Woman shares reality about what flying actually does to your body that ‘no one talks about’

What happens to your body during a flight has been revealed by a hormones and gut health coach, and it’s shocking.

Everyone likes to travel to a sunny place, but little did you know that the journey could be causing more harm than good.

We’ve been told countless times that flying requires a certain amount of pre-work, from the clothes to wear, to how you sit. It’s always something.

But now, you’ve also got to take your health into consideration.

Katrina Hecker, aka @beautybykatguthealth on TikTok, has revealed the significant way flying messes with our bodies.

In her video, which shows a lovely clip of blue skies, a vast ocean and part of a plane’s engine, she explained: “This is what flying does to your body (and nobody talks about it).”

Kat explained what flying does to your body (ozgurcankaya/ Getty Stock)

The health guru shared that while ‘flying might feel glamorous’, it’s actually ‘a full-body stress test and most people don’t prepare for it’.

According to Kat, when you are 30,000 feet in the air, you begin to lose hydration, your digestive system slows, your circulation also slows, and your immune system ‘takes a hit’.

Damn, that doesn’t sound like a peaceful flight.

The influencer revealed that there are certain things you need to do to protect your body whilst up in the air, and while it’s a list and a half, it could be worth making a note of.

The Cleveland Clinic, Nuffield Health and Mayo Clinic substantiate a lot of what she warns about, as the altitude, pressure, and humidity in the cabin can either exacerbate health conditions, or cause the body to react in different ways that might be uncomfortable.

How to protect your body while flying

She said in the caption to ‘drink 8 oz of water per hour of flight’ to keep yourself hydrated, and that’s water, not wine.

She wrote: “That’s the rule of thumb. Coffee, soda, or wine don’t count, they dehydrate you more. Bring your own big bottle and fill it up after security.”

If you like yourself something salty to nibble on, you’re tough out of luck as she documents avoiding salt as this apparently leads to ‘swelling and bloating’.

Instead, go for protein-rich foods, like protein bars, jerky, nuts or fruit.

It’ll also help you not to have a crash and keep your sugars up, as per Kat.

Kat gave her advice on flying (Thomas Barwick/Getty Stock)

Sitting in the seat for hours is also something she says to be wary of as it can make you puffy or fatigued.

So, to combat this, she says to ‘move every hour’ to keep your circulation flowing.

If you want your skin to stay fresh, Kat says to ‘apply moisturizer + lip balm before you board’, and to avoid icky bugs by wiping down your seat area.

For those of you who weep during takeoff and landing (same), taking your stress into consideration by deep breathing during those times can ‘calm your nervous system’ and ‘regulate pressure’.

As a bonus, she says to create a flight pack consisting of ‘water, eye drops, gum, snacks, hand wipes, lotion, and a neck pillow’.