When it comes to survival tips, there tends to be a wide range of accuracy represented in the advice that’s floating around.
Does peeing on a jellyfish sting actually work? Is swimming after eating actually a bad thing? Can sunlight purify water? The list goes on.
A Reddit post that gained plenty of attention recently looks at the topic of “well-known survival tips that are actually untrue,” and the advice being shared is eye-opening, to say the least.
Here are a few noteworthy “untrue” survival tips that popped up in the comments, plus a little more detail about why they’re actually bad advice:
1. “Drink cactus water if dehydrated”
This can actually give you diarrhea, which will further dehydrate you. There are some limited exceptions depending on the species, but in general, cacti contain harmful acids and alkaloids that result in nausea, vomiting and diarrhea if consumed.
2. “Build a shelter and start a fire if lost”
Sometimes shelter is needed, yes. And sometimes fire is needed, too. But in general — especially in Colorado where an extensive search and rescue network exists — your best bet is to stay put and conserve energy. Avoiding strenuous activity will help you stretch water and food a bit further, and it will also make it easier for rescue teams to find you in most cases. Remember though, always let someone know where you’ll be headed and when you’ll be back.
3. “Moss only grows on the north side of trees”
Yeah … that’s not true. While some people continue to insist that the location of moss can be used to help with directions, that piece of advice is more likely to get you lost than help you find your way. Moss can be more common on the northern side of the tree in the northern hemisphere as there’s more shade, but that’s far from being accurate and dependable enough to use moss as a compass.
4. “Phones don’t work in the backcountry”
Some people who get lost may avoid even attempting to try their phone to call for help — especially if it’s showing no connection bars. Still, give it a try. When a 911 call is placed on a phone, it can generally connect to any available network, not just the network it’s subscribed to. Maybe it will work, maybe it won’t — but still, give it a try even if you don’t have bars. Carry a satellite-based communication device, too, and this will vastly increase your chances of getting a call for help out when needed.
5. “Flowing water is safe to drink” (and in Colorado, add the misconception of “alpine water” being safe, too)
If you’re an avid camper, you or someone you know has probably gotten sick from drinking backcountry water in Colorado. People tend to think that flowing water or mountain water is “fresh and pristine” — it’s not. Fresh water from a natural source tends to be filled with bacteria and other organisms. There’s a high likelihood you’ll get sick if you drink it without purifying it first, which will only make the situation worse.
6. “Changing your voicemail is a good strategy if lost and in need of help”
Nope. If you have enough connection to change your voicemail, simply call for help instead. Changing your voicemail requires connection, which means a call could be placed, too. For some reason, this bad advice still rears its head every few years. If you’re worried, however, you could change your voicemail prior to an adventure to notify people what your plan is and where you’ll be — but that’s done before you get into the backcountry.
7. “Don’t report someone missing for at least 24 hours”
If you think someone may be missing or otherwise in trouble, report it immediately. Even if it doesn’t prompt an immediate response from search and rescue, this will loop them in, allowing them to appropriately address the situation.
8. “Drink your urine to stay hydrated”
In nearly every scenario where someone is battling dehydration, this is bad advice. Given the salts and minerals in your urine, it will make things worse — kind of like drinking seawater, and it can also damage your kidneys. Technically, there are ways to extract water from pee — evaporation, for example — but in an emergency situation, you probably won’t have the supplies needed to do that and attempting it will probably waste valuable calories.
— 9. “You can suck the venom out of a snake bite”: This doesn’t work, and it can cause the venom to spread to someone’s mouth while also introducing bacteria to an open wound. On this note, too, extractor pumps have also been shown to be ineffective. Get to a hospital immediately if a bite occurs.
— 10. “Ration water during a hot hike”: Rationing tends to make things worse, leading to dehydration and the loss of motor skills and cognitive abilities. For starters, bringing enough water so that you don’t run out is the best strategy. If you didn’t do that, however, consider other strategies that will help you stretch the water you do have farther, opposed to starting off with limiting intake. Limit skin exposure to the sun (but make sure you’re wearing the right type of clothing), avoid strenuous behavior during hot times of the day (in other words, move at dawn or dusk opposed to noon), and breathe through your nose as this will result in less water loss compared to mouth breathing.
— 11. “Water alone will keep you hydrated”: Water does hydrate you, yes, but water alone doesn’t replenish the nutrients lost through sweat. You’ll need electrolytes, too, with many options that can be added into water easy to find online. Nuun tablets are a good option.
— 12. “Seek shelter under a tree or rock in a lightning storm”: This one sounds pretty obvious, given that it’s well-known that lightning tends to hit prominent objects first. That said, it can feel like it’s the right move when a storm blows in and the rain starts falling. Instead of seeking this type of pseudo-shelter, the best way to survive a lightning storm is to stay away from large objects that might attract a strike, even if it means getting wet. Crouch low on the balls of your feet and spread your group out so that everyone isn’t hit in a single strike. Minimize your height and the among of your body that’s touching the ground and wait it out — it’s also recommended to wait about 30 minutes after the last nearby strike before leaving your protective stance.
— 13. “Alcohol will keep you warm”: Alcohol can make you feel warm as it tends to make blood vessels near your skin expand, but this means that less blood is left to flow around the core of your body given that your body has a set amount of blood. Alcohol can also lessen the inclination to shiver, which is a natural way the body can stay warm. In cold weather, drinking alcohol puts you at a greater risk of getting cold.
(Note from the author: There are obviously some exceptions in certain situations where some of these tips may hold true. In general, however, these tips aren’t the best advice. This piece is designed for entertainment purposes, but is hopefully helpful, too.)
©#YR Colorado Springs Gazette. Visit at gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.