Debo Hobo

Let me tell you something. My flight to San Diego has got to have been the most uncomfortable and painful flight I have ever been on. Not only because I got stuck sitting in the rear bulkhead seat, which I warn against all the time; but for a more awkwardly painful and uncomfortable reason. And to add to my near embarrassment it was a completely full flight which fortunately only lasted two hours; two hours that seemed to drag on and on.

My seat was on the two seat side of the plane and this time having a window may not have been as much of a luxury as it was a hindrance. I didn’t want to repeatedly cross over my seatmate, not knowing if I had the situation completely under control. Then she wanted to converse most of the flight and all I wanted to do was just sit, close my eyes and relax. No actually I wanted to stand-up and apologize to the entire cabin for the impending doom, after all I’ll never see these people again. Not true, I’m sure some of them would have been on the return flight, so I sat quiet.

What’s this? My seatmate is going to the restroom! Thank God! This is my chance, I’ll let loose and the air vent will whisk it away before she returns. Nope nothing, I have worked myself into such a frenzy that, well it’s stuck; the painful rumblings continue.

Finally the flight is at our destination. I disembark the plane run for the restroom, moments later I reemerge victorious and relieved.

If you suffer from intestinal gas during or immediately following air flight then this post is for you. My flight to San Diego was not the most comfortable due to intestinal discomfort. I’m sure it was a combination of nerves, anxiety and a poor pre-flight meal. After doing some online research I found a few ways to avoid this situation next time. Let me know your thoughts on this via the comment section.

Pressure
As the plane climbs in altitude the inner cabin pressure decreases. These decreases can cause more than the popping of the ears. Reduced air pressure can cause severe intestinal gas. A couple of ways to counteract this problem is to:
• Avoid eating gas-producing foods such as garlic and beans before flights
• Avoid wearing tight clothes

Before your flight
Prevention is the best solution! Next time you fly, avoid gaseous foods the day before.
Here’s the short list:
• beans
• cabbage
• corn
• cauliflower
• broccoli
• bell peppers
• milk
• bread
• eggs
• beer
• raisins and dried fruits

Determine odor: Non-smelling flatulence results from swallowed air, which is symptomatic of chewing gum, drinking through straws, sucking on hard candies or nervousness, rather than something you’ve eaten. Foul-smelling flatulence is related to the breakdown of actual foods as they go through the intestinal tract.

All Natural Cure:
Fennel (Foeniculum vlagare) is a herb that has historically been used to eliminate gas, colic, diarrhea, indigestion, nausea and vomiting. Fennel has an affinity for the digestive and intestinal tract; primarily, the seeds from this plant are used for digestion. The raw seeds are served or offered in many restaurants in India and Nepal, similar to how restaurants in the United States give out peppermint candies at the end of a meal. For intestinal gas, take fennel tea or capsules right after meal. Fennel acts as a carminative, which makes it effective on intestinal gas.

Walk it off: Instead of keeping still after a meal, take a post-dinner stroll, do some chores around the house, or walk the dog to keep your body moving and gas flowing.

If these techniques don’t work, please be sure to crank up the air vent and apologize to your seat mates.

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