First of all, don't eat chocolate. It may be one of the four main food groups (it is for my wife, especially when I'm away on a trip), but it is a major trigger for classic migraine headaches. Around my house, it is actually antithetical to romance: "not tonight honey, I've got a headache, visual disturbances, and nausea". As far as day one headaches, you can't beat relaxed preparation and the concomitant time frame necessary in order to avoid last minute packing and stress that so often leads to tension headaches and the like on launch day. Lots of sleep the night before helps. If this sounds like your mother speaking, well, I've been called worse. Day one paddling in hot, sunny weather where no acclimatization has occurred can also have a bearing on first day health. I dose up on Vitamin "I" too, and take it with every meal. I also have "double duty" Bolle sun glasses with a tinted prescription inner lens under an outer polycarbonate outer lens (fairly surf-proof, and guaranteed to cut down glare and sun-infused headache manifestations). Also, don't try and knock back the mileage on the first day out. Other than that, avoid a lot of sugary foods and starchy type products, and restrict your level of caffeine intake on the drive to the put-in. Lastly, if you feel a headache coming on, lay down flat for a few minutes (beach, rest area off road, whatever). Going horizontal for a bit can negate further inconvenience. I've had more than my share of big bad headaches, seasickness, and stress induced injuries over the many years of supposedly getting away to enjoy myself. Those are my grains of wisdom. Doug Patrick Maun had said: At 12:21 AM -0700 5/29/01, Dave Kruger wrote: >Twelve of us converged on a favorite island in the Columbia River, near >Clatskanie, Oregon, this Memorial Day weekend, intending a thirty-mile paddle >to Skamokawa, WA. Eight completed the trip, more or less, and four others >bagged it, two victims of migraine, and two, heavy headwind. >[SNIP] Thanks for the story Dave. I also had to cut a trip short this weekend to the Boundary Waters due to relentless rain and eventual soaking. Here is a question for the group. I too often suffer bad headaches on the first day of a trip, no doubt due to sun and exertion. Anyone have good solutions to beat these before they come on (Vitamin I (Ibubrofen)?) and once they do come on? Obviously staying hydrated and avoiding too much sun being one solution. Any others? - -Patrick *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue May 29 2001 - 20:55:05 PDT
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