Health Tips for Old Scouters

[RememberSchiff]

Hydration, arch supports, support hose, hiking poles, Gold Bond (cornstarch please),  COFFEE, tylenol, albuterol, damnitall, CPAP, find a younger more fit scouter, ultralight backpacking, ear plugs (helps with helicopter noise), no bacon (enough)...ow, oh aches, oh da pains.  Remember back in the day when we were more physically strong and mentally awake?

Speaking of mentally awake, McMaster University (Canada) found that continued use of GPS is contributing to our cognitive decline. The study recommends orienteering...

Researchers hypothesized that the physical and cognitive demands of orienteering, which integrates exercise with navigation, may stimulate parts of the brain that our ancient ancestors used for hunting and gathering. The brain evolved thousands of years ago to adapt to the harsh environment by creating new neural pathways.

Those same brain functions are not as necessary for survival today due to modern conveniences such as GPS apps and readily available food. Researchers suggest it is a case of “use it or lose it.”

https://brighterworld.mcmaster.ca/articles/finding-a-new-way-to-train-the-brain-orienteering/

https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/reliance-on-gps-devices-may-lead-to-cognitive-decline-study-says-orienteering-can-help-165371973803

Your health suggestions?

[InquisitiveScouter]

55 minutes ago, RememberSchiff said:

Hydration, arch supports, support hose, hiking poles, Gold Bond (cornstarch please),  COFFEE, tylenol, albuterol, damnitall, CPAP, find a younger more fit scouter, ultralight backpacking, ear plugs (helps with helicopter noise), no bacon (enough)...ow, oh aches, oh da pains.  Remember back in the day when we were more physically strong and mentally awake?

Speaking of mentally awake, McMaster University (Canada) found that continued use of GPS is contributing to our cognitive decline. The study recommends orienteering...

Researchers hypothesized that the physical and cognitive demands of orienteering, which integrates exercise with navigation, may stimulate parts of the brain that our ancient ancestors used for hunting and gathering. The brain evolved thousands of years ago to adapt to the harsh environment by creating new neural pathways.

Those same brain functions are not as necessary for survival today due to modern conveniences such as GPS apps and readily available food. Researchers suggest it is a case of “use it or lose it.”

https://brighterworld.mcmaster.ca/articles/finding-a-new-way-to-train-the-brain-orienteering/

https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/reliance-on-gps-devices-may-lead-to-cognitive-decline-study-says-orienteering-can-help-165371973803

Your health suggestions?

My health suggestions are more along the lines of hygiene and first aid...

- Bring some wet wipes.  For after toileting, or at night prior to bed for a "bath" using a few... clean in this order:  1. Face (face, neck, ears) , 2. Front (torso and armpits), 3. Feet, 4. Fanny (groin and rear), 5. Fingers (wipe and and sanitize)  After wet wipes, do the Gold Bond (use gold container = body powder,  do not use blue container = foot powder with much higher menthol content. Unless you like the ICY BURN 😛  Talc dust is bad for you to breathe in, so do this outside, not in your tent!)

- Bring diaper cream with zinc oxide.  Best for dealing with chafing (Scouts love to wear wet swim suits all around camp... after a day or two, you see them doing the "penguin walk.")  The cream can also be used to cover a bad sunburn.  Zinc oxide is a sun block versus using a sun screen which still allows some UV in.

- Trim (do not shave!!) your armpit and groin hair before going into the woods (especially long term).  

- Trim your finger and toenails before going into the woods

- Invest in removable shades for your spectacles.  Your eyeballs can get sunburned!!  (That's what snowblindness is, and it can happen when you are on the water also!! see photokeratitis )

- A WIDE brimmed hat!!  Can't tell you how many sunburned ears and necks I have seen from Scouts/Scouters wearing baseball caps.

- A well-equipped First Aid kit!!!  The checklist in your Scout Handbook is an awesome start!!

- First Aid knowledge is priceless.

Edited March 16, 2023 by InquisitiveScouter

[InquisitiveScouter]

59 minutes ago, RememberSchiff said:

Hydration, arch supports, support hose, hiking poles, Gold Bond (cornstarch please),  COFFEE, tylenol, albuterol, damnitall, CPAP, find a younger more fit scouter, ultralight backpacking, ear plugs (helps with helicopter noise), no bacon (enough)...ow, oh aches, oh da pains.  Remember back in the day when we were more physically strong and mentally awake?

Speaking of mentally awake, McMaster University (Canada) found that continued use of GPS is contributing to our cognitive decline. The study recommends orienteering...

Researchers hypothesized that the physical and cognitive demands of orienteering, which integrates exercise with navigation, may stimulate parts of the brain that our ancient ancestors used for hunting and gathering. The brain evolved thousands of years ago to adapt to the harsh environment by creating new neural pathways.

Those same brain functions are not as necessary for survival today due to modern conveniences such as GPS apps and readily available food. Researchers suggest it is a case of “use it or lose it.”

https://brighterworld.mcmaster.ca/articles/finding-a-new-way-to-train-the-brain-orienteering/

https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/reliance-on-gps-devices-may-lead-to-cognitive-decline-study-says-orienteering-can-help-165371973803

Your health suggestions?

I'm going to ask my doctor for a prescription for damnitall.  (Dam-nit-all).  He loves a good quip, but has probably heard it before 😜

 

[RememberSchiff]

31 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

I'm going to ask my doctor for a prescription for damnitall.  (Dam-nit-all).  He loves a good quip, but has probably heard it before 😜

 

During annual checkups when a young medical person asks what medication I am taking, I often mention I take 800mg of damitol or damnitall . For some reason I am amused when they write it down. I expect on my next visit my old doctor will prescribe orienteering.

[Eagledad]

NO BACON. I hate this discussion.

[InquisitiveScouter]

2 minutes ago, Eagledad said:

NO BACON. I hate this discussion.

How about apple-smoked pork belly?  Is that a suitable substitute?

[RichardB]

Beware Multiple Comorbidities and cognitive decline.  

BSA known issues:   https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/risk-factors/

[InquisitiveScouter]

6 minutes ago, RichardB said:

Beware Multiple Comorbidities and cognitive decline.  

BSA known issues:   https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/risk-factors/

@RichardB  I heard this recently, and it rings true, but... comments.??

"As a group, youth are more likely to be injured on Scout outings.  Adults are more likely to die."

LOL

[RichardB]

@InquisitiveScouter 

I'd suggest to your list that CPR is a skill every youth you supervise should know, practice and understand not to stop until professional help arrived.   In my tenure as a Scoutmaster, professional trainers were brought in for the youth in my unit and they did well in first aid events at camporees.  

 

[InquisitiveScouter]

2 minutes ago, RichardB said:

@InquisitiveScouter 

I'd suggest to your list that CPR is a skill every youth you supervise should know, practice and understand not to stop until professional help arrived.   In my tenure as a Scoutmaster, professional trainers were brought in for the youth in my unit and they did well in first aid events at camporees.  

 

Agreed!

I met you at Philmont some years ago when I was there at PTC getting WFA Instructor certified.  (I'm sure you thousands of people 😜 )  I have about 50% of our unit currently certified in CPR/AED, and work to get/offer training to folks in our council.  Have trained over 200+.  Now, getting folks to dedicate time and effort to do First Aid or Wilderness First Aid training is a challenge.

I've been pushing for an AED purchase for our Troop trailer, but that's a high-dollar pilferable item, so we have not gotten consensus/committee approval to purchase yet.  (About 60-70% of our camping is car-camping.)  It's always tabled for further discussion.

Thanks for the input...

[Eagledad]

Thanks Richard. One of our adults had a heart attack while bicycling on a campout. Lucky for us one of our other adults was a doctor, and there was an ambulance nearby supporting a bicycle race. After that experience, we performed CPR training every January for all adults and scouts in the troop. And all the ASMs had to maintain certification. Our district brought a someone 4 times a year to train and certify any unit adults.

Barry

[Eagle_Chris]

I’d recommend you have your Leaders  (SM/ASM) attend Wilderness First Aid and CPR/AED training.  This training helps prepare you when situations happen during BSA events.  The high adventure camps require it as a prerequisite, but the skills are important for many activities.

[JoeBob]

Glucosamine / Chondroitin along with ibuprofen are the only medication needed to keep this 69 year-old going up and down ladders all day at work, and moving about the woods without pain.  If I forget the drugs, I feel it about noon.

Inspecting fire dampers/fire-smoke-dampers involves lots of climbing and stretching to wriggle into tight spots.  The work keeps me young.  Don't stop moving.

[MattR]

On 3/16/2023 at 3:36 PM, JoeBob said:

Don't stop moving.

I see kids on powered toys and I think have fun, but some day you'll pay. Better to find a fun way to exercise.  But I keep my mouth shut.