Can Ginger Prevent Motion Sickness?

By : Jodie Shield | 0 Comments | On : June 23, 2018 | Category : Adults, Kids, Seniors, Teens

Discover if ginger should be your go-to, natural motion sickness treatment and how to incorporate ginger into your vacation plans.

Guest Post By: Melissa Morales-Perez Nutrition & Dietetics Student, Dominican University

Vacation season for many of us entails curvy car trips, bumpy boat rides, and shaky airplane flights. If you’re like me, you love traveling, but also fear the queasy, dizzying, and literally nauseating feeling that comes with motion sickness. Many tricks exist to prevent these unpleasant symptoms including closing your eyes, using over-the-counter meds, or going the more alternative route such as using the “the amazing & mighty ginger.”  Do you ever wonder if there is evidence to show ginger truly works? Keep reading, but maybe not while you are in a car, to find out!

Motion Sickness: Causes and Traditional Treatments

Motion sickness occurs when your ears, which are in control of your balance, and your eyes send mixed signals to your brain as to how your body is moving. For example, if you are in an Uber scrolling down your Facebook feed, your eyes may sense that you are moving; however, your body is sitting still. The result is often motion sickness. It can happen to anybody, but children 2-15 years, pregnant women, women experiencing menstruation, and people who are prone to migraines are more likely to experience motion sickness.

The good news is that there are many steps, according to experts from the American Academy of Family Physicians,that work to prevent motion sickness:

• Sit strategically. If you’re in a car, sit in the front passenger seat and look at the horizon. If you are on a plane, sit by a wing. If you are on a boat, try facing the waves.
• Ask your doctor about medication.You can try taking 50 to 100 mg of dimenhydrinate pills two hours before traveling or placing a scopolamine patch on your arm or behind your ear four hours prior to traveling. These medications work, but may cause unpleasant side effects including dry eyes and mouth, and sensitivity to bright light.
• Experiment with ginger.If you prefer taking an alternative route, ginger may help alleviate some motion sickness symptoms.

 

Ginger Pills May Prevent Nausea but Not Motion Sickness

For thousands of years people around the world have used ginger root, not only for food flavoring, but also for therapy and prevention of different health conditions. Perhaps the most common recommendation of ginger is for nausea and vomiting. However, scientific evidence on when and whether ginger truly works is still mixed. Here is what studies have shown:

 

Nausea due to:	Does it work?	How much:
Morning sickness in early pregnancy	Yes	Studies show 1g of powder ginger capsules daily for at least 4 days can help.
Post-lower abdominal surgery	Yes	Studies show 1g of powder ginger capsule, taken 1 hour prior to anesthesia can help.
Motion Sickness	Some say yes, some say no	A study showed 1g of powder ginger could decrease vomiting and cold sweating caused by seasickness.  Results from a different study also supports the use of ginger for seasickness, this time, researchers believe it is as effective as over-the-counter meds. Other studies, do not agree. One study comparing the use of 0.5 and 1g of powder ginger capsules on simulated motion sickness (outside of the sea), showed ginger did not work. Another study, using special chair rotation techniques also showed ginger did not work.

 

Getting to the Root of Motion Sickness

Although there is no strong scientific connection between the use of ginger and motion sickness, it does seem to play a role preventing nausea during pregnancy and before surgical procedures. Stay tuned for more studies that involve testing ginger and motion sickness on car and airplane passengers. In the mean time, ginger is safe for consumption, so if you enjoy the smell and spicy taste of this root, here is what you can do on your next vacay:

• Carry some ginger powder capsules.Try taking 500mg one hour before traveling and then 500 mg every two to four hours as necessary. These pills are about $4 per 100 pills.
• Bottle up some ice-cold fresh ginger tea.Warm up some water, add about 1 tablespoon of ginger. Ice it and add a little bit of stevia or honey.
• Nibble on ginger snacks. If you are hungry, nothing better than a lemon-ginger chia no-bake bars.
• Sip a ginger beverage.If it’s too late and nausea has already begun, try some fizzy ginger kombucha or gingerale.

 

When NOT to Use Ginger

Although ginger seems to be our friend more than our foe, there are a few times when consuming ginger is not recommended:

• If you have heart problems or are taking blood-thinners (including but not limited to aspirin and warfarin), ginger may increase bleeding.
• If you have gallbladder disease, ginger may increase the flow of bile.
• Consuming more than 4g of ginger/day (2 teaspoons) may cause heartburn.
• Pregnant women should not use more than 2.5g per day and always check with your doctor.

For more information on how to eat healthy on road trips, or more ginger inspired recipes like gingerbread hemp seed muffinsor and gingersnap cookies, download the free app, Eat Healthy Homemade Meals, from the Apple Store and Google Play.