Beat the heat

We wish we'd learned this before: 10 key tips for surviving in the desert

Credit: Ryan Cheng

Some landscapes are kinder than others. While nature can be harsh no matter where you are, camping in a quiet forest near the city is a very different experience from spending several days in the mountains or the desert. With the lack of water and the abysmal temperature differences between the sweltering day and the cold night, the desert is one of the most dangerous environments for human beings, but this isn't an obstacle for explorers! If you're an adventure fan or curious about survival skills, read on! Today, we're going to share 10 key tips to survive in the unforgiving sands.

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The first piece of advice experienced explorers give is this: someone else must know where you went. While it might seem a bit obvious, sharing your plans can be crucial when traveling through hostile or dangerous environments.

If you're interested in exploring the desert, thorough preparation is crucial. Part of that is to let your colleagues or loved ones know where you're going, how many days you think you'll be there, and some more information about the routes you plan to take. This way, in case of any unforeseen event, someone will notice that you spent more days than stipulated, and they'll start looking for you.

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This is nothing new: the desert is really, really hot. Typically, what most of us tend to do in a warm environment is to take off some clothes to feel lighter. However, that's not recommended; in fact, it's quite the opposite.

While it may be counter-intuitive, it's essential to keep your body covered -from head to toe- from the hot desert sun. Not only is it important to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays, but clothing also helps to keep your body moist and hydrated. On the other hand, layers of fabric, hats, and sunglasses also protect you from sandstorms and insects.

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Night in the desert can be scary. However, many experts recommend walking at night if you need to travel.

Nighttime temperatures in the desert are low, but exercise and layers of clothing can protect you from the cold. By avoiding the heat of the day, your body retains water and energy.

But nighttime offers even more advantages. The desert sky displays a sea of stars, and knowing the constellations -or having a constellation map- can help you find your way.

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Desert sands are punished by the harsh sun during the long hours of the day. During all that time, the ground absorbs the intense heat, turning the surface beneath your feet into a gigantic and dangerous stove. For this reason, many recommend that you should try to stay as far off the ground as possible.

First of all, sitting or lying directly on the ground is a big no! Insulating your feet with good footwear is also essential. Many adventurers cover not only their skin but also their shoes with layers of fabric, adding an extra barrier between themselves and the hot sand.

These actions will help protect you not only from the heat radiating off the ground but also from snakes, spiders, and other creatures that may be lurking at ground level.

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Okay, maybe the title sounds a bit intense. But actually, it's great advice if you happen to wander in the hot desert.

Keeping your mouth closed, especially if you're walking, is an essential step. But why? Well, besides helping you breathe better, this will keep your lips and tongue from drying out, so you'll be less thirsty. Other important tips include avoiding smoking and resisting the impulse to lick your lips.

On the other hand, it's recommended to eat sparingly. Of course, your body needs food, but conserving it during the initial hours is crucial for when you really need the calories. In addition, eating too much can make you thirsty or cause your body to expend too much energy on digestion.

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Although it can be difficult to find water in the desert, it's not totally impossible. If you notice your water supply is running low, these tips can help you.

First, if you come across animal tracks leading downhill, this may be a trail to a water source. Desert animals know where to find it!

On the other hand, one of the most recommended ways to find water is to dig a hole. As you dig, you'll feel the sand start to get wet; eureka! Wherever you spot vegetation with large, green leaves, that's the place to dig. Always remember to purify water before drinking!

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Water is not the only thing you'll need. Knowing how to make fire is one of the main skills for survival in almost any environment, and the desert is no exception.

Desert temperatures can drop significantly at night. For that reason, fire will be vital, as it will light you up and keep you warm. Plus, it can help scare off animals and make you visible to helicopters.

While you probably won't need the light and heat of fire during the day, it's an essential tool for boiling and purifying water!

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Humans can typically survive up to 3 days without water. So, during your time in the desert, it's important to constantly pay attention to your body, as certain physical signs can alert you to potential dehydration.

The first and most obvious are excessive thirst and dry mouth and lips. In addition, dry or cracked skin could also indicate that you need more water.

Other signs of dehydration can be dark yellow urine, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps, or tachycardia.

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No matter what the cartoons and movies have told you, never drink cactus juice.

But why? It's simply not safe for your body. We know in harsh desert conditions, any liquid will be highly tempting. However, cactus juice is highly acidic. The acidity can make you feel pretty sick, leading to headaches, stomach cramps, vomiting, and even more serious symptoms that can worsen dehydration, such as kidney issues.

In short, the water or juice of most cacti is toxic to humans, leading to consequences far worse than just thirst.

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Accidents can happen anywhere, especially when nature surrounds us, and even the most experienced explorers may need help. In such cases, cell phones and other devices used in the city can run out of battery or fail to reach a signal. But if you're an outdoor fan, you're probably familiar with personal locator beacons.

A PLB is a specialized emergency device for those traveling in remote or dangerous areas. Equipped with GPS, a PLB sends an emergency signal with your location to rescue agencies so they can find and help you as soon as possible.

ORGANIZATION AND NUTRITION

Why You Should Start Meal-Prepping Every Week

Credit: Ella Olsson

Are you trying to save money and time? Do you also want to eat healthier and make the process easier and smoother? Meal-prepping will help you achieve all these goals at the same time.

Meal prep is an increasingly common practice that consists of preparing key ingredients of a dish, or several dishes, in advance. Why? To plan meals ahead that will ultimately lead to faster, healthier, and stress-free eating.

To fully get you on board with meal prep we have brought five benefits of converting to this practice and five tips to become an expert.

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If you are a bit skeptical on this point, you are welcome to implement this technique for two weeks and see how much money you can save for yourself.

How does it work? In general, when we improvise our meals, that is, when we don’t have a clear plan or vision, we cannot make smart choices at the grocery shop. As a consequence, when we decide what to eat on the spot, we will probably notice that we are lacking a certain ingredient and be forced to go to the local shop to get it.

That way, we end up spending more money than we could have spent planning our meals and getting all the ingredients (or at least most of them) at the wholesale supermarket, for example.

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This goes without saying, if you have to go to the store every time before you start cooking, you will be losing time and energy you could have spent on the process of cooking itself. Losing time ultimately leads to less elaborate meals which, most times, means less quality ones.

On the other hand, preparing ingredients saves time during busy weekdays by reducing cooking and cleaning time daily. This allows you to spend more time actually enjoying a nutritious meal rather than just spending time preparing it.

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When you are planning a meal on the go your mind will probably go to the easiest and cheapest meals, the least elaborate ones. On a long-term basis, this could be quite detrimental to your health, not to mention to the kids’ health if there are any in the house.

The relationship between healthy meals and how elaborate they are is not as linear as one may think, but raising awareness on what you eat will lead you to make smarter choices in terms of health and nutrients. You will be in control over the ingredients, and the portion sizes, leading to healthier habits altogether.

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If you plan your meals ahead of time and think about the portions you will have in a day, or better yet a week, food waste will definitely get to the bare minimum.

Food waste is not the same as leftovers which can be eaten at night or taken to work on the following day. But, let’s face it, would you save a pre-made meal you haven’t spent much time or money on? Probably not.

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In today’s fast-paced world, just thinking about what to eat can make your stress levels skyrocket, we know it happens to us. Meal planning takes that worry out of sight and out of mind.

When you take only one day (probably at the weekend) to plan your meals in advance and get as much as you can ready, you will feel lighter. Next Wednesday, when you come home worn out from work, you will just have to microwave your dish and enjoy it. A healthy and tasty meal in just a couple of minutes? Aren’t you drooling already?

Now, if you are already convinced and want to give meal prep a chance, these are our five tips for you:

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Of course, the first step is to sit down, think about ten or fifteen dishes you want to make, and get all the ingredients. The second step is actually getting those dishes ready if the recipe allows you, or at least most of them.

Batch cooking consists of cooking bigger amounts of just one ingredient, for example, rice, to use in four different dishes. Batch cooking can also include cutting and slicing all the vegetables as well. You will get one ingredient ready and that will complete as many dishes as you require.

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Simple, in this case, means following straightforward recipes and cooking techniques to save time. Meal prep doesn’t account for dishes that involve a two-hour boiling or three different kinds of sauteing.

Use simple, but nutritious ingredients. If you have any doubts, consult your doctor about which particular nutrient you will benefit from. For example, if you work out every day, you will probably need more proteins, so boiling legumes would be part of meal-prepping.

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Labels will become your best friend. Keep track of freshness and easily identify the meals in your fridge.

When we cook in batches or meal prep some ingredients, especially if we stick to our routine, we tend to forget when we bought or got some things ready. So, label and write the dates on the containers you used to prevent food from going bad. Nobody wants a smelly fridge in the kitchen, let alone wasting food!

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We lied, labels are not your best friends, the freezer is! Get used to freezing whole dishes and even individual ingredients. Everything can be frozen and, in turn, defrosted. No, it doesn’t change the taste, in any case, it enhances it!

Again, there is nothing like coming home, taking a container from the freezer, microwaving it for ten minutes as you lay on the couch, and then enjoying a fully nutritious and homemade meal.

Once you have developed the habit of batch cooking and meal prepping you will never go back to impromptu cooking.