Simple Do’s and Don’ts Before a Flight
Having a plethora of food options at the airport can feel tempting and overwhelming. Food is a huge part of traveling, so let’s save the calories for when we arrive to our destination. Here are tips to stay healthy and nourished while flying.
No Fried Foods
Fried foods can cause stomach aches so avoid eating any before flying. Airports don’t have many options so opt for healthier choices rather than going straight for the burger or pizza restaurant. Starbucks has ready to go salads and sandwiches that can even warm up for you. The problem with fried foods are that they can be heavy and can cause stomach aches and no one wants to deal with that during a long flight.
Avoid Sugar, Coffee and Tea
Consuming high amounts of sweets, coffee, and teas will give you more energy than you need possibly causing you to feel anxious as you are sitting on that long flight. Coffee, teas and alcohol especially will aggravate dehydration which is not best right before or during a flight.
Avoid sodas, tomato juice, v8 that can be dehydrating as well.
What to Eat
Eating foods that are high in nutrients will keep your body from becoming sluggish and jet lagged. When you eat better, you will feel better. Buy some trail mix at the airport, or make your own with some dried fruit and nuts mixed into a plastic bag. Choose fruits and veggies that are low in calories and high in fiber. These will hold you over a long flight without feeling lethargic. Planning and packing your snacks at home will you save time and money which is always a plus. Healthy snacking helps keep your metabolism going and helps prevent over eating.
If you choose a sandwich or salad make sure to avoid any of the extras like cheese or salt. Most dressing have mayo in them which contains unnecessary calories.
Protein bars are a good way to stay full because they are high in nutrients and fiber. Make sure to check the sugar content and look for bars that are low in sugar and high in protein and vitamins.
If you are on a diet or trying to loose weight go for the 100 calories snack, which are packed with nutrients without the high calorie count.
Stay Hydrated
It’s always important to stay hydrated in general but especially so before and during a flight. Flights can leave you high and dry. The decrease in atmospheric pressure, oxygen, and humidity tends to be harsh on the skin and body.
Water is always the best choice when choosing a drink because it is a critical nutrient when traveling on a plane. A beverage that is high in electrolytes can help rehydrating you once you land so go for drinks such as: Smart water, gatorade, powerade, or even coconut water! Prior to landing, having a cup of water (preferably warm/hot) with lemon, that will help stimulate digestion and help detox your body.
Other essentials to make your flight more comfortable are: moisturizing spray for your face, saline, nose drops, eye mist or eye drops.
