Hunger Survival

Even a Patio Garden Will Help

If you live in a house with even a tiny backyard, it might be possible to raise a small garden. Even living in an apartment, one might be able to grow some vegetables by container gardening on a balcony or patio. Either option will greatly decrease your chances of starving and go a long way toward keeping you healthy.

"Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

In a disaster situation, hunger survival will probably mean a definite reduction in daily caloric intake. It is actually possible to survive for an extended period of time on only 500 calories intake per day. In the extreme hunger survival mode, provided there is enough water and lack of activity, one can survive for about 21 days without any food.

Cold Weather Demands More Calories

There are two situations where hunger survival on zero calories will be difficult, if not impossible; cold weather and strenuous physical activity. When cold, the body requires more fuel to burn for warmth, while physical exertion also necessitates the consumption of a minimum number of calories per day. Physical activity also demands enough water to replace that which is lost by sweat.

Reminder: Watch for sales, then instead of buying one for use now, buy an extra and stash it.

The ideal method of hunger survival is to have the foresight to stock up on emergency survival rations now. With enough funds and space, one can amass enough long-term storage foods to allow for years of hunger survival. Even on a budget it is possible to collect enough food to ensure hunger survival for several weeks, perhaps even months, while a quick glance around even the tinest apartment will reveal "dead space" where supplies can be stashed.

Urban Livestock is Better Than Starvation

Avoiding starvation in an urban situation will call for a mind-set of being willing to eat any number of “delicacies” you wouldn’t have considered in better days. As mentioned above, it is possible to catch “urban livestock”; pigeons, rats, rabbits and other small animals and birds to provide protein. In extreme circumstances, one of the first easy sources of protein to disappear off the streets and out of backyards will be dogs and cats.

Whatever food that you have, whether through your own foresight and preparations or by scrounging, remember to wash it and cook it thoroughly. Getting sick from eating tainted, spoiled or parasitic food will only increase your discomfort and lessen your chances of survival.

"We must change in order to survive." - Pearl Bailey

Hunger survival is possible…not fun, but definitely possible. To increase your chances, please do what you can now to get prepared. If you live in an urban situation and plan on a bugout at the first sign of disaster, then make sure you have supplies that are easily transportable, such as vacuum-packed dehydrated food or even military-style MREs. Don't forget, you will also need the proper tools and equipment to scrounge, snare, purify and cook anything you may find to supplement what you already have.