A few years ago I was on a plane from Atlanta to Johannesburg sitting in a middle economy seat between two big guys. It was the longest flight I have ever been on at a full 17 hours. About half way into the flight I felt it coming on and I ended up rushing to the bathroom where I essentially lost all of my cookies. It was a miserable rest of the flight. Whether it was motion sickness, food poisoning, or a mix of the two, it would have helped to know ways to combat all of this while I was traveling. Luckily, I have since researched these things and have tried a few out, with success! These are a huge help when traveling for business, especially if you are getting right off of the plane and going straight to a client meeting or presentation.
So, without further ado, here are some tips on combating motion sickness while traveling. Trust me these tips will help you have a wonderful and carefree travel experience.
- Stick with simple foods. Listen to your body to know what settles well and what doesn’t, especially while traveling. Steer clear of spicy and “heavy” foods as these can upset your stomach. Fruits, vegetables, and light fresh meals are usually pretty safe.
- Ginger. I know, this sounds weird, but ginger has been proven to help fight nausea. Try some ginger cookies or ginger ale, which is available on most flights.
- Breathe. Make sure you are getting enough oxygen. Take deep breaths and try to focus on that, rather than your upset stomach.
- Bio bands. These bio bands motion sickness bands work miracles. I first tried them out for seasickness and was converted. You wear them on your wrist and they use natural acupuncture to help with nausea. They are simple, natural, and don’t harm your body.
- Pills. If your sickness is pretty severe, you can always try out some of the nausea pills available at drug stores. Ginger pills are a great natural alternative if you are worried about over the counter drugs.
- Essential Oils. There are a lot of essential oils that help combat motion sickness. I like peppermint because it smells good and is very effective.
- Distractions. Have some distractions on hand to keep your mind off of the sickness. Whether it’s music, a book, or a movie, it will help to have something to pass the time.
It helps to be prepared. If you have gotten sick before, be ready to fight it again. Have all of your weapons ready to combat the nausea and find what works best for you. Hopefully it will get better each time!