Would you be able to survive in a jungle or a similar place? This expert gives you 10 tips so that you are able to live to tell the tale.
Whether you are on a simple excursion or on a multi-day adventure in the middle of nature, you never know what can happen. “Survival is hard and exhausting Matses Tribe, so the easier you make it, the better chance you have of surviving,” says James. Not everything is limited to eating insects and making fire with sticks. You must have the necessary skills and prepare your mind to face any situation.
Here are some valuable tips.
1. You have to be prepared
Learn to face possible dangers. Being prepared and anticipating problems could allow you to avoid bigger problems.
2. Stay calm
Panic is one of the biggest dangers when you are in nature. If you get nervous or afraid, the body goes into “fight or flight” mode. Controlling this is crucial.
“When things get difficult, think clearly and make the right decisions. S.T.O.P. -by its acronym in English- (Stop, Think, Observe, Plan). Nine out of 10 times the crisis will have come from making bad decisions, lack of preparation, an accident or a natural disaster. Stay calm,” says James.
When panic takes over, adrenaline rushes through your body, your heart and breathing speed up, digestion stops, blood vessels constrict, and muscles tense. The vagus nerve or pneumogastric nerve helps regain control of the body. You can stimulate it by breathing deeply, singing or humming. It is a good idea to add Omega-3 to your diet.
3. Improve your skills
Survival does not depend on luck but on skills. Learn all the survival skills, techniques and strategies you can. Sign up for courses, read books and magazines, watch YouTube, although be careful with your sources of information.
“Half of what is in survival books is false. Choose skills that serve you, develop your own technique. I believe that skills are tools. Every time I learn one I add it to my tool belt,” says James.
4. Don’t stop practicing
It doesn’t matter what tool belt you have, it will be useless if you don’t know how to use it when the time comes. You need to practice your skills so that it becomes second nature when you need them.
“Use your tools frequently so they don’t rust. In a survival situation you will be tired, hungry and stressed. You should be able to see the practical side of things without having to think about it. “This way your mind can focus on a plan of attack,” advises James.
5. Learn to plan
Before embarking on a trip you should have all possible plans. A ‘plan A’, but also a ‘plan B’, a ‘plan C’ and even more. You need to be flexible and change things if necessary.
“While you execute plan A, think about plan B, so if you have to use it you are already prepared. Always try to be one step ahead. Also learn to know when to leave a situation.”
6. Carry what is important
Packing is an important part of preparation. It depends on personal tastes and the conditions you are going to find. Travel light and take only what you need but don’t forget the essentials.
“Every time I go out I wear different things. I don’t have a certain list. It’s fun to do it this way as long as you don’t forget anything important: the knife and the EPIRB (emergency position-indicating radio beacon), says James.
7. Learn what you have to eat
When it comes to eating in the wild, it’s not just about eating worms and avoiding poisonous mushrooms. Knowing what you can eat will prevent you from starving.
Get a book on edible plants, preferably from the area where you are. If you doubt, don’t eat it. Insects such as crickets and grasshoppers generally do not present problems. Avoid critters that have more than six legs. If you are going to eat slugs, cook them first to kill the parasites.
8. Learn to build a shelter
You have to protect yourself from the elements, otherwise you can end up dying from cold or heat. If it is something very extreme, your body will not be able to resist it.
“Learn how to build different types of shelter. Once again, practicing what you have learned is crucial. It’s one thing to read about something and quite another to do it,” explains James.
Before building a shelter, make a plan first. How robust the structure needs to be will depend on what you have to protect and for how long. Choose the ideal place, close to water but not likely to flood.
9. Learn to make a good fire
Learn how to make a fire because you never know when you’re going to need to stay warm. Even if you were not planning to spend the night, you could have been injured so you will have to stay where you are until they come to rescue you.
“Look for dry wood and break it up with a knife. The key is to have enough small chips and dry wood to build the fire. I usually always carry a piece of a rubber tube and some kind of lighter,” explains James.
Never start a fire on wet ground because the steam will put it out. Build a base of dry wood. That base can be as big as you want. The fire begins to burn from above, the embers fall into the dry wood and maintain the combustion.
10. Maintain a positive attitude
Survival is a mental attitude. You need to know your body’s limits and be willing to push it to the extreme, but not beyond. The mind is an incredible weapon and an extraordinary tool. Learn to use it intelligently.
“95 percent of survival is mental attitude. Look on the positive side and stay focused. Learn to use the reticular activation system. Use your senses to guide you in any situation,” advises James.
The reticular activation system filters the information that reaches your brain and affects what you pay attention to and consider important. If you think about something and imagine that it will happen, it can happen.