Don't travel on an empty stomach; eat a good breakfast of oats, muesli or wheat germ, says Morris. "They have a lot of vitamin B6, which prevents nausea." Avoid greasy fast foods and acidic drinks, such as orange juice and coffee, which may turn your stomach while you're in motion. Munch on light snacks, such as whole grain crackers, or chew on a piece of fresh or dried ginger at the onset of any symptoms. Sucking on a piece of lemon or lime might also help you feel better.
Morris adds that drinking plenty of water and warm juices, such as apricot or carrot juice, can help settle your stomach. Also, peppermint, ginger and fennel tea may help to alleviate nausea and an upset stomach. "Steep a teaspoon of each in one litre of water and sip on it during the trip," says Morris.
Focusing on a distant object eases motion sickness.
Staring at something stationary in the distance, such as a building, tells your confused brain that you really are in motion, despite what your body feels. In a car, look straight out the front window. On a cruise ship, stay on deck and focus on a boat or island. Don't go inside because you'll remove that visual cue and further confuse your brain. Until the nausea passes, don't close your eyes for an extended period of time.
Mixed Messages
Your brain is constantly receiving information about your balance and movement from your senses and balance monitors, including your inner ear. When you're in a moving vehicle, your eyes tell your brain that you're stationary, but information from your balance monitors says you're moving. Your brain interprets this confusion between what you see and what you feel as a signal to get rid of a foreign invader. The result? An urge to purge the toxin from your system.
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