Eating the Right Food the Right Way

For trekking that lasts for more than a day, food should be a basic part of your bag list. However, unlike food taken by other athletes, the manner of eating and the types of food that can be eaten are limited in order to keep your body in tiptop shape during the trip.

Mountain sickness caused by high altitude may pose a threat in the digestive processes of the body. Although this sickness may not be evident to some, eating the right food the right way would prevent any mishaps that could lead you to unpleasant results.

These are some tips you must bear in mind before and during the trekking:

Before the climb, eat a light breakfast. Of course, you wouldn’t want to be throwing up at the beginning of your hike, right? Nor you would want to be feeling all bloated, heavy, and sleepy during the hike? Continue the type of breakfast you have in your diet plan or if it’s quite the heavy kind, just cut back on the amount.

During the hike, choose drinking over eating. Hydration is key for the body to keep up with the conditions presented by the environment. Choose hot chocolate over coffee and herbal teas over black tea for the latter tends to dehydrate the body faster.

Prefer freeze-dried foods over beans and other canned foods. Considering that other types of food are harder and longer to cook, these freeze-dried ones are easier to prepare. However, this type drains larger amounts of water in order to be completely digested. In the situation where the body needs as much oxygen and hydration as it can manage to intake, it is preferable to keep off from things that would take away a large chunk of the body’s water.

Reduce the fat intake from foods before and during the hike. The fat present even in freeze-dried foods require more oxygen in order to burn. More than anything, the oxygen is the most important element in surviving the whole trip. Staggered breathing due to insufficient oxygen intake may cause other complications to the coordination of the body.

Eat a lot of carbohydrates. Cutting back on the fat intake may be good but the body still needs something to burn for energy. Increasing carbohydrate intake would make you last the day longer. Typical ratio of carbohydrates to fat to protein is 4:1:1.

The diet for the pre-climb is different from the diet that should be undergone during the climb. You must know the difference between the two and adjust them according to your body type and needs. Be sure to consult your physician about this to ensure a safe and healthy transition from one diet to another.