I have recently seen some articles and videos about a lack of digestive care items in Jump Bags (Bug Out Bags) and I just wanted to start by saying in this regard I am behind the idea that you need to make sure you pack items for digestive health.
In any situation where you need to use your Jump Bag you are going to be under stress, and probably eating food outside your normal diet. You will be drinking a lot of water (we hope) and some of that water might not be the best quality. Make sure your medical kit is supplemented with items to help take care of your stomach and digestive tract.
What should I have.
As someone who has lived with stomach issues most of my life I can tell you that when your insides are out of whack, you hate life.
First off, make sure you have some Pepto Bismol tablets. They carry better than the liquid, and are just so much more convenient. It can be the generic brand, just so long as you have something with the active ingredient Bismuth subsalicylate.
My second item would be activated charcoal capsules. Warning, they will make your feces black, but they have made my life much better on many occasions. It can help with gas, some poisoning (do your research) and helping to get rid of toxins you've ingested.
Third on this list would be some sort of antidiarrhoeal medicine. There are a bunch on the market so find a brand and price you're happy with. This is apparently something a lot of people forget to pack in a Jump Bag first aid kit.
Stopping the flow!
A lot of posts and videos say that if you have diarrhea in an emergency situation you need to prevent it. Diarrhea is unpleasant under the best of circumstances. If you suffer from it during an emergency situation it's only made worse by the risk that you might have limited water supplies to counter the dehydrating effects and an ability to handle the sanitation problems. But, there is a catch.
Be careful with the blanket advice of taking medicine to stop diarrhea. Diarrhea is caused by a viral infection in your gut. It has a laundry list of causes, and although normally isn't serious we're talking about it in the context of a serious event, so some additional considerations are needed.
If you have the water available, and don't have any serious symptoms (blood in your stool, serious cramps, inability to keep fluids down) it might be best to ride it out if you can. Take your Pepto as directed and then use something to help with the secondary effects (the burning, oh the burning) like a cleansing wipe. If the condition lasts more than a couple of days you may have something more serious going on. Depending on your situation at this point you might not have too many options. Your antidiarrhoeal medication and activated charcoal might be able to help get you through it.
Keep in mind that water consumption will be important. Make sure to consume water over the course of the day and not just at meal time. Hydration is important. Diarrhea is your body trying to get rid of something toxic. So stopping that without consideration might lead to other issues.
In an emergency situation you should probably expect some of these intestinal discomforts. So try and be prepared for them and mindful of what they mean.
Do you have any home remedies for stomach and intestinal discomfort? Share with us in the comments your thoughts or ideas.
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