I know better than to give blood anymore- as for aspirin, I have heard several sites reccommend it- I tend to avoid it tho, if I take aspirin or ibuprophen the slightest scratch bleeds like a severe gash.

Coffee actually is a help at high altitude, since one common symptom is sleepyness- but coffee dehydrates so you have to up the water intake. Alas, I gave up coffee a few months ago.

Never heard of ginger as a cure, tho... I make a VERY good ginger chili... maybe I will bring some up-

When I was 15 I stayed in colorado springs a few weeks, my first week I tried to climb Pikes peak- I thought I was going to die... I lived in oklahoma at the time. After a few weeks living at 6000 feet I was able to do it...

The closest I have come to passing out was when I climbed to the top of the Keck 1 dome- I was recovering from a flu and hadnt been up for a week. I finally understood what people mean by 'tunnel vision'. The view was amazing when my vision cleared!