This Game-Changing Natural Remedy Soothes Motion Sickness Quickly And Barely Takes Up Any Space In Your Luggage

You're sitting on a boat, in a car, or on a train, enjoying your vacation, when all of a sudden, you start to feel awful. You may experience nausea, dizziness, and a headache, and it can mean heading back to the hotel or cruise cabin for the rest of the day — that's motion sickness. It can take a wonderful day or activity, and turn it into a disappointing one. Some people pack medications like Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) or Bonine (meclizine), but they tend to make you sleepy, which isn't ideal on vacation. Others get a prescription scopolamine patch, while still others try to hunt down the hard-to-find medicine called cinnarizine, though it's not sold in the U.S. or Canada. However, if you don't have medicine on hand, there is an easy-to-find natural remedy that can make you feel better while barely taking up any space in your luggage: ginger.

There have been a number of studies that show ginger helps to alleviate motion sickness symptoms, including a 2003 study published in the American Journal of Physiology, and one from 2020, published in Current Therapeutic Research. It's also been recommended by the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. Using ginger as a treatment is convenient because it comes in many forms (and not just raw ginger). However, you have to make sure you use something with actual ginger in it, and not just flavoring.

If you want to use ginger for motion sickness, there are several ways to do it. You can simply grab a piece of ginger root and chew it, but the flavor may be too intense for some. You can also try it in tea form by cutting off a slice and putting it in hot water with lemon, or by purchasing pre-made tea bags where the main ingredient is ginger root. If you prefer something solid, you can try looking for ginger lozenges or even ones that come in capsule form. You may want to have some before you head out in whatever mode of transport makes you motion sick, but you can also take it once the symptoms start. It isn't clear exactly how it works, but it's a remedy that's been used for thousands of years for nausea.

Of course, ginger isn't the only option that can help you feel better when you have motion sickness. You can also try treating nausea with another natural remedy, the green apple, as its soluble fiber from pectin may slow your digestion. However, that might be a little harder to slip into a pocket. Along with these edible remedies, you can also keep some tips in mind, like focusing on the horizon or a stationary object ahead, avoiding reading or using devices like your phone, and steering clear of strong scents. If you tend to get motion sickness on a plane, choose a seat that's somewhere within the front area of the economy section, since that's the most stable part. And if you're feeling hungry while nauseated, opt for something bland like crackers, and only chew small amounts.