What foods can help reduce motion sickness?

If you experience motion sickness while traveling during the holidays, you can try sucking on fresh ginger, orange peel, or lemon, eating bread, or chewing gum to reduce discomfort.

Motion sickness is a condition characterized by dizziness, discomfort, nausea, and vomiting while traveling by train, car, plane, boat, etc.

Dr. Truong Trong Tuan, a specialist in the Emergency Department at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, explains that motion sickness occurs because the movements seen by the eyes differ from those perceived by the inner ear. The inner ear is part of the vestibular system and processes information to control body balance, including eye movements. The brain experiences a disruption in signals from the inner ear and eyes, resulting in inconsistent signals. This means the brain cannot process all the conflicting signals, causing motion sickness.

Motion sickness can happen to anyone, but it's more common in people with vestibular disorders, migraines, women, pregnant women, women using birth control pills, during menstruation, and children. Dr. Tuan suggests some foods that can reduce the risk of motion sickness.

Fresh ginger

Ginger helps soothe nausea and dizziness caused by motion sickness. The compounds in ginger help the digestive system function better by promoting gastric emptying, reducing feelings of nausea.

Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties, improves digestion, and helps the body release hormones that regulate blood pressure. People who experience motion sickness can suck on a piece of fresh ginger.

Drinking ginger tea about an hour before departure can also help reduce symptoms of nausea and dizziness when traveling by train or car. The recommended amount of ginger tea to avoid motion sickness is about 950 ml; it's best to steep sliced fresh ginger in hot water and drink it slowly.

Ginger helps soothe nausea and dizziness caused by motion sickness. Photo: Freepik — Ginger helps soothe nausea and dizziness caused by motion sickness. Photo: *Freepik*

Cookies

Biscuits can reduce saliva and stomach acid production, helping to alleviate nausea and discomfort. People prone to motion sickness can eat biscuits before departure and keep extra on hand to snack on throughout the journey. Choose biscuits with flavors you enjoy, and avoid spicy, garlic-, or onion-flavored ones to prevent worsening motion sickness.

Bread

Eating toast can suppress nausea and reduce vomiting. Toast is easier to digest than regular bread. The starch in toast helps absorb excess acid, reducing stomach discomfort. When you eat toast, your pancreas also secretes trypsin. This enzyme metabolizes the amino acids in the bread, which has a calming effect on the nervous system and reduces motion sickness.

Orange peel, fresh lemon

The scent of tangerine and lemon peels can disperse conflicting information reaching the brain, reducing sensory perception clashes. Chewing on a little tangerine or lemon peel may lessen feelings of nausea and reduce the risk of vomiting or vomiting when traveling by train or car.

Potato

Potatoes are rich in starch and calories. Eating boiled, steamed, baked, or mashed potatoes with a little butter or milk can add extra calories, soothe the stomach, and help reduce motion sickness.

Sweet potato

Raw sweet potatoes can help prevent motion sickness, relieve spasms, neutralize stomach acid, and reduce nausea. It's best to eat fresh, cleaned sweet potatoes, chewing and swallowing the pulp.

Gum

Chewing gum is effective in reducing symptoms of vomiting, dizziness, nausea, etc., because it limits the flow of conflicting information to the brain. The chewing motion helps to distract the brain's attention, reducing these unpleasant feelings.

Dr. Tuan advises that before departure, those prone to motion sickness should only eat a light meal, avoiding eating too much or going hungry. Eating too much can lead to bloating and belching. Hunger can cause stomach discomfort, easily leading to nausea. Avoid greasy, spicy, and sour foods. Drink small sips of water throughout the journey. Those with severe motion sickness may need advice from a doctor on more effective and safer prevention methods.

Kim Thanh

Readers can ask questions about nutrition here for the doctor to answer.

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