Do you want to know how to stop feeling nauseous? It is really simple, and you have several alternative treatments.
Nausea is an unpleasant experience that happens before a bout of vomiting.
Some people experience a constant nauseous feeling accompanied by stomach pain and headaches.
If you have strong urges to throw up repeatedly, you will want to know how to ease nausea with natural remedies and other anti-nausea drugs.
Especially if you are traveling or amid an important event, you want to suppress it somehow.
There are many common causes of nausea and vomiting, such as food poisoning, dehydration, motion sickness, stress, side effects of medication, seasickness, acid influx, morning sickness, strong scents, alcoholic reactions, or symptoms of other illnesses.
There are many solutions to make your nausea go away; there are several proven medications to manage it, including simple home treatment and psychological techniques.
Occasionally feeling nauseous may not be anything serious. It can be self-cured without a trip to the doctor. Above all, it is better to avoid strong prescription medicines as much as possible.
You need to see a doctor if the inclination to vomit lasts more than 48 hours after trying home remedies.
10 Natural Remedies For Nausea And Vomiting
When you feel nauseated, natural herbal remedies are the best solution to overcome it. The list is too many. We shall discuss only 10 alternative treatments for nausea that are the most popular and easy to use.
1. Ginger
What should you do if you feel nauseous? Eat ginger.
Ginger contains natural properties that can increase the secretion of digestive enzymes. This is good for eliminating excess stomach acids that could cause nausea.
The research report in the book “Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects’ by Ann M. Bode and Zigang Dong recommends ginger as an excellent fix for motion sickness.
Ginger also has chemicals called phenols that help relax the muscles in the stomach and speed up the process of getting rid of waste from the colon.
You can chew the ginger roots or drink ginger tea.
It is easy to make ginger tea. Take a 2-inch-long ginger root, mash it, and add this to 2-3 cups of medium-boiling water. After 5 minutes of boiling it, strain the ginger tea into a cup and add a tablespoon of honey. Sip it down slowly.
2. Lemon
Another good solution for a queasy condition is lemon juice. Lemon contains antispasmodic properties and acids that help to improve digestion and cure acidity problems.
Lemon also aids in the removal of toxic waste from the stomach.
Take a glass of water, squeeze a lemon over it, and add a teaspoon of salt.
The salt added to the lemon juice boosts the body’s exhausted electrolytes (essential salt). This is what to take for vomiting and hydrating the body.
You can also directly suck in the lemon juice from the sliced pieces.
3. Peppermint
Peppermint tea and oil are excellent remedies for nausea and vomiting. The strong scent of peppermint has instant results in suppressing the tendency to vomit.
For quick relief, you can rub a few drops of peppermint oil with a cotton swab or clean fingertips on your gums and under the tongue.
Drinking a cup of peppermint tea helps to suppress vomiting. Add two teaspoons of dried peppermint leaves to a cup of boiling water. Allow the mint extracts to dissolve in the water for five minutes. Strain and drink it. You can add a tablespoon of honey to the drink for a better taste.
Peppermint has antispasmodic elements in it. It is also useful for relaxing stomach muscles and preventing cramps in the stomach, which happen to some people while vomiting.
4. Cinnamon tea
Cinnamon tea is a proven solution to your quest to ease nausea symptoms.
It is easy to prepare cinnamon tea. Add half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder to one cup of boiling water. Give 3-5 minutes for the cinnamon extracts to steep in the water. Then, strain the tea and slowly sip it down to ease nausea.
According to a 2013–14 study with 76 female student participants, cinnamon effectively reduces nausea and vomiting, especially during the menstrual period.
5. Chamomile tea
Chamomile is one of the most ancient medicinal herbs known to humanity. Chamomile tea is what you take for nausea. Chamomile is an herbal medicine for several common ailments, including nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.
Boil a few fresh chamomile leaves in 1–3 cups of water, steep for 5 minutes, and drink it. You can add a tablespoon of honey to the tea if you wish.
6. Holy basil
One of the best things to help with nausea is holy basil.
Mix one teaspoon of holy basil juice with an equal amount of honey to check to vomit and soothe the upset stomach.
Chewing a few basil leaves a couple of times a day effectively prevents consistent attacks of nausea.
7. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a solution to your problem of how to calm nausea.
Mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in 8 ounces of water and drink it. This works best for vomiting tendencies arising from food poisoning and morning sickness.
Its effectiveness is attributed to the antimicrobial elements present in ACV, though no scientific evidence supports this.
8. Clove
You can calm nausea quickly by drinking clove tea.
Boil 1 cup of boiling water and add a teaspoon of clove powder. Give five minutes for the clove powder to steep in the water, and then drink it. Add one teaspoon of honey for a better taste.
Chewing one or two clove buds is also effective.
9. Fennel
Fennel seed is a nausea therapy from Chinese folk medicine.
To one cup of boiling water, add one teaspoon of fennel seed. Allow 10 minutes for fennel seed extracts to steep in water, and then strain the water into a cup. Add a few drops of fresh lemon water and one teaspoon of honey before you drink it.
Gradually chewing a teaspoon of fennel seed is also helpful.
According to a recent study report, fennel seed herbal medicine is very effective for dysmenorrheal nausea, and 3 months of continuous usage of this seed are required.
10. Baking soda
Drinking a baking soda solution is one of the best natural cures for nausea. Mix half a teaspoon of baking soda and drink one cup of water.
Gargling with a baking soda solution helps get rid of the unpleasant taste and irritation in the throat after vomiting. For gargling, you can mix baking soda in one cup of warm water and add a teaspoon of salt to it.
4 Alternative Therapies For Nausea
Yoga and acupressure are two alternative forms of natural cure therapy that are effective for many diseases. This section will show how to reduce morning nausea with these two alternative healing methods.
1. Acupressure therapy
“Acupressure is an ancient Chinese method that involves placing pressure on any particular area of your body using fingers or other devices to make you feel better.”
Here are some simple steps on how to reduce nausea with acupressure:
- Exert moderate pressure on the P-6 point (inner gate).
- You can use your fingers to exert pressure on the P-6 point.
- Take your thumb and index finger and firmly press on the points.
- Apply pressure to the area for up to 30 seconds continuously.
- Do it alternatively on either hand and repeatedly for a few times
- Or wear a “nausea band” on the P6 point area of the wrist.
N.B.: The p6 point is located 2 or 3 finger widths down from the top crease in your wrist. It is at the base of your palm, in a groove between two large tendons.
2. Yoga exercises
Here are some of the best yoga exercises for neutralizing nausea:
First, lie on a yoga mat and continuously rest your legs on the vertical wall for 7 minutes. This posture is good for strengthening the muscles in the digestive tract and increasing the blood flow to the brain. This will help eliminate the feeling of nausea, especially the one caused by indigestion.
Second, stretch your back and neck; with this, your nausea may be relieved. To stretch your back, sit on the floor with your legs stretched forward and bend your body forward until your upper body forms a 45-degree angle. Repeat this exercise (back and forth, gradual bending) for 7 minutes. To stretch your neck, sit up straight in a chair and tilt your head toward one of your shoulders for 15 to 30 seconds, alternately. Repeat this exercise for 7 minutes.
3. Psychotherapy
There are a few DIY psychological treatments that will help you reduce nauseous feelings:
- Divert your attention to: Engage in interesting activities or try to concentrate on your work.
- Accept the fact that you might throw up and take it easy. Master the fear that aggravates nausea.
- Do not be overly worried and annoyed, as it might only increase the condition.
- Listening to your favorite song or music or watching a movie distracts your focus from the issue.
- Call up a friend to share your woes and engage in pleasant conversation.
- Avoid all activities that involve strain and stress.
4. Aromatherapy
One of the best nausea cures is aromatherapy.
Pleasant smells of certain leaves, fruits, and essential oils are proven effective remedies for nausea, drowning, headaches, and vomiting.
Few clinical studies done on people have found that aromatherapy helps with nausea, vomiting, and feeling dizzy.
Here are some of the popular aromatherapies for nausea and motion sickness:
- Inhale the sweet smell of peppermint oil. Please take a few drops of peppermint oil on a cotton swab or handkerchief and keep smelling it.
- Breathe in the citric fragrance of a lemon; sliced lemon gives the maximum smell
- Smell the lavender essential oil; it works just like peppermint oil.
- Smelling cinnamon sticks or spray can help relieve nausea and vomiting.
- Inhale cinnamon vapor: Add two teaspoons of cinnamon powder to hot water and inhale its vapor; do this when the water has cooled down to medium-hot.
- Put a few drops of clove essential oil on a handkerchief and inhale it by taking long, deep breaths.
- Inhaling Clove Vapor: Add a few buds of clove to boiling water and inhale the vapor when it is sufficiently cooled down for inhaling.
Best Foods For Managing Nausea
Treating nausea with the right kind of food and drink is really effective. Let us look at some of the best diet practices that work as a treatment for nausea.
1. BRAT diet
The BRAT diet is best for stopping continuous nausea caused by food poisoning or stomach flu.
It is comprised of the following:
- Bananas
- Applesauce (without sugar)
- Rice
- Toast
2. Milk toast
Bland foods, especially milk and bread, are good for taming your tummy. The milk forms a thin coating over your colon lines, and bread absorbs the excess acid in the stomach.
It is best to make milk toast to help with nausea and discomfort in the stomach.
The items required are:
- Milk (1 cup)
- Toast (1 piece)
- Unsalted butter
Spread the unsalted butter on a toasted slice of bread; crumble the toast into warm milk, and eat it slowly.
3. Apple juice
Drink 2 oz of apple juice every hour, along with ginger ale, to cure nausea.
4. Liquid foods
It is best to have liquid-rich foods when you have continuous nausea and vomiting. The best liquid foods are clear soups, popsicles, Jell-O, and vegetable juices. Liquid foods balance the acidity in the stomach and reduce the tendency to vomit.
5. Eat berries
Raspberry, blueberry, cranberry, and strawberry contain curative properties that help to ease nausea, especially morning sickness.
Studies have shown the curative power of red raspberries and blackberries to ease pregnancy nausea and vomiting (14).
6. Banana diet
Eating bananas is another proven diet that can answer your question about how to ease nausea.
Having one or two bananas helps produce a protective coating on the colon linings, which helps reduce acidity. This will help prevent heartburn and nausea.
When you have stomach flu or indigestion issues, it is best to eat a banana.
7. Sugar syrup
Consuming 1-2 teaspoons of sugar syrup is an age-old natural supplement for nausea and vomiting.
8. Rice water
Rice water is one of the oldest known natural nausea remedies, said to have been in practice since 150 BC.
Rice water is beneficial for preventing vomiting caused by gastritis.
Boil one cup of rice for 20 minutes, and then strain the rice water. Drinking about 300 mL of rice water daily is better if you have recurring bouts of vomiting.
9. Frozen lemon
Stop asking yourself, “What can I take for nausea?” You already know that lemon and ginger are the simplest and most effective remedies.
If you often face the problem of vomiting, you should always keep a few slices of lemon in the freezer. You can directly drink lemon juice by sucking on the lemon slices. Frozen lemons have a shelf life of more than a week or two.
Guidelines for eating
Here are some other important food habits that you should be mindful of:
- Eat a small number of foods but more frequently
- Do not stay hungry or thirsty when you have a persistent nauseous feeling; an empty stomach makes the situation even worse.
- Avoid eating oily and high-fat foods when you have an upset stomach.
- Avoid foods that are greasy, salty, or spicy.
- Better not to have too hot or cold foods
- Drink lots of water and have more liquid foods.
- Most people find that apple juice and flat soda help to relieve nausea.
- After vomiting, it is healthy to have a sports drink containing glucose, salt, and potassium.
- Do not lie down immediately after eating; wait 40 minutes.
- Avoid drinking caffeine.
- Suck on hard candies to alleviate nausea.
- Don’t drink alcohol or smoke.
Best Anti-Nausea Medication
There are many effective over-the-counter anti-nausea medications available.
However, it is always better to avoid strong medicines as much as possible.
Some of the popular over-the-counter nausea medicines are:
- Bismuth subsalicylate is a popular prescription drug meant to treat various digestive and stomach-related health issues.
- Promethegan, Ondansetron, Zofran, and Dramamine are some of the most popular prescription medicines for nausea. They come in all forms.
- Generic anti-nausea liquids are a mixture of dextrose, fructose, and phosphoric acid.
Prevention And First-Aids For Nausea
Simple DIY, first aid methods are simple solutions to the problem of how to help nausea.
Using a cool compress
Apply a cool compress for a few minutes on the back of your neck when you feel severely nauseous. It helps prevent sickness.
It is effective to place the compress at the back of your neck while lying down. If you are sitting, drape the compress across the back of your neck.
If you do not have the ice pack ready for the compress, use a clean washcloth dipped in cold water for the cold compress.
Have a shower bath
A good shower makes you feel fresh and relaxes your body and mind.
Breath in fresh air
Being out in the open and breathing fresh air relieves nausea. This also helps to divert your attention from the illness and reduce anxiety.
Lying under the fan and letting the airflow over your face and body will make you feel pleasant.
Sitting still and being relaxed
Some people experience an increased tendency to vomit while moving around. In most cases, sitting still in a quiet and comfortable location will alleviate nausea. If you are well-rested, take a quick nap that relieves the tendency to vomit.
Avoid working on computers or smartphones if you do not want to add headaches to your nausea.
Stay away from strong odors
Strong and unbearable odors themselves are a reason that you experience nausea. Your digestive system gets even more disturbed by strong odors, which worsens nausea.
When you feel nauseous, avoiding cooking, smoking, or wearing strong perfumes is better.
Massage your abdomen with oil
Gently massage your abdomen with coconut oil or olive oil. This helps to activate the abdominal muscles and enhance the digestive process. Massaging the stomach is beneficial, especially when you have nausea accompanied by a severe stomach ache.
Preventive exercises
- To relieve the tension causing queasiness, perform simple neck and back stretching exercises.
- Perform exercises that promote the optimum circulation of blood all over the body; it helps to prevent dizziness and nausea caused by poor blood circulation.
- Do deep breathing exercises to relieve the irritation on the colon’s lining that causes nausea.
- Perform regular walking and jogging exercises that boost your metabolism and digestive process (do not exercise when you have severe nausea).
Conclusion
By now, you are sure of the many natural nausea medicines that can help you.
If you have any better ideas on how to get rid of nausea with home remedies, please share your ideas in the comment section.
You should immediately see your doctor in case of a severe headache, signs of dehydration, stomachache, body pain, and fever. Children and pregnant women require special medical attention in all circumstances.
It would be best if you relied on natural remedies for nausea only in ordinary conditions of illness, especially in conditions of recurring mild feelings of nausea and occasional incidents of the same.
Recommended reading list: