7 ways to combat altitude sickness while holidaying in the mountains

Have you seen people pop in a pill before ascending a mountainous path or before getting up on a plane? This is because they start feeling uneasy or pukish because of the higher altitude the vehicle reaches. This phenomenon is called altitude sickness and here are seven ways to deal with it.

Experiencing altitude sickness? How to deal with it?

Seven ways to manage altitude sickness while travelling in the hills or the mountains.

Be well rested: One of the reasons that altitude sickness strikes is if the body is exhausted and very tired. Thus before making a journey to the hilly areas, make sure that you are well rested and not stressed. This helps in controlling the phenomenon.

Ascend gradually: When you are planning your vacations and have multiple spots in your itinerary, be sure that you ascend is gradual and there is ample resting time to acclimatise between two ascending points. Once you are above 2500 m it is ideal that the ascend rate does not go beyond 300-500 m per day. If you are a climber then make a halt for 2-3 days between high climbing.

Medicine: You can always consult a doctor and keep a preventive medicine handy. This has to be taken before you start your ascend.

Hydrate the body: If you are ascending the mountainous path, then avoid alcohol and caffeine- for the body and for the danger of the winding roads, both. Moreover, drink a lot of water so that your urine should be light coloured but don’t over-do it because you might not always find public toilets to relieve yourself.

Eat light: Before embarking on a mountainous journey, eat well and eat a carbohydrate –heavy meal. The oxygen is used better with carbohydrates in the body. Avoid spicy, chilly, heavy and greasy food as that may aggravate altitude sickness.

Check for symptoms: If you are experiencing symptoms like headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, ascend should be stopped and your body should go on rest mode. If you notice that symptoms still persist or start getting worse, then descend.

Be prepared for emergency:  While travelling in the mountains, always keep health providers contacts handy, for any kind of emergency. If you are experiencing shortness of breath, cough, disorientation, then immediately descend and visit the nearest health clinic for emergency check up. Altitude sickness can cause fluid retention in lungs or brain swelling, both of which are dangerous for the human body, and must be stopped well in time.

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