Physical Preparedness

	Home | Contact Us Jump to... 72 Hour Kits Chart Your Progress Chemical Emergency Communications Cooking Source Death Dry Packing Earthquakes Employment / Career Extras Extreme Winters Family Escape Plan Financial Fire Fire Starters First Aid Food Storage Gardening Heat Heat Waves Helpful Hints Hurricanes Important Papers Important Phone Numbers Insurance Light Lightning Nuclear Disaster Personal Hygiene Physical Preparedness Prepare by the week Pressure Canning Recipes Review Questions Sanitation Sewing and Clothing Shelf Life of Food Shelter Snakes / Animals / Insects Spiritual Preparedness Sprouts Storage Areas Stress Management Surprise Theft Tools Tornado Utilities Water Wills and Trusts       Physical Preparedness One very important aspect of Emergency Preparedness that often goes unmentioned is physical fitness. In emergencies, and in everyday life, there are so many advantages to staying active and healthy. Among other things, staying physically fit can: help us fight off disabilities and diseases help increase our metabolism help lower blood pressure help us sleep better help us to feel less stress and find relaxation increase energy increase flexibility We can be physically fit and active at any age. Start with a healthy diet. Eat healthy foods and proper amounts of food in order to receive valuable nutrients the body needs. Drink plenty of water. A person can live for many days without food but just a few days without water. There also must be some exercise for physical fitness to be achieved. Even simple exercises promote physical fitness. At any age, the following exercises will help us to stay active and increase flexiblility: When shopping, park farther away from the store and walk a little more. (This will also decrease stress as you will not have to drive around and around the parking lot looking for a closer spot!) When sitting o the couch or watching television, roll ankles and wrists. Even something that simple can keep injuries from occurring. Keep your muscles warmed up and you will feel better. When sitting at stop lights in a car, roll your neck side to side or to the front. And remember that rolling trhe head to the back can injure the spine. Stretch as much as possible: For the arms: up over the head, behind the back and across the chest. For the back: bend over as far as you can and stay in that position for a bit. Lay on the floor and extend or lift legs. For the side: Stretch one arm over the head and bend over and touch your chest to your straightened leg. For the buttocks: Lay on the floor and place the feet flat on the floor bending the knees. Push the pelvis upward and squeeze the buttocks as you do so. Flexibility can indeed help you to stay in shape. Stretching makes flexibility possible. The doctor told me I should start an exercise program. Not wanting to harm this old body, I’ve devised the following: MONDAY Beat around the bush Jump to conclusions TUESDAY Drag my heels Push my luck Make mountains out of mole hills WEDNESDAY Bend over backwards Jump on the band wagon Run around in circles THURSDAY Climb the walls Wade through the morning paper Hit the nail on the head FRIDAY Open a can of worms Put my foot in my mouth Start the ball rolling SATURDAY Pick up the pieces SUNDAY Kneel in prayer Bow my head in thanksgiving Uplift my hands in praise Hug someone and encourage them WHAT A WORKOUT !!!