High altitude affects some people more than others. Headaches, nausea and tiredness are common in people who first arrive at heights over 2500 metres. I’ve been fortunate that I haven’t really suffered from altitude sickness, however as a diabetic I’ve noticed the altitude significantly.
Cusco, Peru sits a height of 3,400 metres (11,000 feet) above sea level. I went by bus to Cusco from Arequipa (2,400 meters) with Peru Hop and whilst on board we were told that due to our fast ascent of over 1,000 metres in 3 hours everyone on board would likely feel the altitude effects. Whilst I was lucky to only notice a slight headache, other passengers suffered a lot more with severe headaches and nausea.
This is when a miracle high altitude cure came to our attention. One of the Peru Hop staff had a bottle of Agua de Florida. A natural flower oil that can be purchased almost everywhere in Peru for just 4 soles, it’s an effective treatment for altitude sickness. By simply putting a few drops onto your hands, rubbing them together, smelling the oil and then massaging into your face and neck after a few of minutes headaches and nausea are significantly reduced.
I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it for myself, but Agua de Florida really was amazing.
Once we arrived in Cusco, we learned that at high altitude the body has to work much harder due to the lack of oxygen. We were told the best way to adjust to high altitude was to not drink alcohol that evening and to go out and walk the next day, drinking plenty of water, trying some coca leaves and eating a lot of good food.
After a day of living at altitude the diabetic in me started to freak out.
Since my body has to use so much energy to survive so high above sea level I’ve found to keep my sugar levels up I’m eating constantly. Basic actions of breathing and walking take so much more effort and everyone needs to eat lot more than usual to sustain themselves. I normally don’t eat that much, however living in these cities in the sky I’ve found I’m constantly consuming calories.
It’s been difficult to keep my sugar levels up. Currently I’m in La Paz, Bolivia (4,000 metres) the highest capital city in the world and today I’ve eaten more food than I usually would in two. My body is craving energy. As I sit here writing this blog I’m snacking on candies and crackers, after having already eaten three full meals and it’s only 5pm!
I’m aware that some of this difficulty in keeping my sugar levels up is due to my vegan diet, but that’s a challenge I’ve been dealing with successfully since my decision to live a vegan life.
There is one thing however that does challenge my vegan diet and that’s honey. Candies and lollies can be difficult to find in South America and they are nothing but artificial colors and flavors anyway. So since switching to a vegan lifestyle I’ve started carrying a bottle of honey everywhere. I’ve found it very effective in bringing my sugar levels up quickly, and whilst it may look odd when I pull the bottle out of my bag and drink from it whilst in public, it’s a natural product that treats my diabetes well.
Honey is a product that seems to straddle the vegetarian/vegan line. Whilst made by animals, it’s not something that comes from animals directly (like milk or meat) and I’ve found that as part of my diabetic/vegan life it’s a product that’s available almost everywhere and now I can’t live without it.
So I have another week or so of living at high altitude. I’ll continue to enjoy eating everything I can possibly find, drinking litres and litres of water, consuming sugar whenever possible and exploring these amazing destinations in the sky.
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