Eating with no water
Quick question regarding food and no primary water source in a survival situation: Is it considered dangerous to eat fruit without having a reliable water source? I understand that it is not wise to consume food without water but I was unsure if fruit would fall under the same light since most fruits do contain a good amount of juice/water.
Thanks!
I wouldn't think it would be too risky. Like you said, fruit has a lot of juice/water.
If you are hydrated, consuming food without additional water intake is fine. If you are dehydrated you need water to aid in digestion. Fruits (and other foods) that contain liquids would actually be a good thing. Moderation is important (as it always is).
You can mess up your digestive track by eating with out water....badly.
Fruit would probably be OK if is a watery fruit....but the fear of some hard core constipation is a motivator to find a water source.
That and your body will use it's own moisture to try to digest anything you eat....which will dehydrate you quicker.
So this is how liberty dies.....With thunderous applause.
Without a primary water source, your biggest food enemy is protein. Protein is only broken down one way; hydrolysis, which is "cutting by water". So, without water, jerky is out, as well as rabbit, squirrel, etc.
Long before you starve to death, you will die of dehydration.
A fruit like melons would be fine, but many fruits will require more water than they provide, like apples.
So, you have to find water.
KF7ZJR I always carry a pocket knife, just in Case.
In order of importance to the human body:
Air
Water
Shelter
Food
Anything else beyond that is luxury. Notice, in my happy world, I list water is second just after air.
But, of course, water is water wherever you get it - but how you get it is important and, although I agree wholeheartedly with ElevenBravo's assessment of priorities, I think he'll also agree with me that it ain't quite that simple. Survival depends on biological homeostasis and there are quite a few things that go into that. For instance, if you drink too much water without eating anything for too long, you're going to throw your electrolytes out of balance. Electrolyte balance is important since things like nerve and muscle impulses run on electrolytes. When I was planning for my first three day severe fast, I was lucky to have a Native American mentor who was experienced with such things. He strongly advised me to acidify the minimal water I was drinking or else my kidneys would shut down. I added lemon. There are plenty of acidic edibles in the wild that could do the same thing. I'm not so sure that oxalics like sorrel would work too well, though, since oxalates tend to precipitate out in some very unpleasant places, like kidneys and joints. Potassium, sodium, and calcium are the most important electrolytes in the body. They're all available in nature but, although that fast I mentioned is very effective in toning your body up to recognize when it needs certain nutrients like that, I'm not knowledgeable enough to be able to tell how to assure that you have the balance right. If my autonomic responses are acting wonky, though, my first suspicions are either toxin of some sort or electrolyte imbalance.
In other words, knowledge is key to survival. Body knowledge, won through experience, is as important to me as head knowledge won through books and sites such as this.
True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.
Good list......Originally Posted by ElevenBravo
Keep in mind that when you are dehydrated, you really don't want to eat anyway......Your body will tell you what it needs.
Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
Evoking the 50 year old rule...
First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27
Air
Shelter
Water
Food
Exposure, in many forms, is deadlier than dehydration.
"They call us civilized because we are easy to sneak up on."- Lone Waite
Aye, specific conditions cause you to need to modify the list somewhat. Food takes a much more important position for someone with diabetes. In a temperate climate like Alabama, shelter is quite so important. Air, well I guess that'll always get first place.
True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.
Air
FAK
PSK
Shelter
Water
Food
I assumed, maybe wrongfully, that you had the two in bold on a breathing body. Any specific medical need really needs to be addressed in one of those kits.
Shelter starts with your clothing. I start fresh on that note every day, just after a few deep breaths. Even in Alabama, a 50 degree rain is a killer if you are not dressed for it. 110 in the sun, you can have all the water you want and still fall to saline out/water in.
"They call us civilized because we are easy to sneak up on."- Lone Waite
No matter what your personal list is, you are right. However, the trend that water is always in the top 5 should be a friendly hint... That is all.
Andrew
The rule of "3"s apply here.
So this is how liberty dies.....With thunderous applause.
Be careful about depending on gear for your list........that could be just a luxury.......
Think about running outside from a dead sleep during a fire.......earthquake...no time to grab....just gotta go....
Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
Evoking the 50 year old rule...
First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27
Air
Shelter
Would certainly be first
"They call us civilized because we are easy to sneak up on."- Lone Waite
The bear, the plane crash, the terrorist, or what ever it was that threw you into survival mode might be the number one life threat though it is hard to ague with air.
Right, specific conditions. Most of the year in Alabama never gets near 50 degrees and I can be happy for long stretches without shelter. Even clothing since I'm a nudist and there's one park that is accessible to me here.Shelter starts with your clothing. I start fresh on that note every day, just after a few deep breaths. Even in Alabama, a 50 degree rain is a killer if you are not dressed for it. 110 in the sun, you can have all the water you want and still fall to saline out/water in.
Under most conditions in the southeast, I'll want water before shelter, and maybe DEET.
True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.
Yup, DEET is the bomb... You can keep your Avon bug attractor, I want Deep Woods Off, etc..
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