Column #287     February 26, 2021DEPENDANCE

How sustainable are you? Webster defines the word as “a: of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged, and b: of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods.”

Many people worry about farmers, ranchers, lumberjacks, and fishermen being sustainable, but what about their own lives? Modern lifestyles are nearly 100% interdependent compared to 150 years ago. If you started to list all of your dependancies, it would take several sheets of paper to complete the list. Even with substantial income most people are nearly 100% dependent on others for everything.

Last week a polar vortex cold snap hit Texas and paralyzed the state. Per normal in Texas, whenever snow and ice accumulates, even a little bit, that throttles the transportation systems, schools are closed, and very few people go to work. This time the electrical grid was also compromised which created rolling blackouts. Some places had no electricity, water pipes froze and burst, grocery stores and gas stations ran out of food and gas, and water treatment plants shut down. That left people in those areas with inadequate shelter, no food, no water, no energy, and no alternatives. Imagine yourself in that kind of predicament. Then imagine what it would be like if those dire conditions lasted for a month instead of a few days. How would you survive?

That dire set of circumstances was a regional event. But what if the entire country experiences a setback? There’s a wide variety of events that can have a widespread impact. Social unrest resulting in riots, a huge volcanic eruption in Yellowstone Park, a catastrophic earthquake in California, or maybe a steep drop in consumer confidence that kicks off a depression. Maybe a stock market crash, a bank run, or runaway inflation disrupts commerce? China, North Korea, or Iran start a war that sucks our country into a major conflict. Could terrorists pull off a coordinated attack on the national power grid that shuts down the internet, electrical power, and phones that are out for weeks? Who knows?

For several years now consumers, businesses, and governments have been borrowing to consume like drunken sailors. The stimulus in 2020, coupled with near zero interest rates, helped fund a speculative bubble in stocks, bonds, commodities, and real estate. Stock market valuation levels exceed previous notable market tops. Everyone is giddy about their increasing net worths. So what could go wrong?

For many, it doesn’t matter if a disruption is regional or national, if it happens to them it can be crippling. So what do we need to think about to be sustainable? Obviously, everyone in the private sector needs cash on hand and manageable debt. But even if you have a government job, where paychecks never seem to be in jeopardy, many other conditions must be in place to be capable of going it alone. Having a generator, gasoline and propane, food, water, guns and ammunition, gold and silver coins (some in small denominations), batteries, first aid kit, and toilet paper may be handy.

One needs to evaluate the suppliers of their goods and services and work with them so they too are sustainable and in a position to serve when needed. This is why I like to establish long-term relationships with the businesses I depend on so they know I’m loyal, pay on time, and don’t shop around trying to beat them down. That way we’re dependant on each other.

Most importantly we depend on each entity in our circle to stay financially viable and be self-sufficient enough to survive a month’s long setback. So I urge everyone to evaluate their conditions and be proactive. In my opinion this is not a good time to be taking on a lot of new debt. This doesn’t mean we must roll up the sidewalks and move to a bunker. It means we should be practical in how we prepare for what may be some unusual times in the next couple of years. Who knows, credit cards with zero balances and common clad coins may still work when the chips are down!

How many people include their health as part of their sustainability plan? Getting and staying healthy requires proper rest, meditation, exercise, and, of course, diet. Maybe the most important aspect of health is immunity. When immunity is functioning properly, many other pieces of the puzzle fall into place at the same time. Many chronic diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, COPD, CHD, cancer, asthma, obesity, Crohn’s, kidney disease, and more can be suppressed with a diet that improves immunity.1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Of the deaths associated with the Coronavirus, 94% are people who have one or more chronic diseases such as those in the short list above. Some patients die when the infection causes the immune system to release an excessive number of TNF-a cytokines, resulting in what is known as a cytokine storm. The storm causes acute respiratory distress syndrome and damage to other organs, the leading cause of death in COVID-19 patients. Weak immune systems or immune systems that overreact go hand in hand with inflammation. Constant inflamation weakens a body which invites body failures (chronic diseases) which can turn deadly when viruses strike. So in our quest for sustainability, being healthy is a top priority.8

Do you know what causes constant, long-term inflammation that eventually leads to over 100 different chronic diseases? It’s an Omega-3 deficiency which is determined by the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs). Most body failures occur when the ratio exceeds 4:1. This is why scientists in the fields of biology and nutrition pound the table about lowering the EFA ratio to as close to 1:1 as possible. That improves a body’s sustainability significantly. Alarmingly, most Americans have ratios above 10:1.9 10

The best dietary approach for improving immune system function is:
●    Eat low glycemic foods. High glycemic foods are foreign to body function, causing weight gain and fungal issues that negatively impact the body.
●    Eat foods that are low in Omega-6 EFAs and higher in Omega-3 EFAs. Seek a 1:1 ratio for the entirety of the diet. A balance of 2:1 or less is best for an effective nervous system, strong immunity, and better brain function.
●    Eat nutrient dense and diverse foods. A diet of nutrient lite foods cannot properly contribute to the total spectrum and balance of nutrients that the body needs.11

So, if your world shuts down for a month, how sustainable are you? Do you need drugs for chronic diseases in order to stay alive? It might be better to try and subdue those diseases with proper rest, meditation, exercise, and diet. Then you are dependent on one less thing.

To your health.

Ted Slanker

Ted Slanker has been reporting on the fundamentals of nutritional research in publications, television and radio appearances, and at conferences since 1999. He condenses complex studies into the basics required for health and well-being. His eBook, The Real Diet of Man, is available online.

Don’t miss these links for additional reading:

1. Samples of Science by Ted Slanker

2. I Cured Myself of Multiple Sclerosis a Testimonial by Terry Wahls, M.D.

3. Treating COPD with Omega-3 by Ted Slanker

4. Does Cholesterol or Inflammation Cause CHD? by Ted Slanker

5. Cancer Risks Higher for Vegetarians by Ted Slanker

6. Too fat? Eat Fat by Ted Slanker

7. Curing Crohn’s Disease by Ted Slanker

8. We Need Inflammation, but . . . by Ted Slanker

9. The Importance of the Ratio of Omega-6/Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids by Dr. Artemis P. Simopoulos

10. The Omega-3 Personal Test put slanker in the offer code for additional savings

11. Food Analysis: EFA, Protein to Fat, Net Carbs, Sugar, and Nutrient Load by Ted Slanker