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Disclaimer
©TIE
2004-07
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Health
Outdoor activities entail
risks and dangers. Protect yourself!
Switzerland does not have a national
health service. All medical service is private and
must be paid for, so you should have adequate
health and casualty insurance.
For visitors
from the UK, the E111 form is accepted
in Switzerland, but you will have to pay
at
the time of treatment, and later claim
a refund when you return home.
Altitude Sickness
The most obvious danger to health is altitude
sickness. At 1800 meters/6000 feet, St
Moritz is more than a mile above sea level,
and the air has much less oxygen in it.
If your body is accustomed to life at or
near sea level (that is, if you are from
London, New York, Hamburg, Rome, Istanbul,
Tel Aviv, or any other city near the sea),
you do not have enough red blood
cells to carry sufficient oxygen
for any strenuous activities at 1800 meters/6000
feet.
If you walk
briskly, or climb a hill or stairs, you
may find yourself gasping for breath—that's
the altitude. If you are particularly sensitive
to it, you may suffer from altitude
sickness:
nausea, vomiting, dizziness, stress on the
heart. It can be serious, even fatal if not
treated, so you must be alert to it.
What to do? Your body will make more red
blood cells, but it may take as long as two
weeks for there to be a sufficient number.
Unless you're staying in St Moritz for longer
than that, this won't help. Here's what you
can do:
1. Pace yourself. Slow down when you walk,
particularly if climbing stairs or a slope.
2. Drink plenty of water. Dehydration
comes more quickly in the dry alpine air,
and exacerbates
the effects of the altitude. All tap water
is safe to drink in Switzerland.
3. Go easy on diuretic stimulants, especially
coffee, and on alcoholic beverages, which
also exacerbate the effects of the altitude.
4. Consider taking a Vitamin E supplement,
as Vitamin E is believed to be a powerful
antioxidant, increasing you body's ability
to absorb oxygen.
5. Favor antioxidant foods. If
you must have a stimulant, drink tea (especially
green tea) instead of coffee.
If you must have alcohol, drink red
wine in small quantities, with plenty
of water on the side.
Here's the good part: chocolate is
also believed to have antioxidant properties!
Frostbite
A danger in winter sports is frostbite. If
bare skin is exposed to temperatures
well below freezing, and/or to severe wind
chill, the flesh may freeze, then die.
The extremities (fingers and toes) are
most vulnerable to frostbite. Severe frostbite
may lead to amputation.
If your flesh, fingers or toes become numb,
and/or develop white spots, you must get
to a warm place immediately. Warm the affected
area gradually with cool towels or cool water, NOT
with hot water or hot compresses
(heat may cause the blood vessels to expand
too rapidly, and will cause pain and maybe
worse.)
Travel Details
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Maloja Pass, 1786 m/5955
feet
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