Survival Physiology

[Kalahari]

I'm looking to go on a survival course in Utah with BOSS where you eat what you find, therefore.......
I'm becoming increasingly interested in survival physiology and what my body is likely to do through lack of, or minimal amounts of food, over a period of weeks.
Does anyone know of any literature or had any personal experience in this area?
Thanks for your help.

 

[Toddy]

There are a couple of really excellent articles in the first two BcUK magazines by Stuart Goring on just this topic. Somewhere there's a thread discussing it too....


Oh and welcome to BcUK

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Goose]

Not read the magazines, thought it was going to be a christmas present , but have heard Stuart talk on the subject. It was fascinating, well researched and inspirational, would reccomend reading his articles on this basis.

 

[Carcajou Garou]

Learn to control your gag reflex and be able to keep down whatever you eat. Think omnivore, id: plants, seeds, fruits, insects, reptiles, mammals etc.. that you can eat with or without cooking. Think of being frugal with your metabolic expenditures..less you use the less you need to forage to replace. Experiment with less food intake and measure your physical output, extend your activities without food and learn to "gorge" when foods is available without upchucking. Learn to build field expedient traps, fabrication of tools/weapons to hunt/fish etc..Learn

 

[Wayland]

If you can't face eating it straight, dry it, grind it and make a soup with it.

Works great with earthworms and the like...

 

[hammock monkey]

i think i'd miss a meal every now and again, then two, then go a day without. (drink plenty of water). it wont harm you at all (terms and conditions etc) and it'll give you total confidence that we really dont need to eat that much. our bodies (terms and contions etc) are pretty tough - its the mental attitude that is everything in my opinion. if you can kind of enjoy being hungry - and not worry or panic etc then you'll probably find it pretty easy, enlightening even.
in my old job i went 24hrs+ with out grub loads of times - and its no problem at all.
i've never been 2 days, but i bet its ok once you settle. i try to eat very little sugar - and try to go for complex carbs - the sugar hi and low is often what makes people over eat - or so it seems to my tiny monkey mind!

 

[Draven]

If you can't face eating it straight, dry it, grind it and make a soup with it.

Works great with earthworms and the like...

I'll second that! And if you're squeamish, it makes it MUCH easier to eat bugs and such

 

[led]

I'll second the recommendation for Stuart's articles in the magazine. I thought they were excellent on the subject.

 

[mrostov]

IMHO you should train yourself for periods of fasting and a diet that your body is just not used to, very high in fiber.

When you go to Utah, the naturally occuring foods in the area that they run their desert courses though will be nothing like what your body is normally used to, and there won't be a lot of it. IIRC they'll have you bring a quantity of your own flour as a food source to keep repeated classes from denuding the area.

You can live pretty much off of anything if you have to, but it won't always be the best for your body. Your body won't like it, but you can overcome it mentally.

Just keep in mind that there is something that they seldom want to talk about in these abo skills courses. The unavoidable fact is that American Indians, especially Indians native to the American Southwest, over time developed a differently adjusted metabolism that helps them compensate for the harsh aboriginal style diet in their traditional areas, and as someone of European descent you don't have that advantage.

There is a downside to the Indians advantage when exposed to the modern world. Their metabolism is so efficient at a high fiber diet of foods native to the area, that now, when exposed to a modern 'civilized' diet and a lot of processed sugar, their metabolism just goes nuts. They also lack an enzyme that most of those of European descent tend to have which helps break down alcohol. Because of this, alcoholism, obesity, and diabetes are rampant amongst American Indians, especially in the Southwest. For example, an estimated 75% of the adult population of the Zuni tribe has diabetes. The cure is excersize, no alcohol (not even beer), and a return to a more traditional diet.

 

[Stuart]

I'm looking to go on a survival course in Utah with BOSS where you eat what you find, therefore.......
I'm becoming increasingly interested in survival physiology and what my body is likely to do through lack of, or minimal amounts of food, over a period of weeks.
Does anyone know of any literature or had any personal experience in this area?
Thanks for your help.

I put most of what I know into the "Reality of food in the bush" articles in the BCUK magazine, so it would be difficult for me to cover the whole subject here without simply repeating that article.

If you have any specific questions though let me know, and I’ll do my best to provide an answer (and if I cant you can be sure someone here can)

 

[Kalahari]

Hi Stuart, thanks for help. I remember you from the 2006 Bushmoot now and your talk on food and survival. Now I know who you are I'll look for your articles. Thanks

 

[Kalahari]

Thanks to everyone who has replied to my thread. Advice and pointers are gratefully received. Kathy

 

[Jodie]

I agree that Stuart's articles were excellent.

Also wanted to point out that there is no cure for diabetes. But a healthier
diet and taking some exercise certainly helps to manage the condition - but
it won't cure it unfortunately.

Good luck with the course Kalahari - sounds like it would be quite beyond
my 'comfort zone'!

 

[kram245]

My opinion is dont wory about trying to condition yourself to accept less food, in fact, have a good feed before you go! I was on an escape and evasion course with the Army and there is no talk of conditioning prior to it. One day your eating fish and chips from Tonys chip shop in Aldershot, on top of a few pints, next your on the run in Bavaria, foraging as you go. Physical and mental fitness help, as does having a role or tasks to occupy yourself. I daresay if you were sitting beside a light aircraft downed in Alaska waiting for rescue, food , or the thought of it, would occupy your time. In my case, I was paired up with another, on the run for 7 days( after a 7 day instructional phase), with objectives to meet. No time for fishing, trapping, just foraging en-route. As has been mentioned, we eat more than we really need in everyday life. A lot of this is through boredom, and in the relatively short time span of a course we can subsist on very little. i dont know the syllabus of the course you are going on, but presumably there is an instructional phase, then an exercise phase, where you put lessons learnt into practical use. In this case it is important to focus on goals, short term ones, and keep occupied. The very fact you are considering going on a course of this nature indicates you have the right characteristics. Be good to hear a folow up on how it goes, good luck, Mark

 

[tedw]

I know nothing about BOSS personally, but before you commit to going with them, it might be a good idea to have a look at this thread:

http://72.36.134.230/community/showthread.php?t=18318

Good Luck,

Ted W