How to make the best fire starter tool and why hiking is good for mental health
Find out why hiking is good for mental health and not only the body and how to make the bast fire starter tool in the wild. We must admit that before the COVID-19, the popularity of hiking was on the decline among both adults and children. But after lockdown, the popularity of hiking incredibly increased, and even now, during the pandemic, it continues to grow, with many more people hiking than usual. And as a new study has shown, hiking is a great way to get out in nature, and it’s also good for the physical and mental health of those who take part.
Hiking is very different from the usual walks in the neighborhood. Many hiking trails have uneven, rocky terrain, and there is also a slight change in elevation, such as going up or down a hill. People also tend to wear other footwear, such as hiking boots, which may be heavier than they usually put on. These differences mean hiking expends more energy (you burn more calories) than walking on even ground. We need to use more muscles to stabilize ourselves when walking on uneven terrain.
Why hiking is better than gym and how to make the best fire starter tool
While brisk walking at a speed of about 5 km/h requires four times more energy than sitting and resting, walking through fields and hills requires more than five times the energy. It means you can achieve the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity without even jogging or going to the gym.
The benefits of exercise are clear. It will improve your physical health, sleep, and stress management. Still, it will also reduce your chances of developing certain chronic diseases such as dementia, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression, and certain types of cancer. Some researches suggest that hiking can reduce hypertension in older adults.
Hiking is also beneficial even for those who already have health problems. Research shows that walking leads to weight loss and improves cardiovascular health in adults with prediabetes, reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Hiking also improved other aspects of health, including muscle strength, balance, and flexibility in obese older adults. Even those with balance or joint problems can go hiking – trekking poles can reduce the strain on the legs.
A popular form of walking called Nordic walking, where participants use trekking poles, also engages the upper body and increases walking intensity. Studies show that this form of walking improves cardiovascular health, reduces weight, and increases muscle.
Why hiking is essential and what is geocaching
Even if you’ve never hiked before, it’s easy to get started. There are many apps you can download to your phone to help you navigate and find directions. They usually work with your GPS and are easily tracked by those with a poor sense of direction. You can also try the 1000 kilometers per year challenge to go hiking. If you have a young family (or want to make hiking more interesting), geocaching is more interactive to get out into nature. Here you follow a GPS route to where someone has hidden a box or some trinket. You can also record what you find using the app.
Geocaching is a worldwide phenomenon that is popular among hikers and walkers worldwide. And walking is a great way to get active and improve mental and physical well-being. And since many of us will still be holidaying in our home country this year, it could be a great way to get away from home and explore new places.
Hiking is good for mental health
And the last but not least health benefit of hiking is that it takes your mind somewhere else. Away from worries and problems, it switches you to observe nature’s beauty around. Not to mention how valuable time is with your family outdoors. You may take the tent and settle real camping for the joy of your beloved one and especially your children. And of course, in the evening you will have an opportunity to make a real fire and grill something tasty for your family, starting from meat and vegetables and ending with marshmallows. Please find below some tips on making steady fire and enjoying the moment.
How to make best fire starter tool
How to make best fire starter tool and why it’s vital in a survival situation. It can be the boundary between life and death. Fire gives warmth, repels dangerous animals, and its smoke – annoys insects. It can send distress signals, boil water, cook and preserve food, dry clothes, create comfort, and improve your mood. It is not enough to know all the ways of making fire – you must be able to use them freely.
It is always best to keep the Triangle of Fire (The Hut) in mind when preparing for making and building a fire. Its three sides represent air, heat, and fuel. If you try to remove any of these sides, the triangle will fall apart, and the fire will go out. When starting a fire, be sure to provide adequate ventilation, the right amount of fuel, and a good enough fire source to create it.
The more oxygen supplied, the brighter the fire. Reduced airflow and limited ventilation – reduce the combustion intensity, the coals begin to heat up, and less fuel is required. If these principles are understood, you can always avoid smoky flames. Smoke is a product of incomplete combustion, and if you handle the fire with care, you will prevent smoke.
How to take into account all the details to start the fire
When preparing, mining, and lighting a fire, ensure good tinder, kindling, and fuel. Then prepare a place for the fire where you could keep an eye on it. Without attention, fire can get out of control and lead to disaster.
Carefully prepare the hearth for the fire. Choose a sheltered spot, especially where there are strong winds. Unless you intend to use this fire to give a signal, or if you are going to provide temporary shelter under the branches, do not start a fire at the base of a tree or stump. Remove leaves, twigs, twigs, moss, and dry grass in a circle with a diameter of at least 2 meters and clean everything to the very surface of the earth. If the ground is damp or covered with snow, then preparations for making a fire must be carried out on some platform. Make it from a row of wet green logs or logs, covering them with a layer of earth or stones. If the ground is swampy or covered with deep snow, you will need a raised platform.
How to be careful when using stones
If the wind is extreme, dig a hole in the ground and kindle a fire there. For windy conditions, it is also good to enclose the fire site with stones to keep warm and save fuel in preparation for a fire. Use them as supports for utensils when cooking. The heat from them and fire will warm, and the stones themselves can warm a sleeping place.
Do not put wet or porous stones near the fire, especially those in water for a long time. They will explode when heated. Do not use slate and other soft rocks, but check others by hitting each other. Do not use those that make a dull sound of the void inside or with a layered structure. If they contain moisture, it will expand faster than the stone and break it, creating dangerous flying fragments that can knock out an eye if you are close enough.
What to use as tinder while in the wild
Tinder can be any material that requires the minimum amount of heat to ignite. Good tinder needs one spark to ignite. Birch bark, dry grass, thin wood shavings and splinters, birds fluff, waxed paper, and cotton from the lining of clothes. All this can be good tinder and crushed cones of coniferous trees, pine needles, and the inner layer of cedar rocks. Excellent materials for tinder are dried mushrooms scorched or charred cotton. You may read more tips about where to find or how to make tinder in the wild here.
You want to change your life and live in the positive surrounding, take a chance and start hiking with your family. There is absolutely nothing impossible in getting positive vibes from your life.
