With the ever-changing cold and clouds of Bogota it is typical fall/spring weather which means colds and flus are frequent, and of course the strong pollution doesn’t help the immune system either. Since I have been a vegetarian I have noticed I haven’t gotten colds or sinus problems nearly as frequently as I used to. Especially here in Bogota, many volunteers and locals alike have had severe headaches and cold symptoms frequently. Here in Colombia a typical cold is called “la gripa” or “el gripe”! This is a much more intimidating, fitting name for something that wipes the energy right out of you. I may try to replace “cold” with this name in English too. Please feel free to spread it.
Well,
la gripa has found its way to Minuto de Dios and even into my house as one of
the other renters and now Luz Maria suffers from la gripa all day and night.
Emilie has started to feel a little sick and I feel now it is only a matter of
time before la gripa gets me too! One of my students handed me a note the day
after she was absent and it said essentially “Diana was absent because ‘tiene
una FUERTA GRIPA!” She has the gripa strong! The problem with gripa is that it
is used for everything and even my fellow volunteer Brighid, when she had to go
to the hospital and could barely walk, was told she had the gripa. It’s
frustrating to have a catch all that can mean different levels of severity.
So far
I have escaped the crushing hands of la gripa but I haven’t been so lucky with
my stomach and digestion. Last week I had my own visit to the doctors here
(which was really quite pleasant and my doctors even studied in the US). I have had a few random bouts of stomach bugs
that can’t really seem to be food related. (One night I had pizza with all 13
volunteers and was the only one to get sick.) The doctor couldn’t really find a
solution for me so one of my favorite teachers at school invited me to visit
her alternative, holistic doctor. I figured if I’m going to try something like
this here is the place to do it. They are very conscious of health and beauty in
Colombia, and its certainly cheaper here than in the states. So this morning I
went and got some medicine for my stomach and
got a full life medical exam. He took a picture of my eye and could read things
inside like that I am a sensitive person (I didn’t even give him any signs, I
swear) and that I had respiratory problems as a child. It was pretty
interesting. He also said that vegetarianism is the most beneficial for people
with A+ blood type like me and that my anemia is also a side effect of being so
sensitive. I’m going to try the medicine he gave me for three weeks and see how
it goes. I consider this to be a “new thing” I’m trying that may not be a
typical Colombian experience but is surely an interesting one to explore.
Maybe these medicines will help me fight off la gripa. And
hopefully my new alternative doctor will make me feel brand new. One of my suggested food prescriptions is to
eat more arepas, which I plan to embrace whole-heartedly… for my health : )
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