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11 Easy Health Hacks for Flight Days

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BEN WEHRMAN

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If you’ve been following my story for a while, you know I’m as stereotypical of a digital nomad as it gets, living in 6 different countries over the last 6 years. At the same time, I’ve taken a huge interest in holistic health, and maximizing vitality in all aspects of life.

These 2 lifestyles can occasionally clash, and there’s no place where this is more apparent than airports/airplanes.

The flying experience as a whole is an inherently toxic environment. From the blasting LED lights, to the EMFs, to the cell-nuking TSA body scanners, to the seed oil-laden “food”, everywhere you look…there are pitfalls galore that will rob your wellness if you let it.

Today, we’ll be diving into a handful of the strategies I’ve developed over the years which will help you defend yourself against this onslaught of negative stimuli, and keep your body and mind in peak condition in one of the most unhealthy environments of the modern world.

WARNING: We’re starting this list off with a doozy, so sugar-addicts prepare to be triggered…

 

PART 1 – PRE-FLIGHT / PLANNING:

 

1) Get yourself into ketosis.

Ketosis (noun): A metabolic state where your body switches from burning glucose for energy, to burning FAT for energy. It naturally occurs when you stop consuming carbohydrates for a long enough time period, anywhere between a few days to a couple of weeks depending on the person.

 

This is without a doubt the most beneficial change I’ve implemented in my own flying routine, so we’re going to fill this point in with some detail.

When you’re fueled by carbohydrates (as 99% of humans on earth today are), your body is constantly bouncing between sugar spike ➡️ energy crash ➡️ intense cravings ➡️ repeat.

Not only does this energetic state increase the temptation to indulge in the crap fake-food that’s absolutely everywhere in both airports and during your flight, but it’s inherently stressful on the body, which permeates to your mind as well, making the whole experience of flying more stressful.

Personally, I like to use flight days as my extended-fast periods. I do believe there’s benefit to doing a long fast (3+ days) every once in a while for peak autophagy, so at the sparse rate I fly, it works out perfectly. In addition to the health benefits of fasting in itself, being in ketosis completely removes the food-craving variable from the already-stressful process of flying, landing in a new place, and getting settled in.

How do you get into ketosis?

If you’re on a zero-carb carnivore diet like me, you’re already in ketosis, so no need to change anything. I just eat a nice big meal full of lots of protein and fat as close to departure time as possible, to make the coasting through flight day as easy as possible.

If you’re on a high-carb diet, be warned, getting into ketosis will be more challenging physically and mentally. You’ll want to start a fast at least 24 hours before your flight, which will allow your body to clear out those sugars, and switch to using your fat stores for energy.

If fasting is too hardcore for you, at least make sure your snacks are full of healthy FAT, not sugar (I personally love Paleovalley grass-fed beef sticks as my go-to travel snack – no affiliation, they’re just awesome.)

Keeping your body on the insulin spike/crash roller-coaster is the worst thing you can do during a stressful time such as flying. High-fat foods like beef sticks/jerky or hamburger patties will keep that blood sugar low, and your cells unglycated, so they can best ward off the unavoidable toxins of the airport/plane environment.

I can vividly remember from my carb-gobbling days, having a cloud of stress over my head while navigating those crazy flight itineraries, stuck in a perpetual state of worry about missing flights or forgetting something. But since going carnivore, the “zero-carb zen” has been real. I legitimately enjoy flying days now, as I don’t think about food at all, and can roll with the punches with a clear mind.

I’ll leave it here as y’all know I have a tendency to get into rant mode when it comes to diet. To learn more, check out the resources below breaking down the superpower of ketosis and how it makes every aspect of life easier, especially during high-stress situations like flying 👇

2) Pre-Hydrate

Everyone knows hydration is important, but I’m not sure if people fully understand how important it is specifically for airports/flying.

Skip to 1:08:30 in my podcast with Tristan Scott for the lowdown on why high-EMF environments in particular are an attack on your body’s hydration levels 👇

 

TLDR: When you’re surrounded by EMFs in the airport, followed by EMFs AND high altitude combined in the plane, your body is constantly being zapped by dehydrating forces, down-regulating its own production of water, and de-structuring the water you’re holding onto in your body. For all of these reasons, the flying experience is a more important time than practically any other to drink LOTS of water.

Keep in mind as well: It’s going to be nearly impossible to find any water that isn’t in plastic bottles in the airport and plane (microplastics ☠️). So if you’ve got your water situation locked in at home, this is a bonus reason to get pre-hydrated with as much liquids as possible before you leave. (I always show up with my stainless-steel bottle full of water to chug at the last minute in the security line as well, just to truly maximize every second you can before entering plastic hell.) 

3) Have every component of your itinerary either printed out or saved to a notepad on your phone.

This tip is all about relieving stress, which cannot be discounted. Mental health matters!

Back in my inexperienced days,  I would YOLO into flight days without backups of all of the paperwork on hand, and trust me, you do not want to be stuck hunting for confirmation numbers, boarding pass backups, and other BS in the middle of a long line, bouncing in and out of sketchy airport WiFi.

I make sure to have all of the following screenshotted/saved to my phone’s notepad so I can pull it up at any time:

  • Flight info (flight number, airline, confirmation number, departure time, etc.)
  • Visa info, if relevant to your trip
  • Info for flight out of the country you’re going to, if they require it
  • Copies of passport, ID, and insurance info if you have it, in case you lose any of these things (be careful with privacy on this one; you don’t want some rando getting their hands on all your personal info)
  • Info for where you’re heading from the airport (hostel/hotel name, address, check-in time, booking number, etc.), also in the LOCAL LANGUAGE if applicable

I learned that last one the hard way during a stopover in China all the way back in 2018, when I only had the name of the hotel in English, and it turned into a whole ordeal of trying to find the translated hotel name with no internet, and needing to talk to 4 different staff members at the airport to find someone that spoke enough English to help me find the address of the place. 0/10 do not recommend – make sure you have EVERYTHING prepped beforehand, in your language AND the local language.

4) Prep healthy clothes to wear

Most people don’t think about the “healthiness” of their clothes, but these things matter:

1. Keep it loose-fitting to maximize blood circulation (especially important at high altitudes). Sweats/shorts and socks + slide sandals for footwear are my go-to here (the latter also makes TSA slightly less of a pain since you don’t have to take your shoes off in security.

2. No plastic-derived clothing (polyester, nylon, acrylic, polypropylene, spandex). This one isn’t really airport specific, but while we’re on the topic of healthy clothes, wearing plastic derivatives that seep microplastics into your pores is a terrible idea. Organic cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo, wool, and silk are all great options.

polyester clothing

Throwback to my full-closet polyester purge back in early 2024. This is a must-do health upgrade!

 

PART 2 – FLIGHT DAY:

 

5) Wear blue light-blocking glasses

Shuttle to the airport = gross LED lights…

blue light blocker glasses

Airport itself = even grosser LED lights…

blue light blocker glasses

 

Those who’ve been following me on the socials know that these bad boys have become my new best friend, especially in places that are littered with toxic LED lighting, of which there are few worse than airports/airplanes.

They are especially critical if you’re taking a red-eye, where in addition to damaging your eyes, blue light will also disrupt your circadian rhythm.

If you’re looking for a brand recommendation, the type that I use and love are Ra Optics. Check ‘em out HERE.

6) If resting/sleeping in airport during layovers, choose your spot intentionally

Attempting to get some shut-eye in airports always sucks, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Do a little recon to find a spot that has as little LED lighting as possible (ideally none), as well as no WiFi routers or other electronic instruments nearby, which tend to get stuffed all over airports.

7) NEVER go through the body-scanner.

This is another extremely important one that far too few people know about.

Those full-body scanners you see in the TSA line completely cook your cells/mitochondria (I’d love to know what percentage of people who get sick while traveling is purely a result of this…). AVOID.

 

TSA is legally required to allow you to request an “opt-out” and do a pat-down instead, so insist on that. Be prepared, they will be annoyed with you for making them do a little bit of extra work, and it’s not enjoyable to get your balls groped by a fat government NPC who hates their job. Doesn’t matter, you gotta do it.

Bonus points if you can convince someone in line to do it with you – their mitochondria will thank you!

8) Get as much full-body movement in as possible before, after, and even during your flight

Humans are not designed to fly at high altitudes in an EMF-blasting aluminum can for extended periods of time no matter how you slice and dice it. Remaining stationary in a sitting position during that time makes things even worse, as it restricts blood flow.

As often as you can, get up and do body movements, just to keep that lymphatic system loose. Walking up and down the aisle, squats, pushups, or even just flopping your arms around are all great for achieving this. If people shoot you weird looks for doing these things, hit them back with a smile, explain why you’re doing it, and invite them to join in.

9) Turn on the overhead air vent above your seat

Turning on this vent above your seat in an airplane can actually contribute to healthier air in your immediate vicinity. Here’s why:

  • Improved Local Air Circulation: The overhead air vents help create a downward flow of air. This can help push any airborne particles, like cologne/perfume aerosols or droplets from a cough/sneeze, away from your breathing space and towards the floor vents where they are drawn out of the cabin air circulation system.
  • Air Barrier Effect: The airflow from the vent can create a sort of air barrier around you, making it less likely for airborne particles from other passengers to reach you.  
  • Supplementing the Aircraft’s Filtration System: Most modern airplanes are equipped with High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, which remove particles from the cabin, and constantly recirculate/mix with fresh air from outside the plane. The overhead fan helps to ensure this filtered air is also moving around your personal space.  

In summary, turning on the air fan above your seat can contribute to a slightly healthier personal breathing environment on an airplane, by improving local air circulation and helping to direct airborne particles away from you. It works in conjunction with the aircraft’s air filtration system to maintain overall cabin air quality.

10) Reduce the EMF output of your personal devices as much as possible

nnEMF = non-native electromagnetic frequency. Listen to my podcasts with Zaid Dahhaj and Tristan Scott for the full lowdown on why they’re bad news for our bodies. TLDR: They microwave your mitochondria 👎

There are so many EMFs flying around in airports/planes, so you want to eliminate all the extra radiation within your control, such as:

  • Wireless headphones/airpods
  • 5G on your phone
  • “Smart” watches and other wearable devices
  • Using your phone/laptop while it’s plugged into a charging station 

All of these things suck.

Get some good old-fashioned wired headphones, download your podcasts beforehand so you can keep the phone on airplane mode, and alternate between your phone/laptop if you need to charge them up at one of those charging kiosks.

11) Choose the lowest EMF seats possible

You probably already knew that minimizing WiFi signals, bluetooth, and other personal electronic devices is good for reducing EMF exposure as discussed in the previous point…but did you know that there are also certain parts of the plane itself that have more EMFs? (I didn’t until recently – shoutout to my holistic health-seeking brothers Rusty and Tristan Scott for turning me onto this nugget of knowledge!)

There are 3 major producers of EMFs on an airplane:

1. The cockpit. Radar, avionics, and other high-powered electronic systems in the cockpit pump out huge amounts of EMFs, so you want your seats to be as far away from the front of the plane as possible.

2. The engines. These massive rotating turbines (which sit under the wings) generate so much power that they actually produce their own magnetic field, which you want to keep as much distance from as possible.

3. Window seats. EMF tests clearly show that window seats have higher EMF readings than aisle seats, as the magnetic field created by the engines charges up the outer shell of the plane. See the video below for a live example 👇

 

Taking all of the above into account, the ideal plane seat to sit in to minimize nnEMF exposure is an aisle seat, as far back in the plane as you can get.

For lots more general tips on reducing EMF exposure in your daily life, check out my EMF playlist on YouTube.

 

 

That’s the list for now, friends!

As we’ve all learned from diving through the different health rabbit holes, the minefield of toxins we must watch out for in the modern world is ever-evolving, and thus we must be ever-adapting.

So, if I learn of new flying day-tips to share with you all, I’ll be sure to come back and update this post!

I appreciate you all for stopping by, now fly safe, remember that perfection is impossible and your best is all you can do, and let me know how the above tips work for you!

-Ben

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