Spending a lot of time on airplanes increases your risk of gaining weight, a recent study published in The New York Times has revealed. The most at-risk group are business travelers who fly regularly: from a few times a month to almost every day.

The body mass index of travelers who fly at least 21 days per month is higher than that of people who board a plane six times a month or fewer, with the difference being 10 lbs (4.5 kilos) on average, the study reveals.

Other health problems caused by frequent flying:

– Susceptibility to viruses, high blood pressure and diabetes.

– Insomnia, especially if the flight involves crossing time zones.

But ceasing to travel is not an option either. Because,

it turns out that people who travel the most and people who don’t travel at all have equally bad health.

The healthiest option is moderation, as always.

Why does frequent flying ‘help’ you gain weight?

Jet lag and the lack of access to quality food are among the major factors, along with a lack of regular physical exercise. The scientists who conducted the research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the International Society of Travel Medicine emphasize that this aspect of travel has been under-researched and needs more attention from health specialists. 

>>> Read here: 7 really simple ways how to feel good after a long flight

What’s the golden formula?

According to the study authors, the best formula for your health is traveling by plane a few times a year.

Fun fact: Recent studies reveal that, unlike frequent flying, pasta does not cause gain weight.

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Recent studies show, however, that by adding a small habit in your life, you can significantly reduce stress and decrease negative thoughts. Walking in nature is found to decrease the flow of blood to the area of the brain linked to mental illness. The three main mental health benefits from exercising in nature are:

1. It reduces stress

2. It works as an antidepressant – Walking in nature every day has been shown to be as helpful in helping manage depression as antidepressants, in those with mild cases.

3. It decreases negative thoughts – A recent study by Stanford found that participants saw an decrease in negative thoughts and an increase in their cognitive function after walking in nature.

Learn more about the recent research on the topic in this infographic:

The infographic was created by Physiomed.

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You are looking through the photos from a trip and you see for the first time something you hadn’t noticed when you were there. Sounds familiar? When you see something beautiful, your first reaction is to take a picture of it. If you spend the whole time taking pictures, however, it turns out that you have seen the place through the lens, not with your eyes.

Why is taking too many photos on a trip bad:

A recent study of the Fairfield University, Connecticut, suggests that taking too many photographs can, in fact, impair your ability to remember details of the trip later. A group of people were taken to a museum and asked to observe some of the works of art, and take photos of others. When asked on the next day, the participants were able to better remember details of the pieces they had observed. The study’s author, psychology professor Linda Henkel, calls it a “photo-taking impairment effect”. 

“When people rely on technology to remember for them – counting on the camera to record the event and thus not needing to attend to it fully themselves – it can have a negative impact on how well they remember their experiences”, professor Henkel explains. 

How to not do it:

This time forget that you have a camera and just enjoy your screen-less trip. Set aside several hours only for contemplating, listening, breathing… Create memories no one else will know about. They will be yours alone. If you insist on photos, ask someone in your group to take them instead.

What to do instead:

#1 Choose beautiful postcards and send them home. Send one to yourself too, describing to yourself how you are feeling. These details often pale with time.

#2 Sketch views that have impressed you in a notebook (like travel writer John Meadows does).

#3 If you are in Italy, it is the best place to learn how to practice the concept of “dolce far niente“. Literally, it means “sweet doing nothing”, but in fact, it means so much more than its literal translation, that you can practically call it an untranslatable phrase.

#4 Indulge in a mindfulness or meditation practice.

#5 Take this challenge to the next level by turning off all electronic devices for the whole trip. It’s good for your mental health, here’s why.

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