Great survival shows are running on the television to guide you for an adventure, and yet survival myths are doing rounds.
Some of these myths don’t cause trouble, while others are perilous enough to put an end to your life.
This post will debunk the most common survival myths so that you never land in such traps.
1. Boil water for 10 minutes to make it safe for drinking.
Consuming boiled water is safer than drinking water directly from canals or rivers. However, the 10-minute rule practically has more negative effects than positive.
Boiling water till it hits the boiling point is sufficient to kill any germs in it. It takes less than 3 minutes for the water to reach 100 degrees Celsius (that’s the boiling point of water).
Beyond that, putting your water on the flame is good to waste fuel and water as a huge part of it evaporates by the end of 10 minutes. Note that boiling does not purify water polluted by chemicals but only germs.
2. Having a roof over your head is a good shelter.
A shelter’s main aim is protecting your entire body. Many misunderstand that roof and shelter are the same in survival, but no.
A shelter should help your body not lose its heat. When you lie down for rest, you lose more body heat lost to the freezing ground more than to the cold air above you. If you sleep on the land with no insulation in an enclosed shelter, sorry to burst your bubble, but it is no good.
Insulate your bedding area with loads of dry leaves, and if you have any strength left, you can do the same to your roof.
3. You can quench your thirst by the liquid in cacti.
This myth is brought to you by many cowboy movies. You might have watched cowboys finding a barrel cactus to satiate their thirst with the liquid in it. The truth is, not all cacti are moist on the inside, let alone watery.
Even the famous barrel cacti do not have considerable moisture. On top of that, the majority (almost 90 percent) of barrel cacti species have toxins. These toxins are not deadly but give you diarrhea resulting in dehydration, which eventually faints you and makes you sick. If you are thirsty, your body is not happy about your choice of dehydration.
4. Alcohol warms your body.
This doesn’t sound like a myth as you can feel a rush of warmth in your body right after taking a shot of alcohol. But do you know that your body does not get warmed up?
Then, what is that rush I feel in my body?, you may ask. Alcohol expands the blood vessels close to your skin leading to an increased blood flow, which is why you feel the rush after drinking alcohol.
As the warmth in your body is now close to the skin surface, it easily escapes through diffusion. Thus, your body loses its heat instead of conserving it.
Bonus Tip: Space blanket is an underrated accessory that reduces heat loss in the body and keeps you warm. Do try it if you are an avid adventurer.
5. It is easy to make a fire.
This is a popular myth believed by all. History textbooks depict early men making fire using stones. On TV, rubbing a pair of sticks (or rocks and iron) produces a spark, and eventually a fire. *laugh out loud*
In reality, if you find someone who can achieve the same on the go, you can be sure that they have practiced it for years. Fire-makers know that the success rate depends on the wood, techniques, and several other factors.
You don’t want to spend the entire night rubbing sticks while sitting in bone-chilling cold, do you? Therefore, always carry a matchbox and a lighter with you.
6. Pee on a jellyfish sting.
That sounds gross, but people give in when there isn’t any other alternative to make it out alive. Few jellyfish stings hurt, and a few others are fatal. But whatever it is, peeing on it is a no.
When a jellyfish stings you, the affected area gets cnidocytes along with venom. Urine provokes those cnidocytes to hurt you more. But, you can use rubbing alcohol to relieve the burn until you can get medical help.
Survival tips need our discretion and aren’t to be blindly believed. Share these myth-busters with your adventurous friends and remember, the most important survival tip is to not panic.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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