He talked about the new look and more on Britain’s morning talk show, Good Morning Britain, during a 2019 interview, sharing that his facial hair had prompted some funny reactions from friends, family, and royalty alike. In the interview, Bear says Prince William, upon seeing the survivalist sporting his new mustache at a wildlife-conservation event, made an “ew” cringe face. Bear also says his wife was not thrilled with the change. 

The ‘stache has appeared on Bear’s face on and off since that first Movember, and, sometimes, by looking at his social media, it’s hard to tell if he has a mustache right now or not. For instance, a recent post shows him posing next to a wax figure of himself in Madame Tussauds, and he has a mustache (the wax figure does not). He wrote in the caption, though, that he misses the ‘stache and his family doesn’t, suggesting the picture is an old one. 

And yet (the plot thickens), he has since posted a Reel starring the ‘stache. While we can’t definitively say whether Bear has a mustache right now or not, it’s very possible that he’ll stop shaving this month to celebrate Movember, like he has in the past. 

If you’re adventuring this month, will you lighten your pack and join the cause by leaving the shaving kit at home?

The post Does Bear Grylls Have a Mustache?  appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Realistically, you won’t have to seek birding out. At some point in life, birding just finds you. You’ll inevitably run into someone in a field with a spare set of binoculars. You’ll see a beautiful bird on your windowsill and start googling, discovering it to be an American goldfinch. You’ll have the urge to jot down the fact that you saw it, and you’ll take joy in recognizing more of them over the coming months. You may even get a tattoo of a hummingbird. Just lean back, embrace it, and let it happen.

Here are just a few reasons why you should embrace birding as part of your quarter-life, mid-life, or any other age-related crisis.

It’s a Healthy Way to Become Your Parents

I know, I know—none of us want it to happen, but it’s inevitable. You’ll be especially prone to birding if one or both of your parents already partake in it. Finally, when your dad tells you about the rough-faced shag that he saw on his New Zealand trip, you can express genuine interest, then tell him about the eastern whip-poor-will you saw on your trip to New England.

By the time we surpass our Peter Pan era, we’ll certainly have picked up some of our parental traits—for better or worse. Don’t forget, you’re still in control of this process. Don’t like something about the way you were raised? Then we’re re-parenting ourselves and starting anew. Birding, though? Birding’s not a bad trait to inherit. At least it’s a good, healthy way to appreciate natural beauty.

Birds Are Cool, Okay?

It’s hard to grasp without looking at a map, but do you know how incredible bird migrations are? Take the Arctic tern, for example. These incredible birds go pole to pole every year of their lives, for decades. Over a lifetime, distance-wise, they might go to the moon and back three separate times.

Also, birds are on every continent on Earth and in every major habitat. You can see a subtype of sparrow in Asia, then see its cousin in South America. Some birds, like sparrows or crows, have spread themselves so far across the earth that the whole world knows them. Then there’s the kea, the world’s only alpine parrot with the intelligence of a 3-5-year-old child, endemic only to New Zealand. 

Some birds, like the black-naped pheasant-pigeon, disappear for 140 years, thought to be extinct, and are then rediscovered in Papua New Guinea. If that’s not enough, think about the evolutionary path birds had to take to get where they are today. They used to be dinosaurs, and now they can fly? Not a bad track record.

It’s a Patient, Peaceful Way to Engage with Nature

Birding is a masterclass in the art of stopping and observing. It can really show you how rewarding it is to move at a slower pace. Instead of a long hike, you might do some research about where to see an uncommon bird in your region. You might go, wander, wait around for a while, and just as you’re getting frustrated and considering going home, you hear something. Isn’t that Kirtland’s warbler? You start scanning the trees again, and there’s some movement, and wait—is that it?

You’ll begin to learn the names of your local birds and recognize them by their calls, but you can also have fun tracking down those rare birds. The simple act of learning who it is that you’re listening to every morning can help you connect with the world, but maybe that’s not enough. Do you still need some competitive aspect? Head over to the leaderboards and see if you can make your way up the local rankings.

Birds Have a Lot to Teach Us

The sheer diversity of birds is a lesson in and of itself. No bird is quite the same, and who else could they be but themselves? We change as we get older. Some of us might settle down a little bit, but some of us may find that we want to keep moving. Some birds migrate long distances, and some birds stay at home.

What about relationships? Goldfinches find a new, monogamous mate every season, raise their kids together, then go their separate ways. Some birds are polygamous, and it can actually make the species healthier by increasing genetic diversity. Then, of course, there’s bald eagles, which mate for life. If you’re feeling some type of way about how you should exist in relationships, there’s a bird that reflects how you already exist in the world. 

Have you ever seen a murmuration of starlings? It’s one of nature’s most incredible sights. The huge, black clouds of birds, moving together, creating amorphous shapes in the sky. I had known about starlings for a while, but Adrienne Maree Brown, one of our great contemporary thinkers, imaginers, and writers, clued me in to their significance. Think about humanity as a whole. How we’re different but connected the world over. How we move in reaction to each other, responding to the world, while also flying a path distinctly our own. If you saw a starling on its own, would you recognize it? Wouldn’t you want to?

The post Why Birding Should Be Part of Your Mid-Life (or Quarter-Life) Crisis appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Acorn Necklaces

Begin to make these cute fall accessories by collecting acorns (or raiding the stash you already have.) It’s tempting to collect handfuls of them, but don’t forget to leave some for the squirrels and chipmunks. Once home, separate the tops of the acorns from the bottoms. Bake the acorns for one hour on a foil-lined cookie sheet at 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the acorns cool, drill two small holes across from each other length-wise on each acorn top to resemble a button. Cut a piece of string or twine that will be long enough to make a necklace that fits over the wearer’s head. Thread the twine or string through the hole in the top of the acorn and tie a knot. Repeat by threading the other end of the string/twine into the other hole and tying it off. 

You can keep the acorn color natural, or you can paint it to the desired color. It may take several coats. After the paint is dry, draw faces on the acorn with Sharpies. Put some Mod Podge onto the acorns to seal them. Glue the acorn tops and bottoms back together using hot glue or other bonding glue. Let dry and set. Once ready to go, wear your new acorn necklace with delight.

Items needed:

• Acorns
• Bag to collect acorns
• Oven
• Foil-lined cookie sheet
• Drill and drill bit 5/64th or smaller 
• String or twine
• Scissors 
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrushes
• Thin Sharpies 
• Mod Podge
• Sponge paintbrush 
• Hot glue or bonding glue (E600)

Autumn Suncatcher

The sun’s rays can create colorful beauty. Start by collecting colored treasures—from leaves to flowers—to create a sun catcher. Cut two pieces of contact paper into the desired shape (each piece should match). Peel off the backing on one sheet. Press your flowers and leaves down firmly onto the contact paper. Peel off the backing of the second sheet and apply it on top of the first sheet so it lines up. 

Seal the contact paper sheets. Hole punch the top of the contact paper and add the string to hang. Find a sunny spot to hang the suncatcher or use tape to adhere it to a window. 

Items needed:

• Transparent contact paper
• Leaves and flowers
• Bag to collect leaves and flowers 
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• String
• Tape

Bird Feeder

In the fall, food is harder to come by for birds, squirrels, and other animals. This is the perfect time to help them by creating simple bird feeders using nature. Collect some pinecones on a leaf-peeping hike. Once home, tie some twine around each pine cone (for hanging it off a branch when you’re done creating). Spread peanut butter all over the pinecone. Roll the pinecone in wild bird seed. Find a good location that birds frequent and hang your pinecone there. 

You can also put that carved pumpkin to good use after Halloween. Cut the bottom off a pumpkin to create a bowl to hang filled with birdseed. Consider adding small branches for birds to rest upon as they eat the seeds. 

Items needed:

• Pine cones
• Bag to collect pine cones
• Peanut butter
• Spoon or knife
• Bird seed
• Twine
• Scissors
• Pumpkin (optional)

Clay Pressings

Using air-drying clay, you can make beautiful coasters, bookcase decor, or hangings to make 3D nature art. Begin by collecting items like flowers, leaves, or other flat items. 

Once you have a collection, make a ball of clay. Roll out the clay using a rolling pin and form it into the desired shape. (Put a hole in the top of your clay with a pencil, if you plan to hang it once it’s dry.) 

Press your item(s) down flat into the clay, being sure that each impression shows the details of the item, like the veining of a leaf or flower. Use water to smooth any edges. 

Carefully remove the item and discard it. Add Mod Podge with the paintbrush to your clay for extra preservation. Wait 24-48 hours for the clay to dry. Attach a string through the hole and hang your 3D art, if desired, or put the item where you would like to display it. 

Items needed:

• Air-dry clay
• Flat items like leaves and flowers
• Bag to collect leaves and flowers 
• Pencil
• String
• Scissors 
• Knife or clay-cutting tool 
• Rolling pin
• Warm water
• Mod Podge 
• Sponge paintbrush 

Crown of Leaves 

To make a crown of leaves, begin by collecting leaves of various sizes, shapes, and colors. Once you have your leaves, measure the circumference of each wearer’s head. (Consider making a set for the whole family to wear on Thanksgiving.) 

Cut a wide strip of construction paper a few inches longer than the length of each head circumference. Test the strip to make sure you have the right size before adding the leaves to the “crown.” Glue the leaves all around the strip. Allow the glue to dry. Add Mod Podge with the paintbrush to the leaves to add some stability. Once the Mod Podge is dry, staple the crown ends together. 

Items needed:

• Leaves
• Bag to collect leaves
• Mod Podge
• Sponge paintbrush 
• Construction paper
• Tape measure 
• Stapler
• Scissors 
• Glue 

Fall Name Plate

Create a name plate for a bedroom door with items you collect on your fall adventures. First, take a bag with you outdoors and collect items you find. On a piece of construction paper, pencil the letters of the name in large box letters.

Glue the fall items you collected onto the paper inside of the box letters. You may need to trim down the items to make them fit. Once the glue has dried, hang the name plate on a bedroom door with tape. 

Items needed:

• Construction paper
• Glue
• Pencil
• Lightweight fall items (flowers, sticks, acorns, corn stalks, leaves)
• Bag to collect items 
• Tape
• Scissors 

Lantern

A leftover mason jar (or jam jar) can make a beautiful base for a lantern that can be used throughout the fall and beyond. Take a hike or walk through the woods and collect a variety of dry leaves (flat ones work best) that are different shapes, sizes, and colors. Adhere the leaves to the outside of the mason jar by applying a thin layer of Mod Podge on the mason jar using a sponge paintbrush, placing the leaves where you want them, and then applying another layer of Mod Podge on top of the leaves. Let the craft dry. Add a tea light of string lights inside the jar and wrap some string around the grooves at the top for a more finished look. 

Items needed:

• Mason jar
• Leaves
• Mod Podge
• Sponge paintbrush
• String
• LED tealight or string lights

Leaf Animals

Use leaves in different shapes, sizes, and colors to create animal faces or full animal bodies. Begin by collecting a bunch of various leaves. Using cardstock for the background, glue a leaf (or leaves) onto the cardstock. Paint or use markers to create an animal face or an animal body. Don’t be afraid to cut up leaves to get the desired shape(s). 

Here are some great ideas for different leaf animals. Once you are happy with your animal, add Mod Podge with a paintbrush to seal and protect your creation. Let it dry before displaying it. 

Items needed:

• Leaves of all shapes, sizes, and colors
• Bag to collect leaves
• Paint
• Markers 
• Scissors
• Cardstock
• Glue
• Mod Podge
• Sponge paintbrush 

Nature Garland

To create a nature garland, begin by collecting leaves, acorns, and other fall adornments. Measure the area where you want to hang the garland. Cut twine or rope to the desired length with some added inches for hanging and tying a knot on each end. Coat the leaves with Mod Podge using the paintbrush. Let the leaves dry. 

Hot glue the largest leaves onto the rope, then layer on the smaller leaves. Consider adding acorns to the leaves or between them. After the glue dries, hang your garland. 

Items needed:

• Leaves
• Acorns and other fall adornments
• Bag to collect items
• Tape measure
• Scissors
• Rope or twine
• Hot glue gun
• Mod Podge 
• Sponge paintbrush 
• Tape

Pumpkin Fairy House

Fall is the perfect time to create a fairy house out of a pumpkin. Use it as a Halloween decoration or keep it up for the entire season. Begin by collecting materials, including sticks and leaves. Once you have your items, place a tablecloth or newspaper on the floor or table. Carve an oval shape out the side of the pumpkin to create a 3D opening, and, if you’re really skilled, consider carving out a door and windows. Scoop the seeds and flesh out of a hole in the top of the pumpkin. Discard the goop, but you might want to save the seeds to roast or plant.

Next, it’s time to decorate the pumpkin house. Use sticks and twine to make ladders or bridges. Adorn the house with figurines, dried leaves, and flowers. Paint acorns to look like mushrooms, if you’d like. Use your imagination and the items you’ve gathered to build a house a fairy would live in or a spooky haunted house for Halloween. Place an LED tealight inside the pumpkin house to illuminate it after dark.

Items needed:

• Ripe pumpkin 
• Carving tools (carving kit, knife, etc.)
• Scooper
• Newspaper or table cloth
• Acorns, pinecones, leaves, sticks, etc.
• Twine or string
• Decorations and adornments (figurines, fake spiders and spider webs, etc.)
• Paint
• LED tealight 

The post 10 Fall Craft Ideas to Celebrate the Season appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Note: Nothing Beats Proper Training

In a backcountry emergency situation, any correct information you have will be far better than no information at all. That said, there is no replacement for a verified wilderness first responder course. Reading is great, practicing skills at home is even better, but if you find yourself entering more dangerous backcountry scenarios, it is best for you to seek out professional training. NOLS is one great resource, but there are plenty available. Seek one out that caters to the wilderness challenges you’re hoping to take on.

1. Pack For All Possibilities

When it comes to improvising wilderness medicine, what you have is what you have. This is why bringing a proper first aid kit is a great idea. The reality, though, is that you won’t always have access to one. Here are a few other items that people commonly have in the outdoors and will be highly applicable in emergency scenarios.

• Duct Tape
• Athletic Tape
• Tarp
• Trekking Poles
• Puffy Jackets
• Foam Pads
• Backpack Straps
• Reflective Emergency Blankets

These are all highly versatile items that can be used for a variety of scenarios. They can help you bandage wounds, improvise splints, or warm someone at risk of hypothermia.

2. Fully Utilize What You Have

Okay, now let’s say you find yourself standing in front of someone who just fell through the ice—they’re out of the water now, but they have under an hour before they go hypothermic. Between your group members, you have three dry, warm sleeping bags, sleeping pads, a tarp, some rope, and a few hand warmers. What do you do?

You’ll want to create a hypothermic wrap, combining those resources to warm your patient up quickly and safely. This is one of those skills you can pretty easily get the hang of at home. By learning principles of heat transfer, you can administer this aid as effectively as possible.

Another classic skill to acquire is improvising a splint. This skill can mean the difference between a fracture with a great evac story and permanent, life-changing damage to one of your limbs. There are a few principles that can guide you: make sure the injured part of the patient is immobilized and supported, ensure there’s appropriate padding between the patient’s limb and the splint’s structure, and be sure the patient’s circulation isn’t being cut off.

Again, there’s no replacement for professional, one-on-one training when it comes to mastering splints. If you suspect somebody has a spinal injury, for example, and you aren’t trained to deal with that, seek evacuation and don’t injure them further. A mentor with search and rescue experience can teach you how to make full use of what you have. Chances are, you’ll have everything you need in your backpack, you just need to know what it’s good for.

3. Keep It Clean

Cleaning and dressing a wound is a skill that just about all of us will learn in our lives. It’s easy in the frontcountry—wash out the injury, clean it, cover it with a sterile bandage. Once you’re in the backcountry, though, things get more complicated. What do you have that’s sterile? How can we disinfect this?

Essentially (a running theme), do what you can with what you have. If you have disinfected water to drink, it’s safe to use for a rinse. Many people will pack out small, single-use disinfecting wipes for blisters, and those are a great resource in this scenario too. Infection is no joke, so short of a medical kit, it’s great to pack out some gauze. You can do some things wrong in this scenario and be okay, but if you can properly clean the wound, the medical professionals you eventually reach will thank you.

4. Know Your Acronyms

Anyone who works in healthcare can probably share a wide range of acronyms that they use to remember procedures. By helping us remember which steps to take, these acronyms contain potentially life-saving information. NOLS uses them to great effect, so if you take one of their courses, you’re sure to walk away with some of these in your mental database. Here’s a couple notable ones to get you started.

SAMPLE:

• Symptoms
• Allergies
• Medications
• Pertinent History
• Last Intake/Output
• Events

The concept of “SAMPLE” is taught in most first aid and CPR courses, and it’s a vital tool to make sure you collect necessary information in an emergency situation. Provided your patient is conscious, go down the list and try to remember his or her responses. When you do eventually make contact with medical professionals, this is the information they’ll ask you for.

CSM:

• Circulation
• Sensation
• Motion

These three letters are especially vital when binding sprains or improvising splints. Ensure that your patient’s extremities are pink and warm so you know his or her blood flow isn’t restricted. Make sure he can feel his fingers and toes and wiggle them. You don’t want to make things worse in your efforts to help.

Future You Will Thank You

It takes some considerable hubris to think nothing could ever happen to you in the backcountry. Use these tips as a foundation and get yourself ready for those possible future mishaps. Each new experience, even if it’s a little terrifying, will teach you something new. Whatever skills and knowledge you take the time to acquire could be the key to a happier, healthier you in the eventuality of an accident. And remember, don’t panic.

The post Improvised Wilderness Medicine: These 4 Tips Could Save Your Life appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Turns out, these functional fungi have even more magical properties than you’d think. Here are 10 bizarre and fascinating uses of mushrooms. 

1. Biodegradable Packaging

Could mushrooms be the ultimate eco-friendly alternative to plastic packaging? Companies like Evocative are using shrooms to create biodegradable packaging materials. Evocative, for instance, uses just two ingredients in its mushroom-based packaging: hemp hurd and mycelium (the root-like part of the fungus). After use, mushroom packaging can be broken up and spread into a garden bed to convert into compost.

2. Faux Leather 

Mooo-ve over, cows. Mycelium can be used to create leather-like material for fashion accessories like purses and even Adidas sneakers. Bolt Threads is one example of a company making mushroom-leather items, using its Mylo Unleather material, which feels as luxurious as leather but is way more sustainable.

3. Guitars

New England-based luthier Rachel Rosenkrantz has taken her craft to the next level by building guitars out of mushrooms and other biomaterials. She says not only does the material make sense environmentally but it also lends the instrument a truly unique sound.

4. Alcoholic Beverages

Mushrooms are used to make mushroom wine, mushroom beer, and mushroom spirits. Finger Lakes-based company Mushroom Spirits Distillery offers a line of spirits infused with various types of mushrooms. The company says each infusion has its own flavor profile and works surprisingly well in classic cocktails. For instance, the company’s tasting room offers drinks like the Classic Bloody Mary with its Shiitake Vodka and the Mushroom Mule with its Hen of the Woods Vodka.

5. Boogie Boards

A failed Kickstarter campaign suggests the world isn’t quite ready for mushroom boogie boards, but it’s an interesting concept nonetheless. In the spirit of reducing the use of materials like plastic and styrofoam, the Magical Mushroom Company raised some money this summer in hopes it could produce mushroom-based boogie boards aimed at tourists buying low-cost boards while on vacation. The prototypes looked promising, and maybe this eco-friendly packaging company will keep working toward its goal of sustainable shroom bodyboards. 

6. Coffee Substitute

Instead of drinking coffee in the morning, you could drink mushrooms. MUD\WATR makes a coffee alternative that’s a surprisingly tasty pick me up. Their OG blend is masala-chai flavored and includes chaga, cordyceps, reishi, and lion’s mane mushrooms. You can use the MUD\WATR blend to create a delicious latté or as an addition to a nutritious smoothie. When you buy the Morning Ritual Starter Kit, they’ll send you a frother and a whole booklet full of ideas. If you’re in the market for a mushroom-based coffee substitute, other options include Ryze and Beyond Brew’s Rise ‘n Shroom.

7. Soil Purifier

As part of a process called mycoremediation, mushrooms can help clean up contaminated environments by absorbing and breaking down various pollutants in soil, including heavy metals, agricultural waste, and pharmaceutical waste. Seems a bit magical, right?

8. Tinder

This one’s for the survivalists out there. Did you know that you can harvest certain mushrooms and use them as tinder to start a fire in an emergency situation? The hoof fungus is perhaps the most famous example of a tinder fungus, but other species, such as chaga mushrooms and cracked cap polypores, can also help you light a flame. 

9. Lamp Shades

If you’ve ever wanted a more natural vibe in your home, you’re in luck. MushLume Lighting makes lampshades bio-fabricated from mushroom mycelium and sustainably grown hemp. The company says its lamp shades are molded, dried, and heated to create a stable, 100% biodegradable product. They look great, too. 

10. Coffins 

Do you love mushrooms so much that you’d like to be buried in them? Loop Biotech offers several mycelium-made items for after-life care, including the Loop Living Cocoon (a coffin), the Loop ForestBed (a funeral carrier), and Loop Earth Rise (an urn). If you’re really committed, you can even buy a pet coffin made of mushrooms.

The post Shrooms Beyond the Plate: 10 Bizarre and Fascinating Uses of Mushrooms appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Stung . . . on Purpose?

First, it should be noted that Coyote, who is an intrepid adventurer and animal lover, goes into the wild and purposefully gets bitten and stung. But why? For education, he says, and to learn more about the animal he’s coming in such painfully close contact with.

In addition to the intentional bites and stings (by the way, he never takes any intentional bites or stings from things like a venomous snake or a shark), Coyote has also been bitten by a lot of things accidentally. In fact, he has been bitten or stung by well over 50 different organisms, and the number of times he’s been stung is hundreds upon hundreds. “Because with things like jellyfish [and] fire ants, you’re getting tons of stings and you can’t really quantify [it],” he explains.

Coyote calls himself a human pin cushion thanks to all the experiments he’s done on himself. Thankfully, Coyote has been able to stay miraculously healthy through all the bites and stings his body has taken in the name of entertainment and education. 

Here is what he had to say about the worst ones he’s experienced so far.

Part 1: Stings

Executioner Wasp

“The most painful thing that I have taken at this point as a singular sting is by something called an executioner wasp. It’s got a very potent venom that actually has necrotic components to its venom, and it will actually cook a hole in your skin. So, if you were to disturb a nest of executioner wasps and be stung multiple times, you would be in a lot of trouble,” Coyote said. 

Japanese Giant Hornet

The executioner wasp is number one on the list, and Coyote said that terrible experience is closely followed by his experience being stung by the Japanese giant hornet—also known as murder hornets. Watch the video, and you’ll see why.

Bullet Ant and Warrior Wasp (Tie)

In third place for the most painful sting Coyote has endured are the bullet ant and the warrior wasp (Synoeca)—which he says are a tie. Watch him take a bullet ant sting, though, and it’ll be clear that a tie for third place is still extremely painful. 

Part 2: Bites

Coyote says venomous bites are far worse than venomous stings. Here are his top two most painful bites so far.

Gila Monster

Coyote told us what it felt like when he was unintentionally bitten by a Gila monster, a venomous lizard native to the southwestern U.S. 

“This is an experience you never want to go through,” he says. “I was accidentally bitten by a Gila monster. My thumb was in its mouth for less than a second, and I went through about eight hours of excruciating pain that is unstoppable. There’s no anti-venom for it. Your body just had to absorb the venom and you have to endure what is, honestly, probably if not the worst, one of the worst pains I’ve ever been through. And I’ve been through a lot of pain,” he said.

Giant Desert Centipede

“The second-worst bite I ever took was from something called a giant desert centipede,” Coyote said. “The venom from that animal specifically breaks down red blood cells, so the venom seeps into the cell and explodes it from the inside out. If you can imagine that venom going into your body and your forearms, swelling up to nearly three times in size while your blood cells are literally detonating, you’ll begin to understand the nine hours of pain that I went through with that one. And it’s actually the only bite or sting that I’ve gone and sought medical attention for because the swelling got so bad. And the pain was so intense. After about nine hours, I did go to an emergency room and had to get prescribed adult-strength Advil, which you and I may call Vicodin, to help get me through the pain.”

The post Nature’s Worst Bites and Stings, As Told by Coyote Peterson appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

According to lead researcher Brenda Pennix, 44% of the participants in both groups saw improvements in their mental health. Compared to the group that took the antidepressants, the group that chose running also enjoyed other health benefits, such as decreased blood pressure. However, within the group that chose to exercise, participants only adhered to it about 50% of the time, whereas those who chose medication took it 82% of the time. 

According to the researchers, both interventions are incredibly effective in improving mental health. For those who are willing to stick with it, regular exercise could be an excellent alternative to medication.

The post Running Could Ease Depression Symptoms as Much as Medication, Study Says appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

In an article published in Eos, this was seen recently in 2019, when Typhoon Leikma hit mainland China. Birds that were commonly found on the mainland were found in locations where they had never been documented before, presumably because the storm swept them there.

Though it may sound rather wild, documentation of this phenomenon dates back to the 19th century, according to Nebraska Today. Crews on ships would observe birds in the eye of the storms. Today, birds can be seen on storm radars.

Birds that are not carried away by hurricanes and tropical storms prepare the best they can, similar to humans. Resident bird populations in areas like Florida will seek shelter in tree holes or urban infrastructure. Migratory birds will leave in the middle of hurricane season, but sometimes they get caught in storms as they’re traveling.

The post What Happens to Birds During Tropical Storms? appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Knowing which plants and fungi to avoid can help you skip the terrible skin rash, nausea, or even a dance with death. Learn these common 10 plants to avoid while foraging to up your survival skills.

Disclaimer: When foraging, never eat anything you are not 100% sure about. 

Avoid These 10 Plants and Fungi While Foraging

• Death Cap Mushrooms
• Poke Berries
• Horse Nettle
• Doll’s Eyes
• Hemlock
• False Morels
• Poison Ivy
• Virginia Creeper
• American Wisteria
• Jerusalem Cherry

1. Death Cap Mushroom

While a mushroom is not a plant, it’s worth adding this fungi to the list, because it’s one of the “fatal five mushrooms.” The Amanita phalloides or death cap mushroom may look great (and it may even taste great too), but it’s responsible for an estimated 90% of the world’s deadly mushroom ingestions. Native to Europe and found in the U.S., this invasive fungus is known by many as the world’s most poisonous mushroom. Know this mushroom by sight and avoid it at all costs.

2. Poke Berries and Pokeweed

The tough part about dangerous plants is that they often look delicious. Just like the death cap mushroom, the pokeweed plant shines with juicy and delectable-looking berries. Don’t be fooled by their enticing look. These berries are animal food, not people food, which means even though some animals may be able to eat them, these berries are deadly to humans.

Pokeweed is common in the American South and is easily identified by the distinct clusters of purple-black berries with lance-shaped leaves and brightly colored, purplish-pink stalks that grow into a large, tall bush. While pokeweed is sometimes prepared and used in food dishes, if eaten raw, it can cause convulsions, vomiting, and respiratory paralysis. 

Admire this beautiful plant from afar, because even by touching the pokeweed with a bare hand, you can absorb some of the toxicity through your skin. 

3. Horse Nettle

A member of the nightshade family, alongside tomato and eggplant (though far less desirable to eat), the horse nettle has juicy-looking yellow-cherry fruits. Don’t mistake the plant’s fruits for cherry or grape tomatoes. If tasted, these fruits are extremely bitter, making it (hopefully) obvious that the chewer needs to spit it out.

Horse nettle plants are around 24 inches tall. The leaves grow on the stem with lobed margins and an irregular wavy pattern. The toxic flowers are blue, white, or purple. In fact, the whole horse nettle plant is toxic. From gastric irritation to affecting the autonomic nervous system, if consumed, horse nettle will cause dilated pupils, fatigue, reduced respiratory function, and/or depression.

4. Doll’s Eyes

Sprouting from neon-pink stems, these white, round berries with black dots in the center creepily resemble doll eyes. Also known as “white baneberry,” this plant is found in the eastern and northern parts of North America. You may look these berries in the “eye,” but don’t touch this plant at all. The whole plant is toxic, and it can cause blisters just from touching it.

Eat these toxic doll’s eyes and you’ll soon know you made a mistake. They may taste sweet at first, but severe pain, burning, stomach cramps, headache, diarrhea, dizziness, and hallucinations will follow.

5. Poison Hemlock

After being told by the Athenian emperor to kill himself, Socrates drank some fatal tea made from this famous plant. Poison hemlock, with its lacy green leaves and small flowers, is often mistaken for wild carrots, parsley, celery, or wild parsnip, so take care to avoid it. Often growing near streams or along roads in umbrella-shaped clusters, poison hemlock contains alkaloids that affect the nervous system and leave unsuspecting consumers unable to breathe. 

6. False Morels

Morels are delicious, but their evil twins, the false morels, not so much. False morels are a highly toxic group of fungi that look similar to true morels. False morels are responsible for many deaths, so take extra care. 

False morels include Gyromitra esculenta and Gyromitra caroliniana, Verpa, Helvella, and Disciotis. The structure of false morels can be very misleading, because of their similarity to true morels. They all tend to be wavy, brown, and wrinkled.

Consuming a false morel could lead to gastrointestinal issues, muscle coordination problems, and even cardiac arrest. It might seem simple looking at a photo online, but out in the wild, distinguishing true morels from false one can be tough. 

Key tips for distinguishing false morels from true morels:

• Gyromitra species often have a “wrinkled” or brain-like appearance with many folds, rather than the honeycomb appearance of true morels with ridges and pits. 
• True morels are always hollow, while Gyromitra species are typically chambered in longitudinal sections, and Verpa species contain a cottony substance inside their stem.
• True morels have caps that are attached to the stem at or near the base of the cap. The caps of Verpa species are attached to the stem only at the top of the cap or halfway along the stem.

Morel of the story? Consult a field guide or a foraging expert before eating anything that looks close to a morel, because the side effects of eating the wrong kind are life-threatening.

7. Poison Ivy 

A vastly common plant, poison ivy is a great plant to avoid, but it can be hard to do so sometimes when foraging in the wild. Keep your distance to deter a nasty rash, itchy allergic reaction, and/or blistering skin. Animals might eat poison ivy, but it’s a nuisance for humans, because it grows nearly everywhere as a shrub or vine in many forests and parks. 

Learn how to identify poison ivy by examining its leaves, which have three leaflets. Any contact with this plant can cause a reaction, and consuming poison ivy could be deadly. 

8. Virginia Creeper

A close “cousin” of poison ivy, Virginia creeper has clusters of five leaves instead of three. Sometimes called the five-leaved ivy, the Virginia creeper has berries that could be mistaken for grapes. Just a few chews, though, and you’ll be vomiting or feeling your throat close up.

This vigorously growing vine can be found nearly everywhere. It’s common in forests and yards throughout eastern and central North America—from southern Canada to eastern Mexico.

9. American Wisteria

This beautiful plant is a wonderful sight to look at but a terror to eat. Characterized by purple and blue flowers, Wisteria plants have seeds in toxic, hanging pods. In fact, the whole plant is toxic, even for dogs. If you eat this plant, you’ll experience diarrhea, vomiting, burning sensations, and stomach pain. 

10. Jerusalem Cherry

A plump, juicy-looking plant, the Jerusalem cherry plant, including the leaves, stems, and fruit, are all toxic. Even small amounts of Jerusalem cherries can lead to symptoms of poisoning, which may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, and confusion. Ingesting large quantities of Jerusalem cherry or its parts can lead to convulsions, and, in rare cases, coma or death.

The post 10 Dangerous Plants and Fungi to Avoid While Foraging appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

In this full-chapter excerpt, Bear shares his thoughts on how readers can live more freely by doing things like grounding, traveling and opening themselves up to new adventures, going camping, and more.

Live More Freely (Excerpt from ‘Do Your Best’)

We didn’t always live indoors. Our ancestors spent almost all of their lives outdoors in the wild, out in the sun, snow and rain. When it was cold, they huddled together to stay warm. Each day, they spent as much as a hundred times longer in the outdoors than we do today. What if we could rediscover our wild selves and learn to live more freely?

Our ancestors found shelter where they could – in caves, under trees, under rough structures. And never with any closed windows. They definitely didn’t have air fryers, streaming subscriptions or games consoles. You get the point.

Being outdoors so much taught them to be in tune with nature. Their senses were honed. They could identify a hundred different kinds of animals just from their scent or sound. They could light a fire with a tiny flint spark, and tell what kind of wood was being burnt from its smoke. They could follow faint tracks in the mud and sand. Now only very few of us have these skills. But they can all be relearnt (and you’ll find plenty of them in this book).

Today, the average child spends just four to seven minutes a day playing outside. That’s compared with a staggering seven hours each day on their devices or in front of a screen. Whatever way you look at it, that’s not healthy. We’re missing out on the sunlight we need for a healthy immune system, the sense of joy we get from feeling the sun’s heat on our skin. Most importantly, we’re missing out on the chance to play and interact with others in the great outdoors. This is where lifelong friendships are made. And that’s why Scouts is so important – to give everyone the chance to do this, no matter whether you live in a tower block or a country cottage.

Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to get back in touch with your wild self. Here are just some of them.

Be Grounded

Take off your shoes and socks. Try it right now. You have an astonishing 7,000 nerve endings on the soles of each of your feet. That’s why they’re super sensitive. Imagine yourself walking on hot, dry sand or cool, damp grass. Better still, find some real sand or grass and try it for real. Even if you’re just imagining it, you probably feel calmer already.

Research has shown that simply walking barefoot on the earth for half an hour each day boosts our red blood cell count, meaning we can better resist disease and illness. This is the true meaning of being grounded. It’s so simple, costs nothing and makes you feel great. I try and do this every day. Even in the city, I go and find a park in the morning.

Go and See the World

Life rewards those who dare, those who dream and those who choose adventure. Adventure is not a place; it’s a state of mind. A journey into the wild is as much a journey into our soul. When we return, we’re a different person.

Whether it’s a day trip to a local wood, a hike across the fields or something bigger – like an expedition to the crystal-clear Norwegian fjords or a trip to Iceland to take in the geysers and stupendous geology – these will expand your horizons in every way. You’ll feel more closely connected with nature and appreciate the true wonder of our planet.

Too often, we’re thinking ahead or regretting the past. We need to be more present. Live well in the moment. Seize the day and choose adventure.

Out in the jungles of Panama, a jaguar can step out right in front of you. But adventure doesn’t need to be as extreme as that. So many special places are just a short hop away. Just get out there and explore. Take a bike on a train. Travel a few stops and you’ll be ready to explore a totally new environment, away from your familiar stomping ground. And the best way to appreciate what we have is to get out there and experience new stuff. Leave early on a Saturday morning and in two or three hours you can be standing on a cliff top, watching guillemots and razorbills swoop and dive around you, or swimming in a lake. Go and discover your country. Research fun things like this that you can do legally and safely near you. You will find lots, I promise.

Be Open to New Adventures

So often our lives run on rails; we cling to our routines, and before you know it, it’s Monday morning and school and work again. We can choose to live life more freely – we only have so much time on this planet. Let’s fill it with people and memories – not things.

Everyone has the right to an adventure – especially in the outdoors. Life is about grabbing opportunities. Scouts is full of opportunities. Your leaders are always working hard to help you gain new skills and experiences. Always be grateful and always make use of those gifts of time, expertise and experience.

My father used to say that the two most important things in life were following your dreams and looking after your friends along the way. This is what we do in Scouts. It’s about loving and doing great adventures and helping others to experience the same.

But it can sometimes be quite hard to get out and experience the outdoors, especially if you’re young – it can be quite an intimidating place. And lots of people don’t know how to ‘get out there’. That’s part of why Scouting is so popular, it provides a safe way to explore the outdoors. You’re going to have an adventure, but you’re going to do it with people you know and trust, and you’re going to be looked after.

So never take your place in Scouting for granted. Many wish they could join too. You’re one of the lucky ones. (This is why we always need more adult volunteers – to help us reduce the waiting list.)

Go Camping

When was the last time you explored the great outdoors? That’s really explored – where you set out into the unknown with a map and compass, a rucksack, a tent and sleeping bag; the sort of exploring that makes your heart beat faster?

Can you remember the patter of rain on your tent, the sound of owls hooting or the rustling of the wind in the leaves at night? It’s a feeling of absolute freedom and belonging – re-establishing our relationship with both ourselves and the earth. Somehow the world looks more hopeful and exciting when you’re peering out of a tent flap instead of a front door. It’s moments like these that make you feel most alive. A night in the outdoors is also a reminder that not everything that’s precious and valuable costs a lot of money.

There’s nothing better than spending time with friends in the outdoors. It’s among the greatest experiences in life and should be accessible to everyone, no matter where you live, what you look like or how you grew up. Exploring woods and forests, watching foxes and squirrels, playing games, going on nature trails . . . there’s a lot to choose from.

Summer is when the world fully comes to life, becoming a sort of adventure playground. When people go away for a weekend’s camping in the summer it can sometimes feel much longer. That’s because you’re spending over fifteen hours a day outside. Summer begins when you can wade through a field of bluebells in May. In June, birds are criss-crossing the skies, foraging for food for their chicks. July and August are the classic summer camping months, joining friends around a crackling fire, enjoying the long nights. The moon seems bigger and the world is full of possibilities again.

Going camping teaches us things about ourselves; it reminds us that we depend on each other to get by and that the most precious things in life are friendships, the natural world and reaching our potential.

I’ve camped all over the world. I’ve got great memories of having adventures at home on the Isle of Wight, where I grew up. I remember being up on a cliff top with my dad, looking out at the sea. Those chalk cliffs formed much of the backdrop to my childhood. I think a lot about those cliffs; to me they were like my stepping stones to adventure.

Grow Something

One of the best ways to live more freely is to grow your own flowers or fruit and veg. Not only will you give yourself a free and plentiful supply of produce, gardening is one of the best ways to make you feel good too. Get grounded again!

It feels so natural to be working on the soil, following the seasons and getting to know the cycles of nature. It reminds us we’re all part of nature. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi: ‘To forget how to dig the earth and tend the soil is to forget ourselves.’

Starting an allotment, a communal space for people to grow and tend their produce, gives you a strong sense of purpose. You’ll be doing plenty of manual work, which will tire you out and help you sleep well, and of course, you’ll be getting a bucketful of fresh air every day. That’s not to mention all the good nutrients and vitamins you’ll be getting from the food you grow. Because it’s not processed (been through a factory and sat in a fridge for months) it’s so much better for you too.

And we haven’t even talked about the benefits of making new friends – you’ll have neighbours on all sides of you, from all walks of life, many of whom will be happy to share their years of wisdom. (Although some might like to be left alone to get on with their work and enjoy a bit of peace and quiet, so tread carefully!)

A great way to begin is to find a space that’s right for you. Most cities, towns and villages have allotments. You’ll have your own plot and it’s up to you what you grow there and how much work you put in. Find out where your nearest allotment is, then register your interest. There’s normally a waiting list, but it’ll be worth the wait. You’ll then need to pay a fee, but it’s usually affordable.

Next, start planning. One of the most fun parts is grabbing a fresh piece of paper and drawing out the different areas, and deciding what to grow. Is there a path or a small shed already there? Would you like to add these? Remember, this is your space (for now at least) and you can do things your way.

Now the hard work begins: preparing your soil. The more work you put in at this stage, the more fruitful your allotment will be. Try and dig up as many weeds as you can, and remove as many loose stones as possible. Turn the soil and enrich it with compost or manure. It’s now time to do your homework. It’s important you plant things at the right time to give them the best possible chance. For example, carrots are best planted in autumn.

It’s important to keep your allotment well maintained, making sure your plants are well cared for and especially well watered. It might be that there’s a central place or water butt in the allotment where you can easily get water. Slugs need to be managed too, as you’ll discover!

Do Your Best: How to be a Scout is now available in the U.K., Ireland, and Australia/New Zealand, and it will be published in April 2024 in the U.S. Buy it here.

The post How to Live More Freely, An Exclusive Excerpt From Bear Grylls’s New Book appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.