Motion Sickness
Motion sickness or travel sickness is generally the feeling of nausea you get while travelling either by a car, train, ship or flight or amusement rides.
What Causes Motion Sickness?
It is caused by the brain receiving different signals from the eyes vestibular system (inner ear) while you’re in motion.
Symptoms Of Motion Sickness
Some symptoms could include: nausea, vomiting, headache, uneasiness, fatigue, dizziness etc.
Ginger For Motion Sickness
Ginger, a tropical plant, can help with this problem. Its rhizomes are harvested and dried, distilled in steam or distributed raw.
Is Ginger Good For Motion Sickness?
Benefits Of Ginger For Motion Sickness Treatment:
Ginger is a well proved herbal home medicine to treat motion sickness better than any over the counter medications.
- Ginger is anti-emetic that helps to relieve nausea more effective than OTC.
- It calms the pyloric valve that is located at the base of the stomach that allows the stomach or abdomen to operate normally.
- It contains gingerols and shogaols that block the chemoreceptor trigger zone that initiates vomiting.
- It reduces the damage that is caused by free radicals and removes the products caused by the oxidative processes in the intestine, which most commonly causes nausea, vomiting and other symptoms of motion sickness.
- It promotes the saliva secretion in the mouth and promotes secretion of various digestive enzymes and juices that neutralize the stomach acids.
How To Use Ginger For Motion Sickness?
Ginger comes in many forms: raw, dried, powdered, juice, oil, pills, capsules, tea, candies, drinks, sweets, cookies, etc. All of which can be used to get rid of motion sickness.
Home Remedies For Motion Sickness
1. Ginger
- Wash; peel a small, fresh piece of ginger root.
- Cut it into slices and chew them one by one throughout the journey/day.
- You can also take in a supplement form or dried extracts like capsules, pills, powders or teas or in any liquid extract like tinctures, ale, etc.
- Include this ginger in your diet like chewing candies or crystallized ginger, adding them in your cooking and soups or salad dressings or cookies etc.
2. Ginger Tea
- Cut a medium piece of fresh ginger root into 10 – 12 slices.
- Pour a quart of water in a pot and place the slices in it.
- Boil on the stove for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring it occasionally.
- Strain the tea and allow it to cool slightly.
- Add 2 tablespoons of honey, maple syrup or lemon juice to sweeten it.
- Drink this tea on your journey or before to get relief from the motion sickness.
3. Ginger with Black Horehound and Chamomile
- Mix 2 tablespoons of grated ginger and a tablespoon each of black horehound and chamomile. Both help to settle the nerves and provides relief from motion sickness.
- Add these to 2 cups of water and stir well.
- Boil this until the water reduces by half.
- Strain the tea and leave to cool slightly.
- Drink this warm tea 30 minutes before starting the trip and during the trip.
4. Powdered Ginger
- Add half a teaspoon of powered ginger to a glass of water.
- Mix it well and drink this solution 20 minutes before travelling.
- Or use apple juice instead of water.
- Or take 2 capsules of powdered ginger, ginger snap cookies, ginger candies or ginger ale whenever you feel the sickness coming on.
5. Ginger Juice
- Chop a fresh large piece of ginger into pieces.
- Juice it using a juicer.
- Keep it in the fridge to use in juices, teas, soups, sauces, stews or any other fruit or vegetable juices.
- Stir it well and drink this daily or while on a journey.
6. Ginger with Lemon Juice
- Mix a teaspoon each of lemon juice and ginger juice.
- Drink this before starting a journey.
Ginger Ale For Motion Sickness:
Ginger ale is a carbonated and hydrating soft drink that is flavored with ginger and used to treat motion sickness, but make sure to shake out the gas first.
Method – 1:
- Place 3 cups of water in a pan on the stove.
- Add a 2 inch piece of minced ginger root, 1/2 cup of organic sugar, a tablespoon of molasses and 1/2 a teaspoon of sea salt.
- Stir it well and bring to boil. Simmer for 5 – 7 minutes till the sugar dissolves completely.
- Remove from the heat and add 5 cups of water.
- Add 1/2 cup of fresh lemon or lime juice and 1/2 cup of homemade ginger bug.
- Stir it well and transfer into a 2 quart glass mason jar which has tight lid.
- Seal the lid and leave for 2-3 days.
- Whey will cause the solution to ferment more quickly. It should bubble and hiss like a soda when you open the lid of the container.
- Make sure the drink is not too carbonated as this will cause too much pressure.
- Strain completely.
- Take a bottle of this with you on a journey.
Method – 2:
- Mix 1 ½ ounces of grated ginger, 6 ounces of sugar and 1/2 cup of water in a pan.
- Set over a medium – high heat.
- Stir it well until the sugar has dissolved completely and then remove it from the heat.
- Cover and steep it for about an hour before straining through a fine mesh strainer.
- Chill in the refrigerator, uncovered, until it reaches the temperature of 68 – 72˚F.
- Use a funnel to pour into a clean 2 liter plastic bottle and then add 1/8 teaspoon of active dry yeast, 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 7 cups of water.
- Seal the bottle and shake well.
- Leave at room temperature for about 48 hours and then open to recheck the desired amount of carbonation.
- Once it properly corbonate refrigerate it for 2 weeks by opening the bottle at least once a day to let out excess carbonation.
Ginger Chews for Motion Sickness:
Ginger chews can help get rid of motion sickness, so make sure you have some with you on a journey. Or suck a piece of candied ginger or crystallized ginger, available in grocery and health food stores.
Method – 1:
Ingredients:
- 1 ounce of fresh ginger (peeled and chopped)
- 4 teaspoons of coconut oil
- 1/2 cup of honey
- 3/4 cup of organic sugar
- 12 drops of organic ginger essential oil
- 18 drops of organic lemon essential oil
Process:
- Warm coconut oil and fresh ginger in a saucepan for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and strain.
- Add honey and sugar to it and bring to boil.
- Stir occasionally until it reaches 245 on a candy thermometer and remove from the heat.
- Stir it well till the bubbling stops.
- Mix both the essential oils and pour into a 9×5 loaf pan.
- Allow it to cool for about 30 – 60 minutes and then remove the chew from the pan.
- Cut down it into equal pieces and wrap in a natural waxed paper. Store in an airtight container.
- This will be kept fresh for up to 6 weeks and you can use 2 chews every 2 – 4 hours or else up to 8 per day.
Method – 2:
- Place a cup of sugar in a pan over a medium heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons of maltose when the sugar has dissolved completely.
- Stir it well and add 3 tablespoons of fresh ginger juice.
- Allow this mixture to bubble together.
- Pour tapioca starch over a sheet of wax paper and use your fingers to make gentle depressions in the starch.
- Pour the candy mixture on the depressions.
- Let the mixture cool and before cutting into bite sized chunks.
- Store in an airtight container with ample tapioca starch.
- Chew these while you’re travelling.
Ginger Pills / Tablets / Capsules for Motion Sickness:
Taking ginger in dehydrated forms like capsules, pills or chewable tablets from your local pharmacy works to beat the motion sickness when you are travelling.
Always choose pills that contain only ginger but not any other herbs. Ask your pharmacist or nutritionist to recommend the right brand for you, but make sure to read the label carefully to determine the amount of ginger used in the preparation of each capsule. Also check if it contains any ingredients that you’re allergic to.
Dosage of Ginger for Motion Sickness
The minimum dosage for an adult is 250 mg and the doses range from 500 mg to 940 mg. Ginger should be taken at least 30 minutes before the motion sickness starts. Follow the dosage instructions that are given on the ginger capsule bottle, the University of Maryland medical center advices to take 250 mg of ginger 3 times a day or as needed for motion sickness. Don’t exceed this dose unless and until your doctor or pharmacist advised to do so. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking pills. Consult your health care practitioner if you’re pregnant, a nursing women or if the treatment is for a child.
Tips And Precautions To Use Ginger For Motion Sickness:
Follow these tips to get safe, long lasting relief from motion sickness.
- Ginger might increase the risk of bleeding particularly if you are taking blood – thinners like warfarin, clopidogrel or aspirin. Also do not consume more ginger if you have any heart conditions/problems.
- Over consumption of ginger can leads to heartburn or GERD.
- People those who are suffering with gallbladder disease or taking anti-coagulant drugs should not use ginger.
- Pregnant and nursing women and also children (especially under 3 years of age) should first consult their doctor before using these remedies.
- If you buy ginger ale, check that it actually contains ginger.
- Dosage of ginger should be 940 mg and should be consumed at least 15 – 25 minutes before the trip and at regular intervals through the trip.
- Pickled ginger can also help the motion sickness.
- Remember that ginger may not work for everyone in treating the motion sickness. So it should never be used or viewed as an alternative medicine to doctor’s advice.
