Putting a Priority on Health and Medical Preparedness

Published on May 31, 2012 by admin · No Comments

A little over a year ago, I wrote about the importance of good health and good physical fitness to long term survival. After huffing and puffing during a recent hike, I realized that the time had come to reassess my personal health and fitness goals and to bone up on personal medical preparedness.

Somewhat egging me on was a recent reminder from Dr. Bones (aka Dr. Bones at the Doom and Bloom Nation and co-author with Nurse Amy of The Doom and Bloom Survival Medicine Handbook), that this is one area of survival prepping that tends to fall to the bottom of the priority list.

But surely, we are remiss if we overlook the positive aspects good health and both physical and mental fitness during times of stress. I don’t know about you, but for me the ultimate stress would be a major natural or man-made catastrophe.

Think about it. You might have six months of food, six months of water, a sustainable food garden, a fully stocked first aid kit, tools, supplies and generators that would allow you to live off the grid if the SHTF. But what if you had to flee? What if you had to grab your boots, bags and backpacks and really get the heck out of dodge? Could you make it? How far could you walk in dangerous weather conditions or uncertain terrain? And the stress. Could you cope?

The Personal Fitness Inventory

These are all important questions that might be answered by taking a personal health and fitness inventory by asking the following questions:

Health: What the state of your general health? Do you take a lot of prescription drugs? Is your weight in proportion to your height? Do you check your blood pressure regularly and do you see a dentist at least once a year for a general checkup and cleaning?

Fitness: Do you exercise regularly? How far can you walk briskly without getting winded?

Mental Balance: Are you happy? Can you cope with the stresses of daily life? Do you consider yourself mentally “balanced”?