According to CNN.com, experts from NASA have traveled to Copiapo, Chile to offer techniques to help the group of trapped miners — trapped for just over a month now, with unknown months to go — stay healthy and sane until they can be rescued. In addition to setting and sticking to structured routines with tasks as they would if working above ground, the space flight experts also focused on food:
In a briefing after its arrival last week, the team said creating a strict organizational structure for the miners’ daily lives would be important. [Dr.Michael Duncan, the deputy chief medical officer at Johnson Space Center] also noted that healthy eating would be key to helping the miners survive.
That means increasing the amount of calories the men are taking in, he said, and giving them food that tastes good.
“Part of nutrition also is making it a certain variety so it maintains their interest. All of us in this room can appreciate the value of good food,” he said.
Maybe once the Spanish version of Planet Waves gets off the ground, we can find a way to add some astrological ‘soul food’ to the miners’ diets. In any case, it’s good to know the space program’s body of knowledge is capable of making a humanitarian landing here on Earth.
Thanks for posting about this. I believe the NASA folks also advised that the rescuers be honest with the miners about the length of time it will likely take to get them out.
I was glad to read that as it struck me as not a good idea to pretend in the interests of “kindness” — though I’m sure that the idea to do so was very well meant! (It was reported that this was being “kept secret” from the miners in hopes of helping them avoid despair……..)
another l’il example of the temptations of deceit.
I do hope the trapped miners remain firmly in the public eye and mind. Rich territory for reflection for those so inclined, but also IMO the actual remembrance is a living connection between the physical underworld they are trapped in, and the surface world of shared life.
God bless them.