MOTION SICKNESS
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MOTION SICKNESS is surely one of the worst feelings in the world. First you feel weak, then you get dizzy, then nauseated, then you throw up. Some children get motion sick virtually ever time they go for a car ride. Some adults experience motion sickness for the first time when they go on that luxurious cruise--and spend the first three days confined to their cabin. Almost anyone can be vulnerable to motion sickness, though some people are more vulnerable than others: In one study where just over half of Caucasian and black subjects suffered from motion sickness, virtually all Chinese people got sick.
While motion sickness feels like it begins in your stomach, in fact it begins in your inner ear. Just recently we've learned that it's the disparity between what the eye reports seeing (a stable environment like the cabin of a ship) and what the inner ear knows is happening (the constant moving, rolling, and pitching of a moving ship) that causes the problem. The body reacts to this stress with an overproduction of hormones that eventually precipitates the dizziness, sleepiness, fatigue, headaches, and nausea of motion sickness.
Fortunately there is a good natural remedy for motion sickness: ginger. Ground gingerroot capsules, which you can find in any health food store, will help prevent motion sickness for most people. In fact, in some tests, ginger was proven more effective than Dramamine and, unlike Dramamine, has no side effects. I tell my patients who are prone to motion sickness or who are going on a sea voyage for the first time to lay in a store of ginger capsules. Take two or three an hour or so before leaving and one or two every three or four hours after that. You can also make a ginger tea by steeping peeled, chopped fresh ginger in boiling water for a few minutes. Iced ginger tea makes a good drink for any boating party.
There are also practical steps to combat motion sickness. For example, because foods that are hard to digest will challenge your stomach regardless of where you are, they are to be avoided when you might be facing motion sickness. Instead, stick with small, low-fat starchy meals before you travel.
Position matters: The more still you are, the better you are able to combat motion sickness. On a ship, stay in the middle where there's less motion. In a car, ride in the front seat where the view helps fight the confusion of the inner ear. Try to get fresh air: On a ship, don't stay below deck; on a plane turn on the vent so the air blows directly on your face.
If you're on a small boat, help with the boat handling if at all possible. People who are active and busy are less likely to develop motion sickness. Most people get sick if they read while in motion, so put off reading until you're back on firm ground.
Stay calm. Worry and anxiety can stimulate the same hormonal reactions that cause nausea. Use stress-reduction techniques to help you relax.
Watch out for disagreeable smells or strong odors. I was once on a sailing trip that went well until the captain anchored and pulled out pickled herring and offered it all around. Most of the sailing party lunged for the rail. The same goes for fatty foods which are hard to digest and a challenge for a stomach that's already in trouble.
Try to occupy your mind. Studies have shown that people who are asked to solve tricky problems while in motion experience less motion sickness.
I've heard a great deal about acupressure bands worn on the wrist that press on the "neiguan" acupressure points inside each wrist. There are studies in progress to determine how effective these bands are for seasickness. Some patients swear by them.
NATURAL PRESCRIPTION FOR MOTION SICKNESS
- Eat a small, low-fat starchy meal before you travel. Avoid fatty, greasy foods both before and during travel.
- Try to stay as still as possible; the middle of a ship experiences less motion than forward or aft; in a car, ride in the front. Get fresh air by staying outdoors or using a vent to blow after direction your face.
- Keep busy but don't read.
- Use stress-reduction techniques to combat anxiety.
- Avoid disagreeable smells or strong odors.
- Keep your mind occupied.
IN ADDITION TO YOUR DAILY SUPPLEMENTS, TAKE:
- Two or three ground gingerroot capsules before your journey and additional capsules every three or four hours. Alternatively, drink ginger tea made by steeping peeled, chopped ginger in boiling water.
IN ADDITION: If natural remedies don't help you, you can get a patch from your doctor that's worn behind tile ear. It releases scopolamine through the skin into the blood and helps relieve motion sickness. Some people suffer from side effects from this treatment.
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