| The amount of people living and working at higher | | | | our bodies be affected? |
| altitude has increased thanks to the advances we've | | | | Research was done on a group of climbers who had |
| made in technology with new rail, road and air | | | | traveled to Everest and after a year, it was found |
| systems we've been easily able to commute to | | | | that 13 out of the 16 couldn't tap their fingers as fast |
| higher climates but how is this going to affect us | | | | as they could before the climb, these finding wasn't |
| especially our health? | | | | just limited to this group other studies even on elite |
| Its been estimated that in the west of the U.S alone | | | | climbers found the they also suffered this condition |
| up to 30 million people either travel or live at heights | | | | for between 2-10 months after climbing in high |
| over 5000 feet. But can we function as well up there | | | | altitude. |
| as we can at sea levels. We all know that the body | | | | You may be thinking, "Well that's climbers that got |
| requires oxygen to function, normal air contains about | | | | nothing to do with me" but even at 12,000 ft your |
| 2o% oxygen but as we increase in altitude the levels | | | | body's oxygen level could be so low that if your |
| of oxygen lowers in proportion and we find that our | | | | body was like this at sea level you would be entitled |
| lungs have to work harder to take in the same | | | | to medical care. |
| amount. The problems from lack of oxygen or | | | | So..what does mean to you? Should you pack your |
| altitude sickness can range from blackouts to | | | | oxygen tank for that skiing weekend break? |
| extreme conditions of seizures and coma. The body | | | | Probably not. But don't expect your body to perform |
| does adapt to the changes over time by increasing | | | | as well as it does at sea level! |
| the amount of red cell production but how else can | | | | |