Avoid altitude sickness this winter

Many people will be taking ski vacations this holiday season and with that comes a common ailment: Altitude sickness. It occurs when your body doesn’t get enough oxygen. It is common when driving through the mountains, hiking or anytime you increase your altitude over a short period of time.

A few months back I was in Peru shooting a story for CNN’s Planet in Peril and we drove up a 14-thousand foot mountain in about two hours.  One thing I learned quickly is altitude sickness can happen no matter how old you are or how in shape physically you are.  In fact, our entire crew got sick!  I experienced all the common symptoms- dizziness, headache, shortness of breath and fatigue.

If you find yourself in the same position as I was during your next vacation, try these remedies to curb the symptoms:

DURING THE TRIP: If you can decrease your altitude, do that first. If not, try taking a diuretic, which can help get rid of the fluid in the brain. Breathing in pure oxygen for about 15 minutes really did the trick for me. Also, in Peru, the local remedy for altitude sickness is chewing on coco leaves.

PRIOR TO TRIP: If you’re prone to altitude sickness, you can take a drug called Diamox prior to the trip, which is known to ward off symptoms. Also, filling up on carbs and staying hydrated will help.

To see the video of me experiencing altitude sickness, click here.

Be sure to tune in to Dr. Sanjay Gupta every weekend on HOUSE CALL. You'll find the answers to your medical questions Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. ET on CNN.