When prepping goes extreme: How far is too far?

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What people think of as "extreme preppers" are often in the limelight whenever topics like survival or preparedness are being discussed. In fact, for a non-prepper, it may seem easy to categorize different prepping activities as "extreme" behavior.

As a non-prepper, you may also believe that being prepared is uncommon. However, this can be the most dangerous belief since preparedness and risk analysis can help save your family's life when disaster strikes. (h/t to TruePrepper.com)

The National Geographic Channel (Nat Geo) show "Doomsday Preppers," which aired from 2012 to 2014, was culturally the largest thing that happened to prepping. And while other TV shows featured prepping and survival, "Doomsday Preppers" was the most culturally influential at the time of its airing. (Related: Debunking the TOP 5 MYTHS about emergency food storage.)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) even partnered with Nat Geo to share practical advice during episodes of "Doomsday Preppers." But Nat Geo and the agency did not realize that audiences were laughing at the show instead of watching it for tips on how to start prepping.

The exorbitant budgets and unreasonable spending habits of some of the participants on the show may have had a negative effect on those watching and convinced them that they will need a lot of money to start prepping.

"Doomsday Preppers" also made it seem like prepping can be very extreme for the general public.

However, if you plan ahead, you can still prep even on a budget. After all, the prepping community is frugal and can budget their money to avoid large expenses later.

Extreme prepping vs. a lack of preparedness

With prepping, "extreme" can go two ways. Extreme prepping can describe someone's specific over-preparedness for uncommon emergencies, or it can describe a complete lack of preparedness.

"Doomsday Preppers" illustrates the first definition, which is often what non-preppers think of when prepping is brought up.

However, the second definition is more common than the first. For example, a large-scale lack of preparedness is common almost every time there is a local emergency or regional disaster.

In the past, Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Florence and Michael have revealed how millions of people were often unprepared for hurricanes, especially during the peak of hurricane season.

Puerto Rico also showed the rest of the world how an entire territory can depend on the government for disaster aid. But none of these examples resulted in lasting conversations about how unprepared the general public is.

Even after many disasters around the world, prepping remains a lifestyle for "crazy extreme preppers."

Don't let the idea of "extreme preppers" discourage you from starting your prepping journey.

Talk to practical preppers who can share their knowledge with you. Don't waste time and money on zombie prep and paranoid tin foil hats.

Instead, aim for broad preparedness. Focus on finalizing a basic emergency plan, then start building a food stockpile for your family.

Next, prepare a survival kit if you spend a lot of time outdoors. You can also prepare bug-out bags for your whole family.

Set aside time to run preparedness drills to teach everyone what to do and where to go when dealing with different emergencies.

Where to buy lab-verified supplies for your stockpile

The Health Ranger Store is committed to helping you prepare for any survival scenario. That's why we're proud to introduce a variety of lab-verified products such as Organic Instant Black Beans, Organic Goji Berries and Organic Freeze Dried Pineapple.

Also known as black turtle beans, black beans are a staple of Latin American cuisine and are eaten all over the world. More than just making any meal filling, black beans also add a lot of nutrition to dishes.

Health Ranger Select Organic Instant Black Beans are shelf-stable, quickly rehydrated with water, and loaded with essential nutrients such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and vitamins A and B1.

And because Health Ranger Select Organic Instant Black Beans is certified organic and kosher, as well as laboratory-verified, there are no hidden surprises. What you see is what you get, and what you get are the cleanest and healthiest instant black beans on the market with a long shelf-life.

The Health Ranger Store also wants you to experience the incredible health-supporting properties of one of the world's most nutritious superfoods. That's why we're bringing you an ultra-clean new lot of Health Ranger Select Organic Goji Berries.

Carefully grown and harvested by trusted suppliers in the pristine regions of the Tibetan plateau, our ultra-clean goji berries undergo a natural drying process to preserve their original taste and nutrient content. This means that they contain no preservatives or artificial flavoring and are just as nutritious as fresh organic goji berries.

Health Ranger Select Organic Goji Berries contain no gluten or GMOs and are extensively lab-tested for glyphosate, heavy metals and microbiology. Our premium goji berries are also vegan, non-irradiated and certified organic.

Lastly, make sure you have nutritious fruits in your stockpile and buy Organic Freeze Dried Pineapple.

Organic Freeze Dried Pineapple can be stored for up to 10 to 15 years, depending on storage conditions. Keep it in a dark, cool, low-humidity location and it will last for an extended duration.

Note that heat, humidity and light will degrade all storable foods.

Our freeze-dried diced pineapples are grown under strict organic standards. The freeze-drying method preserves the taste, texture and nutrients of our premium pineapples.

Health Ranger Select Freeze-Dried Organic Pineapple contains no gluten, preservatives, or GMOs. They are vegan, non-China, certified Kosher and organic, and have been lab tested for glyphosate, heavy metals and microbiology.

Visit Preparedness.news for more tips to help you get started on your prepping journey. You can also check out Health Ranger Store and Brighteon Store for more lab-verified food supplies for your prepping needs.

Click on this link for a tasty recipe for Southwestern Quinoa Salad made with Organic Black Beans.

Watch the video below to learn more about the nutrient profile of Organic Pineapples.

This video is from the Health Ranger Store channel on Brighteon.com.