Explorer Caitlin has lived with a chronic illness her entire life, so she understands how to approach the hurdles placed in front of the ultimate remedy: time spent outdoors.

Outdoor Exploring is for Everyone!

Whether you’re dealing with a heart condition, asthma, mental health issues, fatigue, allergies, autoimmune disorders, or anything in between, you know the health benefits that come from spending time in nature. You can feel it in your bones. Unfortunately, you may feel limited by your health, especially when it comes to outdoor adventures and pushing yourself physically.

Having a chronic illness can be tough. Being active really can be so reliant on you feeling well. Some days it’s hard to get out of bed, there are appointments to attend, medications and supplements to take, a wholefood diet to follow, and life’s stresses are piling up.

Planning an outdoor adventure may be the last thing you feel like doing. Even when you know it’ll be worth it – whether you’re lying in your swag looking up at the Milky Way, immersing in a forest surrounded by bird song, or hitting a trail with your best mates for a weekend away.

Read more: How to Stay Safe in the Bush: The Ultimate Hiking Safety Guide

 

We all deserve to see beautiful sunrises in our lives

A Bit About Me

I’m an avid outdoor enthusiast, hiking guide, ecologist, and wilderness survival skills teacher – and I have chronic health issues. I was born with an autoimmune disease called Biliary Atresia, which affects the liver’s functioning.

After 40 days in hospital, major surgery at five weeks of age, removal of my gallbladder and parts of my liver, I could finally go home and try to live a normal life. Cue ongoing autoimmune issues such as asthma, allergies, Hashimoto’s, endometriosis, chronic fatigue, and just for some extra kick, mental health issues.

After an active Aussie childhood in the 90s, I discovered hiking and went on to complete the Thorsborne Trail, the Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk, the Yuraygir Coastal Walk, 160km of the Larapinta Trail, and most recently 400km of the Camino de Santiago through Portugal and Spain.

 

Explorer Caitlin has done it all, against all odds

She’ll Be Right? Yeah, Nah

With more young people being diagnosed with serious medical conditions every year while also choosing to adventure in nature, it’s an important topic and one we shouldn’t have a ‘She’ll be right’ mentality about. Chronic illnesses shouldn’t exclude anyone from adventures, but they do require a bit of extra planning and preparation, and may come with a unique set of challenges.

A lot of these suggestions are basics for anyone getting outside, but are especially important for those with illnesses. Chat to your doctor or health professional about what your limits may be. I’m not suggesting that people with epilepsy become free climbers, people with serious mental health challenges take up remote multi-day hiking, or people with asthma take up scuba diving.

There are some serious risks. But hopefully this article will give you some inspiration and motivation to get out there, no matter what you’re faced with.

Read more: 5 Ways to Help Make the Outdoors Accessible to Everyone

Hot Tips for Hiking With a Chronic Illness

I’ve had my fair share of disaster adventures with lots of Type 2 Fun. Having a chronic illness means that you have to be prepared for the worst at all times. Guaranteed, you’ll be the most organised person at camp. It’s a necessity, I get it. Here are my hot tips for looking after yourself while outdoors and hiking with a chronic illness.

1. Know Thyself

Become the expert on your own condition and body. If that means you have to study it, nerd out on it, heck, even get yourself a Wilderness First Aid qualification so you can do first aid on yourself (only works if you’re conscious, though!), so be it! Be the authority on what’s going on for you, so you can better manage it. Know your triggers and your unique challenges.

 

Identify where your limits are outdoors

 

What can improve your health outcomes on this trip? Do that. That may mean between trips you’re hitting the gym, walking, eating whole foods, resting, or biohacking your health. Empower yourself. Don’t rely on others to look after you if things go south!

For me, I’ve kept up to date with my first aid certificate every three years so I can help myself (and others) in an emergency. I know my triggers and challenges really well; that is, stress, pollen, mould, and dust mites, and in hot temperatures, I’m extra susceptible to heat stress.

2. Prepare for the Worst, Hope for the Best

Sorry, but you’re not going to win any ultralight awards here. Yes, your first aid kit may be heavier than everything else in your pack combined. But trust me, there’s nothing worse than needing special medication and not bringing it. It can spell disaster.

Always let someone know where you’re going, take backup comms, and have an EPIRB with you. If you’re rocking it solo, have a buddy on the outside to communicate your progress to. Study routes and terrain maps – be prepared in every way. Nerd out on the route weeks in advance, particularly how you can bail if needed. Do a navigation course and get lots of experience along the way. Make mistakes, yes, but you want them to be mistakes you can recover from!

For me, that means bringing all the things, like my asthma puffer, epipen, hydrolyte, allergy meds, an EPIRB, and making sure they’re all up to date! Also, I tell my mates where they are located in my bag. I plan an exit strategy and I leave an itinerary with my parents.

Read more: PLBs and Satellite Messengers – Everything You Need to Know About Off-Grid Safety

 

Always make sure you and your crew are prepped

3. Go Back to Basics – Set Yourself Up for Success

I’m talking sleep, water, food, temperature, and stress. I’m going to really show my age here and say sleep is probably the most important factor in determining whether you’ll have a good time or a bad time in the bush. That means you need a kick-arse shelter. An epic, leakproof, lightweight tent, a comfy mat, a pillowy sleeping bag, even an eye mask and earplugs perhaps. How luxurious can you make it? I draw the line at a pillow, but it’s your call to make.

 

Equip yourself with the right gear

 

Next is proper nutrition and hydration. Bring electrolytes and use them daily. Spend the money on calorie-dense, protein and fat-rich, nutritious, wholefood snacks and meals like jerky, bliss balls, trail mix, muesli bars, and vegetable-heavy main meals. Consider whether you’ll need to sanitise your water and find the most natural way to do it. I use my Life Straw.

Read more: Food Is Fuel: A Guide To Healthy Hiking Food

Then we have temperature considerations. Are you sensitive to the cold or heat? What’s the temperature range likely to be? Can you pack for extremes? I use a lot of merino layers, which are waterproof and stinkproof, and I always choose the warmer option when considering my sleeping bag.

 

Be ready for any radical temperature changes

 

Lastly, stress is going to significantly affect your body. Things like hiccups along the way, severe weather events, group dynamics, poor planning, a pack that’s too heavy, not eating properly or being dehydrated, unreliable mates, and a negative mindset can really affect your health.

For me, that means spending the money on good quality, ultralight hiking gear so I’m comfortable. My hammock is my favourite shelter when I’m hiking. I ensure I get at least nine hours of sleep per night. I also try to pack and prepare a few weeks in advance to lessen my stress.

4. Consider the Weather and Conditions

This depends a lot on your experience level and what you’re up for, but some of the biggest things that have affected me on my trips have been serious weather events. Any healthy person knows that if you get wet and cold on a trip and don’t have appropriate gear, you’re kinda screwed. This is amplified when you have health conditions. What may be manageable for one person could be a complete deal breaker for another. Again, know yourself and what you can handle.

I check weather forecasts before I leave and understand what I’m in for. I also nerd out over terrain maps and itineraries so that I have a rough idea of what I can expect.

Read more: How To Read The Weather: Pro Tips to Predict Like an Expert

 

Nerd out on the track details

5. Schedule in Lots of Rest

This is something I greatly underestimated in my early years of hiking. And I know I might sound like your mum, but seriously, schedule rest days. Rest is your best ally out there. Rest prevents too much physical exertion and allows the body to catch up. It’s also a good way to check in with your body and your crew and make sensible decisions.

For me, that looks like hiking for the first half of the day and resting for the afternoon. I also schedule in a full day of rest after 4-7 days, depending on conditions.

 

Camping with wombats helps make rest days fun

6. Get Adaptive

Now that you know your unique triggers and challenges, it’s time to get adaptive! How can you make this adventure safer and more enjoyable for you? If you’re hiking, do you need hiking poles or mobility aids? If you’re climbing, do you need to factor in longer rest periods and more snacking? If you’re road tripping or camping, do you have enough healthy snacks (also chocolate!)?

For me, that means acknowledging I need to go slower than the average walker and scheduling my trips accordingly. I try not to push myself too hard, and have multiple backup plans. I can no longer carry heavy packs, so I choose my adventures based on what I can do lightweight.

7. Have Fun and Reap the Benefits

Don’t forget to have fun and relax! Chronic disease is serious, but it can help to not take it too seriously so you can actually relax while you’re out there.

 

Take it all in!

 

That’s the whole point, isn’t it? The positive effects of nature on illness are very well documented. So, once you’ve taken the time to plan and prepare everything, get out of your head and into your body and enjoy the ride. Feel the joy of moving your body with nature supporting and backing you – you’re amazing.

More Legends Taking on the Outdoors Despite All Odds

At We Are Explorers we take great pride in presenting content that is fact checked, well-researched, and based on both real world experience and reliable sources. As a B-Corp we uphold high ethical standards and strive to create content that is inclusive, with an an increased focus on underserved communities, Indigenous Australians, and threats to our environment. You can read all about it in our Editorial Standards.