Getting yourself healthy

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Tue May 23, 2006 9:51 am

One of the preparation activities that I recommend is to get yourself as healthy as you can prior to going. This includes drinking about a gallon of water per day for a couple of weeks prior to leaving and walking as much as you can to strengthen your endurance. Or if you're so inclined, riding a bike.

Why? Because when you're out there you will not have a car or mass transit. For those of us that don't regularly walk, to the bus stop, across town, or from the furthest parking space at Walmart, just finding out what our current endurance level is can be an eye openner.

Sure there are a gazillion entertaining distractions during your trek across town, and you may feel like you can walk forever, but when I get home, I sure feel the exhaustion...the "burn" if you will.

Anyway, that's what I'm doing. I've been walking for 30 min every day, and will be trying to increase my endurance over the summer. Perhaps a hiking trip or two are in order.

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Tue May 23, 2006 10:09 am

Good point! I would also add paying attention to your skin and your feet in particular. I suspect many people complaining about playa foot actually had dried out cracking nasty feet when they left, they just didn't hurt so much when they weren't being attacked by playa dust.

Start about a month before leaving - get rid of that cracked dead skin, take care of that atheletes foot you've been hoping will go away on its own, tend to all those little cuts and splinters and such so they heal as quickly as possible, etc.

I rode my bike to work for the first time in years today. It was MUCH harder than it should have been. Man am I out of shape.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Tue May 23, 2006 10:12 am

It might be a good idea to acclimatize yourself in the sauna before going as well.

Also, it's shown that adding some glycerin to your water helps your body stay hydrated.

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Tue May 23, 2006 10:13 pm

Get your cuticles into good shape. That way you can avoid painful, split cuticles when you're there.

Cabanasprings · Post by **Cabanasprings** » Wed May 24, 2006 8:24 am

OD on E so you recognize whether or not you're just trip'n or you need to get help.

Get totally plastered on Gatorade and tequila, then have your mom drop you off at Walmart to see if you can walk back and find your home.

Don't bath for three days and then see if you can get the girl next door to have sex with you.

Run a generator under your neighbor's window for a week and see if they complain - if not, you're set.

Wear a string bikini and no shoes all night to toughen up for those cold desert nights.

And - Don't eat or sleep for three days to practice conversing while hallucinating.

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Wed May 24, 2006 8:32 am

Cabanasprings,

your words of wisdom are well taken.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Wed May 24, 2006 10:22 am

It ain't my feet and cuticles I'm worried about, those I got covered (slather with Burt's Bees various-and-sundry twice daily). My problem is I'm starting to gain weight again and my muscles are still slightly atrophied.

But, I got some serious horseback riding, woodworking and trailer-wrangling coming up in the next two months and I'm practically living on protein shakes, rice, naked dark chocolate, salmon, venison, oatmeal and berries nowadays. Now if I can JUST stay away from the pretzels and Haagen-Dasz Maya Chocolate ice cream that I've developed a weakness for...

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed May 24, 2006 1:30 pm

Dork wrote: Start about a month before leaving - get rid of that cracked dead skin, take care of that atheletes foot you've been hoping will go away on its own,

My athelete's foot has evolved into super atheletes foot that will someday become the next bird flu. No way am I going to get rid of it in time.

skygod · Post by **skygod** » Thu May 25, 2006 11:09 am

You are so right robbi
3rd year coming up and each year is better cause im more prepared physically

Scout13 · Post by **Scout13** » Fri May 26, 2006 8:51 am

I know it’s not politically correct to say, but an important part of healthy preparation is getting a base tan. Oh, ….I said it. (I can hear some of you now saying, “But, it’s harmful to your skin …..") Just see how harmful the playa sun is to your precious skin without a tan and sunscreen.

I live in Seattle and I have a job that keeps me inside for a better part of most days, thus I am just about the whitest white boy you will find. If I took my shirt off right now you could see my heart beating, no, really, it’s ugly. So, starting in July I go and TAN. Yes, I get a base tan in a tanning booth. If you can get a base tan naturally that’s great, but do what you can to get some kind of a tan before stepping on the playa and disappearing into a puff of smoke like a vampire in the sun. I use sunscreen that is at least SPF 5000 out at the burn.

Oh, ya…. remember if you are going to run around naked you might even think about what the playa sun could do to your wing-wang or bagina. There is nothing more painful than a sun burnt bagina….ouch! Remember your wing-wang or bagina is your friend. And we protect our friends, well don’t we?

Post by **AntiM** » Fri May 26, 2006 9:32 am

"Politically correct?" Um, well, you can get a base tan if you like, but I keep my lily white bits lily white on purpose. Sunscreen, hats and clothes are my safeguards; I personally can burn right here at home as easily as on the playa. I wouldn't get in a tanning bed if you paid me.

Sorry, too many cancer deaths in my family for me to do any sort of intentional tanning. Five years on the playa and not one burn yet, other than some rosy cheeks and arms during pack-up when I put away the sunblock too early.

I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree; you say healthy, I say deadly.

Scout13 · Post by **Scout13** » Fri May 26, 2006 10:25 am

You say deadly and I say…….well, your right.

YOU need to do what ever it is to not get an overdose of playa sun. I too wear the gigantic hat of death and wear sunscreen with SPF 5000. I also run around with minimum clothing. So, I tan prior to going so I don’t go poof the second I hit the sun.

But do you put sunscreen on your bagina? Remember a happy bagina is a woman’s/man’s best friend.

Scout

Post by **AntiM** » Fri May 26, 2006 10:28 am

My dear Bangina never sees the light of day.

Oh dear, that doesn't sound right...

skibear · Post by **skibear** » Fri May 26, 2006 11:30 am

Scout13, In Seattle I saw the T shirt:
"Seattleites don't tan they rust."

Before my first bm last year I made sure I had a
very good all over tan -all bits!! Done outdoors.

I had no sunburn problems last year - even with no shade
structure (long story) and most midday hours in hot outdoor
sun.
The saying is "Only Maddogs and Englishman" venture out
midday in the desert. I'd be a mad dog !

Scout13 · Post by **Scout13** » Fri May 26, 2006 1:19 pm

What you say about people rusting in Seattle is right. Why do you think I carry my oil can and axe around with me every place? Oilcan….Oilcan.

Scout

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Sat May 27, 2006 9:44 am

I personally won't submit myself to UV's with the deliberate intention of darkenning my skin, but I will wear shorts and tanktops, spend quality time outdoors, and delight in my epidural response. I will get one good tan going before hitting the desert. I prefer to get the initial sunburn out of the way before I have to do anything that requires thought. Once the first burn of the summer is over, then I tan nicely, in a healthy way.
So I know what you're getting at Scout, with your base tan.
But I also like my skin, and keep it covered out there, often wrist to ankles. I find cloth more comfortable than sunscreen.

Scout13 · Post by **Scout13** » Sun May 28, 2006 10:44 am

I get what you are talking about robbidobbs when it comes to natural tan and/or keeping mostly covered while at BM. When I can I get the natural tan. But, since my chances of getting a natural tan here are little (it’s been raining for the last 3 days) I get what I can. Me, I would much rather wear sunscreen than clothes. That’s my choice.

Scout

Post by **AntiM** » Sun May 28, 2006 10:50 am

I dislike the feel of lotion sunscreens, but have found the "continuous spray" types are less ooky feeling, and I'm far more likely to reapply them when I'm dusty and sweaty than I would be with a heavy lotion. SPF 30 or 45, and most major brands carry them now. They're even rather cooling, like misting.

Token · Post by **Token** » Sun May 28, 2006 9:36 pm

Refresher course on what SPF really does.

The SPF is a time multiplier of your natural sunburn time.

For example, I will experience sunburn if I am in direct sunlight for 15 minutes. If I apply a sunscreen with SPF 35, I will experience the same sunburn in 35 * 15 minutes = 525 minutes, or ~ 9 hours.

This happened to me not long ago at the Singularity regional burn. Despite two applications of mentioned SPF sunscreen each day, I was rather red and feverish come evening time.

Having a "Baseline Tan", which I had, did absolutely nothing to keep me from burning again, and again, and again. It may hide the redness but the UV was frying my skin nonetheless.

If you are going to be exposed to the sun for any amount of time, get a sunscreen with the highest possible SPF and apply first thing in the morning.

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:02 am

Eat fruits & vegetables, to load up on enzymes so you can drink more beer.
Heartburn is a significant issue out there.

Sunscreen just keeps your skin from turning red, and yes, you're still cooking. Look at what people living in the deep desert wear: lots and lots of layers of cloth. Often I wear a full-length prairie skirt. Tens of thousands of women crossed the Great Plains in them. They work. It's like having a swamp cooler over half of your body.

Get a good pair of hiking boots now if you don't already have a beloved pair, and wear them all summer. They'll be broken in by the event.

Ron · Post by **Ron** » Tue May 30, 2006 10:06 pm

A big, "seconded," from me on the notes about getting your body ready for the burn. Don't forget your mind, soul, and wallet while you're at it.

Why are you going again? Get straight with that and I personally would recommend minimizing expectations but that's just me. Taking a lover? Then take nothing for granted and start talking about how you want to treat each other now.

Remind yourself of the person you want to be on playa and then practice being that person now. Figure out how much you can spend, save it in advance, and then don't spend any more. Don't use the credit card to finance a playa trip.

Talk with your friends and future campmates to make sure that everyone's on the same page and rowing in the same direction. Twelve hours after you get there is a hell of a time to learn that your dance club is in the middle of someone else's mediation zone. Adopt flexibility like you would a cute puppy/kitten/animal of your choice.

Build whatever you expect to build on the playa before you get there. Folk hate this one but after years of going and being involved with all kinds of big projects I'm all but religious about it. From bitter experience, it's a long way to drive to Reno to get the exact right part, when only it will do and it's just not to be found in BRC. And redesigns in playa-outs suck raw root, even if they are fun as hell when they work.

Spend some time with yourself before you go, in all the ways that is possible. Get in shape, deal with that nagging health issue, scratch those mental itches, patch up those relationship leaks and then come lay on our grass in BRC. We'll be under the big black pyramid again, and everyone's welcome under the shade, over the grass.

Ron, Shady Asylum

ThePikey · Post by **ThePikey** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 1:44 pm

Turn your stereo up as high as possible. Go into the next room over and try to sleep.