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The first step in
preparing to survive and thrive after the big crunch is to get your
mind and body ready. Getting yourself mentally and physically
ready is probably the most difficult chore you face. |
If the big crunch
happened today, what, in your routine, every-day life would change?
The best survival preparations will help keep the "change" list to a minimum.
It's not about base-level survival, it's about surviving in relative
comfort and security and thriving during a crisis.
Your Body - Your Self
No matter how well you prepare, the average person will be much more
active than in their current day to day life as they go about
survival tasks. If you are a couch potato now, you
will find that survival activities involve much more than eating and
sleeping. Test yourself and prepare now for a life of more
physical exertion. Before starting any new exercise routine, if
you are not used to physical exertion, ask your
doctor to give you a full physical. Start slow and slowly build up over time. A fit strong body can weather stress much better.
You don't need to jog 5
miles a day or join a gym to improve your physical readiness.
What you do need is mental disciple and a plan. A brisk 2 mile
daily walk coupled with stretching and a mild workout to improve your
upper body strength and endurance will help tremendously if going from a
sedentary to and active lifestyle. Listen to your body and don't
overdo it, no matter what shape you're in. A note about walking... if
your feet hurt after a 2 mile walk, you need a better type and better
fit shoe. If you have low arches, selecting a proper size and high
quality arch support will do wonders. When walking as an exercise the
idea is to wear out your shoes not your feet. Be prepared to
replace your walking shoes regularly when they show signs of breaking
down.
You will be amazed at
what a slowly ramped up physical fitness program will do for you over a six
month time frame. You will feel better, have a better self image,
will want to do more and you will not get easily fatigued. The mental discipline
you develop in your exercise program will carry over nicely when you
have to be disciplined in your survival activities.
Drink LOTS of Water!
Water is the elixir of life. Most people walk around
day to day on the brink of dehydration. You need to consume at
least 2 quarts a day to keep your internal organs functioning properly.
More is required in hot environments. In addition to the water you
get in food, add a pint of water to your diet four times a day but not
just before or just after a meal. DON'T attempt to drink a quart
at one time to catch-up unless you have been engaged in very heavy
exertion that caused loss of body fluid and don't ram it down... take
your time when consuming large quantities of water. Listen to your
body... if you feel thirsty, you need water now. Thirst can be quenched
with a few mouthfuls but your body may still need more.
Start now training your body to receive and use the proper amount of
daily hydration.
Sleep
To stay mentally alert and promote daily stress recovery, getting sleep
on a regular schedule is very important. You can never "catch-up"
on sleep. Most people need around 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep
every night. Children and growing teenagers need even more.
Conditions that help get a restful sleep each night include:
A good quality mattress
A dark, quiet, cool room
No caffeine or alcohol in your system
No food 4 hours before bed
No high sugar content foods 6 hours before bed
Putting the stress of the day behind you
Completing dreaded tasks before sleep
Planning your next day well before bedtime
Resolving personal issues
Full body stretching about an hour before bed
Next Survival Assessments
& Evaluation
See the ADVANCED
Area for Specific Plans
