Health

See “travel tips” on main page…..

Healthy Travels to Peru

Tidbits to help you on your way….

ALTITUDE SICKNESS

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

fatigue, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, increase in HR, swelling (edema) in hands and feet, headache, ataxia

FOOD POISONING

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sudden onset-usually within 2-3 hours and up to 48 hours

TREATMENT/REMEDY

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR:

PREVENTION!

Hydrate- drink H20, not wine

Mate de coca-peruvian tea

Analgesics for headache

Prophylactic medicine including

Echinacea

Acetazolamide (Diamox)-need an RX

Get to lower altitude!

TIME!

Small sips to stay hydrated. Mint or ginger tea woks well, avoid caffeine, alcohol, and high sugar beverages

Rest is best. Medicine that can help:

Tums, and Pepto Bismol to calm  n/v and Imodium for diarrhea

Let the bacteria/virus/parasite run its course in your body

HACE/HAPE- High Altitude

Cerebral/Pulmonary Edema

Swelling of brain or fluid in the lungs

Shortness of breath at rest, persistent cough, ataxia, increased vomiting and finally loss of consciousness

Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea that last MORE than 2 days, fever associated with abdominal pain, yellowing of sclera of eyes, no urine output for over 8 hours

THINGS YOU DON’T USE EVERYDAY BUT MAY COME IN HANDY

Tea (green/mint/ginger)

Hand sanitizer/baby wipes

Zinc (Cold-eze or zycam)

Tums, Pepto, Imodium (for the gut)

Neosporin, bandaids

Acetaminophen/Ibuprofen

Hydrocotisone cream

Benadryl

RX medicine you take at home (list of home meds incase of emergency)

Eye drops

Nyquil/Dayquil

Cough drops

Websites to guide you on the state of Health in Peru

http://www.who.int/countries/per/en/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru

http://www.rain-tree.com/article4.htm

IF you have allergies to medicines or shellfish put this in your passport, or let it be know to your group.

General Health Practices- Simple BUT effective!

1.Wash your hands before every meal!

2.Drink bottled water

3.Get enough sleep

4.Limit alcohol

5.Don’t share cosmetics, drinking receptacles and take precautions when someone near you is sick

6.If possible, allow for “down time”. Relax, meditate, yoga, exercise!