A lot of us will be flying somewhere this week, so we've got a list that could make the flight a LOT easier.  According to SmarterTravel.com, here are four things you should never eat before you fly.

#1.)  Anything That Causes Gas or Bloating.  Once you take off, the air pressure inside the plane starts to decrease until it's the equivalent of air at about 8,000 feet.  That makes the air in the cabin expand by around 30%.  And the same thing happens to any air or gas inside your BODY too.  Which is why you might want to avoid things like broccoli, cauliflower, and beans, for obvious reasons.  Carbonated drinks like soda and beer can also cause bloating.  And even the artificial sweeteners in sugar-free GUM can.

#2.)  Anything That Might Normally Give You Heart Burn.  It's harder for your body to digest food at 35,000 feet.  So if specific foods tend to give you heart burn on the GROUND, they almost definitely will in the air.

#3.)  Alcohol.  If you need a drink to relax, it's no big deal.  Just keep in mind that alcohol dehydrates you.  And the dry, re-circulated AIR on planes can ALSO dehydrate you.  Especially on a LONG flight.

#4.)  Water That Doesn't Come from a Bottle.  If you want to be REALLY careful, don't have coffee, tea, or even ICE.  A few years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency tested the tank water on planes, and found that one out of every SEVEN planes gave out water that didn't meet federal standards, and even contained things like E. COLI bacteria.  It seems like you'd be okay with something HOT, like coffee.  But they don't always heat it up enough to kill bacteria.

(SmarterTravel.com)