Tips to overcome health problems when flying

Many people prefer flying because of its speed and convenience. However, moving in this way can be a "torture" of their own bodies.

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Whether you spend an hour at an altitude of more than 9,000 meters above the ground or traveling through different time zones, the effects of flight can damage your mind, body and circadian rhythms. . According to experts, pressure, humidity, tightness and low oxygen levels make flying passengers feel dizzy, swollen joints, dry skin, loss of taste and even breathing. foul.

Some of the following ways help your body adapt to aerial travel:

Bad breath

Many body functions slow down while we fly, due to major changes in pressure breakdown and metabolism disorders and the body decides to prioritize other functions. Salivary glands are therefore affected and produce less saliva, meaning more bacteria grow inside the mouth, making the breath less fragrant.

Because most passengers sip fast food, use sugary drinks and chocolates, the problem becomes more serious due to bacteria eating sugar. The remaining food particles in the mouth will produce a sulfide complex that causes bad breath.

Solution: Choose healthy food, drink filtered water and brush your teeth after meals. Halal candies also hide bad breath, but do not remove it completely.

The legs are swollen

People traveling by plane may experience vascular blockage or deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which, due to poor circulation, a blood clot forms in one of the deep veins of the muscle. can. According to the American Heart Association, sitting still for long periods of time in tight conditions, dehydration and low pressure in aircraft cabin all contribute to this situation.

The older the person, the higher the risk of DVT when flying. Its symptoms are swollen legs, feeling heavy and socks that cause streaks around the ankles, where they have never appeared before.

Solution: Control blood circulation by standing up and walking about once every hour. If you sit by the window and the outgoing passenger is sleeping, you can lift your legs up - down and rotate them in a circle every 30 minutes to keep blood flowing.

Taste decline

A 2010 study by Lufthansa (Germany) found that the ability of passengers to taste salty and sweet can be reduced by up to 30% while flying. In flyers, when food is really poor, this problem turns out to be a good thing.

Experts explain that, at an altitude of about 9,000 - 10,000 meters above the ground, the humidity will be 15% lower than the threshold needed to keep the nasal passages and mucous membranes moist. Both are related to taste buds, so that will impair your ability to distinguish different flavors.

Solution: Drink plenty of water and keep your mouth moist. Experts recommend that you drink 1-2 cups of water every hour to achieve that. If you need to eat, you should choose spicy, sour or bitter foods to sip while flying because they taste stronger.

dizziness

Aircraft compartments are pressurized to make passengers feel as if they are at an altitude of nearly 2,100 meters above the ground. It will create the same effect on the body when you stand on the top of a mountain. The oxygen in the air is less and the amount of oxygen in your blood also drops to 93% of normal levels.

The consequences of less oxygen circulating to essential cells in the body will be fatigue, headache and dizziness, dizziness.

Solution: Sadly, you can't do much in this case. However, you are advised not to drink alcohol because it disturbs the metabolism of cells and makes them absorb oxygen less. Maintaining good health, avoiding obesity and not smoking will cause dizziness and dizziness when flying less seriously.

Dry skin

Pressurized aircraft compartments have low humidity and are very dry. When it is cool on the fly, the moisture can be reduced by 2% and the natural moisture on your skin will quickly evaporate over time. Your face, hands and feet will begin to feel dry, dull and hot.

Also, if you are stressed while flying, your skin may suffer even more serious damage. Stress produces hormones cortisol, affecting the protective barrier function of the skin, leading to redness or swelling of the boils.

Solution: Drink plenty of water to cool from inside your body. You can bring 1-2 bottles of moisturizer with you, but remember that each bottle does not exceed 100ml, otherwise you will not be able to take them through security control.

Constipation

Sitting for a long time and a big change in pressure on the body slows down our metabolism. The result is bloating, "farting" , constipation and abdominal pain. This problem can also be attributed to the changing schedule and biological rhythm of the body when you fly many different time zones.

Solution: Do not eat meals too full before boarding a plane or while flying. Leave your seat and move gently once a hour and eat a light, high-fiber diet to support digestion.