Lesson 18 — Activity 1: Basic Needs

Every person on earth has needs that must be met to maintain life. There are items needed by our bodies as well as our surrounding environment that require us to search out some of these basic needs. Think about all the necessities that you need to maintain life.

In extreme conditions, a human can survive three minutes without air, three hours without shelter, three days without water, and three weeks without food. Our bodies are incredible machines capable of much more than we give them credit for. But just like any machine, it needs to be taken care of. There are four basic needs that our bodies require to survive.

Humans' basic needs are air, food, water, and shelter/clothing. As you can see, our basic needs are things that we have to have in order to survive. If you didn't have air, food, or water, your body would shut down. And if you didn't have shelter or clothing, you wouldn't be able to survive the elements, especially living in Canada. Unfortunately, there are people living in Canada who do not have access to these basic needs, including having a warm place to live.

There are also people living in other countries around the world who do not have access to these basic needs. These basic needs can also look very different in other countries. For example, our idea of what basic shelter should look like (e.g., an apartment or house) may look very different if you lived in another country. You will learn about the basic needs in other countries in the next lesson.

Let's take a look at the different basic needs that we have in order to survive — air, water, food, and shelter/clothing.

Air

Oxygen is one of the most essential human needs. Our bodies need a consistent supply of it to function properly. Without access to oxygen, you can experience a condition known as cerebral hypoxia, which affects the brain. As little as 5 minutes without air can result in brain damage, and after 15 minutes, the brain damage can be so severe that most people will not recover. This is the body’s greatest need.

Water

Apart from air, water is the most essential element to life. Our bodies are made up of 70% water, and as we live, we deplete our body’s resources, which is why it is so important to stay hydrated.

Food

The body can survive quite a while without food. At first, it uses up energy found in its fat and glycogen reserves. Once the fat reserves are used up, the body will begin breaking down the muscles into proteins for energy. Muscles break down quickly, within one week. Once this process has completed, the body has no more internal energy sources to draw from and dies.

Shelter/Clothing

A shelter, which could include appropriate clothing, has the purpose of protecting you from the elements, which keeps your body at a consistent temperature. The biggest concern with being exposed to the elements is water loss. Cold temperatures and wind can strip away valuable moisture just as quickly as high temperatures can cause sweat-related loss. When we are unable to maintain a constant temperature, we run the risk of hypothermia or heat stroke. With hypothermia, the body loses the ability to control internal temperatures. With heat stroke, the central nervous system starts to break down and the brain overheats and dies.

Self-check!

Digging Deeper!