Latest news with #acclimatization
The Independent
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Fitness experts share tips on how to keep fit outdoors this summer
Exercising outdoors offers numerous benefits, from fresh air to vital vitamin D. However, as summer approaches, it's crucial to take precautions to ensure safety during outdoor workouts. While sunshine can be invigorating, exercising in the heat carries risks like dehydration and heat exhaustion, especially for beginners and older adults. It's also advisable to avoid peak sun hours and find shaded areas when possible. Listening to your body and taking breaks when needed are essential to prevent overheating and exhaustion. To help you stay safe while staying active, we spoke with fitness experts who shared their top tips for exercising safely outdoors this summer. 'A lot of people jump straight into workouts in the summer without acclimatising – this is a mistake,' says Michael Betts, personal trainer and director of TRAINFITNESS. 'Our bodies generally need one to two weeks to adapt to exercising in the heat. 'Older adults need extra time for acclimatisation because ageing affects your body 's ability to regulate temperature. Your sweat response becomes less efficient, and your cardiovascular system may not adapt as quickly to heat stress. 'Start with shorter sessions that are less intense and gradually build up your tolerance.' ' Sunscreen with SPF30 or higher should be applied 30 minutes before going outside,' advises Betts. 'Reapply every two hours or more frequently if you're sweating heavily. 'Don't forget often-missed areas like the tops of your ears, feet and the back of your neck.' Work out in the morning 'Early morning between 6am and 8am offers the coolest temperatures and lowest UV exposure,' says Betts. 'Your core body temperature is naturally lower when you wake up, giving you an advantage for temperature regulation.' He also recommends avoid exercising between 10am and 4pm if possible, as this is when temperatures peak and the UV rays are at their strongest. 'This window is particularly dangerous for older adults whose bodies take longer to recover from heat stress,' explains Betts. 'If you must exercise during these hours, seek shade and reduce intensity significantly.' Stay hydrated 'Exercising in the heat causes your body to sweat, which is a way of regulating your body temperature, helping your body to cool down, but without enough water your body could overheat or even experience heat stroke,' warns Sarah Campus, personal trainer and founder of LDN MUMS FITNESS. 'Staying hydrated supports mental sharpness, and supports body and muscular function, allowing for increased flexibility and mobility. 'Also, hydration is important for your heart as without enough water you could feel faint or dizzy.' Be aware of signs of heat exhaustion and dehydration 'Dry mouth, dry lips, headache, dizziness, dark yellow urine, muscle cramps and a fast heartbeat are all warning signs to look out for,' says Campus. 'Your skin's ability to regulate temperature decreases with age, making proper clothing choices even more critical,' explains Betts. 'Cotton holds sweat against your skin instead of wicking it away, which prevents your body from cooling effectively. 'Instead, opt for loose-fitting light coloured clothes which will reflect the heat and allow air to circulate around your body. 'Synthetic materials like polyester blends or merino wool work well for moisture management. These fabrics dry quickly and help sweat evaporate, which cools your skin. Some modern fabrics even have built-in UV protection.' Wear a hat 'Hats with wide brims will protect your face, ears and neck from the sun while giving a bit of shade, helping keep your head cool,' says Betts. 'Hats with mesh panels or ventilation holes will help prevent heat building up. 'A hat with a neck flap offers additional protection for this vulnerable area.' Exercise in the shade 'Exercising in shaded areas or with frequent rest periods are smart choices,' says Betts. 'Circuit training where you move between shaded stations works well. 'Body weight exercises under trees or covered pavilions let you strength train without direct sun exposure.' 'Low to moderate intensity activities work better than high-intensity training in hot weather,' recommends Betts. ' Walking, gentle cycling, tai chi, and yoga generate less internal heat than running or intense interval training. 'These activities allow your body to maintain its cooling mechanisms more effectively.' 'Move into a cool shaded area to cool down and stretch,' advises Campus. 'Do some light walking and deep breathing as this helps bring your heart rate down gradually. You can also apply a cold compress to your wrists and back of the neck to cool you down quicker.'
Russia Today
27-05-2025
- Russia Today
Something terrible is happening at the top of the world
Four former British special forces soldiers sparked controversy last week by setting a startling new precedent on Mount Everest – reaching the summit in under five days without undergoing the traditional acclimatization process. Their rapid ascent to the world's tallest peak has come under sharp scrutiny from the Nepali authorities, following media reports that the team may have used Xenon gas to bypass the acclimatization routine, which usually takes several weeks. Nepal's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has launched an investigation into the alleged use of Xenon gas by the climbers. 'The department has taken note of media reports regarding the use of Xenon gas by climbers during their Mount Everest ascent. We are currently engaging with expedition team leaders, members, and the associated agencies to gather detailed information and conduct a thorough study and analysis of this matter,' the Department of Tourism said in a statement. Himal Gautam, the director of the Department of Tourism – which oversees mountaineering expeditions – told RT that an investigation is underway. All climbers and operators, he noted, are required to declare the equipment, medications, and substances used during expeditions. But chasing records may not be the only motivation for these speed climbs. Mount Everest is becoming increasingly dangerous due to the effects of climate change, which are heightening the risk of avalanches and other hazards. Nepal's climbing season typically runs from April to the end of May, drawing hundreds of climbers hoping to fulfill a lifelong dream of reaching the 8,848-meter peak. According to the Department of Tourism, 505 people summited Everest this year as of May 20. Among them were seven rope-fixing Sherpas, 305 Sherpa guides, and 191 people who paid and received permits to climb. Gautam added that a total of 468 individuals from 57 countries have received permits to climb Everest this season. The government has collected $5 million in royalties from these permits. Overall, Nepali authorities have issued more than 1100 permits to people from 73 countries to climb various mountains, including Everest, in the high-altitude warming is making it increasingly difficult to climb Mount Everest. Aang Tchiring Sherpa, a veteran of Nepal's mountain tourism industry, said that unusual and untimely snowfall has become a major challenge in the region. 'Snow does not turn into ice in a short period; it may create an avalanche at any time. Snow must become ice to stabilize the mountains,' he told RT. Nepal received rainfall and snow in the first week of April 2025 – the first precipitation since September 2024. This winter was exceptionally dry, with the pre-monsoon season starting early. The mountain and hill regions recorded around 20% more rainfall than usual before the end of the pre-monsoon. Mohan Bahadur Chand, an assistant professor at Kathmandu University and a specialist in Himalayan glaciology, explained that proper ice formation depends on regular winter snow. 'Usually, snowfall in the Himalayas occurs in December, January, and February,' he told RT. 'However, over the past decade, it has not been consistent. When snow falls in March and April, it cannot properly form ice.' On April 7, 2025, two Sherpa guides – Ngima Tashi and Rima Rinje – tragically died in an avalanche on Annapurna I while guiding a Seven Summits Treks expedition. They were caught in the avalanche above Camp Two (around 5,600 meters) while transporting oxygen cylinders. Ngima Tashi was a seasoned mountaineer and pioneer in high-altitude expeditions. He had successfully summited 8,000-meter peaks 18 times, including seven ascents of Mount Everest. In another tragedy, five Russian climbers died in October 2024 on Dhaulagiri at an altitude of 7,100 meters due to extreme weather. Their bodies were recovered and brought to Kathmandu after ten days. Previously, in April 2023, three Sherpa guides lost their lives in an avalanche at Camp One on Everest. Data shows that the number of fatalities has increased over the last 20 years. According to data from the Department of Tourism, since 1970, more than 431 people have lost their lives in Nepal's mountains while summiting. Half of them died in the past two decades. The number of deaths stood at 24 in 2021-2023 and 12 in 2024 alone. The Mount Everest climbing season officially closes on May 29. However, hundreds of climbers are still awaiting their chance to summit, as poor weather has forced many to return to base camps. Nepali Congress General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma, currently attempting to scale Everest, was forced to descend to Camp Two at 6,400 meters on Friday after reaching Camp Three at 7,200 meters. Earlier, an Indian military team that had reached Camp Four was also forced back to Camp Two. Some Chinese climbers have returned to base camp, and a Spanish climber attempting to summit without supplemental oxygen also retreated to Camp Two due to deteriorating weather conditions. Purnima Shrestha, a photojournalist who recently completed her fifth Everest ascent, said she was delayed by more than three days due to the weather. Aang Tchiring Sherpa added that changing climate conditions may soon push the summer climbing season even further drought and shifting climate patterns are taking a severe toll across the Himalayan region, impacting everything from local livelihoods to Nepal's tourism industry and the communities living downstream. A new report reveals alarming conditions across the entire Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. According to the HKH Snow Update 2025, snow in the Himalayas is melting earlier and lingering for shorter periods. The winter of 2024-25 saw the lowest snowfall in 23 years, with snow persistence 23.6% below average – the lowest ever recorded since detailed monitoring began. Renowned for their snow-capped peaks, the Himalayas aren't just scenic – they are vital. They feed Asia's great rivers, including the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus, supplying water, irrigation, and hydropower to nearly 2 billion people across mountains and plains. But this lifeline is under threat as snow disappears at an alarming rate. The report notes that four of the past five winters have had below-average snowfall. This troubling trend is accelerating. Rivers dependent on snowmelt are running lower, jeopardizing agriculture, hydropower, and water access for millions – especially during the peak of summer. Some basins have been hit harder than others. Snow persistence in the Mekong River basin has dropped by more than 50%. The Salween basin lost nearly half its snow, while the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus saw reductions between 16% and 27%. This decline is dangerous. As rivers dry earlier, communities are forced to rely on groundwater, risking depleted aquifers, increased droughts, and failed crops. The report warns that without urgent intervention, the situation will worsen significantly. ICIMOD Director General Pema Gyamtsho urged immediate action: 'Governments and communities must develop new water management plans, adapt to droughts, and cooperate across borders to conserve water. We must invest in storage solutions during the rainy season to ensure supply during dry spells.' Tourism, a key economic pillar in the Himalayas, is also under threat. Angnuru Sherpa, a hotel owner in Machhermo (Khumbu region, 4,200 meters above sea level), has witnessed alarming changes over the past seven years. 'The snow is disappearing, turning the mountains into black rocks,' he said. 'If this continues, tourists won't come to enjoy the mountains – and our livelihoods will be at risk.'
Globe and Mail
21-05-2025
- Globe and Mail
Renowned mountain guide puts clients on Everest summit less than a week after they left London
An expert mountain guide successfully put four of his clients on top of Mount Everest on Wednesday less than a week after they left London, one of the fastest ascents on record of the world's highest peak. The four British climbers flew from London to Kathmandu on May 16 and reached the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) summit Wednesday morning local time, according to Lukas Furtenbach, who has been using different methods over the past five years to speed up the climb. The climbers had put in months of preparation, training in hypoxia tents and undergoing xenon gas treatment at a clinic in Germany before heading to Nepal. 'Xenon improves the acclimatization and protects the body from altitude sickness and the effects from the hypoxic environment. Xenon makes the climb safer,' Furtenbach told The Associated Press from the base camp at Everest. He said all the climbers were safe and returning back to lower camps after the successful ascent on Wednesday Climbers normally spend weeks at base camp to acclimatize to the higher altitude. They make practice runs to the lower camps on Everest before beginning their final attempt on the peak, so that their bodies are prepared for the low pressure and lower level of oxygen available. The new method is likely to reduce the time climbers spend out of their home countries and cut the number of days they need to take off work, also cutting down on expenses. Nepal does not have any rules on how many days climbers must spend acclimatizing or making practice climbs. Their permits, which cost $11,000 each, are valid for 90 days. Climbing season normally wraps up by the end of May, when the weather deteriorates and monsoon season begins. The ropes and ladders fixed to the mountain are then pulled out. Hundreds of foreign climbers have been given permission to climb Everest this year. Roughly half of them have succeeded and the remaining will likely attempt their climb within the next few days.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- The Independent
A renowned mountain guide puts clients on Everest summit less than a week after they left London
An expert mountain guide successfully put four of his clients on top of Mount Everest on Wednesday less than a week after they left London, one of the fastest ascents on record of the world's highest peak. The four British climbers flew from London to Kathmandu on May 16 and reached the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) summit Wednesday morning local time, according to Lukas Furtenbach, who has been using different methods over the past five years to speed up the climb. The climbers had put in months of preparation, training in hypoxia tents and undergoing xenon gas treatment at a clinic in Germany before heading to Nepal. 'Xenon improves the acclimatization and protects the body from altitude sickness and the effects from the hypoxic environment. Xenon makes the climb safer," Furtenbach told The Associated Press from the base camp at Everest. He said all the climbers were safe and returning back to lower camps after the successful ascent on Wednesday Climbers normally spend weeks at base camp to acclimatize to the higher altitude. They make practice runs to the lower camps on Everest before beginning their final attempt on the peak, so that their bodies are prepared for the low pressure and lower level of oxygen available. The new method is likely to reduce the time climbers spend out of their home countries and cut the number of days they need to take off work, also cutting down on expenses. Nepal does not have any rules on how many days climbers must spend acclimatizing or making practice climbs. Their permits, which cost $11,000 each, are valid for 90 days. Climbing season normally wraps up by the end of May, when the weather deteriorates and monsoon season begins. The ropes and ladders fixed to the mountain are then pulled out. Hundreds of foreign climbers have been given permission to climb Everest this year. Roughly half of them have succeeded and the remaining will likely attempt their climb within the next few days.
