How to Combat Nausea Naturally
Getting nauseous isn’t fun by any means. It is a common symptom of many problems, including dehydration, menstruation, pregnancy, chemo, and more. Depending on the reason and severity of your nausea, some remedies might work better than others.
However, there are natural remedies that tend to work for a variety of different kinds of nausea. Most of them have little to no side effects and can help your body in other ways such as increasing the amount of liquid you drink, so it is well worth trying one or multiple of these methods to see if you can eliminate or prevent nausea.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Ginger is a great option to combat nausea, no matter what the cause is. It is highly recommended and backed by several studies. Ginger has been shown to reduce nausea in pregnant women, those undergoing chemo, and even side effects from common medication.
Most people don’t experience harm with ginger, but if you have low blood pressure, low sugar, or are on blood thinners, it would be wise to avoid this option or limit the amount of ginger you ingest. For most people, somewhere between 0.5 and 1.5 grams of dried ginger seems to be a good amount.
Ginger in any form can be beneficial in reducing nausea. You can drink it as tea, add it to your food, or eat candied ginger. If you don’t like the flavor, there are even capsules for easy ingestion. Scientists aren’t entirely sure how ginger works at reducing nausea, but many studies have shown that it does.
Lemon (Citrus limon)
Citrus, especially lemon, has been found to reduce nausea, especially when pregnant. Citrus smells, in particular, are the most effective. Studies showed that it could reduce nausea by about 9% more than just a standard placebo. Using essential oil in a humidifier or on your skin can be helpful.
Adding some lemon to your water or making tea with it can also help with soothing the stomach and reducing nausea.
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)
Cinnamon has been found to reduce the symptoms of nausea. It works best when combined with other natural remedies that alleviate nausea like lemon or ginger. Cinnamon has been tested primarily for its effect on those with menstruation nausea. In those studies, 420mg of cinnamon in a capsule was given daily.
There is also cinnamon tea, or you can make your own using a cinnamon stick to eight ounces of boiling water for ten minutes.
If you are taking blood thinners, though, it is a good idea to avoid cinnamon in large doses. The same goes for those who take insulin.
Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)
Cumin helps with a variety of problems in the stomach, including pain, constipation, IBS, diarrhea, and nausea. In studies, twenty drops per day of cumin essential oil were given.
Cumin water is also a popular remedy in India and can be beneficial. All you do is simmer cumin seeds in water for about five minutes, then boil the water until the seeds start to swell, cool, and sip.
Cumin can be dangerous for those with respiratory issues, who are breastfeeding, and it messes with a few different medications in large doses, so always talk to a doctor before ingesting a lot of cumin.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Fennel has been studied to be useful, especially related to menstruation nausea. However, it has the potential to help with other types of nausea as well, but no studies have been done on it yet. Studies for this one focused on giving about 30 milligrams of fennel in capsule form every four hours for menstruation nausea.
Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)
Peppermint, while not as potent as ginger, is often considered another great option for reducing nausea. The main ingredient is menthol, which is thought to calm the stomach.
The best way to use peppermint is as an aromatherapy method, where peppermint is dispersed in the air via a humidifier.
Additionally, using an inhaler with peppermint oil can help within two minutes. Some studies showed that up to 79% of people reported a difference in their nausea using an inhaled version of peppermint oil.
Peppermint tea itself hasn’t been studied. However, since there are no downsides or potential toxicity issues with the tea, it doesn’t hurt to take it, and the added hydration could benefit nausea as well.
It is recommended to avoid ingesting peppermint oil, as it can be dangerous. Additionally, peppermint oil has shown mixed results on whether it has worked or not.
While peppermint has been shown to reduce nausea, if you are also vomiting, it isn’t as beneficial, as it can’t really reduce vomiting. But it can be beneficial for cramps as well as nausea.
Many people have been using peppermint and peppermint oil throughout history, and it has been proven to also help with indigestion and IBS. However, if you have GERD, it is a good idea to avoid the use of mint and peppermint.
Water
Water is absolutely necessary to reduce nausea, as dehydration is known to worsen nausea symptoms.
Avoid drinks with a lot of bubbles like sodas, as they can make you feel bloated and therefore more nauseous. Cold and clear liquids are often thought to be the best option.
If you think bubbles might help, you can try ginger ale. Lemonade is also a good option. Sipping slowly is better than drinking nothing.
However, drinking a lot of liquid with meals can make you feel fuller and often increases the feelings of nausea.
Acupuncture & Acupressure
Acupuncture and acupressure are two very commonly used methods in China to reduce nausea and vomiting. It is thought to work because the nerves that are stimulated during the process prompt the brain to reduce the nausea signals.
No matter how it works exactly, studies have shown that it does work. Nausea after an operation, chemotherapy, and during pregnancy have all been studied and found to be reduced or eliminated with acupuncture and acupressure.
You can perform acupressure at home, or go get either from a specialist.
Vitamin B6
Also known as pyridoxine, vitamin B6 has been shown to reduce nausea, especially in pregnant women. You can take up to 200 mg of vitamin B6 a day without any side effects or harm to the woman or the baby. It primarily works for mild nausea and not any severe cases. Food sources of vitamin B6 include: tuna. salmon, eggs, chickpeas, dark leafy greens, papayas, oranges, bananas, kiwi, raspberries and many others.
However, it hasn’t been tested thoroughly, and some studies show it hasn’t had any benefits at all. But since there are minimal side effects and no danger, there is no harm in trying it out.
Light Exercise
Most people want to lie down and wait for nausea to pass.
However, some research suggests that simple, light exercises like yoga can help reduce nausea, especially after chemotherapy. Walking in the fresh air and deep breathing exercises can also be beneficial.
The Bottom Line
When you’re nauseous, it can be hard to know what to do. You don’t want to eat, walk, or drink anything, but rather lie down and wait for nausea to pass. However, those can all be bad methods and actually make the symptoms worse. Instead, you should try some herbs and spices to help soothe your stomach and reduce nausea.
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I use activated charcoal. It absorbs the nausea causing elements in your stomach.
How much do you use?
I use one or two capsules. I start with one. It can cause constipation in higher doses, which is what you don’t want. Just follow the instructions on the package.
When my Dad was having Chemo he was really unwell with nausea and was given pills but he couldn’t even take those as his stomach wouldn’t accept any solid. As a nurse I gave him an anti nausea injection and then made him ginger and lemon tea with hunny. As he only had to sip tiny amounts his stomach tolerated it and then I started him on crystallised ginger. It was a godsend.
Crystallized ginger has always been my “go to” for nausea. I buy a large bag at a health food store and cut the large pieces into tiny cubes. Then using recycled spice bottles I fill several and distribute them to various places: office, bedroom, work, etc. be sure to include your briefcase, suitcase, or anywhere you might need it. Refill, as needed. Share this idea with friends. They’ll thank you.
Hi Shirley,
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us! We truly hope he’s doing well.
We’re glad that ginger helped him get rid of nausea.
Many blessings and good health!