There’s plenty that can prevent you from reaching that big, bad-ass mountain when trekking to Everest Base Camp (EBC) – days on foot, weather, altitude – the list is endless. However, one of the most prevalent and least recognized is stomach troubles. Regardless of whether the trigger is food, water, elevation, or a shift in schedule, difficulties can surface that might debilitate you quickly. Knowing how to avoid and cope with these troubles can affect your desire to both shorten your journey or revel in a first-rate time.
That will help you stay wholesome and energized at some point in your mountain adventure. Right here are some easy suggestions and recommendations for coping with gastrointestinal issues at the same time as the high Himalayas.
Stay Hydrated, but Filter Your Water Bottle
Hikers at excessive elevations can be afflicted by complications, exhaustion, and belly aches because of dehydration. Butt, ingesting tainted water could in all likelihood bring about a greater severe gastrointestinal trouble, which includes food poisoning or diarrhea. You’re going to do a lot of hiking on the Everest Base Camp Trek package, so drink that fluid, but think about what water to drink.
Bottled or Pure Water: If clean bottled water is available, then drink that where available and invest in water purifiers (like the LifeStraw or SteriPen) to purify your drinking water. You also get boiled water from this Teahouse elsewhere.
No Ice in Your Drink. You’re probably going to be tempted to slide a couple of ice cubes into your drinks, but keep in mind, this ice is made with tap water and is usually not clean.
Seasoned tip: Take a tumbler, reusable, or aluminum-style water bottle with you wherever you go; that way, it’s an addiction to fill it up with purified or boiled water whenever you can.
Be Cautious with Local Cuisine
The most fun part approximately hiking to Everest Base Camp is the hazard to try actual neighborhood Nepali meals; however, foreign dishes could make you unwell. Even as the meals at the EBC trekking are usually simple and smooth to digest, it’s critical not to let your defenses down.
Begin incorporating spicy or rich foods slowly: if you’re no longer familiar with spicy cuisine, it’s smart to begin with a small portion and regularly increase it. Eating spicy foods can lead to stomach soreness in case you’re not aware of them.
Cooked food Precolate on Cooking & Uncookedness: Cooked, Uncookedness in food. The real culprit is more likely to be raw vegetables and salads. Dishes such as dal bhat, momos, and porridge will also be healthy, satisfying, and stomach-approved.
Lose Dairy: Do not eat something that contains milk if you’re lactose intolerant. And in some Himalayan areas, dairy isn’t processed in the same manner as it is in the West, causing digestive problems.
Take Snacks From Home (And Eat Wisely)
Food at the teahouses on the EBC trail is fairly safe, but a little bit dull, and your body will be asking for a little bit of kicks or high-calorie finger food. Granola bars, trail mix, or dried fruit might be good options for keeping that energy level up. Just try not to overdo it on the sweet or high-fat snacks — if fatty or sugary foods generally tend to make you feel sick to your stomach, these treats can send your digestive system into overdrive trying to break down all that sugar and fat.
Pro tip: Bring some chill food to eat that won’t make your stomach lurch, say, crackers or peanut butter or straightforward protein bars (not too much sugar in ‘em! And/or fat.) You’d rather eat light and not have your stomach do the heave.
Pro tip: Bring electrolyte tablets or powder you can add to your water. They also bust their butts to keep electrolyte balance — extremely important at high altitudes.
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Advice: Steer clear of beans and fizzy drinks on account that they might cause pain and bloating.
Advice: To keep away from any issues, pick out lighter meals like rice, dal, and vegetables.
Build a Diarrhea and Stomach Bugs Toiletry Kit
One of the most frequent stomach problems for trekkers is diarrhoea. These could be unclean drinking water, unfamiliar foods s or an unfamiliar diet in general. Traveler’s diarrhea is usually self-limited, but it can’t hurt to — oh, never mind, you get the picture; just have the appropriate meds and get-well tools along to help you weather it out until shit returns to normal.
Convey Anti-Diarrhea medication: Some, like loperamide (Imodium), are used to treat diarrhea. Having such medications at hand on the day should help manage those symptoms while continuing your drive to your Final Everest Base Camp.
Drink, Rest: If you’re also getting diarrhea, a person should be sure to stay well-hydrated. It may lead to dehydration that can exacerbate other maladies of the high altitude. Consume purified water enriched with electrolytes and take a damage if wished.
Inspiration: deliver alongside some oral rehydration salts (ORS) in the event of diarrhea to assist in replenishing fluids and electrolytes.
Avoid Altitude-Induced Digestive Issues
Higher up, you could be surprised by a performance difference in your GI system — partly, Chu says, because the upward grind is simply more physically demanding as your body resists the low-oxygen environment. That could make you lose your appetite but feel nauseous or suffer from slow digestion.
Hint: Pass up full, heavy meals for more frequent, smaller ones. It’d put off the flavor of vomited meals out of your mouth, potentially easing emotions of fullness or nausea.
Tip: If you are feeling nauseous or lack an appetite, steer clear of greasy, heavy meals. Rice or bread may be less difficult for your stomach.
Pack Probiotics for Gut Health
Probiotics can aid in the health of your immune and digestive systems, maintaining the balance of good to bad bacteria while taking a trip, a key when your body is presented with new foods, a change in diet.
Tip: Take a probiotic supplement, or eat fermented food such as yogurt (if you are able to eat it without experiencing an upset stomach) to balance your digestive system.
When to Get Medical Help
If symptoms like that persist, or get worse — read high fever, vomiting, or blood in your stool — call your doctor. Trekking agencies usually employ a guide with rudimentary medical knowledge or at least a porter who can give some first aid, and teahouses will take your emergency contact number for the village doctor or hospital.
Tip: Do not be shy about telling your guide that you’re not feeling well, especially if symptoms last for more than a day or get worse. Other stomach problems associated with altitude are just made worse by dehydration or being tired, in which case, stay in touch, end of story.
Conclusion: Taking Care of the Stomach on the EBC Trek
Nothing can ruin that flawless Everest Base Camp trek more than diarrhoea, though some pre-emptive work, what’s good and what’s bad, will go a long way to keeping your stomach content. That said, staying hydrated, knowing what you’re putting in your body, bringing the correct meds when you’re out in the woods — and listening to what your body tells you when you’re higher up — are some keys to keeping the peace on the health front while you’re on the trail.
And because an ounce of prevention is worth two in the pain (as well as several other clichés of advice-giving), the wisdom below can assist you in keeping your liver baby from both sticking and keeping your mind from concentrating on the amazing journey ahead of you. There is so much more to the Everest Base Camp trek than the “Base Camp” – it’s an experience to be savored, each step of the way, and a healthy body is required to take full advantage of all of it.
