Herbs for Travelers
The ancient Chinese sailors who used ginger to prevent seasickness were probably right. Ginger's anti-nausea action relieves motion sickness and dizziness (vertigo) better than the standard drug treatment, Dramamine, according to one study published in the British medical journal Lancet.
—Michael Castleman, The Healing Herbs
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It would be a shame to spoil that honeymoon cruise—or family vacation, or business travel—with a queasy stomach. But herbal help is on the way, with this trio of three tried-and-true remedies. Be sure to pack them in your take-along travel kit. St. Elmo (the patron saint of sailors) would approve.
- Ginger. Commercial ginger capsules are probably the most convenient form of this herb for travelers, but a 12-ounce serving of ginger ale (the real thing, not artificially flavored) should contain enough ginger to do the trick. Another option: take powdered ginger in a small bottle, firmly capped. Use 2 teaspoons in a cup of very hot water. Steep ten minutes and sip. (Do not use ginger during pregnancy or breastfeeding.)
- Peppermint. This age-old remedy hasn't been studied for its efficacy in soothing motion-sickness, but many herbalists prescribe it. Menthol (mint's essential oil) is an antispasmodic, and soothes the smooth muscle lining of the digestive tract. It is an ingredient in many commercial stomach soothers.
- Marjoram. For take-along convenience, try a tincture of this stomach-calming herb. The recommended dose is ½ to 1 teaspoon, up to three times a day.
The marjorams are easie to be taken in potions, and therefore to good purpose they may be used and ministred unto such as cannot brooke their meate [tolerate their food], and to such as have a sowre squamish [squeamish] and watery stomacke...
—John Gerard, Herbal, 1597
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Read more about these and other herbal helpers:
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