How Healthy Is Flying

[Jason King]

:eek:
A friend of mine who is in the medical profession told me that they have conducted medical surveys on Cabincrew and their findings are a bit scary.
It was found that crew who have operated for a few years were found to have a third less intestine due to dehydration there joints are prone to wear and tear and due to dehydration and that the radiation levels at high altitude are more severe than msri scans
:yuk:
Happy flying

[sebby]

There are also tricks to combat these "findings".

Take your negativity bak to your friend ey... we are given specific training about the affects of flying on our body and the warnings are made clear to us. I have changed my lifestyle specifically and have defintiely seen a change in my body but combat it in a mature way.

Heres to good health :cool:

[LOOPYGIRL]

There are also tricks to combat these "findings".

:cool:


Sebby,

give us new starters an idea how to prepare to be healthy flyers plz ?

[followyourdreams]

what do you mean the radiation is high??? Thast great isn't it. What so are we all going to end up with cancer in the future??

Also, what do you mean you have noticed differences in your health? Like what? What sjould you do to take care of your body? Drink 3 litres of water? Loads of multi vitamins?

[jet2impress]

what do you mean the radiation is high??? Thast great isn't it. What so are we all going to end up with cancer in the future??

Also, what do you mean you have noticed differences in your health? Like what? What sjould you do to take care of your body? Drink 3 litres of water? Loads of multi vitamins?

Here is all you need to know on cosmic radiation and its effects:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_aviation/documents/page/dft_aviation_503468.hcsp

[wiggy]

Forgive me as a Nigel from butting in but be wary of focusing on radiation scare stories .......( BTW thanks for the link jet2..).
Yes, radiation levels at altitude are elevated compared with what you (generally) get at ground level but the dose rates ( roughly speaking the amount of radiation absorbed per second) you get when flying are very low when compared with chest X-rays and msri scans. Comparing cosmic radiation and medical radiation is in many ways like comparing apples and oranges, it's not a valid or sensible comparison. The effect of cosmic radiation on health is so small that it's effect, if any, is buried by ill health due to other causes. Furthermore it's somewhat ironic that many crew members who claim to be concerned about cosmic radiation will still quite happily fly to the tropics and then either throw themselves onto a sunlounger for hours on end or play a round of golf without sunblock or hat...now that "cosmic" radiation (UV) is shown and known to be extremely damaging and can have fatal effects.
IMHO the phenomonem we really do need to concern ourselves with are:
Infrequent/irregular exposure to sunlight
Poor diets, irregular eating habits, dehydration.
Irregular sleep patterns, time zone changes , Fatigue......

[milehiguy]

I have been flying 5 years now. 4 years domestically and 1 year internationally. If you want to fly long term then stick to domestic. The effects are not as harsh on you as they are when flying internationally. The night flights without rest and change in zones messes up your body big time. I am constantly getting colds and flu and my skin is not what it used to be. And I am healthy. I NEVER drink alcohol, never party on layovers, drink loads of water, take loads of vitamins. but I'm always tired and jetlagged. I want to get out of this industry. Don't get me wrong, it's been great and I've had great experiences. But my body says: NO MORE!!!:zzz: :zzz: :zzz:

[vodkaholic]

well after 3 years of working as cabin crew you are not allowed to donate your organs int he event of your death, because they are so dried up they are of no use to anyone apparently!!!!:uhoh:

[DJTibby]

Vodkaholic are you serious or were you joking?! thats really scarrrryyy:uhoh:

[wiggy]

Oh please don't set another urban myth running!

In the Uk at least there are only two medical "conditions" which automatically prevent you becoming an organ donor...they are if you have been diagnosed with HIV or suspected of having CJD.

(Source: UK Transplant Organisation website)

[FLYING_HOSTIE]

Oh come on guys how stupid is this! If it was that dangerous for our health do you honestly think there would be so many of us doing the job!

And BA is a prime example you can live to a ripe old age and be cabin crew :p

As for cosmic radiation that is partly why we have Flight Time Limitations, its all measured and monitored and there have been no findings that there is any concern.

Use the "bed before Midday for a few hours, or stay awake after midday" rule to fight Jet Lag, your body gets used to it...

Just drink a big bottle of water every flight, use moisturiser and get over it!

Pah, what a rediculous topic! :zzz:

[tiggerific_69]

Well flying obviously hasnt had that much of an effect on this guy...

"Longer hours, pay cuts and strike threats. Those could be good reasons to quit your job.

Bob Reardon will need several more. At 82, he has no intention of giving up the title of Northwest's longest-serving flight attendant.

After 55 years of working the aisles of Northwest Airlines planes, Reardon keeps a full-time schedule as purser in charge of the cabin crew on the airline's international flights."

full article : http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/15437869.htm

[Albert Driver]

Jason, please don't post this kind of stuff. The true facts are quite easy to obtain and much of it is on the net.

Flying crew are one of the most closely monitored groups of people on the planet, health-wise. The last properly conducted large-scale long-term review of flying crew showed only one significant health-risk deviation from the normal population. That is a small increase in risk of malignant melanoma - caused, it is thought, not by anything to do with aeroplanes but by the culture of spending hours sitting around hotel swimming pools in the sun.

[Off Stand]

Everything in moderation. Sure, you can party down route, just don't over do. Occasional trip to the gym, plenty of water everyday, etc. I have been flying for nearly 6 years, 3 low-cost short haul and 3 long haul and my friends say that they haven't noticed any adverse changes, apart from my greater tollerance for booze!!! Lol!

I read about that American guy on airliners.net, fair play to him.

[A2QFI]

Jason King
"It was found that crew who have operated for a few years were found to have a third less intestine due to dehydration".
Who conducted this 'survey'. how many people took part in it, where are the full results? Please can you post a link to this research? The disappearance of some feet of an internal organ, due to dehydration, must be some sort of medical first!

[adam_ant]

I carry so much wind when I fly that my intestine is probably growing rather than shrinking.