Well, it is not like I see the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse around the corner. This post is about the practical use of intermittent fasting and physical fitness in disaster situations.
Events like a house fire or natural calamities like blizzards, tornadoes, hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis, and a zombie apocalypse can abruptly and rudely introduce new situations that will pose new challenges.
Fasting in a TEOTWAWKI Scenario
In a TEOTWAWKI (The End of the World As We Know It) scenario, if you are used to intermittent fasting and food supply is scarce, missing a meal or two or a whole day without food will not be a big deal. There is no need to panic at least for yourself with regards to food availability.
If there is a small amount of food, then the young ones or pregnant mother and the elderly who cannot do intermittent fasting will be able to have more food. Food supplies will last longer if you are comfortable in the thought that the fat stores in your body can provide energy and last you for at least three months and keep you on constant alertness. But you have to have enough water and salt.
Medications May Not Be Available in Prolonged Disaster Situations
Tsunamis, tornadoes, and hurricanes can physically wipe out a hospital. The hospital may be standing, but no nurses or doctors may be available. Insulin needs refrigeration for proper storage. Sutures for cuts have to be sterile. Alcohol wipes should sterilize a surgical field. Pharmacies and groceries do not have stocks that will last for more than three days.
If you have the means to go far to get to the nearest health care facility and you are lucky to get there, then I assure you there will be a long line of sick, frustrated, and angry patients and an overworked medical staff with inadequate supplies. (Actually, this situation already exists in most emergency rooms.)
A simple cut can turn into gangrene. A cold into pneumonia and diarrhea into dehydration if someone has a chronic illness.
Weak bones from a sedentary lifestyle can lead to fractures with minimal trauma. Doctors may not be around, and if present, they may not be familiar with disaster and austere medicine. If an individual is fit and healthy, then a lack of unavailable medications will not be an issue.
Physical Fitness in Natural Disasters
Immediate need for evacuation for any situation like fire, flash floods, civil strife, and war will require someone to carry a child, an invalid or elderly relative or precious belongings and food supplies for survival. That special someone or something may weight more than 100 pounds or more than 50 kilograms. Would you be able to carry that for a distance?
How about running and jumping over obstacles? Ducking and making yourself small to avoid hostile attention? Can you pull yourself up over a barrier to elude unfriendly pursuers?
The person who is healthy, strong, fast, and can kick-ass has a higher survival advantage.
Photo Credits
Flood Photo by Chris Gallagher on Unsplash
People gathering in the streets Photo by Hasan Almasi on Unsplash
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