How To Series - Staying Hydrated for Frequent Flyers 3

It is always good to have options.
Having sodium bicarbonate on hand can help flyers stay hydrated and help beat jet lag.

You know the drill by now -

Do This

Step 1: Get your preferred non BPA water bottle.
Step 2: Pick up sodium bicarbonate inexpensively at the chemist or drug store.
Step 3: Start with an eighth of a teaspoon and at least 16 oz of water. Use less than an eighth of a teaspoon if you can't hack the salty taste .

Tip - If you use cold water you can mask the saltiness a bit.

Lets Connect the Dots

First a word of caution. Use sodium bicarbonate with diligence and the awareness that it can interact with certain types of drugs. If you are not sure about it's use consult with a doctor or your primary healthcare practitioner.

- Sodium bicarbonate is a base (it has alkaline properties) bases can neutralise acids in the body. As acids can be harmful to the body they are often kept neutralised and out of the way. Sometimes the medium used for this is water, the same water that could be used elsewhere to keep you hydrated.

- Maintaining a good acid/alkaline balance to start with is one way to help maintain hydration, especially onboard an aircraft with its acidifying cabin environment due to the positive ions in the air.

Takeaways

• Use sparingly as there may be drug interactions if you are on medication.
• The Acid/Alkaline balance of your body plays into how hydrated you are.
• Aircraft cabins are acid forming.