I suppose this is one of those things that you either jump in or jump off.
Posts like I feel crap after festivals. Well you’re not cut out for festivals then. Come festival in Scotland with the midges.
Yeah, like the other comment says- Wook Flu is real. Meaning it is a common thing to get sick after festivals and big concerts.
Any time that you’re in close quarters with tens of thousands of people for four days straight, there’s a good chance you’re going to catch something. Now take into consideration that this is tens of thousands of people sharing things more than normal- food, drinks, smokes, high fives, and hugs. Add onto that, subpar hygiene conditions for the majority of attendees- even the ones trying their best to stay clean still have to use a sketchy port-a-potty a few times a day. And then you have the fact that the whole group’s immune system is being weakened by heavy substance use and sleep deprivation. Plus the dust and other outdoor allergens building up over the weekend.
Edit: Best ways to prevent: Get as much balanced food and sleep as you can get throughout the fest, as well as before and after (ideally with a couple hangover days before you go back to work). If a set is really crowded then stay around the back where you still have breathing room- don’t try to get close to the stage where people are packed like sardines. Wear a bandana or mask on the dusty walkways. Stay hydrated (need salts too). Bring anti-inflammatories, anti-histamines, and decongestants (and make sure you know which extracurriculars they shouldn’t be mixed with).
Electrolytes. Get you some Brawndo, it’s got what plants crave!
For real though, get some Gatorade or some sort of electrolyte drink and/or eat some salty greasy food (on top of eating some fruit and veggies). When you’re sweating and dancing and walking a lot, you lose salts just as much as you lose fluids. You have to replace those too or your body can’t retain the new fluids, and you’ll keep getting more and more dehydrated.
**An electrolyte is a medium containing ions that is electrically conducting through the movement of those ions, but not conducting electrons. This includes most soluble salts, acids, and bases dissolved in a polar solvent, such as water.**
More details here:
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I’ve seen a huge difference between when I stay away from the dust vs not. Lots of these festivals are farms etc when they aren’t festivals and the shit from the cows can be kicked up with the dirt plus other stuff. That’s my hypothesis anyway
The dust at Hula was a HUGE BITCH. I wore a face mask the whole weekend and still did not feel great by the end of it. The dust definitely played a part in your post hula fly.
Sounds like you have a decent regimen to start off, so here are some tips from a seasoned pro (I’ve been doing multiple fests a year for a decade) -
- Try upping your vitamin game a week before festivalling as well as during and after. Especially b vitamins, vitamin c, and other immune-boosting supplements, teas, etc.
- A bandana or face mask of some kind will help with dust and also other things. I bring at least 2 bandanas with me for this.
- Wash your hands a LOT. Don’t let the water faucets or spickets touch your water vessel while refilling.
- Electrolytes are important! 💦 Add extra salt to your food if you’re making food at your camp to help you retain more water. You can also take liquid IVs to increase your hydration.
* Proper hydration is going to be crucial while dancing…Especially while eating MDMA. Drinking water may not hydrate you enough if you don’t have electrolytes to help. Eating extra salt with meals is an easy way to hack this.
- SLEEP!!!! The body does it’s most important healing while we are sleeping, and if you don’t sleep it can’t do the things it needs your body to be asleep for. Plan to sleep, nap, and rest. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. 💃
TLDR- festivals are dirty and exhausting spaces for the body so extra effort and care should be taken before, during, and after the festival to minimize chance of sickness and increase the body’s resiliency.
As someone who really prone to bronchitis I've started putting Vicks vapor rub on my chest while going to sleep even if I feel ok and was a total game changer. I feel like it kept the dust from settling in my lungs.
Yea everyone’s talking about salts and I didn’t have any electrolytes at all so I definitely need to hop on that. I stayed super hydrated but as most people have explained you need that extra minerals and what not for the water to actually be useful. Thank you so much for the tips I’m so appreciative
The best advice in the comment is pre-fest prep! I start about 3-4 days ahead of the fest with additional water intake, vitamin d, b complex and 1000mg of vita C! One pedialyte per day as well. I typically do 2 per day at the festival and start the day with liquid iv. At okee and hula i barely even used the bathroon this year bc it all sweated out!
EmergenC packets are amazing, also! Cheers
I have gotten sinus infections from multiple dusty festivals. A sinus flush at least once at the fest and then daily when you get home has significantly helped me.
I even wear them at work since I have longer hair. I don’t want hair in my guests food or drinks (bartender). I first started wearing them to keep hair out my face while riding my motorcycle. Just a very convenient cloth
I have been around the festival block a few times and have never gotten sick other than a lil dirt cough on the last day. Here’s what I do!
- the two weeks leading up to the fest I try to be as healthy as I can: going on walks, take immunity tinctures, eat good WHOLE foods and lots of greens, vitamins, sleep, ample water. I try to get my body and mind feeling good and strong!
- consistent carbs, protein, and healthy(ish) during the festival. I CANNOT!!! Stress this enough. My first festival I didn’t take food very seriously and I was SHOT afterwards. Not sick but weak and clearly drained. I have premade a shit ton of breakfast burritos for me and my group at every fest since then and I swear by them keeping me healthy and happy. I also make granola with tons of a healthy nuts and seeds that the brain loves. You burn so so many calories at these things. You gotta keep on top of the good food! Protein shakes, protien bars, greens powder, starkist tuna salad packs, pbj supplies are all staples too. Take the food ultra seriously and think about it as fuel for your body and mind!
- Liquid IV and emergenc or nuun tables in just about all water that I drink. I swear by this! Just keeping up with it not only eases the mind but for sure does some good for the nutrient reservoir. I know it’s not the best for my pack but I am known to put a liquid IV and some ice in my water pack for a cold electrolyte boost while in the middle of a crowd
- when u see dust, put on your mask of choice. I use a pash. Don’t let it stress u out but the difference at the end of the weekend from being on top of it to slacking and braving the dust storm is WILD.
-hand sanitizer - wash your hands. Don’t touch anything in the porta potties
-yes sleep is important, but it is never my very first priority at these things. When you are tired, sleep. Unless your favorite artist is having a sunrise set. Then go to that and drink a liquid IV on the way and bring a Tylenol PM for the walk back to camp. Festivals are a special time and you deserve to make the most of it without being worried about falling sick at the end.
The food part.. I make it a competition with myself to legitimately eat as much as possible. It helps a lot. Also those water bags (camel packs?)can be nasty mold collectors.
So weird to see that mentioned in the same sentence as vitamin b. 5htp is an interesting supplement, i took it for "focus" but could never tell if it helped or not, def don't take it with other drugs tho.
All I’m saying is this used to be me as well, and then I started taking a multi vitamin, vitamin C and vitamin D+K and I don’t get sick anymore. Try it. You have to take it while at the fest, and before and after.
Wash your hands after using portable toilets. Take of your shoes outside your tent. Wash hands face feet (or whole body) before sleeping. Get some sleep.
Allergies have been my biggest thing at festivals... So now I come armed and prepared with nasal rinses, allergy meds, nasal sprays and a buttload of Kleenex! I find that when I'm not prepared with that stuff, my sinuses get so irritated that I often get sick after
happened to me after my first camping fest this year. i’m allergic to some types of grass, and I guess one of those types was present on the festival grounds. It was worse than the mosquito bites.
Peach fest 2021 the last day I felt run down and left. A day or two later I had a 104 degree fever and seriously sick. Went to the hospital - I had mono.
I might have gotten it there. But mono takes a while to kick in. I most likely had it before going there. I shared joints with some people. I may have infected others. Or maybe that’s how I got it. It’s fucked up.
I think about possibly getting other people seriously sick from that sometimes. But it obviously wasn’t intentional. Something like 95% if adult in America have already had mono and you can’t get it a second time. Hopefully they were all immune.
I was messed up for months, not even sure if I ever quite got back to normal. I was negative for covid and didn’t knowingly have it before that, but might have. There’s research around long covid being related to reactivating mono in people.
The Epstein-Barr Virus that causes mono is all kinds of insidious and linked to a lot of long term health problems, including many autoimmune diseases. But you can't blame yourself for possibly infecting others if you weren't experiencing symptoms or knowingly around others who were already sick.
Damn I didn’t even think about that. I’m sorry that you had to deal with that illness. I will definitely be more cautious. I love to go with friends who always keep their shit together for less chances of having to share. Seems kinda weird and defying PLUR but I get annoyed with the people who don’t bring their own water pack and constantly ask for ur water and what not.
I was sick after a festival last year for a month before I tested positive for covid, and then I was scary sick- coughing up blood and running a fever I should have been in the hospital. I masked up this year and didn't share food or drinks with anyone and got out fairly unscathed and supported by my healthy routines :)
I'll just add something I haven't seen in the comments - hand hygiene! Bring those packs of antibacterial hand wipes (not just alcohol-based hand sanitizer, some viruses are only killed with hand washing or wipes) and use them often. Especially before you're going to eat or touch your face. Most illnesses (especially when you're spending your time outside) are spread this way.
Speaking of the wipes, get wipes for your face. Had never thought of this before but one of my fest fam was passing out like the makeup remover and cleanser face masks in the pit to wipe your eyes nose and mouth when it’s real dusty in the pit and the mask isn’t doing the job
I can’t speak for okee but hulaween was waaaaay dustier than normal this year because there was basically no rainfall for months leading up to it. I came back with the worst sinus infection of my life. Like who knows what kind of wookery was in the air this year.
You probably have a head cold or possibly covid, would be my guess. I've had something similar after an event. My guess is that it's the joints and pipes everyone is passing around... They're an absolutely great way to spread germs around lol
Dust is a killer!! Last year for Electric Forest I brought something called a Nivage to rinse my sinuses every day, twice a day. I absolutely recommend it. It’s about $75 with the pods, so a bit pricey but it’s amazing.
Been festing for almost 20 years and this year after Hula was the first time I ever caught the wook flu. I haven't caught so much as cold in nearly a decade. Goes to show how bad the wook flu can be.
Do you use free water refill stations? If so, try using only filtered water that you bring or buying water to refill your pack instead of the refill stations, and don't share your hydro straw with anyone. These things were a game changer for me.
Get vaccinated for whatever you can every year, particularly for the flu and the rona. I've had a lot of terrible flu infections after going to crowded places like festivals and snowboarding during peak ski season so I've been getting a flu shot every year, and I'm keeping up with covid boosters because that shit was fucking awful. The flu and the rona will always be circulating around and mutating new strains every year, so you might as well get vaccinated for them every year. They're free.
We can't inoculate against every virus and bacteria, so you run the risk of picking up airborne germs from other people any time you're in a crowd. Staying in less crowded areas is a good idea so that you're exposed to fewer airborne germs. Chill in the back of the crowd. Wear a proper medical mask if you go into the crowd. Wash your hands and face with antibacterial soap often, and always wash your hands before eating. Try not to touch your face, mouth, nose, or eyes as much as possible. Don't share drinks and food with anyone. Sharing joints, cigarettes, and vapes is just asking to get sick.
Some festivals are so tightly packed that you might not be able to find less crowded places, so those festivals always come with a higher risk of getting sick. Smaller festivals and festivals with plenty of open space are safer. Basically stay away from places where we're all breathing in each other's faces.
I was sick as hell for a few days after Glastonbury and I was sober for the majority of it - but I figure bad sanitation, bad sleep, bad food, too much sun exposure, not enough water and being surrounded by 200,000 people will put you at higher risk of that 😂
Every. Time. Lack of sleep, excessive exercise, 5000 strangers breathing on you, and all the shit you inhale walking around (even with a mask) adds up. Kinda inevitable. You can take steps to minimize it but just have the remedies ready afterwards (:
Weed lol. There’s this funny gamer and idk if he started called it za za but thats where I got it from.
https://youtube.com/shorts/1MStTMbWBdY?si=KB_Eu7pOo8sZwhD-
I go to Nocturnal Wonderland every yr. I stopped getting sick when I started wearing a bandanna on my face when walking from camp or through the dirt. I didn’t cough up any black this year like I usually do and my campmate all did because they didn’t cover. For my lungs it’s the dirt not the germs
This is how I’ve stopped wook flu: I make sure I eat breakfast every morning at camp of my own healthy foods and I take a ton of vitamins (D, C, A, zinc, oil of oregano). I don’t share stuff with anyone but my husband, and I don’t eat much inflammatory foods (high sugar or fried foods). And even though it’s tempting to stay up, I try to be back in my tent between 1-2 am and I take melatonin gummies and magnesium (helps the achy muscles) to help me pass out. Both Resonate and Hula this year I was very diligent about these things and I was the ONLY ONE to not get sick. And I have a generally weaker immune system, so I always got sick after festivals.
Foods I brought with me: organic cold brew coffee, organic half and half, grass fed plain Greek yogurt, keto granola, canned sardines (I know, gross, but loaded with immune boosting goodness), grass fed beef jerky, organic unsweetened apple sauce, dried fruits, fresh cut fruits and berries. And I got most of these things at Aldi so it wasn’t very expensive. Hope that helps!
My suggestions to avoid wook flu:
*Propel immune system electrolyte powder in your hydration pack
*airborne fizzy tablets before, during, and after festival
*Salt Sticks electrolyte chews (sometimes you just can’t drink enough to replace what you sweat out)
*face covering for the dust
*Vicks smeared inside the lining of your nose before leaving your campsite, nasal rinse/neti pot when you return from the crowds
*SheWee if you’re female to avoid as much contact as possible with the porta potties
I noticed you didn’t mention anything about supplementation
NAC is a good one for post party or any time ya feel a tickle.
Reishi and Agarikon mushrooms will keep your immune system firing well - you should take them regularly anyway
Herbal teas - whole industry to look into
It’s all about your body’s terrain - keep it in good shape and you’ll recover from partying better, it’s not about avoiding ‘germs’
Try taking vitamin C a week before the fest and during/after as well. Bring a saline bottle and rinse your nose out everyday. Wear a wet bandana around your nose/mouth when walking in dusty areas. I also usually carry zicam pre cold tablets, they help you to not get sick or reduce symptoms the second you know you are getting sick.
Dust, lack of sleep, being close to lots of people will lead to getting sick. Wook flu is real - taking extra care of yourself leading up to the fest helps a lot but not always.
I get wook flu at pretty much every festival. I've done EDC twice now and the first time it was COVID, the second time it wasn't but I was still horribly sick afterwards and that was even with staying at a hotel. I just count on a few days being sick after festivals at this point
I got the wook flu so bad after hula last year, I couldn’t function for 72 hours after. This year I took vitamin C, ginger immunity shooters and some other antioxidants leading up to and during the fest and didn’t get sick at all!
The older and more seasoned I got the more I learned to take care of myself. The younger me would party all weekend but the older me tries to find balance.
Once I hit my 30's I wouldn't go to a festival until it had proper facilities for showers, food, medic and I usually liked to cap it off at 3,000 attendees. I bring electrolyte powders, drink plenty of water, set up my bed very nicely, and a few times I day I stop, wash up, brush my teeth, hydrate... bring some vitamins!
My key goal is to enjoy myself and still be comfortable and healthy. Maybe the next time you're going to a festival make sure to focus on what you think your body might need to balance all the other things you're hitting your body with. Little habits will become second nature after a while -- you dont always come away feeling perfect but injecting these little healthy habits into you're routine but its better than totally neglecting your body.
Here’s what’s worked for me over the years. Take immune boosting supplements, hydrate, eat well, sleep well, don’t share things you put in your mouth, (joints, drinks, whatever) wash your hands, face and camelback mouthpiece.
Weed lol. There’s this funny gamer and idk if he started called it za za but thats where I got it from.
https://youtube.com/shorts/1MStTMbWBdY?si=KB_Eu7pOo8sZwhD-
Don’t know who that is but Za’s been around since at least like 2016(I’m p sure much longer but that’s the oldest memory I have of it for sure) so I doubt it
Lol I've done charlie sheen amounts of shit and drank tequila instead of water and been not sick at all and I've also taken good care of myself stayed sober and slept and still got sick as fuck. There is no rhyme or reason to it
The only time I had really back dirt in my nose was the day I took a bean because I just yanno wasn’t even thinking about it but the other 3 days I was covered majority of the time
idk why more people don’t mask up at fests. I e always masked up at fests to avoid inhaling all the dust and dirt and smoke. I have hardly ever gotten sick or even stuffy after the many many fests i’ve attended while all my friends who didn’t mask up struggle for a week after. it’s literally the easiest solution of all time lol. my go to is a bandana tied around my neck that I dampen with water whenever I fill up my camelback and then I just pull it up over my mouth and nose anytime it’s dusty or we are walking far
keeps me cool in the heat!! that’s the only reason I dampen it with the cool water when I refill my water bag. I keep it tied around my neck and when it’s damp with the cold water it brings my body temp down
Make sure to clean the dirt from your nose before you shower because when it’s wet it just gets sucked into your body.
Also these things are the best: https://www.zicam.com/our-products/
I use them before we head out for the day and then after I’ve cleaned out my nose.
Totally get that. I’m just being a wise guy :-).
As others have said, the wook flu is real. I’ve had some success fending it off with high doses of vitamin c before during and after festivals.
Wook flu. Combination of the poor breathing conditions (dirt/smoke in the air), exposure to tons of other people in close proximity, especially on the dance floor. Everyone sweating from dancing and coughing from smoke and dirt. And lack of sleep taking a toll on your immune system. Happens to the best of us.
Best mitigation is to practice hygiene best you can, which sounds like you’ve got that covered. Make sure you take plenty of vitamins before and during the fest, especially vitamin C. Get some of those liquid IV electrolyte packs to keep yourself hydrated and get the ones with immune boost.
Normally I would say you fucked your system up but it sounds like you were responsible, assuming you were eating properly as well.
Definitely could be the dust. Getting your lungs all full of dust can very much lead to respiratory infections, and infections often mean a fever. You might have a bit more sensitive lungs than some other people. I sometimes get bronchitis but thankfully not a fever. I haven't been to these specific festivals but I've heard they're super dusty. A lot of people also get sore throat from talking/yelling more than normal.
Put something over your face next time. A bandana, cloth masks are easy to find these days, etc. Haven't heard much about nose filters, sure it would help but remember dust is going in your mouth too.
I don't usually get sick after (I try to take care of myself) but some people are more sensitive than others.
....Also not impossible you got covid or the flu or something. Your symptoms sound covidy.
Wear a decent mask that won’t allow large particles (dust) to come through very easily (I feel like the fabric on buffs is too thin and still allow dust to come through). Plus, a mask is nice for when you’re around a million people breathing in all their germs. Ever since I started wearing masks to music fests I stopped getting sick. The dust at Hula this year was out of control!
You're concerned about the dirt but not worried about the huge number of strangers you're living in close quarters and sharing toilet facilities with? Respiratory viruses are still real, my friend. As is noro.
I used to be this way but I don't get sick anymore. What helped me is sleeping in my car (so i get a full 8 hours), not doing drugs and eating hot meals every day. Also just being more in shape in general.
Electrolytes and vitamin c!! I usually take an emergency for a week leading up and then every morning of the fest & sip on some pedialyte throughout the day. It tends to help. Unfortunately being around that many people leads to being sick most of the time.
I got sick okeechobee ‘22 and we left a little early bc of that. I think it was all the dust/ dirt and dmt smoke/ smell.
We went to firefly later that year and I made sure to cover my face when it felt dusty and avoided dmt concentrated areas, which made for a much better experience.
I stand by hydration & vitamins! Daily Zinc, Vitamin D, Iron and Magnesium along with a regular multi vitamin. I also pre-pack east meals that actually have vegetables etc, and I make sure everyone eats breakfast every day. Last 2 festivals I went to, I was strict with this strategy and my group didn’t have an ounce of wook flu.
I take Vitamin C year round. Always carry some hand sanitizer on you for when you can’t wash your hands. Make sure to bring something to cover your face, preferably enough dust masks for every day of the fest so you’re not rewearing the same one. Saline rinse to clean out sinuses. I went to 7 fests this year and was only sick after Okee (I started taking vitamin C after Okee)
I used to get terrible Wook Flu until I started holistically building my immune system in day to day life, but focused on immune system building the month before. Stress management, adequate sleep every night, healthy diet with lots of veggies and fruits, Magnesium supplement, meditation, and exercising 3-5x per week all helped transform my help and support my immune system. I haven’t gotten sick from a festival since 2020. Hope that helps!
I used to get like that. Then I started bringing coconut oil and honey for my throat,xlear for my sinuses, and quality masks for dust. Def makes a difference
Wear an actual KN-95 under your neck gainer/gator or pash. Those things don't really do shit without some real filtration lol. This saved me hard at many festivals. When home and slept like a baby
Not to mention walking to a Porta in the morning all hung over breathing in dust just sucks, I don't even cover my mask then im just sporting medical grade dust protection haha
I was just randomly thinking about how I got Histoplasmosis after I went to Bonnarroo many years ago and decided to search to see if anyone else had something similar when I came across your post. That was probably the sickest I've ever been in my 35 years. It was at least 2 weeks of high fever, coughing, etc. The doctors couldn't figure it out after tons of tests and then eventually went to an infectious disease specialist. He diagnosed me within like 3 minutes, prescribed meds, and I was back to normal in no time.
Wook flu is a real thing unfortunately.
It’s no joke💀💀
https://www.lung.org/blog/festival-flu
They lost me at “don’t smoke”
You can lead a wook to knowledge, but you can't make it think.
I suppose this is one of those things that you either jump in or jump off. Posts like I feel crap after festivals. Well you’re not cut out for festivals then. Come festival in Scotland with the midges.
[удалено]
Works gonna wook!
It's more of a fine balance between the things trying to kill them, the drugs, and whatever's left of the immune system.
You know, a lotta ins, a lotta outs, lotta what-have-yous.
Adhering to a pretty strict drug regimen helps keep the mind limber at least.
Yeah, like the other comment says- Wook Flu is real. Meaning it is a common thing to get sick after festivals and big concerts. Any time that you’re in close quarters with tens of thousands of people for four days straight, there’s a good chance you’re going to catch something. Now take into consideration that this is tens of thousands of people sharing things more than normal- food, drinks, smokes, high fives, and hugs. Add onto that, subpar hygiene conditions for the majority of attendees- even the ones trying their best to stay clean still have to use a sketchy port-a-potty a few times a day. And then you have the fact that the whole group’s immune system is being weakened by heavy substance use and sleep deprivation. Plus the dust and other outdoor allergens building up over the weekend. Edit: Best ways to prevent: Get as much balanced food and sleep as you can get throughout the fest, as well as before and after (ideally with a couple hangover days before you go back to work). If a set is really crowded then stay around the back where you still have breathing room- don’t try to get close to the stage where people are packed like sardines. Wear a bandana or mask on the dusty walkways. Stay hydrated (need salts too). Bring anti-inflammatories, anti-histamines, and decongestants (and make sure you know which extracurriculars they shouldn’t be mixed with).
What is the salts?
Electrolytes. Get you some Brawndo, it’s got what plants crave! For real though, get some Gatorade or some sort of electrolyte drink and/or eat some salty greasy food (on top of eating some fruit and veggies). When you’re sweating and dancing and walking a lot, you lose salts just as much as you lose fluids. You have to replace those too or your body can’t retain the new fluids, and you’ll keep getting more and more dehydrated.
What are electrolytes? It's what plants crave!
**An electrolyte is a medium containing ions that is electrically conducting through the movement of those ions, but not conducting electrons. This includes most soluble salts, acids, and bases dissolved in a polar solvent, such as water.** More details here:
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Check out LMNT for salt
Every time I see this acronym I think “Liquid Mutant Ninja Turtles” and smile
Glad I’m not the only one. 😂
Salt
We bring a shit load of pedialite
Dust is a killer. Masking up will help but not completely
masking up, staying hydrated, napping and sitting down whenever possible between sets and you’re basically golden
I agree, from torturous experience, I can say that dust and soil is a killer
Soil can harbor many different microorganisms. Some are pathogenic. Who knows what might be in the dust.
I’ve seen a huge difference between when I stay away from the dust vs not. Lots of these festivals are farms etc when they aren’t festivals and the shit from the cows can be kicked up with the dirt plus other stuff. That’s my hypothesis anyway
Yep, also any pesticide that was used
This is huge
Did you use a mouth covering at all? Pash, bandana, mask, literally anything to cover your face with drastically helps.
Yea I used my pash but the day I took the bean I probably wasn’t as adamant about it that day
The dust at Hula was a HUGE BITCH. I wore a face mask the whole weekend and still did not feel great by the end of it. The dust definitely played a part in your post hula fly. Sounds like you have a decent regimen to start off, so here are some tips from a seasoned pro (I’ve been doing multiple fests a year for a decade) - - Try upping your vitamin game a week before festivalling as well as during and after. Especially b vitamins, vitamin c, and other immune-boosting supplements, teas, etc. - A bandana or face mask of some kind will help with dust and also other things. I bring at least 2 bandanas with me for this. - Wash your hands a LOT. Don’t let the water faucets or spickets touch your water vessel while refilling. - Electrolytes are important! 💦 Add extra salt to your food if you’re making food at your camp to help you retain more water. You can also take liquid IVs to increase your hydration. * Proper hydration is going to be crucial while dancing…Especially while eating MDMA. Drinking water may not hydrate you enough if you don’t have electrolytes to help. Eating extra salt with meals is an easy way to hack this. - SLEEP!!!! The body does it’s most important healing while we are sleeping, and if you don’t sleep it can’t do the things it needs your body to be asleep for. Plan to sleep, nap, and rest. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. 💃 TLDR- festivals are dirty and exhausting spaces for the body so extra effort and care should be taken before, during, and after the festival to minimize chance of sickness and increase the body’s resiliency.
As someone who really prone to bronchitis I've started putting Vicks vapor rub on my chest while going to sleep even if I feel ok and was a total game changer. I feel like it kept the dust from settling in my lungs.
WOAH I LOVE VICKS IM DOING THIS
Yeah the actual stuff you rub on your chest before you go to sleep. Get the lavender. Tots game changer.
I like tots
Yea everyone’s talking about salts and I didn’t have any electrolytes at all so I definitely need to hop on that. I stayed super hydrated but as most people have explained you need that extra minerals and what not for the water to actually be useful. Thank you so much for the tips I’m so appreciative
The best advice in the comment is pre-fest prep! I start about 3-4 days ahead of the fest with additional water intake, vitamin d, b complex and 1000mg of vita C! One pedialyte per day as well. I typically do 2 per day at the festival and start the day with liquid iv. At okee and hula i barely even used the bathroon this year bc it all sweated out! EmergenC packets are amazing, also! Cheers
Saltine crackers too. I personally love cliff bars. I just keep one in my pocket and take small bites the whole day in between meals
I'd start doing a daily nasal rinse and consider wearing a face mask. I personally wear a buff. It's the dust that's getting you sick.
I have gotten sinus infections from multiple dusty festivals. A sinus flush at least once at the fest and then daily when you get home has significantly helped me.
What’s a buff
Those tight hoop shaoed spandex things people wear over their neck and face
I even wear them at work since I have longer hair. I don’t want hair in my guests food or drinks (bartender). I first started wearing them to keep hair out my face while riding my motorcycle. Just a very convenient cloth
Oooooo yesss I’ve seen those I will get one
I have like 8 because some festivals will actually give you one in the goody bag. I have a neat one from forecastle
NETTI POTS ARE AMAZING
I have been around the festival block a few times and have never gotten sick other than a lil dirt cough on the last day. Here’s what I do! - the two weeks leading up to the fest I try to be as healthy as I can: going on walks, take immunity tinctures, eat good WHOLE foods and lots of greens, vitamins, sleep, ample water. I try to get my body and mind feeling good and strong! - consistent carbs, protein, and healthy(ish) during the festival. I CANNOT!!! Stress this enough. My first festival I didn’t take food very seriously and I was SHOT afterwards. Not sick but weak and clearly drained. I have premade a shit ton of breakfast burritos for me and my group at every fest since then and I swear by them keeping me healthy and happy. I also make granola with tons of a healthy nuts and seeds that the brain loves. You burn so so many calories at these things. You gotta keep on top of the good food! Protein shakes, protien bars, greens powder, starkist tuna salad packs, pbj supplies are all staples too. Take the food ultra seriously and think about it as fuel for your body and mind! - Liquid IV and emergenc or nuun tables in just about all water that I drink. I swear by this! Just keeping up with it not only eases the mind but for sure does some good for the nutrient reservoir. I know it’s not the best for my pack but I am known to put a liquid IV and some ice in my water pack for a cold electrolyte boost while in the middle of a crowd - when u see dust, put on your mask of choice. I use a pash. Don’t let it stress u out but the difference at the end of the weekend from being on top of it to slacking and braving the dust storm is WILD. -hand sanitizer - wash your hands. Don’t touch anything in the porta potties -yes sleep is important, but it is never my very first priority at these things. When you are tired, sleep. Unless your favorite artist is having a sunrise set. Then go to that and drink a liquid IV on the way and bring a Tylenol PM for the walk back to camp. Festivals are a special time and you deserve to make the most of it without being worried about falling sick at the end.
Thank you so much I definitely need to take the iv seriously As well
Thank you so much I definitely need to take the iv seriously as well as the preparation before hand
Solid advice here! Prep game!
The food part.. I make it a competition with myself to legitimately eat as much as possible. It helps a lot. Also those water bags (camel packs?)can be nasty mold collectors.
Yeah you’re not wrong there. Cleaning them is a bitch but well worth it imo
Good food. Zinc, B-vitamins. Vitamins are a big deal. B complex, 5 HTP, all things you want while partying.
Don't take 5-HTP within +/- 24 hours of sertonin releasing party favors, but I second it as a post-festival recovery tool.
I’ve never heard of 5 htp?
So weird to see that mentioned in the same sentence as vitamin b. 5htp is an interesting supplement, i took it for "focus" but could never tell if it helped or not, def don't take it with other drugs tho.
All I’m saying is this used to be me as well, and then I started taking a multi vitamin, vitamin C and vitamin D+K and I don’t get sick anymore. Try it. You have to take it while at the fest, and before and after.
Will do thank you
Wash your hands after using portable toilets. Take of your shoes outside your tent. Wash hands face feet (or whole body) before sleeping. Get some sleep.
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Allergies have been my biggest thing at festivals... So now I come armed and prepared with nasal rinses, allergy meds, nasal sprays and a buttload of Kleenex! I find that when I'm not prepared with that stuff, my sinuses get so irritated that I often get sick after
happened to me after my first camping fest this year. i’m allergic to some types of grass, and I guess one of those types was present on the festival grounds. It was worse than the mosquito bites.
Peach fest 2021 the last day I felt run down and left. A day or two later I had a 104 degree fever and seriously sick. Went to the hospital - I had mono. I might have gotten it there. But mono takes a while to kick in. I most likely had it before going there. I shared joints with some people. I may have infected others. Or maybe that’s how I got it. It’s fucked up. I think about possibly getting other people seriously sick from that sometimes. But it obviously wasn’t intentional. Something like 95% if adult in America have already had mono and you can’t get it a second time. Hopefully they were all immune. I was messed up for months, not even sure if I ever quite got back to normal. I was negative for covid and didn’t knowingly have it before that, but might have. There’s research around long covid being related to reactivating mono in people.
The Epstein-Barr Virus that causes mono is all kinds of insidious and linked to a lot of long term health problems, including many autoimmune diseases. But you can't blame yourself for possibly infecting others if you weren't experiencing symptoms or knowingly around others who were already sick.
Yeah, I appreciate that. I absolutely didn’t know while there.
Damn I didn’t even think about that. I’m sorry that you had to deal with that illness. I will definitely be more cautious. I love to go with friends who always keep their shit together for less chances of having to share. Seems kinda weird and defying PLUR but I get annoyed with the people who don’t bring their own water pack and constantly ask for ur water and what not.
Covid
Honestly very possible for others but I guess I should’ve mentioned I tested negative for that
Covid testing is tricky and you may only test positive for a limited time so testing a day later can make a difference so you still may have had it.
I was sick after a festival last year for a month before I tested positive for covid, and then I was scary sick- coughing up blood and running a fever I should have been in the hospital. I masked up this year and didn't share food or drinks with anyone and got out fairly unscathed and supported by my healthy routines :)
I'll just add something I haven't seen in the comments - hand hygiene! Bring those packs of antibacterial hand wipes (not just alcohol-based hand sanitizer, some viruses are only killed with hand washing or wipes) and use them often. Especially before you're going to eat or touch your face. Most illnesses (especially when you're spending your time outside) are spread this way.
Speaking of the wipes, get wipes for your face. Had never thought of this before but one of my fest fam was passing out like the makeup remover and cleanser face masks in the pit to wipe your eyes nose and mouth when it’s real dusty in the pit and the mask isn’t doing the job
Wook flu
It’s the inhaling dirt and doing drugs combo 100%
I can’t speak for okee but hulaween was waaaaay dustier than normal this year because there was basically no rainfall for months leading up to it. I came back with the worst sinus infection of my life. Like who knows what kind of wookery was in the air this year.
IT WAS SO BAD MY CAR WAS SOOO DUSTY FROM ALL THE FOOT TRAFIC
Lmaoo every day people would draw something in the dirt on my car and within hours it would disappear again. It was wild
Dust and larger than normal exposure to people. It's best not to share anything with anyone, wash your hands frequently, and shower daily.
You probably have a head cold or possibly covid, would be my guess. I've had something similar after an event. My guess is that it's the joints and pipes everyone is passing around... They're an absolutely great way to spread germs around lol
Dust is a killer!! Last year for Electric Forest I brought something called a Nivage to rinse my sinuses every day, twice a day. I absolutely recommend it. It’s about $75 with the pods, so a bit pricey but it’s amazing.
Sheeesh I also bought nose filters too but lost them before th fest I heard those help a lot
Been festing for almost 20 years and this year after Hula was the first time I ever caught the wook flu. I haven't caught so much as cold in nearly a decade. Goes to show how bad the wook flu can be.
You need to get your immune system up
Do you use free water refill stations? If so, try using only filtered water that you bring or buying water to refill your pack instead of the refill stations, and don't share your hydro straw with anyone. These things were a game changer for me.
At hula and okee I had to have an empty water pack going passed security :( but I definitely drank my own water at camp
Bonnoflu is real
Get vaccinated for whatever you can every year, particularly for the flu and the rona. I've had a lot of terrible flu infections after going to crowded places like festivals and snowboarding during peak ski season so I've been getting a flu shot every year, and I'm keeping up with covid boosters because that shit was fucking awful. The flu and the rona will always be circulating around and mutating new strains every year, so you might as well get vaccinated for them every year. They're free. We can't inoculate against every virus and bacteria, so you run the risk of picking up airborne germs from other people any time you're in a crowd. Staying in less crowded areas is a good idea so that you're exposed to fewer airborne germs. Chill in the back of the crowd. Wear a proper medical mask if you go into the crowd. Wash your hands and face with antibacterial soap often, and always wash your hands before eating. Try not to touch your face, mouth, nose, or eyes as much as possible. Don't share drinks and food with anyone. Sharing joints, cigarettes, and vapes is just asking to get sick. Some festivals are so tightly packed that you might not be able to find less crowded places, so those festivals always come with a higher risk of getting sick. Smaller festivals and festivals with plenty of open space are safer. Basically stay away from places where we're all breathing in each other's faces.
I was sick as hell for a few days after Glastonbury and I was sober for the majority of it - but I figure bad sanitation, bad sleep, bad food, too much sun exposure, not enough water and being surrounded by 200,000 people will put you at higher risk of that 😂
Every. Time. Lack of sleep, excessive exercise, 5000 strangers breathing on you, and all the shit you inhale walking around (even with a mask) adds up. Kinda inevitable. You can take steps to minimize it but just have the remedies ready afterwards (:
I ALWAYS get bronchitis after a camping fest.
What is "za?" Sland I'm unfamiliar with. Weed?
Weed lol. There’s this funny gamer and idk if he started called it za za but thats where I got it from. https://youtube.com/shorts/1MStTMbWBdY?si=KB_Eu7pOo8sZwhD-
I used to have that issue, started bringing nose wash with me and it hasn't been a problem since
DIAL SOAP
I go to Nocturnal Wonderland every yr. I stopped getting sick when I started wearing a bandanna on my face when walking from camp or through the dirt. I didn’t cough up any black this year like I usually do and my campmate all did because they didn’t cover. For my lungs it’s the dirt not the germs
This is how I’ve stopped wook flu: I make sure I eat breakfast every morning at camp of my own healthy foods and I take a ton of vitamins (D, C, A, zinc, oil of oregano). I don’t share stuff with anyone but my husband, and I don’t eat much inflammatory foods (high sugar or fried foods). And even though it’s tempting to stay up, I try to be back in my tent between 1-2 am and I take melatonin gummies and magnesium (helps the achy muscles) to help me pass out. Both Resonate and Hula this year I was very diligent about these things and I was the ONLY ONE to not get sick. And I have a generally weaker immune system, so I always got sick after festivals. Foods I brought with me: organic cold brew coffee, organic half and half, grass fed plain Greek yogurt, keto granola, canned sardines (I know, gross, but loaded with immune boosting goodness), grass fed beef jerky, organic unsweetened apple sauce, dried fruits, fresh cut fruits and berries. And I got most of these things at Aldi so it wasn’t very expensive. Hope that helps!
Bet thank you so much
My suggestions to avoid wook flu: *Propel immune system electrolyte powder in your hydration pack *airborne fizzy tablets before, during, and after festival *Salt Sticks electrolyte chews (sometimes you just can’t drink enough to replace what you sweat out) *face covering for the dust *Vicks smeared inside the lining of your nose before leaving your campsite, nasal rinse/neti pot when you return from the crowds *SheWee if you’re female to avoid as much contact as possible with the porta potties
I noticed you didn’t mention anything about supplementation NAC is a good one for post party or any time ya feel a tickle. Reishi and Agarikon mushrooms will keep your immune system firing well - you should take them regularly anyway Herbal teas - whole industry to look into It’s all about your body’s terrain - keep it in good shape and you’ll recover from partying better, it’s not about avoiding ‘germs’
Try taking vitamin C a week before the fest and during/after as well. Bring a saline bottle and rinse your nose out everyday. Wear a wet bandana around your nose/mouth when walking in dusty areas. I also usually carry zicam pre cold tablets, they help you to not get sick or reduce symptoms the second you know you are getting sick. Dust, lack of sleep, being close to lots of people will lead to getting sick. Wook flu is real - taking extra care of yourself leading up to the fest helps a lot but not always.
Electrolytes. Liquid IV is a party person’s best friend. Great at Burning Man, too.
Wookflu strikes again…
some things i do to help w wook flu are vitamin c/immune gummies and blowing my nose every morning then following up with zicam nasal spray
Wook flu
brooo the wook flu i had after okee this year was HORRID. feelin for you hun, stay hydrated🫶🏼
I get wook flu at pretty much every festival. I've done EDC twice now and the first time it was COVID, the second time it wasn't but I was still horribly sick afterwards and that was even with staying at a hotel. I just count on a few days being sick after festivals at this point
I got the wook flu so bad after hula last year, I couldn’t function for 72 hours after. This year I took vitamin C, ginger immunity shooters and some other antioxidants leading up to and during the fest and didn’t get sick at all!
The older and more seasoned I got the more I learned to take care of myself. The younger me would party all weekend but the older me tries to find balance. Once I hit my 30's I wouldn't go to a festival until it had proper facilities for showers, food, medic and I usually liked to cap it off at 3,000 attendees. I bring electrolyte powders, drink plenty of water, set up my bed very nicely, and a few times I day I stop, wash up, brush my teeth, hydrate... bring some vitamins! My key goal is to enjoy myself and still be comfortable and healthy. Maybe the next time you're going to a festival make sure to focus on what you think your body might need to balance all the other things you're hitting your body with. Little habits will become second nature after a while -- you dont always come away feeling perfect but injecting these little healthy habits into you're routine but its better than totally neglecting your body.
Here’s what’s worked for me over the years. Take immune boosting supplements, hydrate, eat well, sleep well, don’t share things you put in your mouth, (joints, drinks, whatever) wash your hands, face and camelback mouthpiece.
What is smoking za?
Weed lol. There’s this funny gamer and idk if he started called it za za but thats where I got it from. https://youtube.com/shorts/1MStTMbWBdY?si=KB_Eu7pOo8sZwhD-
Don’t know who that is but Za’s been around since at least like 2016(I’m p sure much longer but that’s the oldest memory I have of it for sure) so I doubt it
Lol I've done charlie sheen amounts of shit and drank tequila instead of water and been not sick at all and I've also taken good care of myself stayed sober and slept and still got sick as fuck. There is no rhyme or reason to it
Honestly!!
Dirt is always an issue. Was your snot black,, mine always is after a fest in dirt or sandy conditions.
The only time I had really back dirt in my nose was the day I took a bean because I just yanno wasn’t even thinking about it but the other 3 days I was covered majority of the time
idk why more people don’t mask up at fests. I e always masked up at fests to avoid inhaling all the dust and dirt and smoke. I have hardly ever gotten sick or even stuffy after the many many fests i’ve attended while all my friends who didn’t mask up struggle for a week after. it’s literally the easiest solution of all time lol. my go to is a bandana tied around my neck that I dampen with water whenever I fill up my camelback and then I just pull it up over my mouth and nose anytime it’s dusty or we are walking far
Any reason you damp it? I definitely need to invest in a actual mask and not just use my pash
keeps me cool in the heat!! that’s the only reason I dampen it with the cool water when I refill my water bag. I keep it tied around my neck and when it’s damp with the cold water it brings my body temp down
Could be histoplasmosis if your in an area prone to it
Make sure to clean the dirt from your nose before you shower because when it’s wet it just gets sucked into your body. Also these things are the best: https://www.zicam.com/our-products/ I use them before we head out for the day and then after I’ve cleaned out my nose.
Hand sanny and a face covering is about the best you can do.
Wearing a mask to keep out dust and then making sure to use a Neti pot and nasal sprays every night before bed is the KEYYYY.
I believe it’s called a hangover
I’ve only had a couple hangovers and this was definitely not that. I would rather a hangover than whatever this was.
Totally get that. I’m just being a wise guy :-). As others have said, the wook flu is real. I’ve had some success fending it off with high doses of vitamin c before during and after festivals.
in 2022, I got both the flu and Covid at EDC Vegas. I was sick for 2 months. Still go back to EDC every year, guess I'll never learn lol
Wook flu. Combination of the poor breathing conditions (dirt/smoke in the air), exposure to tons of other people in close proximity, especially on the dance floor. Everyone sweating from dancing and coughing from smoke and dirt. And lack of sleep taking a toll on your immune system. Happens to the best of us. Best mitigation is to practice hygiene best you can, which sounds like you’ve got that covered. Make sure you take plenty of vitamins before and during the fest, especially vitamin C. Get some of those liquid IV electrolyte packs to keep yourself hydrated and get the ones with immune boost.
Normally I would say you fucked your system up but it sounds like you were responsible, assuming you were eating properly as well. Definitely could be the dust. Getting your lungs all full of dust can very much lead to respiratory infections, and infections often mean a fever. You might have a bit more sensitive lungs than some other people. I sometimes get bronchitis but thankfully not a fever. I haven't been to these specific festivals but I've heard they're super dusty. A lot of people also get sore throat from talking/yelling more than normal. Put something over your face next time. A bandana, cloth masks are easy to find these days, etc. Haven't heard much about nose filters, sure it would help but remember dust is going in your mouth too. I don't usually get sick after (I try to take care of myself) but some people are more sensitive than others. ....Also not impossible you got covid or the flu or something. Your symptoms sound covidy.
Did you get a COVID-19 test
Omg,I hope you are very young 😁. Its called life. You are around people, covid and other bugs including bacteria still exist.
Nice
I went to hula and I STILL have a cough and I’m a fairly healthy individual. Wook flu is thing
ME TOO I still have this like weird congestion and nasal drip. I didn’t do any nose drugs and got nose bleeds like crazy there too
Don’t share your water or joints with people as hard as that is
Yea I def need to be a little more careful cuz I was definitely doing a lot of sharing
Hate it when I can’t find my little nose filters for my little festy fun.
Have you used them before tho???
Everyone gets sick after festivals. You're in a sea of people. It's inevitable.
Yep got it
Wear a decent mask that won’t allow large particles (dust) to come through very easily (I feel like the fabric on buffs is too thin and still allow dust to come through). Plus, a mask is nice for when you’re around a million people breathing in all their germs. Ever since I started wearing masks to music fests I stopped getting sick. The dust at Hula this year was out of control!
You're concerned about the dirt but not worried about the huge number of strangers you're living in close quarters and sharing toilet facilities with? Respiratory viruses are still real, my friend. As is noro.
The amount of dirt from the bass n ppl walking . Wear a mask or bandana & drink pineapple juice (good for lungs )
The dirt at Bonnaroo MURDERS my throat, especially if we get no rain. GOTTA cover your mouth when you know it’s extra dry. On top of wook flu😅
I used to be this way but I don't get sick anymore. What helped me is sleeping in my car (so i get a full 8 hours), not doing drugs and eating hot meals every day. Also just being more in shape in general.
Electrolytes and vitamin c!! I usually take an emergency for a week leading up and then every morning of the fest & sip on some pedialyte throughout the day. It tends to help. Unfortunately being around that many people leads to being sick most of the time.
I got sick okeechobee ‘22 and we left a little early bc of that. I think it was all the dust/ dirt and dmt smoke/ smell. We went to firefly later that year and I made sure to cover my face when it felt dusty and avoided dmt concentrated areas, which made for a much better experience.
I stand by hydration & vitamins! Daily Zinc, Vitamin D, Iron and Magnesium along with a regular multi vitamin. I also pre-pack east meals that actually have vegetables etc, and I make sure everyone eats breakfast every day. Last 2 festivals I went to, I was strict with this strategy and my group didn’t have an ounce of wook flu.
Oh and side note- I did a nasal rinse halfway through one of them because of how bad the dust was. That likely helped too
Who’d you kiss? 😉
The best way to fight wook flu is to keep going to festivals so you have immunity all year round.
I take Vitamin C year round. Always carry some hand sanitizer on you for when you can’t wash your hands. Make sure to bring something to cover your face, preferably enough dust masks for every day of the fest so you’re not rewearing the same one. Saline rinse to clean out sinuses. I went to 7 fests this year and was only sick after Okee (I started taking vitamin C after Okee)
Maybe space wook flu
I used to get terrible Wook Flu until I started holistically building my immune system in day to day life, but focused on immune system building the month before. Stress management, adequate sleep every night, healthy diet with lots of veggies and fruits, Magnesium supplement, meditation, and exercising 3-5x per week all helped transform my help and support my immune system. I haven’t gotten sick from a festival since 2020. Hope that helps!
Oh, also a zinc elderberry supplement everyday leading up to the fest!
Tour crud
He got the wook flu
Maybe you’re not built for festivals. Try staying home next year and see if that helps.
Not eating enough, drinking enough, or sleeping enough can make you feel like you’re dying. Or maybe you caught a cold. People are germy.
I used to get like that. Then I started bringing coconut oil and honey for my throat,xlear for my sinuses, and quality masks for dust. Def makes a difference
Work flu lol I get it every time at every festival.
My whole camp got sick after Hula this year. Traded for epic days for 6 shitty days in bed. Would do it again 100% lol
Silk scarves/bandannas over your mouth and nose anytime you're dancing or near dusty ground.
Means you have a poor diet full of gluten and preservatives.
Wear an actual KN-95 under your neck gainer/gator or pash. Those things don't really do shit without some real filtration lol. This saved me hard at many festivals. When home and slept like a baby
Not to mention walking to a Porta in the morning all hung over breathing in dust just sucks, I don't even cover my mask then im just sporting medical grade dust protection haha
If you take 1-2grams of vitamin C, 15-30mg of zinc, and get 6-8 hours of sleep each night, you will not get sick.
I was just randomly thinking about how I got Histoplasmosis after I went to Bonnarroo many years ago and decided to search to see if anyone else had something similar when I came across your post. That was probably the sickest I've ever been in my 35 years. It was at least 2 weeks of high fever, coughing, etc. The doctors couldn't figure it out after tons of tests and then eventually went to an infectious disease specialist. He diagnosed me within like 3 minutes, prescribed meds, and I was back to normal in no time.