Avoiding the bloat on destination wedding travel

Happy Friyay folks! Today we open up the study to nutritionist Jenna Hope who will be talking today about how to stop the destination wedding bloat – what to eat to stop bloating whilst travelling to a destination wedding. We think you’ll find it super helpful…

Travelling for a holiday, work or just an experience can induce bloating due to the increased air pressure on a plane. However, when you’re travelling to a destination wedding there’s a high chance you’re feeling more nervous and stressed. Consequently, you may end up feeling more bloated than normal. So below I’ve shared my top tips for looking after your gut in order to help reduce the dreaded bloat.

Reduce Refined carbohydrates and sugar

In the lead up to your pre-wedding flight limit your intake of refined carbohydrate and sugars. Swap white bread for the wholemeal variety, white rice for brown rice and high sugar snacks for those that are high in protein and healthy fats e.g. nuts, hummus and vegetables, olives, Greek yoghurt with berries or an apple with some peanut butter.

Support your gut

If you’re travelling to a new place you might want to consider taking probiotics for travelling. These are low dose probiotics which help to support your gut microbiome in a new country. This is because it can get affected by factors such as a change in water or trying the local cuisine.

Don’t over eat

Try to eat small meals regularly. Eating large meals or going long periods of time without eating may contribute to bloating.

Avoid high fat heavy meals at the airport

Before a flight it can be tempting to load up on the alcohol and consume a big meal to keep you full. High fat foods take longer to digest and so they sit around in your gut for a prolonged period of time and may contribute to the guild up of gas. Try sticking to smaller meals such as a salad with a protein source (fish, chicken, beans, egg or pulses) to help stabilise the gut and make sure you pick up some snacks for the plane so you’re fully prepared.

Adjust to your time zone on the plane

Travelling across time zones plays havoc with your circadian rhythm which means that your hormones can be out of whack. Your gut is responsible for the release of a variety of hormones including melatonin (your sleep hormone). It’s important to try and regulate your circadian rhythm to suit your  new destination as early as possible to help reduce bloating. Do this by consuming your snacks and meals at the times you would do normally in your new destination. It’s a good idea to try and regulate your sleep accordingly too.

Get up and move on the plane

Keep your gut moving. Ensure you’re getting up during the flight to walk around. A plane can be a very cramped place which may result in trapped gas and bloating. Get up at least once every hour to have a walk around the plane and get your body moving. This will also help you to feel less groggy when you land.

Relieve your bowels before flying

Let’s face it the plane lavatories are no one’s favourite place and we all do our best to avoid them. However, holding in your needs can cause abdominal cramping and bloating. Relieve your bowels at the airport and then if you really need to whilst you’re in the air then you might just have to give in just this once.

Avoid alcoholic and gassy drinks on the plane

Of course this is a time for celebration although for the sake of reducing that bloat it might be worth avoiding the alcoholic drinks and fizzy mixers. Alcohol is an inflammatory and when combined with highly sugary fizzy drinks it causes increased gas and bloating. Stick to herbal teas (most airlines offer a variety these days) and water and save the champagne for when you touch down.

Wear loose comfortable clothes

Surprisingly how your outfit choice affects your bloat is rarely discussed. However, wearing tight high waisted trousers/leggings/ skirts may restrict your gut and contribute to bloating. Try travelling in loose fitting clothes to give yourself room to prevent your gut feeling restricted.

So there you have my top tips for helping to reduce the bloat on your destination wedding. Whilst some bloat during the travelling process is normal ensure you’re doing everything you can to reduce it where possible.