Your Health Checklist for Trekking In Nepal
Trekking In Nepal can catch you off guard health wise. Keep our Health Check List handy before you go Trekking In Nepal.
Trekking In Nepal could be your long cherished dream. However, as daunting as the Himalayan terrain is, it can also throw extreme health challenges at you. You have to adapt to the changing time zones, weather, food and overall atmosphere. You spirits may be high but the body may not be up to embracing the challenge. Trekking In Nepal should be a lifetime experience and not marred by bugs and parasites having a free reign in your body. Be informed of the different health problems you can face while Trekking In Nepal and keep your guards up.
Health Checklist for Trekking In Nepal
Travel Sickness:
If you are travelling from a far off destination like America, you would have a very long flight and transit time. With time zones being flipped over and taking off after tending to thousands of last minute chores, your body may be exceptionally tired. Do not set off Trekking In Nepal the next day to when you arrive at Kathmandu. Take a couple of days off and get acclimatized. Rest and get prepared for the upcoming trek.
Drinking Water:
This is one of the biggest problems for a non seasoned traveler in Asia. Purified and non contaminated drinking water is hard to find when Trekking In Nepal. Do not drink mountain spring water without any treatment. Your trekking company will provide boiled or pasteurized water. Otherwise carry your own water filter or iodine tablets.
Common digestive diseases on the Trek:
Water borne diseases are the most common digestive ailments you will experience when Trekking In Nepal.
Diarrhea is one common ailment while Trekking In Nepal. It could be caused by lack of hygiene. Make sure to sanitize your hands well before eating anything. It can be self treated successfully. However, if you have a pre existing digestive condition, be careful about self treatment. Go easy on your meals and drink lots of water.
Giardia is water borne parasitic infection, extremely common while Trekking In Nepal. It takes about a week or two to develop and is characterized by stomach cramps, bloating, and bouts of watery stools with lack of appetite. Make sure to carry antibiotics like Metronidazole or Tinidazole as a precaution against Giardia infection. Drink lots of water to avoid dehydration.
Amoebic Dysentery is another digestive disease that is caused by microorganisms known as amoeba. It takes time to develop but it can make a person extremely weak. Maintain proper hygiene and be careful about the water you drink and the food you eat while Trekking In Nepal.
Travelers Diarrhea is very common when travelling through the Asian sub continent. It is caused by bacterial strains that attack the alimentary tract. Chills, nausea, cramps and watery stools are the common symptoms. This too needs treatment with antibiotics especially Norfloxacin.
Food Poisoning is caused by contaminated food and usually garners a very severe reaction from the body. Vomiting and diarrhea are the classic symptoms. There are no medications that can help and you have to wait until the body bounces back to normal. Go easy on food and drink lots of water to avoid dehydration.
Altitude Sickness:
It is extremely common to have altitude sickness as you scale up the heights while Trekking In Nepal. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is a form of altitude sickness that develops above 2000 meters. The symptoms could be fatigue, breathlessness, loss of appetite, headaches, drop in blood pressure etc. The key to avoiding this situation while Trekking In Nepal is to let the body acclimatize with the changes slowly and gradually. Diamox or Acetazolamide is the most effective medication against altitude sickness. Do not forget to carry it along while Trekking In Nepal.
