Working Out During Typhoons

Neutralizing Free Radical Damage Due to Stress

Yesterday we were struck by a signal number 3 typhoon. It was a direct hit. For those of you not living in the Manila, signal number 3 brings 140 to 170 kph winds near the center. The whistling (or was it buzzing) wind sounded scary and swayed big trees unbelievably. Now, during such typhoons, can you still workout?

In my case, I decided to evacuate our house and seek refuge at my sister's house which was lower and protected by the higher houses around it. My house has a second floor so we felt the rage of the winds so pronouncedly that I decided we had to stay on lower grounds. Evacuating like that in the middle of a powerful typhoon is like working out--you run here and there, carry things, go back and fort, do balancing acts, and keep alert for flying pieces of roof metal sheets.

I thank God for enabling me to regularly workout. That helps you a lot during emergencies when you need to have physical, mental, and emotional strength to cope up with the situation each exciting moment, and especially stay alert and quick to decide and move into action. Without being physically, mentally, and emotionally fit you'd probably just watch things happen to you and end up a victim.

Well, when the typhoon weakened, I managed to do some workouts, like do some isometrics. I took enough Vital-C, too. Workout and Vitamin C can counter the stress you go through, and during emergencies like typhoons, you suffer a lot of stress though you may not realize it. After all that, you need to rest and relax and find something to enjoy or be happy about. Taking non-acidic Vitamin C like Vital-C and working out a little would help fight stress. That would control free radical damage in you.

During the typhoon when we and other clan members sought refuge in my sister's house, I started sharing funny stories while we were huddled together in a room, waiting for the typhoon to subside. Well, before that, I and my family prayed. Things like these--prayer, laughter, and light or comforting conversations--are needed during stressful situations to neutralize negative emotions that can eventually lead to health damage. This, too, is how to you can be "working out" during typhoons.