The source of the sun energy can be dangerous for hunters not only because of the sunstroke. The sunlight or better to say the sun radiation (don’t confuse it with the ionizing radiation) - is the electromagnetic and corpuscular radiation from the Sun.
Let's talk about the corpuscular radiation first. This part of radiation is formed by protons and electrons and released due to the solar flares. These high energy particles form space rays which cooperate with the Earth magnetosphere and create magnetic storms. Their influence on people is not fully understood yet. But we know that hypertensives feel headache and tiredness when atmospheric pressure rises. Nowadays the scientists can make accurate forecasts concerning magnetic storms and weather-dependent people can know ahead about the solar flares.
As for the electromagnetic radiation, it influences on all without exception by three ways.
– by sun rays;
– by scattered solar radiation ( when it goes through the Earth atmosphere and reflects from the clouds);
– by the sun radiation, reflected from the Earth surface.
There are three main components, determined in the sunlight spectrum - infrared radiation, visible white light, and ultraviolet light. We all know that ultraviolet kills most of the living organisms. It depends on their sizes and the dozes. It represents danger for human living and its influence has the most harmful effect. The abuse of the sun bathes can be the reason of malignant melanoma – skin cancer.
The ultraviolet radiation power is different and depends on the geography. It’s higher on the equator because the distance to the Earth is lower when rays go through the atmosphere, our natural light filter. It differs in the different season. The reason is the changes in the earth's orbit around the Sun and the presence of snow cover (they reflect about 70% UF). The third reason is the time of a day. The shortest way through the atmosphere to the Earth is when the sun is at the Zenith. The sun location on 30% makes their way in two times longer and in 34,5 times longer on the sunset. It also depends on the cloudiness. And the last reason is the object location on the height above the sea level.
The sun rays go through the atmospheric layers and reach the lower ones (including the ozone layer too). There they get into particles of dust, smoke, and water vapor, presented in a suspended state. They all help to absorbed and dispersed the sun rays coming through them. The dirtier atmosphere and the longer the way, the sun rays have to go through, the less sun radiation.
The highlands is the territory where the level of sun radiation is very high and ultraviolet is more active. You can get first and second degree burns there. Ultraviolet is responsible for the skin irritation. It makes it red and bubbles appear. It makes us to feel discomfort and pain. We have to be very careful when treating the wounds, to avoid the blood poisoning and other unpleasant consequences.
The hunters are usually dressed when trekking on the height from 3000 masl but forget about uncovered hands and faces. The best prevention is the usage of the sunscreen cream. If it has high sunscreen factor (SPF), the better. It hasn’t been lower than 30.
One more problem is the ophthalmia or burn of the conjunctiva and cornea of the eye by ultraviolet rays, reflected from snow, ice or the water surface. We all are at risk when stay in the mountains during the whole hunting season. The high quantity of UF in the highland’s spectrum can cause a corneal burn in a few minutes, or even damage to the retina if you stay there for a long time.
The eyeball allows to reduce the quantity of light thanks to the pupil contraction. But there is the risk in any case.
The risk is higher in the cloudy weather. The ultraviolet rays have one feature, they can pass through the clouds almost unimpeded. The cloudy weather makes the contrast become softer and the undulation of the surface lubricate, these features make us to strain eyes and the pupils dilates to see better. This is the time when ultraviolet hits us.
The main symptoms of the snow blindness are; tearfulness of the eyes, conjunctival swelling, reddening of the eyes whites, “sand” feeling in the eyes, blurring the image until it is completely lost.
There are lots of proved cases of full vision loss in the mountains, especially among climbers. This problem is known from the moment of the emergence of humanity. The ancient ways of preventions were the wooden planks with slits for eyes, leather bandages with holes, and so on.
Today we use sunglasses which also differ by the UV protection levels. If you have glasses without UV protection it can make the situation even worse because dark glass makes to dilate the pupils and leads to the UV burn. It's not necessary to have dark glasses, the colorless glass can also have UV protection. I uses polarized glassed which help to removes glare and reflections. My favorites glasses colors are orange and brown because them make the picture more contrast.
We all need sun but its excess is dangerous and can even kill us - says the Director of the WHO Department of public health and the environment Maria Neira. Fortunately, we can avoid malignant melanoma and other types of skin cancer and eye burns in 100 % if use necessary security measures.
The resume.
1. You need to use the sunscreen cream, not lower than 30 SPF protection, especially if you have white skin.
2. I advise to wear sunglasses when you are in the highlands and in the cloudy weather too.
Few words about biochemistry and biophysics
The mountains hunters know that feeling of exhaustion when they make an incredible effort being on the highland. ( I know that the most difficult part of the hunt is to carry the trophy).
How does our body react to the stress in the mountains?
We need to deep into the world of human physiology, biochemistry and Biophysics.
There are few sources of energy and we can divide them into..
– turbo-reactive, represented by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules),
–reactive, consisting of creatine phosphate,
– fast, represented by glycogen (a polysaccharide formed by glucose residues),
– slow-fat.
ATP is the most powerful source of energy which give max gain energy in a few seconds. The weightlifter's jerk. The ATP stocks immediately ends and the cells begin to synthesize new molecules from creatine phosphate. The new energy is enough for a sprint for 7-8 seconds. Then, the power of the body decreases and starts an anaerobic (oxygen-free) metabolism of glycogen. Its stocks are in our liver and muscles. Glycogen energy is enough for an hour. Lactic acid is a by- product of that synthesis. It's the reason of the pain in muscles Oxygen can help to remove it. Glycogen energy - is the energy of oxygen advance.
Fats are the slowest source of energy. We need a great deal of oxygen to process them into warmth. But there is not enough oxygen on the highlands.
The muscles fibers are also divided into fast and slow ones, which work (contracts) according to their names. Fast muscles need oxygen- free metabolism and fast energy sources. The slow ones have more higher endurance level and use the oxygen synthesis products. The ordinary city citizens have the same portions of fast and slow muscles but the trained people such as the athletes-skiers have about 90% of slow muscles. Thus, any man if he trains regular, not less than 40 min. per one time, has the chance to increase the number of slow muscles, there is nothing to do in the mountains without them. But there are some opponents of this theory. They consider that everything depends on our genetic. The truth is somewhere in the middle.
Where does the energy come from? Creatine phosphate, the source of ATP, belongs to the protein group ( if you want to be strong, you need to eat meat). Glycogen is a part of carbohydrate derivative (if you want to be endurance - eat carbohydrates!). We need plant and animal fats, it's impossible to be endurance without them. The ratio of this ingredients in weight in mountain lover's nutrition has to be so: 1 part - protein, 1 part - fat and 4 parts of carbohydrates. The classical ratio products in the diet is 1-1,5- 4,4. It’s better to eat much carbohydrates when you are in the mountains. They give anaerobic glycogen- the best fuel for the high workloads.
Adrenalin is the additional activity regulator. It leaks into the bloodstream and increases the heart rate, the depth of breath, the blood flows to the muscles and we feel lightness and euphoria. You can easily see those changes on the hunt when see the Game. Being in adrenaline rush the hunter can miss the animal which is in a few meters from him. Sometimes the hunters ask the guide to shoot instead of them because can’t deal with hand tremors. I don't know how it influence on other people but as for me, adrenaline stimulates me a lot. I see the point on the horizon and have strength to run... It often has negative consequences when I can't estimate my condition correctly. It led to the loss of desire to come back, i can miss or to lose the way and so. The more experienced I’m the less it happens (usually to the end of the hunting season). I become more prudence thought it is not like me.
The reason of the fatigue is the oxygen deficiency, overload of the muscles, the consumption of calcium when they are reduced, depleted glycogen stores and slow the synthesis of energy from fat. The muscles can't make repeating movements with 100% efficiency. The only way out is training. They change our endurance level, increase the volume of the heart muscle, the number of erythrocytes, enhance the strength of muscles and help to store additional glycogen. It’s sad but the trainings don’t have the long effect and your physical condition will degrade the normal in two week if you give up training. Genetic found the direct correlation between trainings and our physical conditions on the genetic level. The presence of the gene type I gives its owner more strength. The results of genetic researches showed that people with the gene type I, are in 11 times stronger and can carry much more loads then people with the gene D. This feature was displayed after the training cycle.
The climbers who ascend to the mountains higher than 7000 masl have this gene too. Unfortunately, I’m not sure that I have it.
The gene is responsible for the ratio of slow and fat muscles in our bodies. It’s my luck. The endurance is a key factor of the successful expedition. But it depends on the anthropometric parameters of the mountain hunter. The bigger the man is the harder for him is to hike on the highlands. It’s no matter is he fat or not. The muscle strength of the muscles is proportional to the square of the section, and the mass increases in the cube. That's why all climbers are lean and had a sinewy body.
What makes us to risk and to expose our bodies to stress and sometimes superhuman loads? The physiologists can explain it. The fact is that endorphins (endogenous morphine, or " happiness hormones») leaks into our blood during physical trainings and affects the receptors as morphine: they increase our mood, make thoughts more clear and we feel much better, but the main purpose of this hormone is analgesia.
If you tired from the reality, go to the yard and clean the snow. Endorphins will raise your spirit and you feel better. There is the term - the training euphoria in our case we can call it mountain euphoria. You can addict it and the forced abandonment will go to the anxiety and irritation.
I know what I’m talking about. The mixture of adrenaline and endorphins on the height 3000 masl, after you have taken the desired trophy, gives unbelievable effect. It’s a state of the absolute happiness.
Basic thesis:
1) We can take energy from several sources: food - fat, carbohydrates, protein, they give different components for our energetic system
2) Regular trainings help to increase the endurance level
3) Adrenaline and endorphins are not dangerous for our health and can be useful.
