Keep Circulating - The Importance Of Keeping Your Blood Pumping During Air Travel
December 1st, 2008

Extended air travel can mean making it to a far away destination faster than you ever could by any other method of travel. However, it can also mean long exposure to uncomfortable seats, boredom, and worse, problems with circulation.

Good circulation is important for a number of reasons. Your lymph system must have good circulation at all times. The lymph is a fluid in addition to blood that is contained in each tissue in your body. The lymph system is a network of vessels and nodes that transmit the fluid to each place in your body. These nodes are essentially factories for the production of white blood cells. You might have heard that you have swollen lymph nodes when you are ill. This is because your body is working overtime to product what it needs. The lymph system does not have a pump. It only relies on the movement of our muscles to keep pressure within the system. This means you have to move around all of the time to keep your circulation up. Lymph fluid does a number of things to improve your health. First, it helps to finish the circulation of the blood. As your vessels get smaller, components are squeezed through small gaps. This helps to carry food to the cells. The lymph vessels collect the leftovers and take it back into the blood system. The blood system is then able to transfer it to your kidneys and you're liver to be passed out of your body. Lymph fluid also moves white blood cells to the necessary locations in the body. Any area of damage, inflammation, or illness needs white blood cells for its very survival. The only way to do this is through the transfer of lymph fluid. The only way to transfer lymph fluid, for any reason is movement.

Movement during air travel can be very, very difficult. The negative effects of not moving around for a long period of time can be very bad for you. As a result, most airlines offer a bit of advice on this matter during the preflight talk with the passengers. You might try a few simple exercises at frequent intervals during the flight to keep your blood circulating. This can help reduce stiffness, discomfort, and fatigue. It can also help lower your risk of more serious conditions like venous thrombosis, which is a blood clot. Blood clots can go straight to your heart, causing a heart attack, which can result in death. You can start your exercises by holding your carry on bag as close to your body as possible at a ninety degree angle. Do a few bicep curls. That should give you a good workout. If you can, balance the bag on your ankles and do a few leg lifts. Try a simple walk around the cabin. It might be difficult, but if nothing else, it should help you to stretch your legs. You can also try placing the palms of your hands together. Push as hard as you can and hold the position as long as possible. Then try grabbing the nearest book. Hold your arms out flat with the book on top. Hold the position as long as you can. Rest for a few minutes and then repeat. Finally, stretch each muscle of your body any way you can. One important thing to note as you try your exercises is to be respectful of the passengers around you. They do not need to be subjected to an elbow in the face on an hourly basis.

Besides movement, there are a few other ways to keep your body healthy during air travel. First, drink plenty. Try to avoid smoking and alcohol, as both of these can change the way your circulation systems work. Also, avoid crossing your legs while you are seated. It can stop the circulation of your legs. You might also want to wear loose-fitting comfortable clothes while on the plain. Certain garments can reduce or restrict the circulation you are trying so hard to keep pumping. Compression stockings can help prevent swelling and may even help increase circulation to that area of your body. You should only purchase these, though, from a reputable medical facility, as they can be dangerous if used wrong.

They will also need to be measured to fit your legs. In any case, discuss this idea with your doctor first

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