Spending all of your time gathering equipment and dreaming of your hideout…but forgetting the most important prep of all?
All of the prepping in the world does no good if YOU are not in the equation. Neglecting your own health puts you, your family, your friends, your stuff, and your group at risk. Not only will you not be 100% optimum for whatever emergency comes your way, but you may also, in fact, become the emergency.
A Good Prep Takes Care of his Health First
Eyes
Beginning to have trouble seeing? Make sure you’re up to date with eye exams. Then grab extra pairs of prescriptives to store in Bug Out Bags / 72-hour kits, your go-bag, and wherever else you store preps. If you just need reading lenses, going to a mass-market retailer can get you pairs for inexpensive amounts to use instead of going through an optic shop.
Ears
Hard to hear noises that you need to hear if you are beginning to show signs of hearing loss. It may be nothing more than hard wax build-up that can be removed with at-home treatments or a small procedure at a doctor’s office if needed. But if you need hearing aids – be sure to get extra batteries to stock for your aids, and consider extra aids, themselves. It’s a small investment, but it’s necessary
Mouth
Tooth pain is awful, and if you’re stuck in an emergency situation with no hope for relief from the dentist, you could be in real trouble. No one wants to pull their own teeth or have to do it for someone else. So go to the dentist, get regular cleanings, and if you’re having issues, make that investment in your personal prep to get them fixed (and I’m preaching to myself on this one!) Dentures are expensive, but if you need them – it would be helpful to have an extra backup set, just in case.
Nose
If you’re a snorer, in extreme shtf situations, you can be a detriment to your locale. While there are medical procedures that may help alleviate some snoring issues and medical equipment that can help with the effects of snoring, some basic things can be done in common snoring issues. Lose some weight. The pressure of extra weight carried in the belly can affect your breathing when you sleep. Check in with an asleep study or an ENT to make sure there aren’t some physical issues/allergens that can be fixed. Stock up on nasal strips for cases when snoring is just going to always be there. Sometimes a snore is just a snore. But the strips can help.
Brain
Get in good mental shape for what may come and make the best of the now. I don’t advocate drugs for getting by, but in extreme cases – use them. And stock the meds if you can for times when there might not be a reliable supply. Get sleep, rest your body, eat well, strive to be joyful, and be prepared.
Hands/Feet
Glove up/shoes on. Take care of your two workhorses. Don’t go to bed with injuries on either so that you can heal faster. Lotion up – seriously. Dry, cracked skin on hands or feet can be miserable, so make sure you use good skin treatments on both. Change your socks often. Air out your shoes a lot. Get good fitting gloves & shoes for the right occasion.
Body
Eat right. Hydrate. Exercise. Then, make sure that you’re getting checked out. While I don’t advocate well checkups for the sake of going to the doctor, I do recommend going when you know something isn’t right. Do the breast exams (yes, men & women), and do get the boy/girl exam thing done. Do the colonoscopy and prostate exam. Be aware that natural things DO work and use them, but take advantage of the knowledge God has given mankind in science, too.
General Well-being
Take time away from the daily grind and stress and be joyful. Find things that you love and do them. Prepping is important. Work is important. But so is your family. So is time to engage your mind in pursuit of new ideas, new skills, and new experiences. Take care of yourself with great nutrition and lots of rest. Get yourself hydrated. Exercise. Do something good for your neighbors/community/those in need. Give of yourself. Get back to the spiritual life you always thought was important.
Preparing your own body is your absolute most important prep. This won’t save you from disasters, but it will help you not be the cause of the disasters.
Katy Willis is a writer, lifelong homesteader, and master herbalist, master gardener, and canine nutritionist. Katy is a preparedness expert and modern homesteader practicing everyday preparedness, sustainability, and a holistic lifestyle.
She knows how important it is to be prepared for whatever life throws at you, because you just never know what's coming. And preparedness helps you give your family the best chance to thrive in any situation.
Katy is passionate about living naturally, growing food, keeping livestock, foraging, and making and using herbal remedies. Katy is an experienced herbalist and a member of the CMA (Complementary Medical Association).
Her preparedness skills go beyond just being "ready", she's ready to survive the initial disaster, and thrive afterward, too. She grows 100% organic food on roughly 15 acres and raises goats, chickens, and ducks. She also lovingly tends her orchard, where she grows many different fruit trees. And, because she likes to know exactly what she's feeding her family, she's a seasoned from-scratch cook and gluten-free baker.
Katy teaches foraging and environmental education classes, too, including self-sufficient living, modern homesteading, seed saving, and organic vegetable gardening.
Katy helps others learn forgotten skills, including basic survival skills and self-reliance.
She's been published on sites such as MSN, Angi, Home Advisor, Family Handyman, Wealth of Geeks, Readers Digest, and more.