The Surprising Reason Why You Feel Bloated and Stomach Hurt While Traveling!

Summer means sunny skies, refreshing juices, and for many people, summer vacations are a chance to unwind by jetting off to a beautiful coastal destination.

Flying can be incredibly uncomfortable if you’re experiencing symptoms like stomach pain, bloating, and constipation while flying, but fortunately, it’s easy to overcome the cause of belly issues while flying, according to gut health expert and registered dietitian Megan Rossi, Ph.D.

“I don’t have IBS, but I’ve definitely experienced IBS-like symptoms on long flights,” Rossi said in a recent Instagram post.

In a new video, Rossi explains why air travelers often feel bloated, using a yogurt container with an aluminum foil lid as part of her demonstration. “Imagine that container is your gut at ground level. The gas produced by the microbes inside has room to move. But as the plane climbs, the change in air pressure causes the gas to expand and can lead to conditions like bloating and abdominal pain,” she says.

While it can be uncomfortable, there are ways to ease that pressure by preparing before you fly. If a person’s gut is affected negatively during flights, she says, they can “try reducing their intake of FODMAP-rich foods, such as beans, onions, garlic, avocados, and mushrooms, 24 to 48 hours before their flight,” she says, advising that they should be eaten after arriving from a flight because they are important foods for boosting the gut microbiome.

FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, and of course, short-chain carbohydrates can cause digestive problems for people with sensitivities such as irritable bowel syndrome. A low-FODMAP diet is often recommended for those with IBS to help reduce symptoms such as bloating and constipation.

Top tips

If you are experiencing these symptoms temporarily while traveling, you can make simple switches, says Professor Rossi, such as:

• Use olive oil instead of avocado oil

• Eat eggplant instead of mushrooms

• Eat eggs as a plant-based protein source instead of chickpeas or beans

• Eat bell peppers and a variety of fruits and vegetables

• Take magnesium or fiber supplements to avoid constipation after flights.