Hello Friends!
Today we are going to talk about digestive issues on the trail. This is a no bullsh*t run down of foods that will plug you up, and how to get that plug out of your system. …A few sure-fire ways of clearing the pipes. …A list of methods to clear your gutters so that when the dehydrated food comes a-knockin’ your bowels, you’ll be just fine. This will be a shorter blog but feel free to add your suggestions in the comments!
The first thing that will plug you up is not drinking enough water. This is easily solved. If you’re not drinking enough water because you aren’t thirsty then add some electrolytes to your bottle. Electrolytes keep your body more balanced and also encourage you to drink more! They are great for covering up lake water taste too. My go-to electrolytes are Nuun tablets and Mio sport. Both of these options are easy to pack as they are pretty small and both come in very tasty options for all taste buds. Becoming too dehydrated will give you the opposite effect (the runs) but by that point, you need medical attention.
Another thing that will keep you from releasing your extra baggage is not eating enough fibre on the trail. Those of you wanting to live off meat and potatoes or meat and rice are going to be in for an interesting ride unless you pack in some fibre bars, coffee, and dehydrated fruits and veggies. Of course, if you overdo it you can go the opposite way because of too much fibre in your system. Having a balanced diet on the trail is the best way to make sure you are going to have a good, healthy time.
And finally… watch how much of your diet is prepackaged dehydrated meals. The times I have had the most uh, …backup, is when I have brought primarily prepackaged dehydrated foods for the trip. These have an incredible amount of salt and preservatives in them that can really mess with your system. Dehydrating your own food can be a really simple and easy fix to this problem. Plus, it can provide way more variety in food! I have started posting some more dehydrated recipes for everyone to enjoy! (See here) Getting a small dehydrator for your home is such a great idea. They are pretty cheap and more than pay themselves off. They also save you money around the home. You can dehydrate fruits and veggies that are starting to go bad and then save them in the freezer for up to 6 months!
In terms of medication, I’ve always taken Gravol with me but I know a lot of hikers/campers that take magnesium vitamins with them as they can also help you relax the problem. But again… Don’t overdo it or you’ll be stopping every 200 ft for an all-natural pit stop.
Remember- when stopping to do your business on the trail and no thunderbox is available, you need to bury your waste! The guide for this is to dig a hole as deep as your hand is long (from the tip of your middle finger to the base of your palm). Then do your business into the hole (check for poison ivy and poison oak patches near your rear first). After you're done, you’ll want to make sure you take your TP with you so put that in your garbage bag. As mentioned previously, some people choose to use moss or a leaf to wipe the remnants. I am not one of those people, but all the power of nature to you if you are. Then you want to pour a bit of water into the hole and use a stick to mix everything around a bit. Finally, bury your little stool hole and wash your hands with hand sanitizer.
That’s all for this post everyone, stay safe, healthy, active, and regular! The next post will be up in a few days and we are going to go over a review of Rosebary Lake. Also, check out the new tab on the site for dehydrated food recipes!
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