How to adapt and beat altitude sickness.
Well altitude sickness is very common at these high altitudes, doesn’t mean that you will be really bad, you can acclimatize little by little and the best way to avoid altitude sickness, it’s drinking water and of course drinking coca tea, you will be fine, just take it easy about. Most of the people don’t feel well, but it is only few hours. We just recommend you a lot water and take some pills like Diamox .You know CUSCO city is located a high altitude 3400m or 11000ft, and you try to walk around a little bit.
Follow this recommendation. You can prevent or diminish altitude sickness -which typically occurs above 8000 feet- if you follow this advice:
Rest Up. Get at least two 8 hours nights of sleep, and make sure you are well hydrated before you start; you can also acclimatize by spending 3 days at high altitude.
Don’t walk fast, climb slower than your normal walking pace. If you need to rest after ascending only 20 yards, you are flirting with exhaustion and need to dial it back.
Dig deeper. When your legs turn to stone or you feel nauseous, we suggest pressure breathing: ‘Take a deep breaths, then force air out through pursed lips like you’re blowing out a candle. Do this 3 to 4 times a minute; vigorous respiration pushes more oxygen from the lungs into the bloodstream.
Hit the bottle. Some studies show that the herbal remedy COCA tea (inca leaf tea) helps increase red blood cells (drink a lot)
Take Some drugs that contain acetazolamide (such as Diamox) can prevent or alleviate some forms of altitude sickness, but be aware of side effects such as numbness and frequent urination. See a doctor for prescription and dosage information.
Treat early Altitude sickness typically starts with nausea, lethargy, headache, irritability and/or loss of appetite. We suggest immediate action: slow your pace, hydrate, practice pressure breathing – or just take a rest. If your condition doesn’t improve, there’s one simple, sure-fire solution – DESCEND.
Facts and advice:
What is meant by high altitude? Some “formal” medical definitions:
- High Altitude: 1500 – 3500 m (5000 – 11500 ft)
- Very High Altitude: 3500 – 5500 m (11500 – 18000 ft)
- Extreme Altitude: above 5500 m
Practically speaking, however, we generally don’t worry much about elevations below 2500 m (8000 ft) since altitude illness rarely occurs lower than this. Acclimatization is the process of the body adjusting to the decreasing availability of oxygen – by increasing the amount of red bloods cells. It is a slow process, taking place over a period of days or even weeks.
