SURVIVAL MYTHS THAT COULD HARM YOU
Added on: 28th Dec 2015
YOU NEED TO FIND FOOD RIGHT AWAY
Your body can actually survive for weeks on your body’s fat
reserves. By that point in time you are likely to die of numerous
other causes including injury, exposure, poisoning, or illness.
In fact, people usually do not die of starvation in survival situations.
ALL YOU NEED TO START A FIRE IS 2 STICKS
Starting fire this way is incredibly hard, even under the best of
conditions. Your best bet is to pack storm proof matches.
WATCHING SURVIVAL SHOWS WILL PREPARE
YOU FOR SURVIVAL
Those shows are fun to watch, but heavily scripted. While you
may be able to take away some general tips, don’t get lulled into
a false sense of security just because you’ve watched
every episode of Man vs Wild.
YOU SHOULD SUCK THE VENOM OUT OF A SNAKE BITE
Clinical field trials done at the University of Arizona have shown that
more damage is done to the surrounding tissues if you apply
suction devices. Furthermore ice, tourniquets, and compression
wraps all do more harm than good. Wash the wound site,
cover it with a bandage, and try to get to the
hospital as fast as possible. Remember: a dead rattlesnake
can still bite you! The bite reflex sticks around for a
few hours after death.
YOU CAN OUTRUN A BEAR
No you can’t. Not even Usain Bolt can run fast enough. There is
no conceivable situation in which you should try to outrun a bear.
YOU SHOULD PLAY DEAD IF YOU MEET A BEAR
So if you shouldn’t run you should just play dead right? Well, it
depends on the bear. If it is a grizzly then your best bet is to
stand your ground (even if it charges you) and when it makes
contact drop down, cover your vital organs, and play dead.
If it is a black bear, this won’t work. You need to make yourself seem
big and threatening by opening your jacket, screaming, and stomping.
Either way, don’t make eye contact and try to carry bear spray.
THE BEST WAY TO STOP A SHARK ATTACK IS
TO PUNCH IT IN THE NOSE
While this would work, you are underestimating how hard it would be
to hit the nose, especially underwater while you are being attacked.
More than likely you will end up sticking your hand in its mouth.
Instead, try going for the gills or the eyes. They are easier targets.
YOU NEED TO FIND WATER IN THE DESERT
RIGHT AWAY
It’s better to sit in the shade and try not to sweat much during the day.
If you want to move around, it’s better to do it during the night
when it is cooler. Some people have died of thirst after only 4 hours
of taxing their body to find water, while others have survived
2 days by conserving what they already have.
YOU SHOULD DRINK YOUR URINE TO QUENCH
YOUR THIRST
While you can drink your urine at least once with no significant
consequences, it will tax your body and potentially cause it to
overheat a bit more. It’s a trade-off that you’ll have to
decide on. A potentially better use of your urine (with no
side effects) would be to use it on a bandana to cool off.
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