Preparedness is about covering all the bases. If and when you find yourself in the middle of a crisis, you want to make sure you’ve got it all. Food, water, medical care, a means of protecting yourself — these are considerations that you may have already taken care of in your prepping plan. But, there is one important aspect of prepping that is repeatedly neglected: your personal health and fitness. Your own body might be your most valuable prepping tool in a disaster. In the words of Kathy Bernier from OffTheGridNews.com: “If you are unfit and unhealthy, you might be limiting your capacity for independence, both now and in whatever future.”

Why you should care about your personal health and fitness

Things will be very different in a post-disaster world. There’s no guarantee that you’ll have easy access to electricity, a steady food supply or even running water. Strenuous physical activities will become a daily part of your new life. Everything from building shelter to gardening for food to carrying heavy loads to fetching water will be done by your own two hands. The stakes are even higher if you’re with your loved ones, since you need to be able to keep them safe as well.

How will you be able to do all these if you’re obese? Or if you’ve gotten used to a sedentary lifestyle? Will you be able to walk, climb, run, carry or swim without getting winded? Will you be able to take care of yourself and of others if or when the need arises?

These are hard questions that you need to ask yourself. When it comes to your physical health, at least.

Health isn’t just about the physical, it’s about the mental too. A sound mind is an absolute necessity in a world where you always need to be thinking on your feet. Things may not always go according to your prepping plan, so you either need to have a backup or make split-second decisions. If you’re, say, grappling with an addiction that you can’t shake off, your ability to think rationally will be impeded. This isn’t even taking into account the amount of stress you’ll have to deal with regularly. Cut off from modern luxuries, having to live off the land, facing the grim possibility of things never being the way they were…will you be able to cope without cracking under the pressure? (Related: In your survival plans, have you forgotten spiritual preparedness?)

Basically, if your body and mind aren’t in the best shape then you might not survive. Get by, maybe. But survive, or even thrive? Highly unlikely.

How to care for your personal health and fitness

Of course, not everyone has their personal health completely under control. Genetics, accidents, and certain diseases can blindside even the best preppers. However, the rest of us can still do all we can to be as fit and as strong as can be. You can still face your personal health challenges and deal with them now instead of pushing them aside for later.

Put on a pair of running shoes and make a daily run a habit. Eat healthier and better foods. Get your bad knee or that annoying cavity taken care of. Go over the stresses in your life and learn to let go of the things you can’t control. Begin a day-to-day regimen that will allow you to build up your body and your mind.

You don’t need to have the body of an Olympic athlete or the mental fortitude of an analyst. You simply need to be at your personal best.

Learn more about how to get ready for the worst case scenarios by visiting Preparedness.news.

Sources include:

OffTheGridNews.com

ModernSurvivalBlog.com

BackdoorSurvival.com