Staying Healthy on Everest

[wayno]

It is dangerous to use absolute words to describe a situation but I think it is appropriate in the next sentence. Everyone always get sick when climbing Everest. There, I said it.

I know guides and those taking your money will say is not true and how they have their cooks prepare every meal, even in the teahouses. That they double boil the water, have hand washing stations outside the toilet tent and dining tent, and on and on. So with all that, why is it on every expedition I have ever been on (30+) I have gotten sick, except for one?

Well, I think it comes down to this. In spite of everyone’s best efforts, climbers live in close proximity sharing almost everything in a foreign environment that exposes their body to new bugs. So, if you accept my premise, what can you do? But wait, it is not only getting physically sick, there is a mental game going on as well. Great, why do we climb again?

I am using Everest as the example here but my thoughts apply to any long expedition from Aconcagua, Denali to Kilimanjaro.

http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2013/11 ... y-everest/