INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you live in an earthquake-prone area, such as California, make sure you are prepared should an earthquake strike. Having supplies is one way to be prepared, so you'll have exactly what you need on hand should disaster strike.  You’ll want to have a fire extinguisher, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight, and extra batteries. It is also good to have plenty of non-perishable food and bottled water, in case power is out for a while. At a minimum, you should have enough food and water for 3 days on hand. The CDC recommends keeping 1 gallon of water per person per day. Don't forget to think about your pets, as they will consume food and water, too. Also, check the food and water you store for emergencies at least once a year to use up or throw away food and water that is near or past its expiration date. In an earthquake, injuries can happen. Having a first aid kit on hand can help you deal with minor injuries, especially since emergency rooms will likely be overloaded. You can buy a kit ready-made, or you can gather supplies to make your own.  The American Red Cross recommends that you have the following items in your first aid kit: adhesive bandages (25 in various sizes), adhesive cloth tape, absorbent compress dressings (2 5-by-9-inch dressings), 2 roller bandages (1 each 3 inch and 4 inch), sterile gauze pads (5 3-by-3-inch pads and 5 4-by-4-inch pads), and 2 triangular bandages. You'll also need things like antibiotic ointment, antiseptic, aspirin, cold compresses, a breathing barrier (for CPR), hydrocortisone, non-latex gloves (in case of latex injuries), an oral thermometer, tweezers, a first aid booklet (available from places like the Red Cross store), and an emergency (space) blanket). If you, a family member, or friend are injured during an earthquake and can’t get help, you will be grateful that you know how to take care of basic injuries. First aid and CPR classes teach you what to do in an emergency if someone is injured.  Learning first aid can teach you how to deal with injuries such as cuts, bruises, head injuries, and even broken bones. CPR helps you learn what to do when someone is choking or not breathing.  Check with your local American Red Cross to find first aid classes in your area. Though these are common comforts of daily life, during a natural disaster they can be life-threatening. Gas can leak; electricity can spark; and water can become contaminated. After an earthquake, you may need to turn one or all of these off.  To turn off the gas, turn the valve a quarter turn, using a wrench. The valve should now be perpendicular with the pipe. If it’s parallel, it means the gas line is open. Note that some experts recommend keeping the gas line on unless you smell a leak, hear hissing, or notice the gas meter is running up quickly because once you turn it off, you will need to bring in a professional to make sure it is safe to turn it back on.  To turn off the electricity, find the circuit box. Turn off all the individual circuits and then turn off the main circuit. The power should remain off until a professional confirms that there are no gas leaks.  To turn off the water, find the main valve. Turn the handle clockwise until it is completely closed. You should leave the water off until you know it is safe to turn it back on. Your city should update you on whether the water is safe to drink or not. In an earthquake, your water heater can tip or be damaged, causing a huge pool of water. If you can protect that water and keep it from leaking out of the water heater in the first place, you can use it as a source of clean drinking water even if the city water isn't safe. Therefore, it's important to secure your hot water heater before an earthquake hits.  Start by checking how much room is between the water heater and the wall. If you see more than an inch or two, you need to add a strip of wood to the wall using lag screws. The strip of wood should go down the length of the water heater, so it can't tip backwards. Use heavy-gauge metal strapping to secure the water heater to the wall at the top. Start at the wall. Wrap it around the front and then all the way around the heater again. Push it back to the wall. You now have an end on either side to secure to the wall or the wood at the back. For wood, use lag screws with oversized washers. The screws should be at least 1/4" by 3". For concrete, you need 1/4" expansion bolts instead of screws. You can also by a commercial securing kit that has everything you need. Add another round of strapping to the bottom, and secure it. It's also important to take out the rigid copper and metal pipping. Instead, use flexible connectors for both the gas and water, which are less likely to break in an earthquake. When earthquakes happen, phones can go down. You may not be able to reach your loved ones. Therefore, it's important to decide beforehand where you will meet if one happens.  You could say, for instance, that everyone comes home once the earthquake has passed, or that you meet at a nearby safe spot, such as a church. Also, consider designating a person who's not in the same area as the contact person. For instance, you could designate one of your parents as the contact, so that other out-of-state people have someone to call to hear news. That way, you can deal with the emergency while your family can still hear news about you. If you live in an earthquake-prone area, consider moving heavy objects from high shelves and anchoring heaving furniture to the floor. During a quake, these objects can fall or move, injuring you or others in your home.  Books, vases, rocks, and other decorative items can fall off high shelves, crashing into people below. Move them so they are below head-level. Below waist-level is best, where they can do less damage. Try to attach heavy furniture, cupboards, and appliances to the walls or floor. Attaching objects to the walls or floors keeps them from moving or falling over in an earthquake. You can use nylon stripping or L-brackets to anchor furniture like china hutches or bookcases to the studs in the wall, though stripping will cause less damage to the furniture. You can also use nylon straps or velcro to secure items like televisions to their furniture.

SUMMARY: Stock up on supplies. Buy or build a first aid kit. Learn first aid and CPR. Learn how to turn off the gas, water, and electricity. Secure your water heater. Decide where to meet after an earthquake. Earthquake-proof your home.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Choose a noni fruit that is white in color. If you're picking the noni fruit, it may still be firm so set it on the counter at room temperature until it's soft to the touch. The fruit will become translucent as it turns ripe. If you're picking your own noni fruit, ensure that you don't snap or break the delicate branches of the plant. Once the noni fruit is soft, rinse any dirt or debris off the fruit with cool water. Put the noni fruit into a blender and secure the lid. Blend the fruit on low speed until the fruit is completely mashed. If you don't have a blender, put it into a food processor instead. For even riper fruit, you could mash the fruit in a bowl using a wooden spoon. Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and scoop the mashed fruit into it. Rub the back of a spoon across the fruit to press the noni juice into the bowl. Keep in mind that the fruit won't produce a lot of juice. Discard the noni pulp and seeds or mix the puree with other fruit to create a fruit leather. Since the noni juice in the bowl will be very thick, you can thin it with liquid if you like. Try mixing in a little water or juice such as grape, apple, or pineapple. Keep in mind that diluting the noni juice will improve the flavor and make it easier to drink. Refrigerate any unused raw noni juice in an airtight container for up to 2 to 3 weeks.

SUMMARY:
Select a ripe noni fruit. Rinse the noni fruit and blend it for 1 minute. Strain the mashed noni fruit. Thin the noni juice with water or juice and drink it.