The freedom of travel can’t be experienced without some level of stress and exhaustion along the way. As someone who feels completely discombobulated after a flight (hitting the runway with dry skin and unruly hair), I am always looking for ways to better nourish myself on a journey. The following are a few reasons why air travel is so taxing on the body and suggestions on how to select the best nutrients to boost your immune health and enhance your trip.
Hydration Status
In an effort to maintain a clean environment, an airplane’s filtration system takes outside air and circulates it in the cabin. The humidity of cabin air is at levels around 10-20%, significantly lower than typical indoor humidity of 30-65%. Why should you be concerned about low humidity? In addition to dry skin and hair, being in low humidity for an extended period of time can result in fatigue and increase your risk for catching a respiratory virus. When the air is too dry, the mucus in your airways cannot help trap viruses or bacteria trying to enter your body. Improve hydration status with water, herbal tea, and dietary fat.
Water & Herbal Tea:
Drink a minimum of 8 oz of water or herbal tea for every hour in the air to help prevent dehydration. Herbal teas, as opposed to caffeinated drinks (coffee, green or black tea) or alcohol, won’t act as a diuretic and dehydrate you during the flight.
- In Flight: Sip on water and decaffeinated herbal teas. Try ginger tea to help settle your stomach on a turbulent flight. Bring a calming, nighttime tea (camomile or lavender blend) on your next red eye to help relax the nervous system to encourage sleep.
- Post-Flight: Our bodies retain fluid when flying. After a flight, try reaching for a natural diuretic to shed some excess water and limit bloating. Dandelion leaf tea is a great option to stimulate liver detoxification. If you are landing in the morning, post-flight is the time to reach for your usual morning cup of caffeine. (See my post Coffee, Tea & Caffeine to read about the best options.)
Fat:
Along with drinking plenty of water, it’s also important to consume enough dietary fat to help hold moisture in the skin. Essential fatty acids help to protect and nourish the skin cell membrane to maintain supple skin, especially when it is exposed to dry cabin air.
- Pre- and Post-Flight: Work to incorporate fat from a wide variety of whole food sources in your meals to help promote skin hydration. The following are wonderful options: olive oil, coconut oil, nuts and nut butters, fatty fish (salmon or cod), and grass-fed beef. (See my post Why to Eat Fat (Even Saturated!) for more information on the importance of fat in the diet.)
- In Flight: Snack on nuts and trail mix in flight for a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Nuts make for one of the most easily portable foods! Limit added salt to help prevent bloating from water retention during the flight.
Immune Function
Spending any amount of time at 30,000 feet sharing oxygen with a group of strangers is taxing on your immune system! And now we know that low humidity increases your risk for infection. Boosting intake of probiotics and vitamin C can help support your immune system and keep you healthy on a trip.
Probiotics:
Gut health is closely linked to immune function. When the digestive tract has the appropriate balance of good and bad bacteria it is able to filter out and eliminate harmful chemicals and toxins, allowing us to optimally digest and absorb the nutrients our bodies need.
- Pre-Flight: Focus on increasing your intake of probiotic foods (such as cultured yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and sour kraut) during the week prior to traveling to optimize gut health and support a healthy immune system. (See my post Pre- and Probiotics for a Healthy Gut for more details on healthy bacteria for your gut.)
- Pre- and Post-Flight: Include a probiotic supplement each morning upon rising to prioritize gut health in your daily routine. I recommend trying the following: Dr. Ohira’s Probiotics® Original Formula or Garden of Life RAW Probiotics (which offers varieties for men and women). Probiotics should be refrigerated once you arrive at your final destination, but these capsule forms are easy to transport on your trip.
Vitamin C:
The body is not able to make vitamin C, so it is essential to consume adequate amounts in the diet. It is a powerful antioxidant and is required for the growth and repair of body tissue. Many fruits and vegetables, such as citrus fruits, strawberries, green & red bell peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli are great sources of vitamin C to regularly include in the diet.
- In Flight: Pack a few fruits or vegetables high in vitamin C to snack on during your travels. The following fruits & vegetables have a high water content and are also packed with nutrients to support immune function during a flight:
- Red Bell Peppers – rich in vitamin C & A for immune function and skin health
- Papaya – rich in vitamin C with enzymes to help brighten tired skin
- Pineapple – rich in vitamin C with a good source of bromelain, a digestive enzyme the helps break down food and limit bloating
Digestive Regulation
Our bodies were not designed to digest food at 7 miles above sea level. To make matters more difficult, the dry cabin air essentially numbs our taste buds. This means that dishes require extra seasoning to make them tasty in the air. Depending on the timing of your flight, try to consume your main meal on the ground to normalize the digestive process and limit the need for added seasoning. Incorporate digestive enzymes and mindfulness practices to support healthy digestive function, no matter what you are exposed to during your travels.
Digestive Enzymes:
Primarily produced in the pancreas and small intestine, digestive enzymes play an important role in helping the body break down food for absorption. If our bodies are not producing enough enzymes, we are not able to absorb all of nutrients available in the food we consume. The stress of being away from home is taxing to your whole system, including your digestive tract. Supplemental digestive enzymes are a great option to provide extra digestive support when traveling.
- Pre- and Post-Flight: As mentioned above, try to consume your main meals on the ground. Take 1-2 digestive enzyme capsules before heavier meals to help promote optimal digestion and ease discomfort, gas, and bloating. There are a wide variety of digestive enzymes on the market – I recommend a full spectrum option like Rainbow Light® Digestive Enzymes.
Mindfulness Practices:
The hustle and bustle of traveling can leave us feeling stressed and disconnected. No matter where we travel, the body is thrown off of it’s normal eating schedule and introduced to a variety of new foods. Mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing and meditation, will activate the parasympathetic nervous system and ease the muscles of the digestive tract. Our mindset while eating impacts not only the quantity of food we consume, but also how well our bodies are able to digest and absorb the nutrients present in the meal.
- In Flight: Once you have arrived in your seat, take a moment to practice deep breathing, or close your eyes for a simple meditation. Slow your pace when eating and drinking in order to help fully digest and absorb the nutrients present in the food. No matter how hectic the environment, find stillness to connect with and nourish yourself during your travels.
TSA Note:
While airplane food has never been a delicacy, the options are becoming more limited each year. This can be especially challenging for anyone following an elimination diet, or managing food allergies. Whenever possible, pack food in advance so that you are not relying on the options provided. You are free to carry-on any solid food. There is a limited allowance for liquids and gels in carry-on luggage by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). All liquids and gels must be less than 100 millimeters (just over 3 oz) and the containers must fit into 1 quart, zip-close plastic bag. Foods included in this limited-allowance category include: hummus, peanut butter, dressing, applesauce and all other soft or pourable items. (There are exceptions for infants).