harm reduction & burning man

i wrote this today for all us flaming lotus girls to help us take care of ourselves...wanted to put it somewhere it could live and be useful to others...

whether it's your first year or you 19th, you can never think too much about how to take care of yourself out in the desert! it's easy to end up in the med tent really fast. lemme put my harm reduction/public health hat on and give you some ways that you can stay happy and healthy out there.

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HALT (hungry, angry, lonely, tired)

the BEST advice anyone ever gave me was this acronym: HALT. Like, STOP. take stock. all the time. are you any of the above? Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired? These all apply at one time or another out there. Being really aware of what's going on with your body will help you deal with the challenges out there so much better. here's a way to approach this:

if you're irritable/angry/overhwlemed/burnt out: drink some water. Are you still feeling crappy? eat something. Are you still feeling crappy? drink some water. Are you still feeling crappy? stop and take a good look around you and remind yourself of the incredible. amazing place you are in, the tremendous art you have created to share and the spectacular privilege you have in being out there. Are you still feeling crappy? drink some water. Are you still feeling crappy? go talk to someone. talking it through and getting out whatever is happening is really helpful. son't feel silly about crying or needing to get out some serious emotions in some way. it happens to all of us.

so there you have it. HALT. seriously. tatoo this on your body. you will be glad you did.

GET HYDRATED & STAY HYDRATED

bring both water and electrolytes. as mentioned in the other email, liquid gatorade diluted with water (one part gatorade to two parts water) is a great way to do this. AND start hydrating right now before you leave for playa. The better shape your body is in before you land, the better you will be at adjusting.

ACCLIMATE!

take some time to acclimate to the playa. DON'T feel like you have to dive right in and start going full force. give yourself a little time to acclimate to the environment. We've all been working really hard for many months. Give yourself permission to take a little break when you arrive. Don't slam yourself to set up camp and work the MINUTE you get to playa. and drink some water.

EAT HEALTHY!

again, get your body ready to go out there with good food. build your immune system (i got really sick with a head cold last year after four solid days of working). eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies before you go and take as much of that fresh food as you can with you. this is also a realy important part of staying healthy out there. eating only crap processed food, sugary and salty snacks without getting good fresh food will run you down really fast. and drink some water.

TAKE BREAKS!

be good to your body. TAKE BREAKS all the time--no one will begrudge you the rest time. and DEFINITELY do not hesitate to tell other people to take breaks when you think they may need it. even if they're pissed and don't want to hear it, they (and everyone else) will thank you later. and drink some water.

SHADE & SUNSCREEN

For any of you who are sun worshippers like me (despite my irish, freckly skin), you may be tempted to stay in the sun just to remind yourself what it's like to *not* live in san francisco in the summer! DON'T! wear and reapply sunscreen all the time. get yourself in the shade as much as possible (SEE TAKE BREAKS...and drink some water. )

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

you know what i mean...those things you do when you AREN'T running fire safety on SOMA. There are lots of good ways to take care of your body *and* engage in these activities. first, if you're drinking, be sure to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day and night while you're drinking. dehydration from alcohol is compunded by the environment out there.a good formula: beer/water/beer/water/beer/water:) if choosing other activities, be sure to replenish your body's vitamins, minerals and, our favorites, neurotransmitters, regularly with some of the following: multivitamins, emergen-C or the like, juice, melatonin, 5-HTP (VERY IMPORTANT: this is a precursor to serotonin, and can help your body recoop after depleting it from your system. you can get it at any health food store or perhaps walgreen. i'm not sure.) and drink some water.

PACE YOURSELF

Again, see TAKE BREAKS. ANd generally don't burn the candle at both ends for the whole time you're out there. you wil be SPENT and really unhappy if you do. space out your extracurricular activities. binges and days on end of too much will take its toll on you and everyone around you. plan well and get some good rest at least some of the time. and drink some water.

HAVE FUN!

seriously. remember what an amazing place you're in, give yourself the freedom to be and do and experience new things and to really engage with people out there. and drink some water.

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