You know, we talk a lot about how important it is to take care of our tackle and equipment, but we don’t talk enough about how important it is to take care of ourselves. That’s become more important to me over the years. At some point you realize you’re mortal, that you have a limited lifespan.
The most obvious thing about this topic is that life in general is better if you can stay in good health. Another reason is that it’s easier to catch more bass if we feel good. That’s not always possible. Some things are beyond our control. But we can, and should, work to control what we can.
The first thing worth mentioning is nutrition. I’ve been making a real effort over the recent past to eat better. There’s plenty of information on the Internet about what’s good for us and what’s not. I encourage everyone to check some of it out. We don’t have to adhere to a strict diet or complicated plan. Common sense will go a long ways.
Something else is sleep. We feel better and perform better on the water — and everywhere else — after a good night’s rest. Like many of you I’ve gone for days on a couple of hours a night. That’s not good. Everything you read and hear from doctors and researchers who know about these things will tell you to sleep eight hours every night.
I’ve made it a point recently to get plenty of sleep during tournaments. I could have spent that time working on tackle, looking over my maps or thinking about what I’ll do the next day. The thing is, though, none of that will help if I’m too tired to cast accurately or think clearly. I’ve learned that sleep is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.
The final thing I want to mention is skin care. We spend a huge amount of time out in the sun. I’ve been told that skin cancer is a leading cause of death for people in our business. Much of it could be avoided if we just took the time to protect ourselves.
You’ll notice that many of the photographs you see on this site and others show anglers covered from head to toe. We wear gloves, hats with sun capes, long pants and sun buffs. There’s a reason for that. Overexposure to the sun is not healthy. There’s nothing manly about sunburn.
Some anglers have said they don’t want to wear all that clothing. They think it’s probably hot and uncomfortable. If you buy good stuff, it won’t bother you at all. I wear it all the time without any discomfort. Most of the time I don’t even know I’m wearing it.
The final thing about skin care is to always use some form of sunblock. Make it a part of your morning grooming routine before you leave your room or your home. I do. Use whatever brand you want but make sure it’s a first-class product. I use Doctor Dan’s. I’m well satisfied with it.
Please, take care of yourself. I hope to be around for a while. I’d like the same thing for you.
Mike Iaconelli’s column appears weekly on Bassmaster.com. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter or visit his website, mikeiaconelli.com.
