Winter Ecology

I would like to tell you that I had an exciting day yesterday but unfortunately even in Alaska there are boring days.  I did however read a very good book called "Winter an ecological handbook" by James halfpenny and Roy Ozanne.   It was about how plants and animal and humans change and exist in winter climates.  It was quite interesting and I thought I would share some of things I learned in it with you.

the most important thing to worry about in surviving winter is food.  Throw the three meals a day plan out the window.  According to the book you should eat something every hour.  If you are going to be outside for a short time the food should be high energy.  If you are going to be outside for an extended period it should be high fat.  Another reason to love winter, you get to eat every hour.

Never stay outdoors if you are in poor health or your energy levels are low as it puts your body in a need state before exerting yourself.  

Next thing to worry about is your water balance.  We lose large amounts of water to cold dry air.  Just by breathing in cold air, warming it up in our lungs and exhaling the warm air with our moisture in it, we can lose 1 to 2 quarts of water in a day depending how active we are.  A dehydrated body is more susceptible to exposure injuries.  Who knew huh?   We should be drinking a gallon of water a day to prevent winter dehydration. 

Here is a fact I did not know when your body gets cold the digestive system shuts down.  So if you start to show signs of hypothermia you should eat chocolate as it gives the body a quick fix of sugars which can be turned into energy quickly for the body.  Tea with honey or hot chocolate also work.  So always carry a Hershey bar with you when you go outside.  Shivering is the first sign of hypothermia.

Hope these few facts help you survive your winter.