10 HEALTH BENE

FITS OF CAMPING
•Most people go on camping trips because
they're tired of the city or ready for an
adventure. Whether you enjoy biking,
hunting or any other outdoor activity,
camping offers you a way to focus
completely on a hobby for a few days without
external distractions.
 1. THE FRESH AIR
When you spend time
near a lot of trees, you
take in more oxygen. T
hat feeling of happines
s that you get when yo
u take your first breath
of air at the campgrou
nd isn't all in your head
--well, technically it is,
but it's a release of ser
otonin from the extra o
xygen. Your body can f
unction with less strain
when there's plenty of
oxygen. That's not the
only benefit of fresh air
.
2. SOCIALIZATION
Camping alone i
s plenty of fun, b
ut if you bring al
ong a friend or f
amily member, y
ou'll enjoy a uniq
ue experience to
gether that will h
elp you keep a h
ealthy, happy rel
ationship.
3. IMPROVED MOODS
Regular campers
will often talk abo
ut how the first fe
w days back from
a trip seem happi
er. This isn't witho
ut merit; spending
some time outsid
e in the sunlight c
an even out the le
vels of melatonin i
n your brain.
4. LESS STRESS
Camping also allo
ws you to cope wit
h stress. Stress ca
n negatively affect
your health in just
about every way p
ossible, and you're
putting much less
strain on your men
tal and physical fa
culties by giving y
ourself some stres
s-free time at the c
ampsite.
 5. EXERCISE
Let's not forget the most
obvious benefit of campi
ng: you're spending a lot
of time performing physic
al activities. Even if you'r
e taking a fishing trip, yo
u're burning more calorie
s than you'd burn sitting
around an office, and if y
ou hike or bike, you're pe
rforming cardiovascular e
xercise that will help kee
p your heart and lungs h
ealthy. Your activity level
s will vary, but hikers bur
n anywhere from 120-30
0 calories per hour.
 6. SUNSHINE
Sunshine feels gr
eat on your skin,
and there's an ev
olutionary reason
for that. When yo
u're out in direct s
unlight, you're taki
ng on a ton of Vit
amin D, which all
ows your body to
absorb calcium a
nd phosphorous.
7. A GOOD NIGHT'S
SLEEP
Assuming that you've
got decent camping g
ear, you'll fall fast asle
ep after a day full of o
utdoor activities. Slee
p has an effect on all
of your body process
es and can reduce infl
ammation, improve y
our cardiovascular sy
stem and help you sta
y alert. Many camper
s report better sleep c
ycles when they retur
n for a trip.
8. GOOD FOOD
If you pack s'mor
es, you're not se
eing any particul
arly solid health
benefits in this de
partment. Howev
er, if you're fond
of fishing and hu
nting, you'll likely
eat a large amou
nt of protein and
healthy fats on y
our camping trip.
9. NEW CHALLENG
ES
No two camping trips
are exactly the same,
and that's a good thin
g. Studies from the U
niversity of Texas and
University of Michigan
show that new experi
ences help to keep br
ains healthy. New acti
vities that are both ph
ysically and intellectu
ally stimulating have t
he greatest effect on
brain health, and cam
ping fits both of these
criteria.
10. MEDITATION
When you go ca
mping, don't forg
et to turn off you
r cell phone. Lea
ve the tablet and
the laptop comp
uter at home. Tr
y to disconnect f
or a few days an
d enjoy the simpl
icity of the natur
al experience.
 (plural campfires) Fire at a c
ampground or on a camping
trip, often used for cooking, t
o provide light and heat, to dr
ive away bugs, and as a foca
l point for sitting around in th
e evening and talking, telling
stories, and singing.

BONFIRE
The 5 Best Campsites a
nd Glampsites in the Phi
lippines
The Birdhouse
Nested in one of the most beautiful loc
ations in the country, The Birdhouse in
the Palawan municipality of El Nido is t
he epitome of glamorous camping.
BLOC Camp Site
Prefer mountains and lakes over beaches and the sea? BLO
C Camp Site in Laguna, just a few hours drive from busy Metr
o Manila, is a must. The glamp grounds are absolutely seren
e, making it the perfect weekend escape. Enjoy activities on t
he lake: go swimming or paddle boarding, or hop on a rowbo
at and visit the islet of your choice. After a good night’s sleep
in the cozy tents, wake up before dawn to catch the breathtak
ing sunrise. It might just become your favorite part of the trip.
Anawangin Cove
Now this one’s for the bold and the adventurous—not a glampsite
but an actual campsite for roughing it off the grid. Anawangin Cove i
n Zambales is said to have been turned into the beauty it is today b
y the tragic 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption. Today, the cove is one of th
e most popular campsites near Metro Manila, so it’s best to come o
n weekdays when the crowds are limited. There’s no electricity or n
etwork connections, so pitch a tent, cook the old fashioned way, an
d take in the beauty of the agoho trees, picturesque mountain lands
capes, and crystal clear waters.
Easy Adventure
Though quite a long distance via winding roads fro
m Metro Manila, the peaceful solitude that is Easy A
dventure in Baler makes it all worth the drive. Each
spacious tent at this glampsite is comfortably furnish
ed with full sized beds, armchairs, and tables.
Fortune Island
Surrounded by crystal clear waters, this be
autiful island lies in Nasugbu, Batangas, just
a few hours from Metro Manila. Fortune Isla
nd is another place to rough it, ditching basi
c amenities like electricity and running water
for days of swimming, cliff diving, light trekki
ng, and lounging on the sand.
How to Set Up
a Tent
Find a flat area.
Look for an area where the
ground is flat and free of roo
ts, rocks, and branches.
Unpack the tent.
Unfold the tent and lay out the pole
s, stakes, and any other pieces.
Stake down the tent.
Completely stretch out the base of the tent and s
take down each corner into the ground. If the grou
nd is hard, use a mallet to push the stakes in.
Assemble the tent poles.
The tent poles will either screw together or
snap together via shock chord. For each pol
e, connect all of the pieces so it is fully exte
nded.

Attach the tent to the poles.

The poles will either slide through loops
along the tent, or the tent will attach to th
e poles via small clips.
Connect the poles to th
e base of the tent.
Insert the small rod on each cor
ner of tent base into the ends of
each pole. This will cause the pol
es to bend into the shape of the t
ent and form the tent’s structure.
Attach the rain fly and acc
essories.
Connect the rain fly, gear lofts,
and any other accessories to the
tent. The rain fly sits on top of th
e tent and usually connects to th
e poles and the base of the tent.