This week’s survival tip is all about keeping your belly full.
Getting food in the wild can be a challenge. That’s why we evolved and created farms and grocery stores. Just because you go to the grocery store to buy ham and eggs doesn’t mean you can’t still eat a squirrel or bird eggs in a pinch.
A quick source of protein that you can find nearly everywhere on earth is bugs. For those of you who don’t remember, insects have an exoskeleton, a three-part body, six legs and one pair of antennae.
While most insects are generally safe to eat, it’s still a good idea to have a general knowledge of the insects in the area you are traveling and know which ones to avoid. As a good rule, spiders, ticks, scorpions, millipedes and centipedes should be avoided. In addition, anything brightly colored is a definite “no” when it comes to consumption.
Plants can be safe if you know what you’re looking for. If you can’t identify a plant it’s best not to eat it, as some can be deadly. Getting a book of edible plants and going out and using the book to identifying plants that are edible is a good way to become familiar with the plants in your area.
Even if you do identify a plant as edible it’s best to eat a small piece of it and wait 30 minutes before consuming any more. Plants can be similar in size, shape and color and it’s sometimes difficult to be 100 percent sure the plant you’re eating is edible and not poisonous.
If you’re not into bugs and bushes and have the means to create a fire, don’t worry: mother nature has a few more options on the menu.
Nearly any mammal, fowl or fish you can catch is edible as long as you cook it over a fire. In addition to live fowl, their eggs are also edible when cooked.
Cooking your catch over a fire helps to kill off any parasites that may be living in your food.
If you’re going to be eating a lot of protein, water is a necessity. Water helps your body process protein. Without it you’ll have bigger problems than a growling stomach.
Check back next week for tips on keeping a positive attitude during a survival situation.
Story by
Mitchell Quartz
outside@suunews.com
