For poison oak, clean off the area with soap and water to remove the oil. You can even inhale the oil, so bathe immediately, says Dr. Pike. “The best thing is prevention, so learn what poison oak looks like, and wear clothing to cover the skin. If you do develop a rash, use topical over-thecounter creams. Severe cases should be seen by a physician.” Dr. Jeffrey Pellegrino of the American Red Cross adds that people should take care of any discomforts as soon as possible. Once, while hiking with a group, Pellegrino says, a woman neglected to say anything about the chafing on her inner thigh because she didn’t want to slow anyone down. That was a mistake. “A little powder or even some deodorant applied to the area might have reduced her misery. She wasn’t able to walk for two days,” Pellegrino says. EAT SMAR T When Dr. Sachie Oshima and her husband ventured to Peru, their guide brought them to a village where the family made its own fermented “chicha” beverage. They offered the drink to both of them. She refused, but he wanted to be polite. “I saw the dirt floor and the big bins of the drink, and I thought I heard that there was human saliva in it. I knew I wasn’t going to drink it, but he did. And he did not do well after that. He was sick for quite a few days.” Once, in the Philippines, travel agent Lin Low went to a karaoke bar and snacked 74 South Bay Accent go to the highest point to see the ancient burial sites instead of gradually going from sea level to 5,000 feet, and then to 8,000 feet and eventually to 14,000 feet. “I did not feel well. I felt like my head was about to explode. There was a buzzing in my ears that was not good. My husband was talking to me, and I could not hear him. I took my altitude medicine, and that did not even help.” When facing extreme elevations, do so gradually, experts warn. If you feel lightheaded, get extra oxygen. Ideally, you should scale down from that altitude. After all, your lungs are working double time to inhale the air your body needs. Perez of United Air Ambulance explains that the higher you go, the less oxygen becomes available. Brain function can be affected. Most healthy people can handle altitudes of 10,000 feet. Above that, people will experience increased heart rate, severe headaches and dizziness. “The best way to deal with this is to drink water and avoid alcohol. Eat complex carbs. You will need the fuel.” And while it seems romantic to wander solo in a jungle, play it safe by hiring a responsible guide. Note that wandering into caves and tunnels may also prove to be a dicey proposition. “In caves, there are ammonia, nitrates and atmospheric levels not good for you,” Perez says. “You have to get to know your local tour guides. They are good sources who can warn you about hazards.” on the hot appetizers only to find out as she passed by the kitchen that flies were landing all over the ingredients. The next day as she boarded the plane to go home, she became sick with chills and a fever. “I thought I was going to die,” she says about the pain. On the flight home, she reclined across the entire row with a hot water bottle on her stomach. As they learned, stomach upsets and food poisoning can ruin a trip, and you must exercise self-control. Dr. Oshima’s rule? “Cook it, boil it, peel it or forget it!” Even when you order bottled water at a restaurant, make sure the seal has not been broken. She has witnessed workers refill water bottles with tap water and serve it to customers. Oshima, who travels internationally, is fastidious regarding everything that she eats and drinks. When encountering a new culture, many people overestimate what their bodies can handle. Oshima would be first to warn travelers that if you don’t feel comfortable trying something, do not succumb to peer pressure. Contaminated food can be disguised, and the key is to be aware and cautious. In particular, avoid food-cart vendors since they prepare dishes with the local water source, which can be impure, says Pike. Oh yes, and keep your diarrhea meds on you, not in the hotel room. Aside from diarrhea, other maladies occur when visitors ascend to extreme altitudes. When Oshima embarked on her Peru adventure, she chose to immediately Don’t mix alcohol with medications. This can cause sickness and other potentially dangerous reactions, physicians warn. Also, drinking too much alcohol is a recipe for disaster.
South Bay Accent - Jun/Jul 2016
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