- [Narrator] With countless
TV shows and movies themed around survival, most people think they could
utilize this information should they get stuck
in such a predicament. But if you think
binge-watching these shows will turn you into a
survival expert, think again, because you might end up
in an even worse situation following their tips. Here are the top 10 survival tips that do more harm than good. Number 10, suck out snakebite venom. This survival tip has been played out in several movies and TV shows, as doing this act presumably
removes venom from the victim who was bound for an untimely death due to the snake's venomous bite. In reality, however, this will only serve to worsen the victim's condition. Studies show that trying
to cut and suck out venom won't help at all. In fact, it'll only help
damage tissue around the bite and, hence, help the venom spread faster. It's an act of futility that
delays proper treatment, as it's just not possible
for anyone to suck hard or fast enough to remove any of it before it starts
spreading around the body. Do not try to halt the spread of venom by applying a tourniquet either. It's also pointless and
won't stop the venom. In fact, it may just
provoke unnecessary damage to your limb. Instead of emulating this
supposedly "life-saving" act, medical experts recommend first trying to remember the snake's appearance so that medical experts
can identify the snake for its anti-venom. Then, calm down and place
the wound below your heart. This will slow down the
spread of the venom. If someone is there with you, have them follow out all the next steps so you can try to relax, possibly laying down
to slow your heart rate and prevent the venom spreading. Do not wash the wound, as the leftover venom can help in identifying the snake that bit you so doctors can use the correct
anti-venom to heal you. Next, cover the wound with
loose bandages or clothing to keep it from getting
infected by bacteria. Finally, call the emergency services, or if you don't have access to a phone, walk at a leisurely pace
towards the nearest hospital. Instead of trying to
remedy the injury yourself, it's best to let medical
experts handle this. You might end up risking your life trying to follow such
an outdated technique to treat a snake bite. The truth is that most snake bites, even from the most dangerous
snakes, are not always fatal. Sea snakes, for example,
have some of the most potent venom in the world, yet about 80% of reported
bites end up being "dry", meaning no venom ends up being injected. Just don't be fooled by the
initial pain, or the lack of it. Some bites, such as from copperheads, as painful from the start, whereas ones from coral snakes
take several hours to appear. Number nine, play dead
to avoid bear attacks. This is perhaps the most
well-known survival tip of them all playing dead in order to avoid
getting mauled by a bear. Surprisingly, it does work, but only for brown grizzly bears, since, if you run, the
bear will think you're prey and continue chasing you. And they will catch you because they can run at sustained speeds faster than Olympic sprinters. Try to act dead for other
bear species, though, like the black bear, and you're likely to end up dead for real. Survival experts recommend
packing bear pepper spray whenever you're traveling to areas where bears are known to frequent. Should you encounter one, try to make yourself smaller
and retreat very slowly, not making any noises that
may serve to provoke them. If contact is inevitable, use the bear pepper spray
directly in their face. Not only does it deter
them from attacking you, they're also attracted to the residue left by the pepper spray, allowing you to escape
while it's distracted. If you don't have pepper spray with you and a black bear decides
to attack, fight back. Black bears often bluff when attacking and would rather go for easy food than someone who can fight back, so stand your ground and fight back. Use anything and everything as a weapon, rocks, sticks, fists, and your teeth. Aim your blows on the bear's face, particularly the eyes and snout. Do not try to climb a tree to escape, since they're excellent climbers. Black bears are usually non-aggressive. If you ever encounter one in the wild, try to avoid contact whenever possible because no amount of playing dead will save you should they
deem you as a threat. Number eight, it's important to find a food supply immediately. Food is essential if you wanna survive in the wild outdoors. Without food, you'd run out of energy and eventually starve to death, so it's quite logical to find
a food source first, right? Not really, because an average
person can live for weeks without eating food. In fact, Mahatma Gandhi at
age 74 was able to survive for 21 days without any food, solely surviving by sipping
water every now and then. Instead of finding food, focus
on finding potable water. Dehydration will set in
faster compared to hunger, and this will greatly affect
your chances of survival out in the wild. Once you have found a
source of drinkable water, locating or building a shelter
is your next objective. Food should always be your last priority. Without water or shelter, your chances of survival
dwindles every passing minute, so prioritize these two needs over food. Number seven, eating
snow can rehydrate you. Snow is literally frozen water, and, as said earlier, water is needed in order to replenish your lost fluids when you're trapped in the wild. Logically, snow should have
the same hydrating effects as water, right? Technically, yes, but
if you melt it first. Eating it directly, however, will not only fail to hydrate you, but also decrease your
body's internal temperature, which can lead to
hypothermia in severe cases. Not only that, snow on the ground can collect several
microorganisms and bacteria that can be very harmful to the body. If you are in dire need of water, try to locate a water source first. If you cannot find any, find snow that is clearly white
and free from any impurities and then melt it until
you are able to drink it. Remember, snow should
not be consumed directly. They're not like those
frozen treats you get from supermarkets, after all. Number six, rubbing frostbitten
skin will warm it up. Being exposed to extremely
cold environments without proper equipment
significantly increases the risk of frostbite. Most people believe that
rubbing frostbitten skin will help warm'em up. In truth, this only
makes the problem worse, as the friction generated
from rubbing the skin will severely damage
the afflicted tissues. Should you get frostbitten, the first thing you should
do is to seek shelter from the cold environment. Cover yourself up with warm clothing or a blanket if available and drink warm liquids to restore your internal body temperature and prevent the possible
onset of hypothermia. Do not attempt to warm
the frostbitten area with a fireplace, as
this might cause burns. If numbness and pain persists, have someone seek help immediately, as severe frostbite can
result to amputation of the frostbitten part if left untreated. Number five, moss grows on
the north side of trees. Lost in the woods without a compass? Not a problem, just look where
the moss grows on the trees as it always grows on the north, according to one survival tip. Unfortunately, following this
tip will make you more lost than a blind man in a forest. The belief behind this
survival tip is that moss grows commonly on the north side due to it getting less sunlight, as the sun moves from east to west. Perfect conditions for
moss, you would think. However, this is not a very useful tip because, in the woods, trees can be shaded from any direction. Therefore, moss will
grow anywhere on a tree as long as sunlight cannot reach it. What's important is that
it must be cool and damp, as these environments
create the perfect condition for moss to grow on. If you're planning to take a trip and don't plan on getting lost anytime, it's best to take the advice
of real survivor experts. Invest on a compass. Number four, prioritize
having a roof on your shelter. If you've seen many TV shows
about surviving in the wild, you'll see that they build shelters with roofs over their head, prioritizing it over anything else. After all, surviving in the wild means you must be prepared
to brave the elements, whether it be the scorching
sun or the cold rain, and a roof over your head will help you in doing just that, right? Technically, yes. However, most of these
shows often miss out on the most important detail
when building a shelter, a bed. You may ask, why would you need one? You could always lay down
on the ground, right? Yes you can, but you risk
freezing yourself to death if you do that, especially if it's wet. You see, the ground can get really cold, especially during the night, so it's important to have
something that will help insulate your body
during those cold nights. Sure, having a roof is important, but trees can provide you with
enough shade and protection. What you should do is build
a raised, insulated bed out of sticks, leaves, and grass. First, lay down two thick logs
out parallel to each other at a distance relative to your height. Add a third log into the middle to give it more structural integrity. Next, locate some long, thick sticks and place them on top of the platform. Now that the platform is complete, it needs insulating properly. You could top it with grass or leaves, but, ideally, try to shave
branches off evergreen trees and place them. After that's complete, you could then go ahead and
construct an overhead shelter, in the form of an A-frame or lean-to, but in terms of keeping you warm, the insulated bed should be a priority. Number three, punch a
shark to stop an attack. Shark attacks rarely happen. In fact, you're more likely
to die from a lightning strike compared to getting attacked by a shark. But suppose you end up
in such a predicament. What would you do? One survival tip suggests
that you punch a shark to deter them from attacking you. Simple, right? Sure, if you can even land a
punch successfully, that is. Test it out yourself in a swimming pool and see how ineffective this strategy is. The best way to avoid shark attacks is to swim away from them calmly because there's a chance that
they haven't noticed you yet. If an encounter is imminent, poke the shark's eye using your finger. If that won't dissuade
them from attacking you, hit the gills with any
blunt object you might have in your possession. Hit it repeatedly until
it decides to let you go. Remember to keep your eyes on the shark while swimming away to safety. Number two, locate a water
source immediately in a desert. Suppose you find yourself
stuck on a desert with a dwindling water supply. The first and foremost
course of action to take is to locate a water source to
prevent dehydration, correct? Not at all, because you'd
end up sweating a lot, losing vital body fluids in the process. What you should do is to sit in the shade and wait for night to arrive, when the desert is at its coolest. If you're feeling thirsty, drink all your water
instead of rationing it. People who have died from dehydration have been found to have
water in their bottles after rationing, so keep a clear head. Keeping yourself hydrated is a must to survive in the wild. Once night time arrives,
you're free to roam around and look for a source of drinkable water. Another related desert survival myth is that you can drink water
stored inside a cactus. Drinking it, however, will
do more harm than good. Drinking cactus water will often result in a number of problems, such as diarrhea, nausea,
vomiting, and sometimes paralysis as it contains highly-toxic
alkaloids harmful to humans. Instead of drinking cactus water, look for places where vegetation grows, as this signifies underground water. Look at canyons and
mountain bases as well, as low terrains often
contain water sources. Water may be scarce in the desert, but if you know where to look for it, you may be able to survive for days. Number one, boiling water will
make any water supply clean. So you found a water source, but you're not sure whether
it's clean enough to drink. The solution? Boil the water, and it'll
be completely safe to drink. Or so the so-called experts claim. The truth is, simply boiling the water will not make any water safe to drink. Sure, it'll kill the
bacteria and microorganisms that may harm your body, but no matter how long you boil the water, it will not remove harmful
sediments present in the water. Before boiling the water, filter it first using
a clean, white cloth. Pour the water through the
cloth and into the container. The cloth will serve
as a makeshift filter, removing sediments and
other visible impurities from the water. Once the water has been
filtered completely, boil the water to kill off the bacteria. Doing this additional step will allow you to have potable water without the risk of contracting
water-borne diseases. Surviving the wild is no easy feat, but if you arm yourself
with the right knowledge, you can get through whatever
ordeals you may face in the wild. Do you have any other
survival tips you can share? Let me know by leaving
a comment down below. Thanks for watching.
