Essential health tips while exploring Nepal

The enchanted nation of Nepal is admired for its immense natural beauty that comprises of alluring landscapes, abundant wildlife, prepossessing trekking trails, and the majestic Himalayas with amazing snow-capped peaks.  Furthermore, Nepal is also culturally rich. The well-renowned land of Buddha and brave Gorkhalis is overfilled with diverse traditions and heritage that is still untouched by the outside influence. The temples, monasteries, and other ancient constructions such as Durbar squares are the exemplary architectural feat achieved by ancient builders and architects that flaunts classic fine arts in its every corner.  These time-honoured structures are profoundly admired by tourists that bear historical and religious significance.

The charm of this Himalayan nation is awe-inspiring and irresistible; yet, don’t allow your health double-cross you when you are ready in all the respects to rejoice in the beauty of this astounding sovereign state. Nepal, a developing country in South Asia lacks proper sanitation and health awareness. In today’s blog, I gonna suggest some word of advice regarding your well-being while exploring/trekking in Nepal as there is a conventional English proverb, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS):

If you have never traverse altitude of 3,000m or above then you might observe few general symptoms such as difficulty in breathing due to thin air and deficiency of oxygen. Improper acclimatization can be one of the reasons. Early diagnosis and simple techniques can prevent AMS. Drinking sufficient water as it helps to circulate oxygen in the body, gentle ascend with proper acclimatization to adapt in higher altitudes, dressing properly and sufficiently to avoid hypothermia, moving down to lower elevations quickly if symptoms arose and seeking medical attention if case worsens are the best way to prevent AMS. Similarly, before reaching higher altitudes, acetazolamide tablets may be administered with a medical prescription to avoid AMS.

Food and Water-borne diseases:

Lack of sufficient sanitary conditions, poor food hygiene and the nature of Nepalese foods (excessive spicy and oily) are unfamiliar to foreigners especially the westerners can land them with various gastrointestinal illnesses such as food poisoning, diarrhoea, etc. Therefore, avoid street foods, food with an excess of oil and spices and uncooked food items. Avoid eating salads comprising raw fruits and vegetables as they contain a high level of insecticides and pesticides used during their farming. Additionally, say no to street vendors and local restaurants as few of them use artificial colouring and flavouring agents that are considered unfit for human consumption.

As you toil, plenty of sweat is excreted out from the body; therefore pure drinking water is essential to remain healthy during exploration and trekking in Nepal. But contaminated water is a major problem in Nepal. Underground water in the Terai regions contains a high level of arsenic and other heavy metal that can make a person seriously unwell. Similarly, as laboratory tests had confirmed; tap and bottled water in Kathmandu and various part of the country contains harmful pathogens, some even contaminated with sewage. Thus, try to avoid tap and bottled water while travelling in Nepal. If you have to; then, purify it properly with water purification kit. Always carry a portable water purification kit with you so that you can quench your thirst with pure drinking water!!

Masks and Immunization:

As mentioned earlier, Nepal is a developing country. Numerous projects including the expansion of city roads, new buildings are under construction. This construction alongside multiple unpaved roads and countless vehicles (motorcycles, buses and trucks) release a large amount of dust and carbon particles into the atmosphere. These harmful particles can make you sick, causing various breathing and lungs problems. Therefore, it is highly recommended to use an appropriate mask to breathe uncontaminated and filtered air that helps you remain physically fit during your exploration of the country.

Moreover, while visiting different places in Nepal, it is not compulsory but highly recommended to get immunize against various diseases. Immunization remarkably minimizes the risk of receiving few diseases that may affect you till your lifetime. With modest cost and slight pain, you can provide a boost to your immune system so that your body is up-to-date to fight against awful or probably lethal diseases. For access to detailed information regarding immunization, its types, and significances; you must consult your doctor!! Put more trust in your doctor, less on the internet concerning your health and fitness.