Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS)

It is one of the least talked about subject in wilderness medicine.  You think about it briefly when you camp under a tree with dead branches or one that is leaning toward your tent.  Listen and lear…

Its symptoms depend on where it enters the body. Both animals and insects spread it.  In this podcast. we explore the rare bacterial infection known as tularemia, or ‘Rabbit Fever.’ We look into the …

Three viruses you might have read about in the news, remind us that disease is spread to humans from insects. Don't be scared, just be safe always when exploring the world.  Listen and hear about thr…

If you have a fever headache and chills after your wilderness adventure, you may have typhus.  Thought to be rare, this set of diseases is making a comeback.  It is spread by chiggers, fleas and lice…

In this podcast we explore the science behind chiggers, their life cycle, their diseases and where you find them. Listen and learn everything you need to know about these  tiny, troublesome tiny bite…

They are made from red pepper oil and are great deterrents for bears and mountain lions.  But other issues remain in their effective use. Listen and learn about how to spray and survive. 

Adventures who go up to altitude can have a number or problems.  One of these is an odd breathing pattern when trying to sleep.  it is called periodic breathing. It is caused by the ups and downs of …

We all love to 'smell' the outside.  But what role does it play in our health.  Research is starting to look at this.  And surprising results in a new study show that regular exposure to greenery in …

While an incredible outdoor experience, few people know how to make it happen.   
Listen to this podcast as Matt McKinnon tells us how we can safely enjoy this wilderness sport and see all the beauty …

Deaths from hyperthermia are on the rise. Water is simply essential in the metabolism of our body. But is it the solution to prevent hyperthermia?  Transferring heat from the body is how to avoid hyp…

It sounds like the premise of a creepy movie, but this one is real. It is Vibrio vulnificus.  It is found in warm salty water where people like to swim.  It enters the skin through small cuts and can…

Are you ready for the remote jungle? Dehydration and nutrition are essential for a successful expedition.  And get ready for a whole host of new diseases.  Listen as Dr. Samuel Dyer shares his knowle…

Here is an open discussion about menstrual periods in the wilderness. Listen as Holly Davis and Freya Sutcliffe from Cambridge University in the U.K discuss an important but overlooked topic. 

Not all medicine is practiced in a clinic - sometimes it is on rough waters where the penguins live.  Expedition medicine is austere medicine and wilderness medicine at its finest.  Listen and learn …

We all worry about HAPE and HACE when we go up on the mountain.  Little attention is placed on the heart.  But new studies give us data and create cause for concern.  Listen and learn about the heart…

One is painful, one is noticeable, one will cause blindness.  These three eye diseases happen, in part, because we go outdoors in the sun.  Listen and learn about the trifecta of outdoor eye disease.…

It was isolated in Uganda in the 1930's,  then quickly spread around Africa.  It found its way to the USA in 1999.  It is on the rise and it is not a benign disease.   The fatality rate for West Nile…

Trekking poles are basically ‘ski poles’ that are specifically designed for use while
hiking. Science gives some important data into the value of using them. But in the end it is up to you. Listen and…

Most people who go outdoors have heard of this.  Most people don't know much about it.  It can change the color of the water, making it easy to see,  but many of these bacteria live on the side or bo…

They happen to almost everyone.  You are hiking on a beautiful trail, maybe up a steep hill, all is going well. Then all of a sudden, it hits.  A muscle cramps .  It is so painful that it
 prevents  y…