More than beans cause gas: How about flying?

According to Abha’s recent post, chickens produce less gas and therefore are more healthy for the environment than beef. In an article I just read, “Bloating, gas can create high anxiety while flying in an airplane,” people with gas problems have more than beans to worry about. The condition is called jet bloat. To make matters worse, those things that you do to relieve problems like ear pressure pain make bloating increase. Chewing gum, for example, brings in more air. Throw down a couple of free sodas (or in the case of Skybus, $2 sodas) and you will really feel like you’re about to pop.

Think of yourself as that complimentary bag of chips that gets passed out as a snack ($2 if you fly Skybus.) Did you ever notice the extra air in those? That’s because at higher altitudes air expands. Just like the chips, your stomach expands with air build up the higher up you go. Since what goes in likes to come out, for those who are more naturally gaseous, this can be a problem. No worries. If you can quietly let out the extra, it’s odorless. However, if you want to avoid the build-up, the article outlines foods and drinks to avoid.

Here they are: fried foods, beans, bananas, cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, carbonated sodas and caffeinated drinks. Here’s a nother resource that lists other foods to avoid. Oh, and medication like Gas-X doesn’t prevent air build-up, it just makes getting rid of gas faster.