Ginger for Seasickness: The Wonder Drug

Imagine boarding your cruise or personal water craft with the intention of exploring and taking adventures to lands you’ve never visited and have always desired to go. Now imagine that you’ve pushed out to sea and the landscape appears so vast and beautiful, you can barely contain yourself with joy and admiration. Go a step further, and imagine your stomach begins to uncomfortably churn while enjoying the ocean life, signaling to you that something is amiss.

This might be an indication that seasickness has crept in. It’s a discomfort like no other. Oftentimes, those who are seasoned sailors or boatsmen will share stories about how they initially acclimated to the sea, and what remedies they used to help alleviate their nausea. The ocean doesn’t have a schedule of when she wants to toss and turn a vessel. She merely welcomes the respect of those brave enough to venture out and sightsee or go fishing. Fortunately, due to modern-day healthy awareness, there are a handful of remedies for motion sickness, yet nothing compares to the natural herb, ginger.

Ginger for Seasickness, Does it Work?

Ginger has been around for decades as an overall remedy for nausea. It comes in several forms–ginger ale, ginger oils, ginger chews, ginger tablets, you name it and it works! Ingesting ginger prior to setting sail prolongs (or alleviates) any oncoming seasickness. Ginger has been backed by science and medical research, and is naturally effective.

This wonder herb is available in teas, sodas, candy, cookies, capsules, raw ginger root, and other food sources that specifically add ginger. Ginger for seasickness is an inexpensive, natural herb that originated in ancient China. It’s perfectly safe, free of side effects, and is available in most every grocery and drug store, or your neighborhood health food market. The key is to find what works for you, what tastes palatable and you are able to digest, and whether it’s instantaneous dosage for your nausea.

RELATED: Sea-Band Helps Keep Motion Sickness at Bay

Precisely how ginger works remains a mystery, however studies have shown that its active compound ingredient “6-gingerol” perpetuates gastrointestinal transport, which helps to alleviate nausea and motion sickness. Claims by the Navy and their sailors prove that eating a ginger chew–or a few, depending on the severity of seasickness–will calm down the gastrointestinal tract and delay any feelings of dizziness and wanting to regurgitate. Another rule of thumb for the person who suffers from motion sickness would be to take a healthy dose of ginger before and during their time at sea, in addition to staring at the horizon while on the boat. There’s proof that gazing at a non-moving object while in the throes of the vessel swaying or rocking genuinely helps the motion sickness ease, alongside with the ginger root consumption.

Take heart, your bon voyage days are ready to be chock full of adventure and exploration. Ginger is the answer to you experiencing a smooth sailing event!

Gerry Ellen is a published author of three books, a freelance creative writer for several publications, a marketing copywriter, and a wellness entrepreneur. When she’s not out adventuring with her pup and guru, Scout, she’s writing new stories about life and travel on her antique typewriter.