How to survive?

[Platypus Prime]

I wish...while programs exist, they are far from foolproof, often underfunded, and complicated to apply to. Many who are on the streets DO have mental or drug issues, no doubt, I've seen that many times. But in other cases, it's not that clear cut. Single mothers with young children, teens who ran away, elderly people who should have social security but what they got could not cover both their house and their medicine...it gets ugly. And then you find these people in a thin tent in winter having frozen to death under a bridge they took shelter at when it rained. While if you do find yourself needing help, you shouldn't hesitate to look for it, there's also no guarantee it will come. That's why I said it's best to get and keep a job, even if you don't want to, simply because having someone who is supposed to take care of you only works for as long as they do. If something happens (supporting partner dies, program gets defunded, etc) everyone they supported is left without a safety line.

I'm sorry if I'm depressing anyone, it's not intentional. I've just seen a lot of crap in my life, and I don't want someone having to learn all this the hard way thinking that an investment firm has some secret to wealth when they're just as beholden to market forces as anyone and if they DID have such amazing insights, why are the employees there, who are in charge of generating all this wealth and can clearly see how it is done, are not themselves rich...?

Edit: One thing, you mentioned coasting till you can retire, but HOW to retire? If you don't save, retirement may not be a viable option. And if you wind up needing assisted living or the like (and don't think you won't ever have that happen, it only takes on slip on some ice...) you could find yourself without any options unless you have savings outside the usual programs, which fall FAR short of what is needed.

 

[MEDdMI]

Words of wisdom. It's all part of adulting. Nothing is guaranteed, but it's best to work and have savings for a rainy day. A trip to the ER is a lot of money even with decent insurance.

 

[ooo-baby]

Is fighting a necessary survival skill, or can you avoid and run indefinitely?

What if the other person is twice your size?

Can you always avoid violence and a fight, or do I need to learn martial arts?

 

[Confuzor]

Being able to defend yourself is a good skill to have, but I can tell you I've been able to avoid getting into physocal altercations most of my life. Id say focus your energy on making sure you have a roof over your head, plenty of food to keep you going, and a job that will pay you enough for both of these things.

 

[ooo-baby]

Can your body and brain live off your body fat (eg. In your belly, butt, thighs, neck, etc.)? Will fasting force your body to live off the fat on your body? I’m wondering why the daily calories does not make a distinction between a skinny person and a fat person. If you had a limited food supply in a community, shouldn’t it be given to the skinny people, and leave the fat people to live off the fat in their bodies?

 

[MEDdMI]

Ok, at this point it just feels like you're fishing for replies/activity.
Did you used to frequent these boards before the big crashes as "Logicron"?

 

[Ungnome]

Fat can keep you going for a bit, as far as caloric energy goes, but you need more than just energy. Fat reserves won't fight off scurvy, anemia, etc.

 

[ooo-baby]

Fat can keep you going for a bit, as far as caloric energy goes, but you need more than just energy. Fat reserves won't fight off scurvy, anemia, etc.

That’s a very smart answer. I’ve never heard that before.

But doesn’t your liver have the stored vitamins that you need as well to fight off those diseases?

 

[ooo-baby]

Ok, at this point it just feels like you're fishing for replies/activity.
Did you used to frequent these boards before the big crashes as "Logicron"?

 

[Ungnome]

It can store SOME fat-soluble vitamins, but not all nutrients are fat soluble. Still, it's not a good solution except in a pinch. Might be able to last a month or two, but the BAD side effects of not eating will show up WAY before death will.

 

[ooo-baby]

It can store SOME fat-soluble vitamins, but not all nutrients are fat soluble. Still, it's not a good solution except in a pinch. Might be able to last a month or two, but the BAD side effects of not eating will show up WAY before death will.

So I take it you’re against fasting as a tool for survival or weight loss altogether?

Is ketosis bad? That’s I think the reason people give for fasting in order to burn fat for weight loss.

 

[Ungnome]

I'm not a doctor or nutritionist, but from what I've read and seen, OCCASIONAL fasting can have some benefits, but that's for like a day or two, not weeks at a time. Remember your metabolism actually drops when your body goes into 'starvation' mode, setting you up for gaining weight FASTER once you're food intake returns to normal levels.

 

[ooo-baby]

I find it interesting that in ancient times grain compromised the entire food supply of nations (eg. in Egypt). Grain is a carbohydrate, and it was the basis for whether populations survived or starved. The food pyramid calls for our diets to consist mostly of carbohydrates. We in recent times have since moved away from carbs. Carbs are bad. What happened?

 

[Axaday]

Is fighting a necessary survival skill, or can you avoid and run indefinitely?

What if the other person is twice your size?

Can you always avoid violence and a fight, or do I need to learn martial arts?

You are a grownup. How have you done so far? I don't know martial arts. The last time I was in a physical fight was 5th grade by the bike rack. You can probably survive fine without knowing how to fight as long as you are polite and stay away from dangerous places.

Can your body and brain live off your body fat (eg. In your belly, butt, thighs, neck, etc.)? Will fasting force your body to live off the fat on your body? I’m wondering why the daily calories does not make a distinction between a skinny person and a fat person. If you had a limited food supply in a community, shouldn’t it be given to the skinny people, and leave the fat people to live off the fat in their bodies?

Most of your body can run on stored fat, but your brain will only run on sugar.

So I take it you’re against fasting as a tool for survival or weight loss altogether?

Fasting is not a tool for survival. You are talking about starvation. People do not starve to survive. People STOP starving to survive.

I find it interesting that in ancient times grain compromised the entire food supply of nations (eg. in Egypt). Grain is a carbohydrate, and it was the basis for whether populations survived or starved. The food pyramid calls for our diets to consist mostly of carbohydrates. We in recent times have since moved away from carbs. Carbs are bad. What happened?

Grain has never comprised the entire food supply of nations. Ancient Egyptians ate grain, fruits and vegetables, beans, milk, fish, domesticated poultry, domesticated cattle, sheep, and goats.

Grain isn't a carbohydrate. A whole grain is mainly carbohydrate, but also includes both fat and protein. A seed has everything a plant needs to sprout.

The Food Pyramid was made by the US Department of Agriculture in 1992. It is not and never was a scientific principle. Carbs are not bad, but modern man (at least modern American man) has been led into eating way too many carbs to the exclusion of other things and it has led to a lot of health problems. Type-2 diabetes is a body that has become exhausted with processing too many carbs. People overeat carbs because they make up so many fun foods, leading to an obesity epidemic. So nutritionists are trying nowadays to pump the brakes on carbs to try to get things back in balance.

 

[Ungnome]

Axaday beat me to the punch. Pretty much said everything I was about to post, but I'll add this:

There is evidence that nutritional health actually DROPPED after the transition from hunter-gatherer to fully agrarian society in most places. The OTHER benefits simply outweighed the downsides.

 

[MEDdMI]

Ok, that tells me everything I need to know. Logicron used to post baity stuff, purposely incorrect info just to get attention/a reaction/convo going. It was really hard to gauge whether he was being sincere or not. It honestly verged on the edge of infuriating.
I prefer giving people the benefit of a doubt, but the whole thing about lacking even basic common knowledge or a desire to do the legwork himself and expect short answers from people who aren't even experts in said areas, not to mention the other threads about every little thing...
Yeah, I'm done.

 

[ooo-baby]

Ok, that tells me everything I need to know. Logicron used to post baity stuff, purposely incorrect info just to get attention/a reaction/convo going. It was really hard to gauge whether he was being sincere or not. It honestly verged on the edge of infuriating.
I prefer giving people the benefit of a doubt, but the whole thing about lacking even basic common knowledge or a desire to do the legwork himself and expect short answers from people who aren't even experts in said areas, not to mention the other threads about every little thing...
Yeah, I'm done.

 

[ooo-baby]

Survival is not just physical and financial. It’s also spiritual. I’ve never had strong desire, a fighting spirit. Most of the time I just feel like staying in bed and hiding from the world. I don’t feel like doing anything.

At the root of homelessness I believe is this hopelessness, discouragement, and despair. It’s getting worse as I get older. Sometimes I feel like giving up on life.

How do I feed my soul so I don’t end up going down a dark path like shooting up drugs, turning to crime, or taking my own life. How does your soul survive?

 

[ooo-baby]

If only we could all feed our spirits this way:

 

[ooo-baby]

I’d love to be able to do:

Eat once and have it last for a year.