Eating, drinking and diving

[Dive4air]

I always wondered what is recommended as far as eating and then diving. For a normal morning 2 tank dive, should you get up early and have a good breakfast before the dive? How long should you wait to digest? Or should you go on light/empty stomach with hydration only and then eat after the dive?

Also, is coffee ok the morning of the dive? Should you avoid antihistamines, like sudafed or prescription allergy meds, before a dive? Some make you drowsy.

 

[SeanQ]

Hydration is probably the most important factor that you listed. Dehydration can play a significant role in DCS.

I prefer to eat before the dive. Try to eat something that will give you a long lasting energy supply. I find that I am always hungry after the dive so eating before is a good idea.

I don't know about coffee. Once I had a cup of coffee on an empty stomach before a morning shore dive and felt terrible. You experiences might vary.

 

[MSilvia]

Personally, I don't worry too much it. I try to avoid greasy foods before diving due to a bad motion sickness episode, and I try to stay hydrated, but I don't make a big deal out of it. If I want coffee or tea, I'll have it, often with fruit or juice and maybe a muffin or cereal. You know, a light breakfast that's easy to digest.

You should avoid antihistamines while diving, but my understanding is that the main reason for this is avoiding a painful/dangerous situation if they should wear off at depth (reverse squeeze). Of course, clearheadedness is a virtue when diving, so if you know something's going to make you sleepy or groggy, avoiding it pre-dive is a no brainer. Especially so if you're going to dive deep and combine the effects with narcosis.

 

[Rondo]

I have to eat something.

I like lots of fruit juice,fruit and some carbs,usually muffins,rolls,pancakes or something like that.

The one thing I definetely don't eat before a dive is bacon.

On a rare occasion I'll have a little egg.

I also like one cup of coffee,but that is usually follwed with 5-6 cups of juice or water. I also try to eat early so I can flush before the trip.

Most ops in Aruba operate fairly large boats,and the sites aren't real far away so sea sickness isn't a big issue,but if you have problems in this area I always carry GIN-GIN hard ginger candy,it's immediate effective and calms the queisies,it also tastes great and makes you popular with those that drank heavy the night before and had eggs and bacon 30 min. before the trip.

 

[ClassAction]

I typically load up on coffee and laxatives just before entering the water. C'mon! Avoid the coffee, unless you have a significant interval before diving. Try water, juices...

 

[String]

I usually have several pints of coffee on a typical dive day. Its the only way i can stay awake long enough to drive to/from the boat with early starts.

My typical today will be something like:
(i) Wake up
(ii) Coffee
(iii) Drive 90 mins towards boat
(iv) stop for coffee)
(v) Drive rest of way to boat, prep it and load kit
(vi) Coffee
(vii) Dive
(viii) Coffee
(iix) Dive
(ix) Coffee

Driving home often involves stopping for more coffee.

I drink water and so on as well but the coffee is the only thing that keeps me awake.

 

[jtivat]

Coffee is a diuretic which = dehydration!

 

[String]

Indeed but its 100% essential for me staying awake and keeping warm on dive days. 1am, i leave at 5am, looks like another night of 3hrs sleep then diving. At least i have coffee.

 

[wolf eel]

jtivat Coffee is a diuretic which = dehydration!

Is this still true ? I have heard how they think that they may have over stated this and that pop even hydrates you. Makes sense to me as water is still used.

 

[Misty89]

Caffeine is a diuretic, so drink decaf if you just like to have coffee with breakfast. I personally stay away from eggs and orange juice - one bad episode. I like a peanut butter and honey sandwich on wheat - sticks with you for two dives. And I drink a lot of water.

I also take sudafed an hour before getting to the dock. I like the 12-hour variety.