Airplane Ears
THE SCIENCE BEHIND YOUR EARS POPPING ON FLIGHTS
Take a break! If your hearing and ears do not return to normal shortly after the flight, be sure to schedule an appointment to see your health care professional as soon as possible. In this case, you may need to make an effort to get your eustachian tube to open by yawning, talking, or swallowing. Sucking on a piece of candy, swallowing some water, or chewing gum may also help! One of the best things you can do is make sure you are not sleeping as the airplane takes off or lands because your eustachian tube isn’t able to open and close normally. If you commonly struggle with congestion or sore ears on flights, taking a nasal decongestant before you board may ensure that your eustachian tube is not blocked. an airplane, air pressure is not equal. During both ascent and descent, your eardrums stretch to try to adapt to the changes. In order to equalize the pressure, your eustachian tube needs to open and close. When it does, your ears pop! Usually, the ear popping is irritating but nothing more. However, in rare cases, the pressure can lead to ear pain and even loss in hearing, especially if your ears don’t pop.
When it comes to flying on an airplane, you can avoid cramped legs by upgrading to first class or catch a view by picking the window seat. However, there’s no getting around your ears popping during takeoff and landing. Believe it or not, there is a scientific explanation behind this common annoyance. As you read this, you’re likely not on an airplane, and the air pressure on either side of your eardrums is equal. Air is currently passing right on through your eustachian tube, a narrow passage that leads from your middle ear cavity to your pharynx and allows for pressure to be equalized on each side of your eardrums. When you’re in flight on
ChickenWith Lemon Herb Sauce
Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
Ingredients
• 1/3 cup and 2 tbsp olive oil, divided • 4 boneless chicken breasts • 1 clove of garlic, minced • 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped • 1/3 cup mint, chopped • 1 1/2 tsp pepper • 1 lemon, for juice and zest
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 F. 2. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper if desired and sear it in the skillet for 3 minutes on each side. Bake chicken until its internal temperature is 165 F. 4. In a blender, add 1/3 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, parsley, mint, pepper, and lemon zest and juice and blend ingredients until coarsely mixed. 5. Top chicken with sauce and serve!
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