By: Marcia Abramson
However, I do have some suggestions that have been helpful to me as I traverse the continents when I follow this advice. First, it is important to get a good night's sleep before taking a flight. It is also helpful to wear comfortable loose-fitting clothing with plenty of give, since your body does expand slightly in flight.
Although many travel writers prefer to carry-on their luggage, I prefer to check mine to avoid the responsibility of watching my luggage at the airport and settling my bags in the overhead compartments. I do pack a light carry-on bag or a wheeled backpack which can fit under the seat in front of me for medications and cosmetics. It is also helpful to have the medications in their original bottles and easily accessible. For wearers of contact lenses, it is wise to take a pair of eyeglasses and contact solution in your carry-on bag. I find that the ideal place for important medical, insurance information and copies of all prescription labels is in my wallet or purse.
It is also wise to eat right on the day of your trip and to advise airline reservations of any special dietary needs at least 24 hours before take-off. Something I also find useful when I am crossing different time zones is to set my watch to the time of my final destination a few days before my actual flight. This enables me to adjust my sleep pattern to the five to seven hours of advanced time in Europe and at least three hours earlier when flying to the West Coast. This is also is a good deterrent for jet lag.
While flying keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water and juice and limiting the use of alcohol and caffeine intake to prevent dehydration. If you must have coffee, don't expect to receive the "blue or pink" sweeteners or dairy supplements. It is sugar and milk to sweeten or lighten your coffee or tea. ( The anthrax scare has put an end to all powdered foods served on commercial flights.) It is also a good idea to use moisture creams on your face and hands to avoid drying of the skin. Above all, try relaxing by breathing in air through the nostrils slowly and exhaling through the mouth. Chewing gum or sucking on "Jolly Ranchers" or lemon drops as well as yawning or swallowing may help to relieve the pressure on the ears during take-off and landing. Another admonition is to avoid sitting with legs crossed and to try the following exercises which I have always felt helpful while in flight:
There is the finger/toe stretch which involves clenching your fingers inward toward the palm, then stretching outward several times. You do the same with your toes. With the ankle rotation, lift one foot slightly off the floor, keeping the leg immobile, then make a few small circular motions left and right with the foot and do the same with the other foot. There is also the foot flex: With heels on the floor, lift the toes upward as far as you can. Hold for several seconds, then relax feet and repeat. Another foot exercise is the heel lift where you lift one heel as high as you possibly can while keeping the toes on the floor. You follow this by relaxing the heel to the floor and repeating right and left heels.
Two other exercises which I find relaxing are the shoulder rotation: I lift my shoulders up and make circles back to front several times and then front to back. The last exercise is the neck roll. I drop my chin to my chest and slowly rotate my head clockwise a few times and then I reverse the motion by going counter-clockwise. Most of these exercises can be accomplished while staying in your seat.
Taking a walk down the aisle is also a good therapeutic way to avoid phlebitis and dangerous blood clots. Hopefully, these tips will keep you feeling fit while flying.
Copyright by Marcia Abramson
E-mail: mascribe@aol.com
