We're at ANOTHER EXPO THIS WEEKEND!!

Better To Be Ready will be at the "What a Woman Wants Show" at the Southtowne Expo Center in Sandy, Utah Friday and Saturday, September 25-26, 2009!! You now have ANOTHER opportunity to come check us out with and have a great time! Remember, we have food samples, other product examples, and GREAT GIVEAWAYS at these! So try to come! Here are the details:

Friday: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
9575 South State Street
Sandy, Utah
Click HERE for the official website- for more details, including a map :)

Also, we have 48 FREE TICKETS to the event! We're giving them away on a first come first serve basis. So- if money is your only reason for not showing up... LEAVE ME A COMMENT that you would like one of the tickets and I'll put your name down at will call so you can pick it up!

So come chat with us about food storage, seed banks, 72 hr. kits, HOME PARTIES or ask how you can get your own store! Taste some freeze dried food (so good) and just come have a good time away! We can't wait to see you there!

Better To Be Ready at the Utah Valley Women's Expo!!

Who: BETTER TO BE READY at the Utah Valley Women's Expo
What: Food sampling, daily give-aways, hands on viewing and testing of products found in our online store!
Where: UVU (Utah Valley University) McKay Events Center, Orem, Utah
When: Friday and Saturday (September 11th and 12th) from 11am-8pm
Cost: $5 per ticket

Come and HAVE A GREAT TIME! If you're in Utah and have never gone to one of these they're great! There's always SUCH FUN STUFF to check out (yes, besides us). AND if you're not really an "online" shopper or are a little hesitant about hosting a party for yourself (even though you get GREAT rewards) then come to test the freeze dried food we sell, as well as some of the other products! This is a GREAT low key opportunity to get to know more about Better To Be Ready and what we offer! SO WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!!!

PS- this is NOT JUST FOR WOMEN! So if you're a man, don't be thrown off! There will be, maybe few, but yes, some other men there- especially with our business :) So COME CHECK US OUT!

UN chief visits 'doomsday' seed vault in Arctic

I thought this was interesting so I wanted to share... found this article at Breitbart.com posted on September 2, 2009.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon visited Wednesday a vault carved into the Arctic permafrost, filled with samples of the world's most important seeds in case food crops are wiped out by a catastrophe.

"The world faces many daunting challenges today, one of the greatest of which is how to feed a growing population in the context of climate change," a bundled-up Ban told reporters after he toured the site in the Svalbard archipelago some 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) from the North Pole.

"The seeds stored here in Svalbard will help us do just that. Sustainable food production may not begin in this cold Arctic environment, but it does begin by conserving crop diversity," he said.

Aimed at safeguarding biodiversity in the face of climate change, wars and other natural and man-made disasters, the seed bank has the capacity to hold up to 4.5 million batches of seeds, or twice the number of crop varieties believed to exist in the world today.

The vault was inaugurated in February 2008, and so far some 25 international and national institutes from 22 countries have deposited some 400,000 batches, according to the Norwegian government.

Overlooking a fjord, the vault forms a long trident-shaped tunnel bored deep into the Svalbard sandstone and limestone.

Metal shelves lining three cold chambers will eventually be stacked with airtight bags filled with seed samples.

After passing through an airlock designed to keep temperatures inside the main vault at minus 18 degrees Celsius (minus 0.4 Fahrenheit), Ban looked on with interest as he was shown plastic boxes filled with samples.

"This site, collated by all the countries, is really creative. I'm inspired by this vision to sustain the world in the future," he said.

He seemed also taken with the chilly temperature in the vault.

"It's very cold, even colder than the Arctic. My lips are frozen."

Pretty interesting, huh? I never knew that the countries in this world had something like that, makes me impressed. Did you know you can buy your OWN survival seed bank? Just click HERE and read all the details about it! It's a GREAT thing to include amongst all your emergency preparedness items!

Homemaking

NOT JUST TO SAVE MONEY
BUT FOR EMERGENCIES TOO!!

What would you do if you couldn't go to the store for awhile do to lack of supply in the stores or because it just wasn't safe for one reason or another? Do you have enough of EVERYTHING?! Yes, I'm not just talking about water and food, but do you have enough soap and kleenex and baby wipes and toilet paper and laundry detergent?

Well, if not, you may want to think about stocking up on a few simple items along with a bunch of spray bottles, etc. and making your own cleaning supplies at home. (As well as stocking up on toilet paper- cause who really wants to run out of that in an emergency?) I believe the biggest reason for doing this when times are GOOD is so that you can have practice and a stock pile for when times are BAD.

Here are two FABULOUS recipes from makingcentsofsavings.blogspot.com that can help you make a stock pile of laundry detergent and handsoap for when times are bad. If you do your handsoap this way- you'll automatically have a stock pile SO FAST! I LOVE doing it this way because, well, we use A LOT of soap around here- so now I KNOW I have a long back up supply with my refill bottles from Costco!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Ingredients:

1 bar Fels Naptha soap

1 cup washing soda (arm & Hammer)

1 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax

*Grate the bar of Fels Naptha with a cheese grater. Place the grated Fels Naptha in a saucepan and cover with 6-8 cups of water. Heat on low until dissolved.

*Add 1 cup of washing soda and 1 cup of Borax and mix well. Pour mixture into 5-gallon bucket. Fill the bucket with warm water, and stop when you get within 3 inches from the top. Stir well.

*As it cool, it will thicken. Use 1/2 - 1 cup per wash load. Safe for H.E. Washers too.

Yields approx. 75 cups

Once your laundry detergent cools, stir it one more time with a wisk. You might have to put your hand in there to reach the bottom. It will look kind of like egg drop soup, but the more you stir it the more pasty it will look. You can either use the detergent right out of the 5-gallon bucket, but if your like me....you prefer less mess. I had saved a couple of my empty laundry detergent bottles (and then asked friends and family for some of theirs) and then poured my detergent into the empty bottles. Make sure to rinse them out first before you start pouring in your homemade stuff.

My total on my 3 items where:

1 box Borax-$3.49 (can make up to nine 5-gallon buckets worth)

1 box Wash soda-$2.73 (can make up to six or seven 5-gallon buckets worth)

1 Fels Naptha Bar-$1.06

I figured out that one 5-gallon bucket of homemade laundry detergent approx. costed me $2.00 to make and that each wash load will only cost me $0.03-$0.04. Now that's definitely saving money!

Posted by Stephanie at 7:53 PM

Homemade Laundry Detergent Tips

First off, I want to let everyone know that all of my frugal posts will be true, tried, and tested. That way you know that everything that I post on here will be proof that it really does work and it's not just something that I heard about.

My mother in law is the one who gave me the recipe for the homemade laundry detergent. She has made it several times and uses it all the time. She no longer buys store bought laundry detergent, which is so great. Here's some questions that people have asked me about the laundry detergent.

1. Can you scent your own laundry detergent?

Yes! I spoke with my mother in law and she said that you can use essential oils. She tried a lemon scented oil and it smelled fantastic. But......there is a but! You need to use an entire bottle of essential oil to scent one bucket of laundry detergent. That can get a little pricey, but if you want to do it, YOU CAN! So, rock on! I made my first batch of detergent yesterday and I'll let you in on a secret. This detergent smells fantastic just by itself. While I was making it on the stove, my whole house smelled wonderful. The smell is so clean, fresh, and crisp. I don't think it needs any extra scenting, but that's my opinion.

2. How many empty detergent jugs will it make?

It depends on the size of your detergent jugs. If you use regular sized jugs, you'll get about 2 to 4 filled full.

3. How do I make my detergent look really creamy?

Stir, stir, stir! With a wisk of course. The more it cools and the more you stir, the creamier it will become. But, if you don't really care what it looks like, that's cool too. It works no matter what you do to it. Here's another little secret that I figured out. If you don't like stirring (which I don't because I get a little impatient) just pour your detergent into your old empty detergent jugs and shake them. The more you shake....WaaLaa! Creamy detergent!

Posted by Stephanie at 2:11 PM

Labels: Cleaners, Food Storage, Laundry, Tips

May 12, 2009

Homemade Foaming Hand Soap

As you know I love to save $$, and my favorite frugal tips are the simple ones! Following is how I keep the costs down on hand soap...

My favorite soap for the bathrooms and kitchen are the Bath & Body Works antibacterial foaming soaps. The big fluffy suds that come out are so fun the kids even enjoy washing their hands!

So one day I got creative, and attempted to make my own refill for my existing bottle.

Guess what... it worked! I've been doing this for about 5 years now, and have saved loads of money with this simple trick.

What You'll Need: Liquid Antibacterial Soap (Softsoap, Dial, etc.) & 1 empty bottle of Bath & Body Works Antibacterial Gentle Foaming Hand Soap (the other styles of bottles will not work).

Step #1: Fill up the bottle with about 1 inch of antibacterial liquid soap. {I buy the large bottles from Costco}

Step #2: Slowly fill the rest of the bottle with tap water, put lid back on, and gently tip upside down and back and forth to mix the soap and water together. Don't shake ~ it will get too sudsy.

And there you have it! I love that it is a diluted version of antibacterial soap, and is much gentler on my family's sensitive skin. I also love that one big bottle of antibacterial soap literally lasts us years... and years... and years!

How's that for frugal?!?

That's all from makingcentsofsavings- I hope this helps you stockpile some important household items for yourself. I've also found some recipes for other homemade cleaners on other sites, I haven't tried them yet, but if you would like those too, just leave a comment and let me know! I can post on it or email them to you to try out if you leave your email address :)

Get yourself a RAIN BARREL

Rain barrels are AWESOME! You can buy them from TONS of companies and stores (below is a rain barrel pictured from Gardeners Supply Company that holds 75 gallons!) or make one on your own. They are basically water barrels that you put under the gutter of your house so that when it rains your barrel collects all that free water for you to use! They are SO fabulous!!! For drought times, for emergencies, for anytime really- get a rain barrel! You could use the water from your barrel for watering your garden, plants, or grass in a drought, OR washing your dishes, or flushing your toilets in an emergency. Or even for drinking water if you filter it! Some rain barrels come with spouts and hoses too! I highly suggest getting one, and if you can't afford it (most are over $100) then make one yourself :) It's one thing that would be TOTALLY worth the effort.

Your rain barrel doesn't have to look frumpy in your yard either, there are SO MANY styles! Google "rain barrel" and see what you can find! Below is another version from Gardeners Supply Company, just to show you how attractive some versions can be if you want to spend the money :)


Go HERE to watch a You Tube Video about rain barrels. If you want to make your own, but that quick little video wasn't enough information on how to do it, go HERE for more details on how to make your own :)

ENJOY COLLECTING THE RAIN :)

GREAT Source of Information

For pandemic information go to:

www.getpandemicready.org

Swine Flu

I recommend you read the following as we prepare ourselves for a possible pandemic-
PREPARE YOUR FAMILY WITH THE FOLLOWING!
Dr. Hansen is an AMAZING doctor, please don't discount him because he does natural medicine, the things he has recommended for us and our family has kept us healthier than anything else we've ever done. We ALWAYS use Oscillococcinum now when my kids get a fever and they are better within a day or two, it really is amazing... We should all have these things in our "Food Storage" supply- just in case.

Vital Health Alert Swine Flu Pandemic April 26, 2009 - Vol 22, Issue 4.1
In This Issue Swine flu Pandemic Quick Links DrHansen.com YourVitalHealth.com		Swine Flu Concerns Dr. Hansen's Vital Health News will keep you up to date with the latest health news, nutritional and herbal research, Drug Alerts, False Alarms, Diets, healthy foods, great tasting recipes, Anti-aging Breakthroughs, Skin Care Products, Speical Promotions and FREE Give-Aways. Don't miss a single issue! And please forward a copy to all your friends and family.
U.S. Declares Swine Flu a Public Health Emergency April 26, 2009 - The world's governments enare racing to avoid both a Swine Flu pandemic and global hysteria Sunday as additional swine flu cases surfaced from Canada to New Zealand and the United States declared it a public health emergency. The first outbreaks were confirmed in Mexico on April 13th. This weekend, Mexico City, closed churches, markets and restaurants because more than 1324 people have been infected nationwide and there have been 22 confirmed deaths and 86 suspected deaths. Few people ventured onto the streets, and some wore face masks. U.S. Officials reported 20 U.S. cases of swine flu in five states so far, with the latest in Ohio and New York. CDC Warning Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, predicted "We're going to see more severe disease in this country." At a White House news conference, Besser and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano sought to assure Americans that health officials are taking all appropriate steps to minimize the impact of the outbreak. The U.S. declared the situation a health emergency so that it could ship roughly 12 million doses of the flu-fighting drug Tamiflu from a federal stockpile to states in case they eventually need them. Priority will be given to the five states with known cases so far: California, Texas, New York, Ohio and Kansas. For now however, the 20 confirmed cases of Americans who have been confirmed to have Swine Flu are recovering easily and don't appear to be in serious danger. World Health Organization Precautions The World Health Organization and U.S. were following a playbook of precautions developed over the past five years to prepare for the next super-flu. The WHO on Saturday asked all countries to step up detection of this strain of A/H1N1 swine flu and will reconsider on Tuesday whether to raise the pandemic threat level, in turn triggering additional actions. A potential pandemic virus is defined, among other things, as a novel strain that's not easily treated. This new strain can be treated with Tamiflu (oseltamavir) and Relenza (zanamavir), but not two older flu drugs. However, in order to be effective these drugs must be taken within the first 48 hours of onset of symptoms. "Right now we have cases occurring in a couple of different countries and in multiple locations, but we also know that in the modern world that cases can simply move around from single locations and not really become established," cautioned WHO flu chief Dr. Keiji Fukuda. There is no vaccine against swine flu, but the CDC has taken the initial step necessary for producing one - creating a seed stock of the virus - should authorities decide that's necessary. This year's flu vaccine offers no cross-protection to the new virus, CDC officials said Sunday. Should You Get a Rx for Tamiflu? Tamiflu and Relenza, both appear to work against type A flus and may work against this new strain of the Swine flu virus, although clinical studies will need to be done to prove that they work. There is no vaccine for this strain of human Swine flu. Roche's Tamiflu is the most effective known drug against Influenza Type A infections and the most frequently prescribed in America. It inhibits the enzyme neuraminidase that stops the virus from spreading, but must be taken within the first 48 hours of onset of symptoms. The US has stockpiled 12 million doses of Tamiflu, which is just enough for 4% of the U.S. population. However, experts estimate that in order to stop the spread of an epidemic flu, the coverage will need to reach 20% of the population. Tamiflu is generally well tolerated but can cause side-effects inlcuding mild-to-moderate nausea or vomiting in 10% of the population. The most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, headache and fatigue. Other less common side effects may include bronchitis, sleeplessness and vertigo. Are There Natural Treatments for Swine Flu? Dr. Hansen recommends taking Oscillococcinum® for the treatment of all forms of the flu, including Swine Flu and Bird Flu. Additionally, he also recommends taking the herbal formula known as PhytoBiotic, which contains a natural neuraminidase inhibitor like Tamiflu. What is Oscillococcinum®? Oscillococcinum® is the number one Over-The-Counter Flu medicine in France. Oscillococcinum is a 200c dilution of an autolysate of Barbary duck liver and heart. It was introduced in the 1930's by Dr Joseph Roy, who believed that it contained a microbe that caused influenza. Dr. Roy's theory has now been shown to have merit since birds have been shown to be a major reservoir of human influenza viruses. The effectiveness of Oscillococcinum has now been confirmed by a several double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trials published in the Lancet, the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and others. Eighty percent of patients treated with Oscillococcinum reported a successful outcome (vs 38% of the placebo group). Full recovery from flu symptoms within 48 hours was 66% greater in the Oscillococcinum group than in the placebo group. How is Oscillococcinum taken? Oscillococcinum is a homeopathic medicine in tiny granules. It should be dissolved under the tongue. Dr. Hansen recommends that everyone take a preventive dose of Oscillococcinum as soon as possible in light of the possible Swine Flu pandemic. Dr. Hansen says, "Oscillococcinum is the most effective flu remedy ever discovered. It works quickly to stop flu symptoms within hours, if taken at the onset of the first symptoms of the flu, including the general malaise, body aches, chills and fever. Most patients only need to take one or two doses and the flu just seems to vanish." For active infections, Dr. Hansen tells his patients to take the following dosage: for adults and children over the age of 12, dissolve the entire contents of one tube under the tongue every 6 hours, up to 3 times per day for two days. For children 12 and under, take ½ the adult dose. Is there a Natural Alternative to Tamiflu? Rather than prescribing the drug Tamiflu, Dr. Hansenprescribes an herbal formula known as Phytobiotic. This unique herbal formula that contains the herb Elderberry, which works like Tamiflu to inhibit the enzyme neuraminidase, but without the side effects. Phytobiotic also contains Andrographis, Echinacea, Atragalus and Goldenseal, which make the formula effective against a broad spectrum of viruses, bacteria and fungal organisms, because you can't always tell what is causing your symptoms. Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)has been proven in double blind clinical trials to be as effective as Tamiflu. In one trial 90% of the group taking Elderberry recovered completely from the fever, chills, body aches, and cough twice as fast (within 3 days rather than 6 or more days) as the group receiving the placebo. Viruses can do no harm unless they can get inside human cells and reproduce themselves. Bioflavanoids found in the Elderberry are thought to coat the virus and inhibit the action of neuraminidase, which otherwise would break down the cell wall membrane, allowing the virus to get inside. For this reason, Elderberry, like Tamiflu, must be taken within the first 48 hours of onset of symptoms. Elderberry extract has been found to be effective against eight different strains of influenza including the Beijing, Singapore, Hong Kong, Ann Arbor, Texas, Panama, Yamajata, and Shangdong viruses. In addition to its direct antiviral effects, Elderberry also enhances immunity by increasing the production of lymphocytes and acts as a potent antioxidant. Additional PhytoBiotic Ingredients Andrographis paniculata is used in China as an official medicine for inflammation, colds, fevers, laryngitis and diarrhea. In a recent double blind placebo controlled study performed in Sweden, 85 mg taken three times daily for five days significantly reduced symptoms of the common cold and sinusitis, as well as time off work. Echinacea angustifolia (Purple Coneflower). In spite of one recently reported, poorly designed study that used only one-third of the appropriate dose in the treatment protocol, Echinacea has been previously proven in multiple studies to contain a wide array of active immune stimulating components that enhance immunity against several viruses including influenza, Epstein-Barr virus & herpes virus. Echinacea has been shown to prevent colds, upper respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, and other infections. Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus)has been shown to increase Macrophage phagocytosis (the engulfing or "eating" of solid material, e.g. bacteria, allergens, and immune complexes) within six hours of treatment and last for more than 72 hours. It has also been shown to increase Interleukin-2 activity ten fold, stimulate T-Cells in healthy animals and restores immune function in cancer patients. Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) extract exhibits a broad spectrum of antibiotic activity. The berberine in Goldenseal appears to inhibit the adhesion of bacteria to host cells and prevent their growth. Berberine has been shown to be 3 times more effective at lowering fevers than aspirin in rats. It has shown activity against bacteria, protozoa, and fungi, including Staphylococcus, Streptomyces, Chlamydia, Corynebacterium diptheria, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typlhi, Vibrio cholerae, Diplococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas, Shigella dysenteriae, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia, and Candida albicans. How much Phytobiotic should be taken? For prevention of Colds and Flus, Dr. Hansen recommends 1 Capsule twice daily for children and 2 Capsules twice daily for adults. For active symptoms or infections, Dr. Hansen recommends 2 Capsules 3 times daily for children and 3 Capsules 3 times daily for adults. For children who cannot swallow pills, Dr. Hansen recommends liquid Elderberry and Wild Cherry: 2 ml twice daily for prevention and 4ml 3 times daily for treatment. For more information about PhytoBiotic and Oscillococcinum, click here.
Dr. Hansen's Vital Health News is published and distributed by Dr. Clark Hansen, N.M.D., Hansen Clinic and Vital Formulations, Inc. Please feel free to forward this email to all of your friends and family. Thanks. Vital Formulations, Inc Phone: 480-991-6298