LPSG Point No.04 - In the Adversity, Maintain your Physical & Mental Health

Dear Community

Greetings to all of you!

My name is Jose Angel Pereira Ruimwyk,

I’m a +35-year CFO & CEO in Oil & Gas Multinationals and had been kept 5 Years Hostage in a Hostile Country

We will continue our weekly talks on what we have called the LPSG

Program: LIFE PILLS FOR A SURVIVAL GUIDE:

Today we will talk about point No. 04LPSG Program – Point No. 04: “In adversity, Maintain your physical and mental health”

This time we delve into an important aspect of our journey: the ability to persevere and maintain our physical and mental health despite the adverse conditions we faced during our time as hostages for 5 years.

Stay here and read it ALL because it will be LIFE-CHANGING FOR YOU!

We want to share our remarkable experiences of surviving in a confined space for five years and the strategies we developed to take care of ourselves

In these challenging times, it is crucial to prioritize our physical and mental health. Under adverse and extreme situations in life, taking care of ourselves becomes even more vital.

Today, I want to emphasize the significance of maintaining our well-being and share insights from experts on this subject.

1. The Importance of Physical Health: Physical health plays a fundamental role in our overall well-being, especially during difficult times. Here’s why it matters:

a) Boosting Immunity: Our immune system defends us against illnesses and helps us recover faster. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep are known to enhance our immune response.

b) Managing Stress: Stress levels can skyrocket during adversity, affecting both our mental and physical health. Engaging in physical activity, such as yoga, running, or even walking, releases endorphins, which reduce stress and promote a sense of well-being.

c) Resilience: Building physical strength through exercise not only improves our physical health but also increases our resilience. A resilient body can better cope with challenging situations and recover more effectively.

2. The Significance of Mental Health: Our mental well-being is equally crucial, as it profoundly impacts our ability to navigate difficult circumstances. Consider the following reasons to prioritize mental health:

a) Emotional Stability: Adversity often brings about emotional turmoil. Taking care of our mental health helps stabilize our emotions, allowing us to approach challenges with clarity and resilience.

b) Coping Mechanisms: Developing healthy coping mechanisms is essential during extreme situations. Mental well-being equips us with the tools to manage stress, anxiety, and uncertainty effectively.

c) Cognitive Functioning: Our mental health affects our cognitive abilities, including concentration, memory, and decision-making. By prioritizing mental well-being, we can maintain optimal cognitive functioning, even in challenging circumstances.

With all these important things related to keeping your physical and mental health, it occurred to us that we had to put them in place in the most extreme conditions?

Imagen a moment when you suddenly must live for 5 years with another 5 people inside a 100 square-foot closet, without no windows, no air conditioning, and no running water. That was our case

And you will ask me how we didn’t it?

I’m still learning about the thought processes we did, but there was a lot of common sense, and meaning in life to going back sane to our loved ones and discounting the adversity, at some point, you become aware that you are in a survival mode

So, I will try to explain how we manage to survive this extreme situation and come back physically and mentally with Health

In my case in my previous life, before this Hostage situation happen, I had extreme hypertension and was a diabetic guy with a lot of health issues?

During the time of my detention. I got twice COVID and had a heart attack, and suffered fainting during my collapse caused me a problem in my back that I stayed in will chairs for months to assist the trials

So, imagine putting all these elements together!

Nevertheless, the group decided to implement several routines that I will give a briefing on here, I will describe with large detail in the book that is in the editing process

Today I can say that my blood pressure and diabetes are under control, and still dealing with some issues with my back it was supposed to be an emergency surgery, and today is more likely only physical therapy

We as a collective group Citgo6 found ways to prioritize our well-being.

We recognized the importance of physical exercise, and each person chose their preferred form. Some engaged in meditation, and some practiced yoga (like me), while others opted for push-ups and cardio exercises.

Additionally, we created a system to ensure that everyone had the space and time to eat their meals alone, simulating the feeling of being at home and savoring our food in peace. Establishing a routine and schedule allowed us to make the most of our limited resources and find moments of solace amidst the challenges we faced.

Maintaining cleanliness was paramount to our well-being, and thus, we developed a daily cleaning routine to disinfect our room. At some point, we became the cleanest jail in all that Dungeon

We also had to manage our showers using only one bottle of water each.

Despite these constraints, we embraced the power of reading and writing to keep our minds engaged. Personally, I wrote daily entries in my diary and secretly left letters in the food containers that were taken outside for replacement, and now it is becoming the base of the book that is coming out soon

In the evenings, before retiring to sleep, we devoted time to playing games, such as dominoes. Initially, we resorted to using paper figures as real dominoes were prohibited. Nevertheless, we adapted and created a sense of normalcy through our ingenuity.

We also dedicated time to bible study and daily prayers, nurturing our spiritual well-being and finding solace in our faith. In the book, I will tell you about the magical things we saw with this, you are going to hallucinate!!

Through all these endeavors, we consistently emphasized the need to remain strong in mind, body, and spirit. Our collective determination to maintain our physical and mental health allowed us to endure the arduous years of captivity. We discovered that even in the face of adversity, it is possible to find strength within ourselves and persevere against all odds.

So basically, we establish the following daily routines “day by day” consistently, and we kept doing it for 5 years.

Now I back reestablishing my life, and trying to share with the world my experience, how we managed to survive, and telling the people:

“IF I DID IT, YOU ALSO CAN DO IT”

In conclusion, our routines were:

1. Daily Eating Routine: In the confinement of our cramped 100-square-foot room, we transformed the act of eating into a sacred ritual, respecting the space of the other

2. Daily Cleaning Routine: Maintaining cleanliness became a paramount task in our confined quarters. Every day, without fail, we embarked on a cleaning routine

3. Daily Exercising Routine: Yoga, Push-ups, Cardio, and Static Walking: marching in place was part of the group routines

4. Daily Shower Routine: Water, a scarce resource in our confined existence, had to be carefully rationed, even when it came to personal hygiene because we didn’t have running water (we used only a bottle of water to shower ourselves)

5. Daily Playing Domino or Cards Routine: we improvised with paper figures, each game was an opportunity to connect, share laughter, and create a sense of normalcy in our abnormal circumstances.

6. Daily Reading Routine: Within the suffocating walls of our room, books became our windows to the world. Every day, we immersed ourselves in the pages, devouring stories, ideas, and knowledge, and I personally read more than 300 books

7. Daily Writing Letter Routine: Amidst the isolation, we discovered the therapeutic power of putting pen to paper. Each day, we dedicated time to writing letters as dairy and I wrote back and forward with my wife more than 1000 letters

8. Daily Bible Reading Routine: In the depths of our confinement, faith provided us with a source of strength and solace. Every night before sleeping, we gathered as a group to read passages from the Bible, seeking guidance, comfort, and spiritual nourishment.

9. Daily Praying Routine: Prayer became our refuge in the face of adversity. Every night after the bible reading, we bowed our heads and raised our voices in prayer, seeking strength, guidance, and a connection to something greater than ourselves.

10. Daily Anthem: as a finalizing of the day before sleeping, we shouted out : “We Need to Be Strong in Mind, Body, and Spirit.

In the depths of our confinement, each routine we established became tee experiences that serve as a testament to the indomitable spirit within each of us, reminding us that even in the most adverse circumstances, we have the power to rise above and thrive. We have proven that even the most adverse circumstances cannot dampen the human spirit.

We repeated consistently this routine and manage to survive and come back sane physically and mentally

With warm regards, stay strong, stay focused, and keep moving forward.

As we progress through the LPSG program, let us remember the resilience we demonstrated during those trying times. May our experiences inspire us to prioritize our well-being, both physical and mental, in our everyday lives.

Our next chapter of LIFE PILLS is Point No. 05: "Cultivate your inn life and your spirituality”

We will also continue our defense of all those who continue to be unjustly detained around the world as part of wicked hostage diplomacy.

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If you want to know more about the book, we are written in the Citgo6 story, you can go to:

https://www.fromheroetovillianthetruestoryofthecitgo6.durable.co/

And remember "Never give up, Never Lose hope, Never lose faith"