for Vitamin C rich
roods, and eat foods rich in Vitamin C. It's that easty

Be prepared with scurvy prevention in survival times. Know the
natural sources around you, pack Vitamin C, and grow citrus if you
are able, sprout and grow vegetables too. The time may come
when supplies of citrus fruits and Vitamin C bearing fresh
vegetables are long gone and survivors will face the threat of
scurvy, but not if you are prepared.

Argh, Mateys! You can, indeed, prevent scurvy!

Happy endings...
Go full-tang with Tang in your food storage plans. (It's just one
way preppers avoid scurvy.) Did you know you can serve this
scurvy-fighting drink hot or cold?

When you're living on mostly dried grains and beans, along with
the meat you've hunted for yourself, Tang will be a welcome
treat. Tang is a delicious way to add not only Vitamin C but
calcium to your diet. Tang is the drink of Pirates, Nasa
astronauts, Alaska Bushmen and Iditarod (mushers), and, of
course, preppers.

Related articles...

Prepare to live happily ever after with us at happypreppers.com - the emergency
preparedness Web site of prepping, survival,
homesteading, and self-reliance.
Scurvy Prevention for Preppers
Prepper's Guide: How to avoiding Scurvy

Scurvy ~ how can preppers avoid the dreaded pirate's disease?
Pirates were at sea longer than the supplies of citrus fruits and
Vitamin C bearing fresh vegetables could last, so they often got
scurvy. Could the same ill-fate happen to preppers in survival
times? It's possible!

Scurvy is a painful and debilitating disease that can begin as
early as three months after a diet deficient in Vitamin C. While
this disease virtually is gone from modern society, we may see a
recurrence in an apocalyptic situation where people are deprived
of proper nourishment.

Learn how preppers can prevent scurvy in survival times by
planting, foraging, stockpiling and knowing how to treat scurvy.

How to Avoid Scurvy in Survival Times
Preppers can prevent scurvy in survival times by planting,
foraging, stockpiling and knowing how to recognize and treat
scurvy. Here's how you can go "full tang" and prepare now so
scurvy won't be an issue...

#1: Stockpile Vitamin C rich foods and supplements.
Even if you live in an apartment you can stockpile Vitamin C
tablets and shelf-stable Vitamin C rich foods and drinks. Below
are some ideas...

  • Get Some Tang! Go full tang on the quest to defeat scurvy
    with Tang. Seriously, it's the prepper favorite and refreshing
    way to rejuvenate your electrolytes and get extra energy
    anytime you need recharging. Tang now has five energy
    releasing B Vitamins and caffeine so you'll feel a surge of
    energy after drinking Tang. Plus, it has calcium and, of
    course, the all-important scurvy-fighting Vitamin C.

  • Stockpile Vitamin C and ascorbic Acid. The primary cause of
    scurvy is insufficient intake of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
    Vitamin C helps your body with the growth and repair of
    tissue. Your body requires Vitamin C for the synthesis of
    collagen. Without proper levels of Vitamin C, scurvy might
    develop. Popping a pill is an easy remedy but it's not a long-
    term solution when the stuff hits the fan. Did you know the
    potency of Vitamin C depends on its exposure to light, air
    and heat? In other words, it has a limited shelf life.

  • Find Freeze dried foods packed with Vitamin C. Look for
    Freeze dried bell peppers, crystallized lemon, dehydrated
    pineapples and other Vitamin C packed fruits and vegetables.

  • More Scurvy-fighting pantry items to stockpile:
  • Canned tomatoes. Canned tomatoes are loaded with
    Vitamin C and also pack a dollop of Lycopene, a
    naturally occurring carotenoid, possesses antioxidant
    properties which help neutralize harmful free radicals in
    cells, and play a role in maintaining good health.
  • Canned pineapple.
  • Salsas.
  • Spices and herbs.
  • Basil
  • bay leaf
  • chili powder
  • cloves
  • coriander leaf
  • parsley
  • paprika
  • thyme
  • tarragon

#2: Plant a Scurvy Survival Garden.
True self sufficiency and preparedness begins with a survival
garden that includes fresh fruits and vegetables. Thankfully there
are many fruits and vegetables you can plant to avoid scurvy.
Best of all, you'll absorb more Vitamin C by eating raw vegetables
or eating lightly cooked or steamed ones than you will from a pill.

You don't need to have a plot of land to plant your own mini
survival garden. You can sprout or plant an herb garden.


  • Herb garden. Grow basil, rosemary or tarragon from your
    window sill.

  • Vitamin C rich foods for a garden:
  • Basil
  • Bell peppers
  • Black currants
  • Blueberries
  • Broccoli
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Cabbage (fermented cabbage, especially)
  • Cantaloupes
  • Carrots
  • Guava
  • Grapefruit
  • Lemons and limes
  • Liver (fresh organ meat)
  • Kale
  • Kiwi fruit
  • Oranges
  • Oysters
  • Mango
  • Papaya ~ if you're a prepper who lives in Hawaii!
  • Parsley
  • Pineapple
  • Pine needles (made into a tea or chewing on them)
  • Potatoes ~ Preppers are often surprised to hear of the
    amazing benefits of potatoes, but one medium potato
    contains 70% of the recommended Vitamin C!
  • Raspberries
  • Rose hips
  • Rosemary
  • Spinach
  • Strawberries
  • Sweet peppers
  • Tomatoes
  • Turnip Greens
  • Watercress
  • Watermelon
  • Winter squash

The Survival seed vault, right This can of 20-easy-to-grow seed
varieties are 100% heirloom, non-hybrid and non-GMO seeds for
long term emergency storage. Included is a vegetable growing
and seed-saving guide. Use this can to start your gardening or
keep it in your storage for an upcoming season.

#3: Forage for Vitamin C ~ find the hidden foods.
There are many "hidden" foods that contain Vitamin C and you
can forage for them to enrich your diet and avoid scurvy.

  • Seaweed. If pirates only knew they had an abundance of
    Vitamin C in the seas they sailed. Seaweed is loaded with
    Vitamin C!

  • Dandelions. Pioneers who forged the American frontier may
    have suffered the same fate as the pirates, but they foraged
    for dandelions along the Oregon Trail.Dandelions are a
    prepper superfood, loaded in Vitamin C to help prevent
    scurvy, but there are so many more reasons to plant
    dandelions and find them in the wild to supplement your
    diet. Did you know that DANDELIONS are an important flower
    for the health of beehives? They're the first flower to bloom
    in the West, (Crocus also blooms around the same time).
    Back East, when settlers first arrived on Plymouth rock, there
    were no dandelions. When word got back, emigrants brought
    them because they bloom nicely each Spring and
    supplemented the food until the fresh crops came in.  Both
    bees and humans need Dandelions for survival. Consider
    dandelions as a dandy part of your survival preparations.

  • Pine Needles. Pine is an excellent resource for preppers.
    Pine needle tea is another readily available remedy for
    scurvy! Pine tree (Spruce) needles are high in vitamin C and
    will have a citrus flavor a little on the bitter side. Its best to
    harvest them while they are soft and most edible. The stiff
    ones are edible, but uncomfortable. Just pick your pine
    needles.

Here's how to make pine needle tea:
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