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Disease Avoidance

 Copyright © May 1, 2025 by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
All Rights Reserved.

This is not medical advice and it is not a medical recommendation.
Please consult a licensed medical professional to have your medical questions answered.

Introduction

Remaining healthy is a desirable goal in all the following scenarios:
  1. Normal Times: The banks are open and the stores are open. And you have a reasonable income so you are able to enjoy life in the way you normally do. If you should get sick then you have access to medical facilities where you can be diagnosed and treated for whatever your medical problem happens to be.

  2. Hard Times: The banks are open and the stores are open. However, you do not have enough income to maintain your desired standard of living. In order to survive you are forced to eliminate unnecessary expenses from your budget, such as eating at any type of restaurant. And you take measures to reduce your necessary expenses, such as your electric bill and your water bill. And you trim your grocery bill to the absolute minimum and you learn new ways to convert the food that you do have into an enjoyable meal. If you should get sick then you may not be able to afford medical care and you may have to self-diagnose your medical problem and buy whatever over-the-counter medicines that are available that might heal you. Therefore in a hard times scenario most people will be more careful about where they go (and what they do) in order to avoid getting sick, if that is possible.

  3. Catastrophic Times: The banks are closed and the stores are closed. This happens during a hurricane, a tornado, and an earthquake. It also happens if a group of terrorists destroy one or more major water facilities or power plants. And it happens if a war is being fought in the area where you live. In these types of situations the banks will be closed and the stores will be closed until things return to normal and this may take weeks, months, or years. Even if you have money you will not be able to spend it because all the stores in the affected area will be closed. You will need to survive using what you already have inside your home before the catastrophe occurred. And you will be extremely careful to avoid getting sick because you will know the medical facilities are all closed and there is no place where you can buy over-the-counter medicines.
This article will discuss how diseases are spread and what you can do in order to avoid getting sick during all of the above scenarios.

Discussion

Diseases can be transmitted in all the following ways:
  1. Waterborne diseases.
  2. Airborne diseases.
  3. Food Poisoning.
  4. Physical Contact.
Each of the above will now be discussed in detail.

Waterborne Diseases

Water Well These are microscopic pathogens that can survive in water and they are the most common causes of medical problems.

The most common waterborne pathogens are the following:
  1. Bacteria: Burkholderia pseudomallei (meliodosi), Campylobacter (diarrhea and gastroenteritis), Escherichia coli or E. coli (acute diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, and gastroenteritis), Helicobacter pylori (chronic gastritis, ulcer disease, and gastric cancer), Legionella pneumophila (acute respiratory illness, pneumonia, and legionellosis), Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (pulmonary disease and skin infection), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (infections of lungs, urinary tract, and kidney), Salmonella (Typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever, salmonellosis, gastroenteritis, and reactive arthritis), Shigella (bacillary dysentery or shigellosis), Vibrio cholerae (gastroenteritis and cholera), Yersinia enterocolitica (diarrhea and reactive arthritis).
  2. Viruses: Adenovirus (gastroenteritis), Astroviruses (diarrhea), Enteroviruses (gastroenteritis), Hepatitis A virus (hepatitis), Hepatitis B virus (infectious hepatitis, miscarriage, and death), Norovirus (gastroenteritis), Rotavirus (gastroenteritis), Sapoviruses (acute viral gastroenteritis).
  3. Protozoa: Acanthamoeba (amoebic meningoencephalitis, keratitis, and encephalitis), Cryptosporidium parvum (cryptosporidiosis and diarrhea), Cryptosporidium cayetanensis (diarrhea), Entamoeba histolytica (amoeba dysentery), Giardia intestinalis (diarrhea), Naegleria fowleri (brain damage), Toxoplasma gondii (miscarriage and birth defects).
  4. Helminths: Dracunculus medinensis (worms and skin infections), Schistosoma (liver damage, kidney damage, fever, cough, and aching muscles).
The most common symptoms of becoming infected with a waterborne pathogen are one or more of the following: headache, fever, diarrhea, stomach cramps, loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea and/or vomiting, gas, and dehydration. Other symptoms may include skin rashes, eye infections, ear infections, and respiratory infections.

The different ways that waterborne pathogens can enter the human body are as follows:
  1. Waterborne pathogens can enter our bodies through our mouth, eyes, nose, genital openings, and skin cuts or scrapes.
  2. Waterborne pathogens can be ingested by drinking contaminated water or contaminated beverages, or by eating contaminated food.
  3. Waterborne pathogens can also be inhaled if we breathe a mist that contains the pathogens.
  4. Waterborne pathogens can also enter our bodies if we make physical contact with an infected pet, animal, or person.
  5. If you wear contact lenses then do not soak your lenses in any solution that is not 100% safe.
  6. Swimming is a very common way to become infected with a waterborne pathogen. Accidentally swallowing a little water is the most common way for the pathogen to enter a person's body. The pathogen can also enter a person's nose if the person is not wearing a nose plug. The pathogen can also get on the outside of a person's lips and eventually the pathogen may slip into the person's mouth. During good weather many doctor's offices are swamped with people who become sick after swimming in a pond, lake, or river. Therefore public hot tubs and recreational swimming should be avoided during hard times and catastrophic times unless you are absolutely positive that the swimming pool is 100% safe and that you are not sharing the swimming pool with an infected person.
Waterborne pathogens can be neutralized before they are ingested using any of the following methods.

If it is possible, start with the cleanest water that you can find. Then filter the water through a clean tightly-woven fabric to remove any large impurities. You should then do one of the following:
  1. Boiling: Water boils at approximately 212°F (100°C) at sea level at a barometric pressure of approximately 30.3 inches of mercury. Water will boil at 184.3ºF at an elevation of 10,000 feet and at a barometric pressure of 27 inches of mercury. All pathogens will die rapidly at a temperature of 185ºF (85ºC). Most common pathogens will die at a lower temperature. Therefore when the water comes to a rolling boil all the pathogens in the water will be neutralized. Water is not like food where the internal temperature of the food is lower than the external temperature of the food. When water boils the temperature of the water is consistent throughout the water. Therefore there is no need to boil the water for longer than one minute.

  2. Water Filters: A water filter that works using gravity will work during normal times, hard times, and catastrophic times. Therefore a gravity water filter is recommended. I personally recommend the AquaRain water filter that is made in the USA. AquaRain water filters are reviewed on my website at the following link.
    AquaRain Water Filters.
    A homemade water filter system is described at the following link on my website but prices are higher in the year 2025.
    How to Build a Very Effective Water Filter System for Approximately $75.

  3. Steam Distillation: Steam distilled water can be purchased in many stores that sell bottled water. You can also steam distill water in your kitchen. A steam distiller that is sold on Amazon is discussed at the following link on my website:
    Homemade Steam Distilled Water

Airborne Diseases

Airborne diseases include any bacteria or virus or fungi that can be transmitted on air currents. Or the pathogens can be transmitted if they become attached to miniscule water droplets when a person sneezes, or coughs, or talks, or exhales in a normal way. These infectious pathogens can remain suspended in the air for a long time or until the next person eventually comes along and inhales them. The longer the pathogens remain suspended in the air the more dispersed the pathogens will become and this allows the pathogens to infect several different people who pass through the infected area. Depending on the type of ventilation in the infected area these pathogens may remain suspended in the air for several minutes up to several hours. Eventually the pathogens will descend onto the various surfaces in the infected area and anyone who touches one of these surfaces can get the pathogens on their hands or clothes and eventually the pathogens may find their way into the person's body.

The most common airborne diseases are the following: common cold, chickenpox, diphtheria, flu, Covid-19, influenza, legionellosis, measles, mumps, pneumonia, rotavirus, tuberculosis (or TB), whooping cough (pertussis), and anthrax spores. Vaccinations for the above usually protect a person for a specific number of years but the vaccinations do not protect a person for life. In the 21st century some of the diseases that were declared to be irradiated in the USA and making a comeback in epidemic proportions in some areas.

The most common symptoms are fever, fatigue, headaches, body aches, diarrhea, dehydration, coughing, sneezing, congestion, runny nose, sore throat, ear ache, swollen glands, skin rash, and inflammation inside the mouth, nose, throat, and lungs.

There are several things a person can do to minimize their risk of becoming infected with an airborne disease:
  1. If possible, avoid areas that are populated by sick people, such as a hospital or a doctor's office.
  2. Avoid areas that contain a lot of people. If possible, visit the area when very few people are present. For example, do your grocery shopping early in the morning.
  3. Avoid areas that have stagnant air. Well-ventilated areas are preferred.
  4. Every six months replace the filters in your home ventilation system with the best quality filters available.
  5. Wear a high-quality face mask (filter) when visiting any public area.
  6. Cover your mouth with a tissue or handkerchief when you sneeze or cough, or cough into your elbow.
  7. If possible, keep at least six-feet (or more) between you and other people.
  8. If possible, do not go outdoors immediately after a tropical storm because the air may contain a large number of fungal spores.

Food Poisoning

Food poisoning occurs when a person eats or drinks something that contains something that is harmful to the human body.

The most common causes of food poisoning are bacteria, viruses, fungi, toxins, chemicals, and parasites.

The most common foods that cause food poisoning are eggs, dairy, meat, shellfish, sushi (raw fish), and contaminated water.

The most common symptoms of food poisoning are an upset stomach, nausea, fever, headache, diarrhea, and vomiting. Diarrhea and vomiting are the body's natural defense mechanisms for expelling the poisons from the body. Although diarrhea and vomiting are good for the body for a short period of time, they can cause severe dehydration if they continue for too long.

Beverages that contain electrolytes are the best way to avoid dehydration.

An anti-diarrhea medicine available at most pharmacies will usually help to control the diarrhea.

The following food handling and preparation procedures can significantly reduce the chance of food poisoning.
  1. If possible, purchase the freshest food that is available. Recently harvested fruits and vegetables, recently caught fresh fish, and recently butchered animals are preferred.
  2. The fresh food should be stored in a cool or cold area until it can be processed.
  3. Each type of fresh food should be stored by itself and different types of fresh foods should not be stored together to avoid problems of cross-contamination.
  4. Wash your hands and your food processing equipment thoroughly before you begin to process the fresh food.
  5. If possible, and if appropriate, rinse the fresh food in clean germ-free water immediately before it is processed.
  6. Bring liquid foods, such as soups, stews, gravies, and sauces, to a boil to neutralize any pathogens in the liquid. Also boil water-packed canned vegetables.
  7. Cook fish, poultry, and meat until the internal temperature reaches a level that will neutralize any pathogens in the food.
  8. Examine the food before eating it. Any food that has an unusual color, or appearance, or has an unusual surface texture, or has something growing on it, or is slimy, should be discarded and not eaten.
  9. Sniff the food before eating it. Any food that has an unusual or offensive smell should be discarded and not eaten.
If you suspect you may have a case of food poisoning then you should avoid the consumption of alcohol, caffeine (coffee, tea, and soda), dairy, nicotine, acidic foods, spicy foods, high-fiber foods, fatty foods, and fried foods.

Most people are able to recover from a mild case of food poisoning in a few hours or a few days. However, some cases of food poisoning are life-threatening and the person will need to seek professional medical care in order to survive. The people who face the highest risk from food poisoning are infants, children under the age of 5, pregnant women, people over the age of 65, and individuals with weakened immune systems.

Physical Contact

This includes direct contact with a person who is carrying the disease (even if the person does not have any symptoms), and contact with any object, such as clothing or dishes, that an infected person has touched.

If includes contact with any surface that has become contaminated by any pathogens, fungi, spores, or parasites.

If you touch your mouth, nose, or eyes before you carefully wash your hands then the germs may gain easy access into your body.

If you must be in the same home with a sick person then you should seriously consider wearing a face mask and disposable gloves when you are in the same room as the sick person. When you leave that room then you should immediately and carefully remove the face mask and gloves and put them into a trash can.

It would also be a good idea to wear a face mask and disposable gloves when you visit a doctor's office or a hospital for any reason (if you are sick or if someone else is sick).

Other Information

I have written several books that may be of value to you in the following scenarios:

How to Survive Hard Times: The following books were written for a situation where the banks are open and the stores are open but you only have a small amount of money:
  1. Grandpappy's Survival Manual for Hard Times.
  2. Grandpappy's Recipes for Hard Times.
  3. Grandpappy's Campfire Survival Cookbook.
How to Survive Catastrophic Times: The following books were written for a situation when the banks and the stores will be closed for an indefinite period of time.
  1. Practical Strategies for Long-Term Survival.
  2. How to Live Comfortably in a Hostile Wilderness Environment.
  3. Grandpappy's Campfire Survival Cookbook.
My "Grandpappy's Campfire Survival Cookbook" is included in both of the above categories because it contains more than 270 practical recipes that would be extremely useful during hard times and catastrophic times. People who live in an area where there is minimal or no wildlife usually cannot visualize a situation where this cookbook would be of any value to them. But if something happened that forced that person to relocate to another area then my campfire cookbook would probably be the most important resource that they should take with them. The reason is because my cookbook clearly explains how to hunt, trap, and fish, and how to skin and butcher fish, poultry, and wild animals, and how to process and cook fish, poultry, and wild animals to yield a delightful meal. My cookbook also explains how to identify the most commonly available edible wild plants and how to prepare those plants to make them very tasty.

Many people do not believe that they would ever need to deal with any type of "catastrophic event," such as a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, terrorist activity, widespread gang violence, or a local war in their area.

The first page of Chapter One in my book "Practical Strategies for Long-Term Survival" begins with the following two scripture verses:
Most people will not do anything to prepare for catastrophic hard times because they believe that there is a very low chance that any type of catastrophic event will impact their lives. And many people believe that catastrophic events happen to other people and that God would not allow a catastrophic event to upset their lives. Therefore most people will not take simple precautions that would minimize the impact of a catastrophic event on the lives of their family members.

My book "Practical Strategies for Long-Term Survival" includes an assortment of useful information for surviving catastrophic hard times and a reasonable amount of that information is not on my website or in any of my other books.

For example, water is very important during normal times, hard times, and catastrophic times. Therefore I have discussed water in detail on my website and in several of my books. However, my book "Practical Strategies for Long-Term Survival" contains 80 pages about water and 40 of those pages contain information about water that is not on my website nor in any of my other books. The reason I have included so much additional practical information about water in my book is because almost everyone could benefit from this information during a catastrophic event where they had to provide their own water and their normal water source may have become seriously contaminated. (Note: Even during normal times several municipalities have had serious problems with their water and they have informed their customers that they needed to boil the water before they used it for anything.)

In addition to more information about water, the following "disease avoidance" information about water filters, steam distillation, and face masks are also included in my book "Practical Strategies for Long-Term Survival."

A practical comparison of the AquaRain, Katadyn, Berkey Water Filters;
  1. Filter Life Expectancy:
      a. Berkey Sterasyl water filters are advertised to process 535 gallons of water.
      b. AquaRain water filers are advertised to process 10,000 gallons of water.
      c. Katadyn Ceradyn water filters are advertised to process 13,000 gallons of water.
      More gallons per filter means the filter will last longer before it has to be replaced. And this usually means a lower cost per gallon of water processed.

  2. Pore Size:
      a. A Berkey Sterasyl filter has an advertised pore size of 0.9 microns.
      b. An AquaRain filter has an advertised pore size of 0.3 microns.
      c. A Katadyn Ceradyn filter has an advertised pore size of 0.2 microns.
      A smaller pore size will remove smaller pathogens and this will make the water safer to consume.

  3. Processing Speed:
      a. A Berkey Sterasyl water filter will process about one gallon of water in 20 minutes, or about three gallons per hour, or about 72 gallons per day.
      b. A Katadyn Ceradyn filter will process about 1/3 gallon of water per hour, or about 8 gallons of water per day.
      c. An AquaRain filter will process about 1/4 gallon of water per hour, or about 6 gallons of water per day. This is slower than either of the above two filters.

      Faster is not better for a gravity water filter. A Berkey filter is nine times faster than a Katadyn filter and a Berkey filter is twelve times faster that an AquaRain filter. This implies that the actual pore size of a Berkey filter is much, much bigger than a Katadyn filter and an AquaRain filter. From a quality perspective, a smaller pore size is better and slower is better.
If you are filtering municipal water that contains chlorine, or that has a bad taste, then an AquaRain water filter would be a good choice because it contains a carbon filter and a silver-impregnated filter.

If you are filtering the water from a water well that has not been treated with chlorine then an Katadyn water filter would be a good choice.

A Practical Discussion of Steam Distillation:

The following information about steam distillation is in chapter 18 of my book:
On pages 95 and 96 of my book "Practical Strategies for Long-Term Survival" there is also a very clear explanation on how to steam distill water at home using the things that most families already have in their kitchens. This detailed explanation is only included in the above book and it does not appear in any of my other books or anywhere on my website.

A Practical Discussion of Mouth and Nose Respirator Masks:

Read the most recent customer reviews before you buy a face mask. Buy a mask that has several layers of different types of filter material and each layer removes something different from the air. Carbon should be one of those layers. You will need several of these masks and you will need the appropriate size for each member of your family. These masks are relatively inexpensive.

Conclusion

I frequently mention that nobody, except for God, knows how the future will unfold.

Since anything could happen in the future, wouldn't it make good sense if you had some practical knowledge that could help your family survive regardless of what may happen tomorrow?

May God Bless,
Grandpappy.

Grandpappy's e-mail address is: RobertWayneAtkins@hotmail.com

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