On our March 31 show we feature two innovative pillow products that make travel more comfortable.

Sharron Huza joins us to talk about how she and her husband Jim designed the GasBGon flatulence cushions and other products that help people cope with this common problem.

Passing gas (“farting”) is  the oldest form of humor. Jokes about it are found in the earliest Roman and Greek literature. So, when Sharron and Jim were faced with marketing their products they decided to address the inherent giggle factor of their products straight on. The company motto is “Clear the air, not the room.”  The products have gag worthy names, and their advertisements are downright funny (“Stop blaming the dog”).  The products and the problems they address are no laughing matter.

There are some people who dread having to pass gas when flying so much that they refuse to fly.  In 2006 American Flight 1053, from Washington Reagan National Airport and bound for Dallas/Fort Worth, made an emergency landing when crew and passengers reported smelling smoke – which turned out to be from a passenger who lit a match to cover the scent of her farts.

On average we each pass gas an average of 14 times a day. Certain foods can increase your “need” to let go:  beans, lentils, dairy products, onions, garlic, scallions, leeks, turnips, rutabagas, radishes, sweet potatoes, potatoes, cashews, Jerusalem artichokes, oats, wheat, and yeast in breads. Beer. Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables that belong to the genus Brassica are thought not only to increase the gas load, but increase the stink factor.

Over two hundred years ago it was noted that climbers who ascend to high altitude experienced increased flatus.  This has been of special interest in this century with the advent of space exploration. The combination of low atmospheric pressure, high altitude flight and confined conditions made the issue a special concern.

Indeed, any of us who fly are subject to these stresses. Flight attendants have told me they experience the problem frequently, and rely on the noise of the engines to mask the noise, and brisk movement about the cabin to mask themselves as the source of any odor. One flight attendant advised me that this technique is called “crop dusting.”

If you are a person who suffers from gas when flying it can be an uncomfortable and embarrassing situation. Here at Skysteward we are all about Jetiquette® and elevating the travel experience.

Jim and Sharron Huza came up with the idea for Dairiair® products when a party in their home featured a menu that induced an odoriferous aftermath.  (Listen to the show to hear Sharron tell the tale.)  Jim is an air quality and filtration engineer with more than 25 years of experience in the pulp and paper industry (where odor control has long been a concern) while Sharron is a nursing student and experienced sales and marketing professional. The site  (click HERE) not only provides product information and a store, but has a FAQ, user testimonials and even a humor section.

Cushions come in several “strengths” and with various attractive coverings. Besides cushions that absorb sound and odor, GasBGon also offers special underwear that absorbs 100% of the odor of passed gas. And soon the company will be offering shoe and gym bag accessories made of the same filtering material that will keep the stench of sweaty socks and wet towels from polluting clean items.

It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. Sometimes, the inventor is a mother.

After nursing her own daughter for two years our guest, Tangela Walker-Craft. president of Simply Necessary, Inc. realized that there was not a product on the market that allowed mothers to have nursing privacy and cradling comfort while on the go.  Existing nursing pillows were too bulky and cumbersome for travel.  Cover-ups on the market required too much manipulation.  She set out to design a product that would satisfy the needs of both breast feeding and bottle feeding mothers and caregivers. As the   Go Pillow developed, she realized that it had developed into a multi-purpose product that solved several problems for mobile mothers and caregivers.

The  Go Pillow is handy from birth well into the toddler years. It uses include but are not limited to:

• Breast feeding pillow with built-in privacy cover-up
• Pillow and body wrap for babies
• Portable toddler pillow and blanket
• Portable diaper changing surface
• Sun and wind shield for babies and toddlers
• Arm cushion for carrying babies and toddlers
• Extra hand during diaper changes etc.

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