There’s always one thing that you need to manage before your holiday can get started – the dreaded holiday flight gas! We don’t like to talk about it, but I think we need to get to the bottom of it.
Why is it that on every holiday plane journey your tummy swells up, you have uncontrollable gas escaping from your bottom and you end up constipated for a few days when you get to your final destination? Not a great start to your holiday.
Here’s the Colonic Queen science….
On a flight we are under pressure – hydro static pressure to be exact.
On the ground the plane doors are sealed. But when we get up to 30,000 feet the air pressure is a lot lower outside than inside the plane. This makes everything inside the plane expand – crisp packets, shampoo bottles – and us! See this handy video to show just how much.
The gas that’s already in your digestive systems has expanded like everything else. But it’s still in the same space – it has nowhere to go except out!
What can I do to reduce the gas?
Dehydration plays a big part in the bloating that we feel when we’re on a flight. The pressurised cabin and air conditioning mean that we are drawing dry air into our bodies. So our bodies have to pull as much water out, which includes from our digestive system. This leads to constipation and increased gas.
The simplest remedy for this is to drink MORE! Unfortunately, I’m going to be a party pooper though and say NOT alcohol….
When we expand, our blood vessels get bigger, so we have more space in the blood vessels. But we only have same quantity of blood inside us. 80% of our blood volume is water. Because our vessels are bigger we need more water to keep us at the same pressure as when we were on the ground. If we don’t do this, the blood will puddle and can clot (swollen ankles and increased risk of DBT).
So, skip the cheeky on-board cervezas because all your body really wants you to do is drink water.
Boring maybe, as I know you want a little celebration for the beginning of your holiday!
But it’s a bad move. Alcohol is dehydrating, which will mean more constipation. And those bubbles will have nowhere to go but out the other end, meaning more bloating and more GAS! So believe me when I say – wait until you’re at your end point before you crack open the booze!
Drinking more water will also help everything move around your system more easily (I’m talking poo here). It will prevent constipation. And cause you to get up and move in the plane more because you’ll need the loo! An added bonus to help your circulation keep moving.
Skip the in-flight meals too and pack high water content snacks like apples and carrot sticks. If you’re on long haul and get to choose from a menu, try to choose foods that aren’t gas producing and easier to digest.
If you can stick to this simple advice, you’ll get over that bloating and feel back to normal in no time. Keep up your water intake (alongside those cocktails!) once you arrive too to help your digestive system keep moving. Add in a short walk once you arrive at your destination to help your circulation get back to normal and reduce the risk of DBT too.
And lastly, get ready for those pina coladas and holiday fun!
If you get back and you’re still suffering from painful gas, bloating or constipation, then you can always come for a consultation with me and see if there is something I can do to help you. Book your appointment here.
