Flying can be hard on our bodies for many reasons. Travel fatigue, jet lag, gastrointestinal issues, hydration, and eating out of our normal routine can all take a toll on your wellbeing during and after a flight. Therefore, considering travel nutrition advice is essential for maintaining your health and comfort while traveling.
Understanding the impact of flying on health and how we feel
Air travel can be challenging and make us feel unwell due to dehydration, bloating, jet lag and travel fatigue caused by factors such as cabin pressure, dry air, and limited movement. Additionally, crossing multiple time zones can affect your eating schedule and overall diet, making it crucial to have a nutrition plan tailored for travel.
Personalised nutrition guidance
It’s important to seek advice from a dietitian who is familiar with the frequent flyer lifestyle and the specific challenges it presents. A dietitian who frequently travels themselves can provide specialised and personalized advice, taking into account the plane and lounge catering options and addressing the unique needs of travellers. I love being a travel dietitian (and travel nutritionist) providing travel nutrition advice to both passengers and the wider travel industry. Food is such an important part of the travel experience (especially when flying) and so advice on how to enjoy it most is beneficial
Key Areas of Travel Nutrition Advice
A comprehensive travel nutrition plan should cover various aspects, including:
- A comprehensive travel nutrition plan should cover various aspects, including:
- Airport lounge menu recommendations: Choosing nutritious options that keep you energized and hydrated.
- Jet lag and diet: Adjusting your eating schedule and the types of foods to align with different time zones to help minimize jet lag.
- Plane food recommendations: Selecting healthy meals across all classes to maintain a balanced diet.
- Jet lag and fatigue: Incorporating specific foods that help combat the effects of long flights.
- Stress and mental health: Consuming foods that support mental well-being during travel.
- Hydration: Staying adequately hydrated to counteract the dry cabin air.
- Bloating and gastrointestinal issues: Avoiding foods that may cause discomfort and focusing on digestion-friendly options.
- Inflammation: Including anti-inflammatory foods to reduce swelling and discomfort.
- Foods in different countries: Navigating local cuisines while maintaining dietary needs.
- Hotel breakfasts and room service menus
- Hotel executive lounges
For passengers with specific health conditions, travel nutrition advice becomes even more critical. Personalised plans can address:
- Diabetes management
- Nutrition for pregnancy
- Heart disease considerations
- Food allergies and intolerances
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Stress management
- Travelling with children
It is important to remember that not all foods served onboard or in lounges are the same. I know this sounds like a bit of an obvious statement but there are many examples of where some foods are more nutritious than others and it can be useful to get advice on how you can choose the best foods for you while travelling. For example here are two different yogurts served for breakfast by the same airline (departing long haul from two different airports). As you can see one yogurt is made from basically milk, cream, and powdered milk, while the other yogurt (minus the blueberry flavour) is made from water, milk solids, sugar, modified starch etc. Now I am not commenting on the nutrition of either of these per see in this article, only highlighting that foods may look similar sometimes but can actually be quite different. This is where getting advice from travel nutrition specialists is beneficial, especially if you have specific medical conditions.
Whether you are a frequent flyer or an occasional traveler, following travel nutrition advice can significantly enhance your flying experience by keeping you healthy, energized, and comfortable. Consulting with a dietitian who understands the unique demands of air travel can help you navigate the challenges of flying and ensure you arrive at your destination feeling your best.
For more information on travel nutrition advice see the article on diet and travel. For the travel catering industry see article more about why considering travel nutrition is important.
