How to Get Rid of Nausea (Without Medicines)

Nausea is a common symptom of a variety of conditions, including pregnancy, the flu, appendicitis, and even stress. Before you start trying to relieve nausea, consider your other symptoms to determine if you need to seek medical attention. In general, if your nausea lasts more than 24 hours, is accompanied by vomiting, fever, or other symptoms, you should seek medical attention to identify the cause of your nausea and get treatment. If you are experiencing mild nausea, then there are several home remedies that may provide relief, including drinking herbal teas, eating bland foods, and using acupressure.

Method 1 - Drinking Soothing Fluids

1

→ Drink enough fluids to stay hydrated. Dehydration can cause nausea, so it is important to get plenty of fluids. Drink room temperature water or warm herbal teas to help ease your nausea. Avoid very cold or very hot drinks. Take sips throughout the day rather than trying to drink a cup or glass of liquid all at once. If you are too nauseous to eat, then include broths such as vegetable, chicken or beef broths for some nutrition as well.

→ For children, call a physician for advice regarding fluids. They may recommend liquids such as Pedialyte, Rehydrate, Resol, and Rice-Lyte because children are more prone to dehydration, especially if they are also vomiting.

→ Adults may want to try Gatorade for an added boost of essential electrolytes.

2

→ Try a cup of ginger tea. Ginger has long been used to treat the nausea associated with chemotherapy and surgery. Ginger tea is also considered safe for pregnant women. If you are drinking ginger tea for nausea associated with pregnancy, just make sure that you tell your obstetrician and only have one to two cups a day. Most adults can have up to four to six cups of ginger tea a day.

→ To make ginger tea from fresh ginger, peel and chop ½ to 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger. Pour boiling water over the chopped ginger and add lemon and/or honey to taste.

→ If you do not like the taste of ginger tea, then you can try a ginger supplement instead. The recommended dose is 250–1000 mg taken four times a day.

3

→ Drink a cup of peppermint tea. Peppermint tea can be made by adding boiling water to ½ to 1 teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves, but most stores carry peppermint tea. You can add lemon and/or honey to taste. Peppermint tea is considered “likely safe” for pregnant women and children. Again, make sure you tell your obstetrician and limit the tea to one to two cups a day.

→ Try adding ¼ teaspoon of caraway seeds to the tea to help settle your stomach.

→ Peppermint is also used to help treat Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and Functional Dyspepsia.

4

→ Prepare a fennel seed tea. Fennel seed tea is made a bit differently. To make fennel seed tea, add ½ to 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds to 6–8 ounces of cold water in a sauce pan. Slowly heat to boiling while stirring. Allow the water to boil for five minutes. Pour the tea through a strainer and then let it cool down. Add lemon and/or honey to taste.

→ It is unclear if fennel seeds are safe for pregnant women because fennel has mild estrogenic effects. If you are pregnant, talk to your physician before using fennel tea.

5

→ Sip chamomile tea. Chamomile tea has long been used for nausea and upset stomachs. You can find chamomile tea in most stores. It is safe for children, although you may want to use weaker tea. Pregnant women should avoid chamomile tea because it contains phytoestrogens.

→ Do not drink chamomile tea if you are taking anticoagulants, as it has been found to interact with those medications.

6

→ Brew a cinnamon stick tea. Cinnamon tea can be made similar to how you make fennel seed tea, using ½ stick of cinnamon or ½ teaspoon of powdered cinnamon. Add the cinnamon to 6–8 ounces of cold water in a sauce pan. Then, slowly heat to boiling while stirring. Allow the water to boil for five minutes. Pour the tea through a strainer and then let it cool down.

→ Pregnant women should not use cinnamon tea.

Method 2 - Altering Your Diet

1

→ Eat bland foods and include the BRAT diet. The BRAT diet consists of bananas, rice, applesauce and dry toast. These foods are very easy on your stomach, but the diet is thought to be too restrictive and does not provide enough nutrition. The BRAT diet is a good place to start, but incorporate other bland foods, such as saltine crackers, rice or sesame crackers, brown rice, toasted whole-grain bread, or chicken without the skin. Don’t add any spices or other seasonings to the foods that you eat.

→ Steer clear of spicy foods if you are nauseous.

2

→ Eat small amounts of food throughout the day. Eating smaller amounts of food can also help to reduce nausea. For example, you can start the day with ½ banana and ½ a piece of whole-grain toast. Then, have some clear broth and crackers. Snack on some applesauce, then have some boiled chicken and rice for dinner.

3

→ Stick to a low-sodium diet. Sodium may increase feelings of nausea as well, so it is best to stick to a low-sodium diet if you are nauseous. Do not add salt to your foods and avoid foods that are high in sodium. Read labels and try not to exceed 1500 milligrams of sodium total per day.

4

→ Choose low-fat foods. Fatty foods may increase feelings of nausea as well, so opt for low-fat foods instead, such as lean meats, low fat dairy products, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains prepared without any added oil or butter. Fatty foods include anything that has been fried, meats with skin and marbling, lamb, oils, butter, pastries, and most fast foods.

5

→ Stay away from foods known to increase nausea. Many people experience worsening nausea as a result of eating certain foods, so it is best to steer clear of these if you are already nauseous. Keep track of any foods that make you nauseous and avoid these foods as much as possible. Some examples of foods that make some people feel nauseous include:

→ Tomatoes

→ Acidic foods (like orange juice and pickles)

→ Chocolate

→ Ice cream

→ Eggs

Method 3 - Using Other Methods

1

→ Use aromatherapy. Aromatherapy uses the essential oils of various herbs to produce soothing scents. Apply a drop of peppermint oil, lavender oil, or lemon oil to both your wrists and your temples, then breathe deeply.

→ Make sure you don’t have a skin sensitivity to the oil by first putting a single drop of oil on your wrist. If you have a sensitivity, then you may experience a rash, redness or itching. If so, try a different oil or use a different method to deal with your nausea.

2

→ Make an appointment for acupuncture or acupressure. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the body is seen as having a system of energy meridians throughout. Applying needles (as in acupuncture) or pressure (as in acupressure) to specific points along these meridians can help to re-balance the energy and reduce feelings of nausea.

→ Try the “P6,” “Neiguan” or “inner gate” point. This point is about two finger-widths below the crease of your wrists (at the base of the palms). Start with your palms facing you. Feel for two tendons around the midpoint of that area above your wrist. Using the index and middle finger of the opposite hand, apply firm, but gentle pressure for about 10–20 seconds and release. Make sure you repeat this process on the other arm as well.

3

→ Perform a breathing exercise. The University of Connecticut conducted a study which indicated that controlled, deep breathing can help to relieve nausea. Other studies have indicated that breathing can help control nausea after surgery. Try this exercise adapted from the University of Missouri at Kansas City:

→ Lie flat on your back and place pillows under your knees and neck to make sure that you are comfortable.

→ Put your hands (palm down) on your stomach, right below the rib cage. Place your hands over your belly with your fingers together. This way, you will be able to feel your fingers separate as you breathe in and this will let you know that you are doing the exercise correctly.

→ Take a long, slow deep breath by expanding your belly, breathing like a baby breathes. This ensures that you are using your diaphragm to breathe rather than your rib cage. The diaphragm creates suction that pulls more air into your lungs than by expanding the rib cage.

4

→ Make sure that your environment is free from irritants. Some environmental irritants may cause you to feel nauseous. These include strong odors, smoke, heat, and humidity. Do your best to avoid these irritants as they can be “triggers” for either nausea or vomiting.

5

→ Rest and relax as much as you can. Sometimes being stressed, overworked, or physically uncomfortable may cause you to feel nauseous. Some common causes of nausea are stress, anxiety, and muscle strain. Try to rest and relax to help reduce these unpleasant symptoms and prevent them from escalating feelings of nausea.

6

→ Stay still. When you are feeling nauseous, moving around too much may make matters worse. Try to keep as still as possible to help reduce your feelings of nausea and prevent them from becoming worse. Sit in a comfortable chair or recline on a sofa or bed.

Method 4 - Getting Medical Help

1

→ Call your doctor if nothing helps or if you have other symptoms. If home remedies do not help to relieve your nausea within a day or so, or if you are vomiting, then call your physician right away to ensure that you don’t have a more serious problem.

2

→ Consider the cause of your nausea. Nausea — often along with vomiting — is a common problem for many people. The feeling of being “sick to your stomach” can be caused by a number of different things, including:

→ Food sensitivities or food allergies

→ Bacterial or viral infections

→ GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and heartburn

→ Medications, especially chemotherapy and radiation treatments

→ Pregnancy (morning sickness)

→ Migraines and other headaches

→ Motion sickness

→ Pain

TIPS

→ Don't drink your fluids too quickly because this may cause you to vomit. Try to take slow sips.

→ Drink Aloe Vera juice. You can find it at most health/food stores.

Warnings

→ See your doctor if symptoms worsen or persist.