risk managing a wilderness fast - nols

Risk Managing a Wilderness Fast: Why, When and How to Facilitate

a Fast in the Backcountry.

Paul Stonehouse, PhD

Tuesday, October 22, 13

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ay not be reproduced w

ithout the consent of the author. 10/13

Fingers and Pats


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Road Map

• Programs that Fast

• Professional Expectations

• Purposes of a Fast

• Risk Management Implications

• Ethical Considerations for a Backcountry Fast

• Pedagogical Strategies


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Programs that Fast


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Little Written on Backcountry FastTuesday, October 22, 13

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Professional Expectations


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7.06 Participants are provided with or have access to adequate nourishment

“Programs that permit fasting will explain that aspect of the program to participants before they agree to participate. If the program allows fasting, emergency food supplies will be available.”


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Purposes of a Fast


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Why and why not fast?


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Widespread Value• "All the major religions of the world

recognize its merit. Zoroaster practiced fasting as did Confucius and the Yogis of India. Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle all fasted. Even Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, believed in fasting." - Foster


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Abrahamic Religions


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BUT


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?BUT


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Health

• Rest

• Detoxification


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Health

• Rest

• Detoxification

?


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Mary Ryan, MS, CEDRD, RDNwww.beyondbroccoli.com

Text

[email protected]


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http://www.beyondbroccoli.com

http://www.beyondbroccoli.com

mailto:[email protected]


Self-Revelation

• Fasting reveals the things that control us


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Anger


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Anger

Pride


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Anger

Pride

Fear


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Anger

Pride

Fear

Anxiety


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Anger

Pride

Fear

Anxiety

Self-contempt


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Anger

Pride

Fear

Anxiety

Self-contempt

Jealousy


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Connection


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Mindful Eating


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Identification


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Simplification


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Character/Discipline/Self-control

Aristotle


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• Character is the sum of virtue and vice over a lifetime (I 10§11),

Aristotle


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• Virtues are those thoughts and actions that lead to human flourishing (e.g. honesty, courage, self-control, etc.)

Aristotle


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• Virtues are those thoughts and actions that lead to human flourishing (e.g. honesty, courage, self-control, etc.)

• “We become just by doing just actions and become temperate by doing temperate actions” (II 4§1).

Aristotle


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• Fasting has a bad rap from the medieval excesses


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• The disciplined person can do what needs to be done when it needs to be done


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Risk Management Implications


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Health: Nutrition?

• How nourished are your participants? Will vary.


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Health: Special Cases


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Health: Eating Disorders


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Medical Risks and Fasting

• Dehydration

• Hyponatremia


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Environmental Risks and Fasting

• Temperatures

• Precipitation

• Altitude

• % Humidity

• Wind

• Sun

• Site exposure


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Policies, Protocols, and Procedures


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Water Fast?

•NEVER!Paul THINGS AFFECTING policies and procedures!


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Winter Camping

• STRONGLY discouraged


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Dynamic ?


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• Backcountry travel judgement needs?

• Mixed with symptoms of Hypoglycemia?

ISGT & Fast?

Dynamic: Fasting & Judgement


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Stationary?

100m

50m

Forest NextSolo Area

Preferably Waterfront

Solo Area


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Stationary: EAP


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Stationary: Instructor Visits & PO System


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Stationary: Instructor Pack

• Food

• (Hot) Water

• Clothes

• Bivy

• Shelter repairs

• Pens/PO cards

• FA supplies


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Dynamic or Stationary: Backcountry Skills


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Ethical Considerations

of a Backcountry Fast


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• Informed Consent

Ethical Issues

Waivers, Course Materials, & Marketing


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• Secrecy

Ethical Issues


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• Captive Populations

Ethical Issues


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Pedagogical Strategies


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Timing: Pre-fast

• Delay the fast:

• Health/nutrition

• Wilderness Skills

Paul NicolazzoEffective Outdoor Program

Design & Management Workshops


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Timing: Pre-fast

• The day before:

• ↑ Glycogen

• Hydrate + Lytes

• Adequate fiber


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Timing: Pre-fast

• Purpose and value

• S&S for Dehydration

• S&S for Hyponatremia

• S&S for Hypoglycemia

• Give out electrolyte tabs

• Emergency Action Plan

“A Fasting Talk”


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Timing: During Fast

• Interrupting a fast

• ↑ Glycogen

• Bland

• Warmth = comfort


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Timing: Post-fast

• Soup!

• Fluid & Lytes

• Minerals & Vitamins

• Little fat

• Carbs

• Complete Protein

Breaking a Fast

Time with resupply


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Timing: Post-fast

• More important than “what” is “how much” (little)

Breaking a Fast

Hara Hachi Bu


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Private Contracts

• Social pressure to fast

• Challenge by choice?


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Modifications: Choose your own adventure

• Complete food fast

• Smaller food intake

• MORE whole foods

• Abstain from sweets

• Perhaps fasting from conversation is enough

False Dichotomy


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Conclusion


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Action Steps:

• Make adjustments to waiver, course description, and marketing materials to reflect the possibility of a fast.

• Use this presentation information to make an addition on fasting to a risk management plan and/or instructor manual.

• If necessary, adjust a ration plan to accommodate pre-fast, during-fast, and post-fast needs.

If you choose to fast...


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Action Steps

• Alter instructor equipment list to ensure adequate risk management of a stationary backcountry fast.

• Alter a course plan/progression to increase the likelihood of a meaningful (and less risk-prone) fasting experience.

• Start developing a “Fasting Talk.”


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Priorities

• "I'm less concerned about what they can't take, or can't do, because I now believe that maybe if they are a bit more comfortable while they are out there, they will get more out of it." p. 6 of S3


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Celebration!


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[email protected]


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