How Flying Impacts Your Gut and How Fibre Can Help
Jet setting across the globe always looks glamorous on social media, especially at this time of year. But what we don’t often see behind those travel snaps is the less charming side: the impact air travel can have on gut and digestive health.
Flying is exciting — it’s a chance to explore new places and step out of your daily routine. But for many people, it also brings along some unwanted side effects like bloating, constipation, sluggish digestion and changes in appetite.
In my work as the principal naturopath at Flow Natural Health, I often see women looking for ways to support their gut health while travelling. What many don’t realise is that flying has a very real physiological effect on the digestive system — but the good news is that with a few simple strategies, including the right kind of fibre support, you can make a huge difference.
Why Flying Affects Your Gut
When you step on a plane, you’re not just changing location – your body is adjusting to an entirely different environment:
● Cabin pressure and gas expansion: At altitude, even with cabin pressurisation, gases expand in the digestive tract (much like a bag of chips puffs up in an airplane!).
● Dehydration: The air inside a plane is very dry. Mild dehydration slows down digestion, makes stools harder to pass and can worsen constipation.
● Inactivity: Long hours sitting in cramped seats reduces blood flow and intestinal motility (movement of the digestive tract), which slows digestion.
● Disrupted circadian rhythm: Crossing time zones affects your body clock, and your gut microbiome is very much linked to your circadian rhythm. This can throw digestion temporarily off balance.
● Inflight food choices: Processed, salty, and low-fibre foods are often the easiest option when travelling, but they lack the nourishment your gut needs to thrive.
The result? Many people land feeling sluggish, constipated, or bloated – not ideal if you’ve got a big trip planned ahead!
What You Can Do to Support Your Gut While Flying
The good news is there are natural, practical ways to reduce gut symptoms and support healthy digestion while travelling:
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Stay well hydrated – Aim for at least one glass of water every hour on the flight. Avoid excess alcohol and caffeine which can promote dehydration and avoid salty snacks..
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Move regularly – Walk up and down the aisle, stretch in your seat, and engage your core muscles to keep blood flowing and digestion moving.
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Eat light and fibre-rich foods before and during the flight – Fresh fruits, vegetables, and wholegrains are ideal pre-flight meals.
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Support your microbiome – A good quality probiotic before and during travel can help support your digestion.
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Mind your meal timing – Try to eat meals at local times once you arrive. This can help reset your gut’s circadian rhythm more quickly.
The Power of Fibre When Flying
Fibre is one of the most underestimated tools for gut health – especially during air travel. It helps in several ways:
● Promotes regularity: Fibre adds bulk to stools and keeps things moving, reducing constipation.
● Feeds your microbiome: Prebiotic fibres are food for your beneficial gut bacteria, keeping them balanced even when travel disrupts your digestive system.
● Supports satiety: Fibre helps you feel satisfied, which can reduce the temptation to snack on processed inflight foods.
● Reduces bloating: By supporting smoother elimination, fibre helps prevent the gas build-up that flying can trigger.
Where Liquify Can Help
This is where Liquify can really support you - think of it like a very helpful travel companion. Unlike relying on inconsistent fibre intake from airport or inflight meals, Liquify provides a reliable, convenient, and gut-friendly source of high-quality fibre. There are 10 grams of fibre in every serving and it tastes great too!
A few reasons it works so well when flying:
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Travel friendly: Easy to take on-the-go, without the need for bulky fresh produce. I
recommend having one Liquify before you board your plane and pack another in your
luggage to enjoy once you reach your destination!
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Hydration support: Liquify not only provides fibre but also helps with fluid intake
too.
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Gentle on digestion: Designed to support rather than irritate the gut, unlike some
harsher fibre supplements.
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Microbiome nourishment: The blend helps feed beneficial bacteria, which is
particularly important when circadian disruption can impact gut balance.
Flying doesn’t have to mean gut discomfort. With the right strategies – staying hydrated, moving regularly, supporting your microbiome, and ensuring adequate fibre intake – you can step off the plane feeling lighter, clearer, and ready for your destination. And with the help of Liquify, supporting your gut while travelling becomes not just easier, but enjoyable.
About the author:
Louise Easaw is the Founder and Principle Naturopath at Flow Natural Health - a clinic dedicated to supporting women to optimise their hormones and support their gut health. You can find out more about Lou and book a Naturopathy consultation with her here
Lou runs her clinic online and also at Sunnybrook Health Store, who are a proud stockist of Liquify!
