~Take My Breath Away!~
You've already know about AA, AAA, ABC, ADT and so on. If you're
going to the mountains, you might want to add AMS. It stands for
Acute Mountain Sickness or more commonly, Altitude Sickness.You
say, why are you bringing up sickness when I'm going on the trip
of a lifetime - isn't that just bad karma? Think of it as a
vaccination - sort of like a trip into the Amazon jungles. You
wouldn't think of going there without, say... thirty or more
shots, would you? So if you're going to the high altitudes, why
not prevent sickness!
~What Causes Altitude Sickness?~
Mountain scenes are indeed breathtaking. As you reach higher
altitudes, barometric pressure decreases so every breath you
take contains fewer molecules of oxygen causing you to take more
breaths to get the oxygen you need. Of course this happens when
you exert yourself walking up any hill, but at low altitudes,
the shortness of breath usually resolves itself soon after you
rest. Not so in a high altitude.
As the amount of oxygen in your lungs decreases, the blood
becomes less and less efficient at acquiring and transporting
oxygen, so no matter how many breaths you take, you are unlikely
to attain a normal blood level of oxygen. It takes your brain a
few days to figure out it has to breathe more. Although everyone
reacts differently, anybody can get AMS, even those who are
physically fit, with lots of high altitude experience, young or
old, male or female.
~The Easiest Way to Prevent Altitude Sickness~
The most common reason for getting AMS is directly related to
how quickly you ascend, so if you plan to go high, your best
guarantee is to go slow. If that's not possible, at least know
the symptoms and what to do, and you should be able to feel
better quickly and avoid the severe, life-threatening forms.
Drink lots of liquids, exercise moderately, eat small meals high
in carbohydrates and low in fat and take a few herbs.
Other important steps to take include avoiding alcohol, sleeping
pills and narcotic pain medications in more than modest doses.
~Medical Definitions of Altitude~
High Altitude: 5000 - 11500 ft
Very High Altitude: 11500 - 18000 ft
Extreme Altitude: Above 18,000 ft.
~Signals that your brain hasn't caught on yet that you're not at
sea level~
Nausea
Dizziness
Insomnia
Headaches
Bloody nose
Fatigue or weakness
Loss of appetite
Confusion
Staggering
~How to decrease the effects of AMS~
Ascend slowly and let yourself acclimate to each altitude. Drink
plenty of fluids - water and juice. Avoid alcohol. Minimize
caffeine intake. Decrease salt. Eat a low fat, high carbohydrate
diet. DESCEND! (But only if its really bad).
~What the Doctor Says~
According to Dr. Lynne Drakos, acupuncturist and doctor of
Oriental Medicine, a must for altitude adjustment is Siberian
Ginseng. She also suggests eating foods high in iron, including
molasses, green leafy vegetables, beets and red meat for the
moisturizing value they give the body.
We have found taking doses of antioxidants seems to help also.
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