Hot weather bushcrafting

[Robson Valley]

I found a bunch of charts of what are supposed to be normal value ranges for adults.
Next, we are going to learn what my numbers are. Then we play it from there.
The two of particular interest to me are K+ and Mg++.

The "Gastrolyte" mix packets taste so bad because they are kakked up with Aspartame.
Even the aftertaste from Stevia would be better.

 

[Billy-o]

So, what do you reckon? Put glucose in the mix instead, maybe?

I am off to Rexall ... actually I am off to get a couple of burgers, but I pass the Rexall en route .. maybe pick up some potassium chloride if they have it in stock

Saw this on their site about Gastrolyte

"Each sachet contains 3.56 g of dextrose monohydrate, 0.53 g of disodium citrate, 0.47 g of sodium chloride, and 0.30 g of potassium chloride. A litre of solution made with 5 sachets contains 60 mmol of sodium, 20 mmol of potassium, 60 mmol of chloride, 10 mmol of bicarbonate, and 90 mmol of dextrose (anhydrous). Nonmedicinal ingredients: aspartame (as sweetening agent), grapefruit flavour, pineapple flavour, and silicon dioxide."

 

[Robson Valley]

I was horrified with the very first slurp ("This stuff is supposed to be good for me?")
So I doped it up with table sugar. Good fix.
Sucrose tastes sweeter than glucose or dextrose so you can use less of it for the reaction.

K+ is supposed to be in the range of 3.5 - 5.0 mmol/l.
The last time I felt that I was dehydrated, over the next 24 hours, I added a whole watermelon to my diet.
Several pounds of good strawberries and some bacon would be an equivalent.

Bison T-bone and home Yam fries should do the job tonight.

 

[Billy-o]

Bison T-bone and home Yam fries should do the job tonight.

I imagine it would

They didn't have any KCl in stock at Rexall, not in powder form anyway. But I saw a container of Salt Free salt in the supermarket so picked it up as a may as well.

Contents are Potassum Chloride, Calcium Silicate, Magnesium Carbonate, Sugar and Potassium Iodide. Some bases covered. (nearly a joke there). When I get a minute I'll work out weights per from the supplied percentages

Bacon and Melon, Maple syrup, oaty pancakes .. think I have figured out breakfast anyway

The big leaf things in the garden are just coming along now .. .pumpkins, melons, squashes, courgettes .... all high on the potassium chart

 

[Robson Valley]

Alkali metals? Is that a tasteless joke or what.

Our water is really snow melt so the mineral content is really low.
Down the mountain (to the left, out my kitchen window), through a wetland and into the treatment plant.
Must always add something (coffee) and buy fruit juices.
Just 32C in the shade at the moment, probably 35C by supper time.
Because of the shade from the west grape vines, the kitchen shouldn't go over 25C.
I'll feed the cat and do a little "hydration" with some ice cubes. Then cook.

 

[Janne]

"Each sachet contains 3.56 g of dextrose monohydrate, 0.53 g of disodium citrate, 0.47 g of sodium chloride, and 0.30 g of potassium chloride. A litre of solution made with 5 sachets contains 60 mmol of sodium, 20 mmol of potassium, 60 mmol of chloride, 10 mmol of bicarbonate, and 90 mmol of dextrose (anhydrous). Nonmedicinal ingredients: aspartame (as sweetening agent), grapefruit flavour, pineapple flavour, and silicon dioxide."

So 3.56 g dextrose (simple sugar) - gives quick energy
0.53 g of disodium citrate - calms bladder
0.47 g table salt
0.3 g low sodium table salt..

Get ‘real’ sea salt. Contains a nice mix of different salts, mainly Sodium but also Potassium.


Should be a cheap product, not much more than the cost of sugar or salt.

 

[Robson Valley]

Don't miss the point about the potassium content.

Sea salt from anywhere on earth is of indeterminate quality.
There is never a requirement to list the analyzed composition.
I collect them. There are 10 which fill a big dish on my table.

Have you read Kurlanski: A World History of Salt? Quite entertaining.

 

[Billy-o]

There was a wave of popularity for novels with those broad historical subjects. There was one about tulips, one about the race for the chronometer, loads, a great one about cod. Salt is the next one on my list. Thanks.

Anyway: this Salt Free salt ... salient details are that 1/4 tsp (1.3grams) of it supplies 20% of Potassium RDA. There is no indication of how much Magnesium Carbonate there is, or the Potassium Iodide (the Iodide being the bit I was interested in).

So, to this add a pinch of NaCl for the sodium; though I read that sodium citrate may work better (for the olympic wrestlers in the study, in any case)

Then a bit of magnesium citrate powder, some kind of carb like glucose or dextrose and we are good to go

I reckon drinking it will work just fine, maybe add some lemon juice, though I am sure it will be quite sour enough Mixing it in with trail mix might be a better idea

 

[Robson Valley]

The salt uptakes are Active Transport.
You are pulling from low concentrations to higher concentrations and it takes energy to do that.
The sugar provides the energy for the transport. Can't fake it with Aspartame.

 

[santaman2000]

.....Peanut butter and banana sandwich? Insult to my European tastebuds!
....

Perhaps you're not cooking it correctly. Remember a PB & Banana sandwich is supposed to be deep fat fried.

 

[Robson Valley]

Here's the proper way to eat a banana:

Lay the bananas on the bench and slice in long halves with the curve.
In the kitchen on the stove, mix a big knob of butter to melt with 2 knobs of brown sugar and 1/2 C dark rum.
Drink the other 1/2C rum that isn't in this recipe and add a heaping teaspoon cinnamon to the pot and stir.

Skins on. Cut faces down on the medium grill for 3-4 minutes then 3-4 minutes on the skin side.
Plate cut sides up and add a major scoop of vanilla ice cream and a big splash of rum sauce.

A fresh pineapple cut in 6 wedges works OK as do a bunch of halved, free-stone peaches.

 

[Janne]

You guys need to learn proper culinary dishes I hear!

Take a slice of bread. Spread a generous layer of Nutella on top, then cover with sliced bananas.
Best if you peel the banana first, imho.

 

[MrEd]

What's considered to be the "normal range" of values for blood electrolytes?
I'll be finding out where I fit in, next week.
One known side effect of several meds is a promotion of electrolyte loss.

In the UK yes I do, at my hospital our reference ‘normal’ ranges for blood levels are:

Potassium - 3.5-5 mmol/l
Magnesium 0.7-1.0 mmol/l
Sodium chloride - 135-145 mmol/l
Calcium - 2.2-2.5 mmol/l

I have nothing to do with children’s medicine so couldn’t tell you about their levels. Some patient groups (cardiology for instance) we might prefer their potassium to be at the upper range of normal etc

 

[Robson Valley]

Mt Ed: thank you. Those are the numbers that I found, as well.

Lost the numbers but was reading about dehydration water loss, therefore reduced blood volume, then kidney stress.
Beer is good for you.

 

[Billy-o]

therefore reduced blood volume, then kidney stress.
Beer is good for you.

The report on the olympic wrestlers (above) spoke of the benefit of increased blood volume produced by sodium citrate ... I suspect the wrestlers found the beer themselves.

 

[Janne]

But proper beer/ale/bitter.

To much of the Worlds beer production is of semi undrinkable crap.

Taste a beer called Pabst Blue Ribbon and understand me.

 

[Robson Valley]

It's windy today. Very deceptive rate of perspiration water loss when the temp should be 35C in the shade. Almost wind chill.
I've got fruit and fruit juices of several kinds. Barley and grape for later on.

Big breweries know clearly what sells in the market place, whether you like it or not. Not very flavorsome, I'll agree.
Probably cleaner water than 3/4 of the world's people get to experience.
Can you sing "Closing Time" by Leonard Cohen?

 

[Billy-o]

Can you sing "Closing Time" by Leonard Cohen?

Not sure

But if you whistle it ...

[hide].... I'll knock your block off [/hide]

 

[Janne]

Leonard Cohen was a great artist. Love his musik.
I can not sing, but can mime!

In the beer loving areas in Europe ( Germany, Czech R. , Austria) breweries can only brew top beers. No junk.
Customers demand it, and get it.
I can not see anybody demanding Coors Light. Bud Light. Something Platinum. Whatever Ice.
Marketing makes deluded people inbibe such substandard stuff.
I do not call it beer.

If you guys ever pass through Ceske Budejovice in Czech Rep close to Linz in Austria, taste their local brews.
Budvar. Try the variety Pardal.
That is the proper Hot Weather Bushcrafting beer.
3.8% . You can rehydrate lots without getting incapacitatingly drunk!

 

[Robson Valley]

While it isn't quite bushcraft (awful close some weeks), I won't let the gardener work in the open between 2PM and 5PM.
I save all the shady side stuff for afternoons like I expect tomorrow.
He brings his own hat and drinks and I make extra ice.
Must ask him what his drink is. I know he won't touch alcohol.