Training In Thailand? Pack This….
January 19, 2010 by ldf
No matter how long you plan on coming out here for, be it a week or a few months, I suggest considering packing a vial of Oil of Oregano.
Having both antifungal and antibiotic properties, Oil of Oregano has proven to be crazy indispensable both times I’ve been out here.
Let me lay it out. The first time I came to Thailand, I lived in the outskirts of Chiang Mai. I was living in a rice field and the spot I lived in wasn’t clean. Unless you consider blood on the pillows clean. I didn’t know what was going in my food or how it was prepared. I also arrived with a ton of allergies and sensitivities which put me high on the freak list. In an effort to not be rendered useless with stomach ailments – a.k.a. new parasitic friends building cities in my intestines, I started taking a few drops in a glass of water daily for the first month. It worked. This pseudo bubble chick wasn’t hit by the nastiness a ton of people get hit with when they first start eating over here. This meant, I didn’t lose a day of training or have my power/endurance compromised.
A lot of people initially get nailed with ailments I’d personally like to avoid – i.e. chronic diarrhea and weird infections (internal and external). One chick that was training with us got laid out for days from an infected mosquito bite. Which brings me to the next point – you can use it externally for infection. Translation – it’ll keep your bag light and particularly if you’re on limited time, may help you make the most of your stay here.
Although it may be available in Thailand, I’ve looked for it to no avail in Bangkok. I have no idea if or where you can pick it up once you step off the plane.
More about Laura
I’m a Canadian who decided to quit my job, sell most of what I own, pack a suitcase, and skip continents to pursue a martial art I’m not particularly efficient in. A minimalist. A modern nomad. A kid who just likes having a good time.
My attraction to muay thai is that it’s an art with no wasted motion. It has been the greatest vehicle for my continual education. It’s incredibly challenging to me – both the physical and the mental game. The latter probably more so than the former.
Currently I’m in Bangkok training muay thai fulltime. The plan is to be here for a few years, but realistically, I have no idea where this path is leading, or what the timeline is. I like change and pushing my comfort zone. A lot. Nevertheless, muay thai will be the constant among the variables.
Be prepared for updates, rambling, video content and anything I’ve learned that I think may of use to you.
This hasn’t been easy, but so far, its been a pretty sick ride.
Ha haa, I got so ill and vomitted som much, that Thakoon, Head Coach and Owner of Sasiprapa gym, took me to the Lad Phrao hospital, where I stayed for 24 hours. They said it was Eloctrolyte Deficiency or something like that, but I know it was from the Alien Bacteria that my Stomache never encountered before!! Damn I was sick, and it made me Miss my first fight. Nice Futurama reference on the Parasites!!
Yep, its always better to carry some essential things like medicines frm home while going on any trip. I’ve seen people getting sick in training camps due to dehydration and other sickness. Usually while training hard for 2 times a day 6 days a week the immune system gets weaker and its always required to keep supplementing the body with multi vitamins and drink a lot of water and electrolytes apart from regular food failing which ppl get sick easily.
Also new place, new food and new conditions and better not to take any chances. I carried ample of essential things frm hme during my trip and it came in handy.
I think my average for near-death major stomach illness in Thailand when I was visiting was 50%. I have not been sick in some time, and one reason is I stopped eating shrimp/prawns here.
Occasionally I will eat one or two, but no more grilled tiger prawn meals or seafood salads full of them. Read up on the commercial shrimp industry in Thailand (especially regarding imports from Vietnam) . It’s pretty gnarls. Fun fact : 2% of Thailand shrimp that makes it’s way to the US is tested by the FDA. Of that 2%, 50% is thrown out due to contamination or what they call “sludge.”
Thanks for the tip Laura. I am going to look for this at Villa Supermarket. Villa stocks a lot of western and japanese goods and they have 4-5 locations I think. They might not have it, but if anyone in Thailand would, it would be them or a dedicated health food store.
Good thinking, Laura! (or was it Nop) I get fucked a day or 3 most times I’m in Asia.
what about ganja? is ther any acceptable stuff there? or is it all opium laced.
cipro (heavy duty antibiotic) was a life saver for me…
Hey,
I had made the experience more then once, that a small scratch getting infected and become a serious grain afterwords. I will test the oil. I used disinfectend/antiseptic cream you can get at pharmacy, also in Thailand, to solve this problems.
2SE
Ha ha, you can get good stuff for good price- but be aware of getting busted, then it`s getting expensive to go not in jail. In the north and south of Thailand it`s easy to find people u can trust that far. I would never try it in BKK or KPG(Fullmoonparty). Poor country and everybody knows of the option of earning some extramoney with a relative who`s policeofficer or something ;-)
Peace & enjoy Thailand
thx for the info dago. i have no clue what you consider good stuff though.
dont know how effective oil of oregano is…one thing that seems beneficial is that it goes in your body as opposed to topically. but i would much rather use lysol, for personal quarters, and regular antiseptics as well as reg showers.
EDIT: i just googled oil of oregano and it seems like the real deal. im not in thailand but im getting some vials.
Maybe I need to find that stuff. I think I accidentally drank the water.
Got a slight case of the bubble guts.
celtic1967 : “cipro (heavy duty antibiotic) was a life saver for me…”
couldn’t agree more. i always get a prescription before i travel overseas. you shouldn’t take it for just any old stomach pain or anything, though, but if you’re really sick, it is a lifesaver.
Has anyone found any of this stuff? My stomach has been jacked since last week.
Thanks, next time I go over I will be sure to pack some, the times I have gotten bubble guts over there Rabbit Fly was a life saver.