Pennsif's Progress #613 - Medical Preps 01 - Keeping Fit and Healthy
As I mentioned in my previous post the starting point for any medical prepping is keeping as fit and healthy as possible in the here and now.
In a comment in that post @cecicastor put it very neatly :
People have a tendency to forget about looking after the mind and the body when prepping. They are not something you can buy extra in a can and have it waiting for when you need it.
Unfortunately for most people, me included, good health and fitness is something you have to work at.Diet, exercise, sleep are the three big ones that underpin physical wellbeing. But getting them all right, all of the time can often be mighty difficult.
Diet
This is probably the easiest for me.
I am what I eat. I eat what I believe in.
My marker words on the food front are organic, local, fresh, raw, fruit, vegetable...
Luckily sweets (candy) and cake really don't tempt my palate at all.
I love fruit and I could probably just eat that all day if I had a plentiful enough supply.
And I am big on salads, raw food is a bit of a fetish of mine.
The big change for me diet-wise this year was moving from omnivore to vegetarian en route to almost vegan.
I had always been a low meat eater, primarily consuming what we raised ourselves, but after a couple of vegan episodes of The Alternative Lifestyle Show I began to cut out animal products from my diet.
Veganism and prepping is a very interesting topic - and one I will return to in a separate post as it is too complex to cover in a quick paragraph here.
In terms of prepping the key factor is having a good diet that keeps you at a good weight and BMI, and in a healthy state.
Exercise
This one is trickier for me. My job is desk based, and when I finish my daily work, steem ties me to my office chair way longer than it should.
I don't have a gym membership - in fact I don't have a gym anywhere near me.
I've only got nature's gym - working in the garden and around the homestead is my main form of exercise.
But I have to admit I can see a big 'Must do better' on my report card for this one.
Switch off the computer, and feel the soil between your toes...
Sleep
Arggggh.
I run on IST now - and that can really mess up sleep patterns.
IST, in case you didn't catch it, is International Steem Time.
I'm in the UK, most of the people I deal with are at 5 or 6 hours behind me.
I stay up way too late. I sleep way too little.
Tonight is going to be different, I promise...
Regular checkups are super important
Like cars, regular service checks are important for the body too.
We aim for dental checkups and hygienist visits every six months.
For eyes it is every 12 or 24 months with the opticians.
Keep a diary or spreadsheet for all the family, make sure you hit those appointments on time.
If you have any other particular health issues, asthma for example, make sure you attend any check up clinics as regular as needed.
Now is the time to get healthy, tomorrow is the time to stay healthy
There is always some excuse to put off changing diet, or to start exercising, or to begin a better sleep routine.
Excuses won't cut it. The world could collapse tomorrow.
Start now and stick at it.
Monitor and record if that helps. Set up a spreadsheet recording your weight and your BMI.
Keep a note of how long it takes to walk a mile, or better run.
Set some targets and see you how far you get in 6 months.
I will leave the last word on this post to @sir-thrive who commented some wise words on my last post :
I love preaching health and fitness. Especially to the newbies who are hell-bent on packing massive BOBs. It is incredibly hard to hike 3 miles if you're out of shape. It's impossible with 100lbs on your back and elevated stress levels.
Get fit now. You will be glad you did when the zombies are after you.While you are here check out these to see what else I do :
The Alternative Lifestyle Show - Friday 13 July 2018 [recording]
My Life In 8 Songs - Thursday 12 July 2018 - @yidneth, @lorenzopistolesi & @seveaux [recording]
My Life In 8 Songs - Thursday 5 July 2018 - @asonintrigue, @isaria, @wolfnworbeikood & @fatherearth [recording]
A Dollar A Day charitable giving project : Fundraiser Thanks to @lyndsaybowes
Pennsif's Sustainability Curation Digest for MSP - week ending 8 July 2018
SteemRadio - schedule of all the steem radio shows - week beginning 9 July 2018
[ imageS from pixabay - Creative Commons CC0 ]
I struggled with getting enough exercise, too. Now I do the http://www.startbodyweight.com/ routine three times a week. It really makes a big difference in just three hours. You don't have to go to the gym or buy fancy equipment, either. All you need is a pull up bar and a pair of gymnastic rings.
The biggest benefit for me is making my back much stronger. I used to throw my back out several times a year just from doing normal stuff like stacking firewood. Now I'm much more resilient.
I will take a look at that routine, thanks.
My back is also one of the areas I need to work one.
Host of The Alternative Lifestyle Show on MSP Waves Radio.
Editor of the Weekly Schedule of Steem Radio Shows.
Founder of the A Dollar A Day charitable giving project.
Surely this is a candidate for a blog title!
Exercise is a tough one for me too. I used to walk in the early morning and again in the evenings along the beach for 4 or 5 miles. really miss those walks as we have been pretty much homestead bound for the last few months. Not that I don't get exercise gardening and looking after our guests, I miss the quiet reflective time...
Great advice. Stress is handled so much better by keeping a healthy routine. There are days when it works so well and I feel great. Other days, like yourself, where spending time on steemit is so much more rewarding. 🐓🐓