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How To Survive Flying

February 17, 2016

Nearly
everyone is a little nervous when the airliner we are flying in charges
down the runway or comes in for a less than perfect landing or has
turbulence, but statistics tell us that the chances of dying in an air
disaster are extremely low.

However, for frequent flyers especially, there are some more common and insidious risks.

Flyersrights.org has previously written about
blood clots caused by sitting in cramped conditions at high altitude on
long or frequent flights, that is aggravated by airlines shrinking seat
sizes.

Another
health concern for frequent flyers particularly is radiation. All
radiation is known to cumulatively increase one’s risk of cancer.

At
higher altitudes, occupants are exposed to more cosmic rays, a high
energy radiation that is largely absorbed by the atmosphere. So one
cross country round trip, it turns out is equivalent radiation exposure
to a chest x-ray. Back scatter x-rays used by TSA at airports has also
had some experts concerned.

So what can be done to counteract this? Surprisingly the answer may be diet.

Research
funded by the National Cancer Institute, studied what foods might
protect pilots who receive far more frequent radiation exposure than
others.

The
findings: pilots who ate the most dietary antioxidants suffered the
least amount of DNA damage. However, not by taking supplements, which
actually increased damage.

Those
consuming a mix of fruits and vegetables such as citrus, nuts, seeds,
pumpkins, and peppers did best. Also green leafy veggies like spinach,
ginger root were found to protect against radiation.

Similar
results were found in studies of other population groups exposed to
high amounts of radiation including survivors of the atomic bombs at
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the nuclear accident at Chernobyl, hospital
x-ray workers, and in Pentagon Cold War experiments.

The radiation protective foods may include herbs garlic, turmeric, goji berries,

mint leaves, oregano and especially tea from Lemon balm.

So
when taking those frequent long distance trips, take some kale chips
and wash it down with lemon balm tea; then dine on a green veggie salad
with herb dressing with fruit for dessert!

Paul Hudson

President

FlyersRights.org

References:

See Limaye MR, Severence H. Pandora’s Boxes: questions unleased in airport scanner debate. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2011; 111(2):87-8, 119.

Yong
LC, et al, High Dietary antioxidants intakes are associated with
decreased chromosome translocation frequency in airline pilots. Am J
Clin Nutr. 2009; 90(5):1402-10.

Friedberg
W et al, Radiation exposure during air travel: Guidance provided by the
FAA for air carrier crews. Health Phys. 2000; 79(5):591-5.

Sauvaget C et al. Dietary factors and cancer mortality among atomic bomb survivers. Mutat Res. 2004:551(1-2):145-52.

Kordysh
EA et al. Dietary and clastogenic factors in children…contaminated by
Chernobyl accident. Arch Environ Health. 2001; 56(4):320-6.

Arora R, et al, Radioprotection by plant products, Phytother Res. 2005:19(1):1-22.

See Gen. Greger, Michael with Gene Stone, How Not To Die, Flatiron Books, 2015, p. 241-3

Seat Size Amendment Proposed, Then Shot Down

The
below video clip and press release shows last week’s debate on a bill
to regulate seat size that was voted down by the House Transportation
Committee.

It was a close vote, with both Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio in opposition.

However,
even though Rep. Defazio spoke against the seat-space bill, he later
voted for it, together with all the other committee Democrats and one
Republican.

This is the first FlyersRights passenger rights proposal to be introduced thus far.

Take
a look at the Congressional voting list below to know who is against
even the most mild effort the rein in airlines’ aggressive shrinkage of
passenger space.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Michael Eisenstatt

202.225.3265

February 11, 2016

Congressman Cohen Disappointed By Vote Against Safety of Airline Passengers

[WASHINGTON,
DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a member of the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Aviation,
today offered his Seat Egress in Air Travel (SEAT) Act (H.R. 4490) as an
amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization
bill at a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee meeting. The
amendment, which would have required the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) to establish a minimum seat size and minimum
distance between rows of seats for the safety and health of passengers,
was defeated by a vote of 26-33.

“I
am disappointed,” said Congressman Cohen. “This was a vote against the
safety and health of airline passengers. The FAA requires that planes be
capable of rapid evacuation in case of emergency, yet they haven’t
conducted emergency evacuation tests on all of today’s smaller seats.
That’s unacceptable. It’s time for the FAA to take action. I will
continue to work with my colleagues to make sure the safety and health
of passengers comes before airline profits, and hope to have the
opportunity to offer this amendment again when the bill comes to the
floor of the House.”

A video debate on Rep. Cohen’s amendment at the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Congressman Cohen played a clip during his remarks of a television commercial that aired during last week's Super Bowl broadcast to demonstrate the issue of small seat sizes.

Rep.
Cohen played a clip during his remarks of a television commercial that
aired during last week’s Super Bowl broadcast to demonstrate the issue
of small seat sizes.