It’s getting to be that time of year when we start looking at race calendars, itineraries and travel information. So here’s a fun fact. Did you know that the average cruising speed for a passenger jet is 575 mph? Yes, the flying the jet “Aeroplane” is super fast but not as fast of the speed of sound which is 767 mph or Mach 1. Imagine, the music traveling through your earbuds to your ears are faster than the jet you’ll be potentially flying on. So Why all this talk about airplanes? Good thing you’re asking.
When traveling by air, your body becomes dehydrated, along with other issues:
- Lack of humidity in cabin air, which leads to dehydration
- Moisture evaporating from your body = low humidity, leading to dehydration
- Consuming high sodium snacks (i.e. salty peanuts, pretzels, etc.)
- Alcohol consumption also causes dehydration
- Caffeine in that cup of java also increases dehydration
Ways to avoid dehydration on your flights:
- Eat water rich foods (fruits & veggies):
- i.e. grapes, blueberries (or as we like to call them “brain berries”), clementines, watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple easy to eat chunks, all work wonders
- Bell peppers, carrots, celery, cucumbers are some other quick and easy to carry options when traveling.
- Travel with a water bottle and fill it up. Recycle & Reuse those water bottles that you get in race gear or sporting events.
- If you’re going to consume an adult beverage or your vitamin C (as in caffeine in your coffee) then ensure to drink plenty of good old quality H2O.
