How to Fight Nausea

Changing Your Activities

Get rest. Your nausea may get worse if you try to do too much or if you are not getting adequate rest. Stay at home in bed as soon if you start to get nauseous. Lying down, avoiding exercise and sudden movements, and getting a bit more sleep may slow and stop your nausea and reduce your chances of vomiting. If necessary, take time off of work or school to do so.

Step outside for some fresh air. Staying in a single sick room may be easy, but the air will go stale and make you feel worse. Open a few windows to allow a breeze of fresh air, and when possible, take a few minutes to step outside.

Avoid strong smells. Taking a bubble bath may sound great, but adding in overly-scented perfumes will likely upset your stomach more. In general, avoid anything (perfumes or otherwise) with a very strong scent. Smell and taste are connected, so a strong smell can make you feel equally as sick as a bad taste. Keep your window open to allow fresh air in, and to keep bad smells out.

Take time away from your electronics. The brightness, noise, and movement associated with your television, laptop, tablet, and phone can be overly stimulating and make an upset stomach worse. Instead, lie in bed with the lights dimmed and read a book or relax in a similar way. Taking time away from your electronics will ease your stomach and prevent an associated headache as well.

Adjust your temperature. Nothing is worse than feeling sick and being too hot or too cold as well. Stay at a comfortable temperature to make resting easy; add or remove layers of clothing and blankets, or take a short shower or bath. You can change the temperatures of the liquids you are drinking to help as well.

Try over the counter medication. If the natural remedies just aren’t cutting it for you, switch over to a medication from your local pharmacy or drugstore. Look for medicines that advertise treating nausea and vomiting, rather than taking a generic all-around medication. An antacid medication may also work. Make sure to check the dosage for your medication, and take the pills accordingly.

Don’t avoid throwing up. If your stomachache simply won’t go away and the urge to vomit is growing stronger, don’t stop it. Your body is trying to expel the cause of your illness from your body, so let it. Vomiting is certainly not an enjoyable activity, but it does an important job of helping you to heal. You’ll probably feel better afterwards anyway.

Eating Nausea-Fighting Foods

Have some ginger. For years now, ginger has been giving the sick support with its nausea-fighting powers. Head for your pantry and grab some fresh or candied ginger. If you can handle the flavor of fresh ginger, eat it raw. Otherwise, try it candied or grate some into a cup of hot water to make tea.

Eat some crackers. When all else fails, plain saltine crackers tend to do the trick for nausea. They have a mild flavor and are easy to digest, making them the perfect sick food. If you can handle crackers, try upgrading to pretzels, which have a bit of a higher nutritional value. Keep in mind that some people may find the smell of pretzels nauseating.

Try watermelon. Although it’s not everyone’s first ‘sick food’ to turn to, watermelon is actually great for helping out with a bout of nausea. The high water content and mild flavor help to settle your stomach and incorporate more fluids into your system. If you have a fever as well, try the fruit chilled for a soothing, cooling effect.

Eat plain rice. White rice sans toppings isn’t the most flavorful dish, but it is helpful for combating nausea. The easy-to-digest carbs will give you a short boost of energy, while the simple flavor won’t irritate your stomach further.

Have a banana. Eating a barely ripe banana (more towards the green side, with no spots) is great for several reasons. The soft texture and mild flavor make it easy to digest, plus the fruit is full of potassium, which aids your immune system in healing your body. You can try mashing your banana up with a cup of white rice.

Scoop up some yogurt. Now, most dairy products are frowned upon during a period of nausea. However, yogurt with active cultures helps to supply your stomach with the good bacteria necessary for kicking out the bad bacteria. Therefore, find a simple yogurt flavor that advertises probiotics, and your stomach will be back on track in no time.

Try plain toast. No butter, no jam, nothing. Plain (unburnt) toast has similar qualities to crackers. The bread is easy to digest and has a very mild taste, making it more likely that your stomach won’t fight against it. Try a single slice and see how you feel before taking another.

Take some B-complex vitamins to settle your stomach. B-vitamins, especially vitamin B6, can help settle your stomach and relieve nausea. Talk to your doctor about trying a B-complex vitamin or a B6 supplement. Let them know if you’re taking any other medications or supplements so you can avoid any unwanted interactions. If you want you can try using B vitamins in combination with ginger for extra nausea relief.

Avoid upsetting foods. Sticking to eating the aforementioned foods is best, but if you must eat other things, use your best judgment. Avoid eating any foods that are greasy, fried, spicy, or very sweet. These can all make an upset stomach much worse, and are more likely to trigger a spell of vomiting.

Fighting Nausea with Various Liquids

Drink plenty of water. Water works to flush out toxins in your system and keep your body hydrated so that it can fight against the things that are ailing it. Although it is important to drink water on a regular basis, it is especially important to do so when you’re sick. Make sure you have a glass of water with you at all times, and that you are drinking it at least every hour. Take small sips of water or chew on ice chips if drinking a glass of water all at once is too much for you.

Try sports drinks to replace fluids. If you're nauseous and vomiting, you’ve probably lost a lot of fluids and are having a difficult time keeping fresh ones down. Sports drinks are enhanced with electrolytes, which your body needs for a speedy recovery. Grab your favorite flavor and take small sips after throwing up to help replenish your body’s electrolyte and fluid supplies. If you’re not a fan of sports drinks, you can also make a homemade electrolyte replacement drink. Combine 1 cup (240 mL) of coconut water, 2 cups (470 mL) of water, ⁄2 cup (120 mL) of pulp-free orange juice, ⁄8 cup (30 mL) of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon (1.4 g) of salt, and 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of maple syrup.

Have some cranberry juice. While many juices can be filled with sugar and flavors that are hard on an upset stomach, cranberry juice offers some nutrients without the sugary punch. Drink cranberry juice when suffering from nausea, especially when you haven’t been able to eat any food.

Mix lemon juice with honey. This sweet and sour combination works to settle your stomach quickly, without a ton of fluids. Mix 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of lemon juice with 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of warm honey. Slowly sip the juice-like liquid over several minutes. You can take this mixture multiple times a day if your nausea doesn’t subside.

Drink cinnamon tea. Cinnamon has been used for decades as a natural remedy for nausea and vomiting. Mix ½ teaspoon (1.3 g) of cinnamon with 1 cup (240 mL) of hot water and allow the mixture to steep. Drink the tea slowly several times a day until your upset stomach goes away.

Try a clove tea. With a similarly autumnal flavor to cinnamon, cloves can also help to settle an upset stomach. Brew up a cup of clove tea by mixing 1 cup (240 mL) of hot water with 1 teaspoon (2 g) of powdered cloves. Allow the mixture to steep for several minutes before straining out any large clove chunks.

Make a cup of cumin tea. Ordinarily associated with cooking, cumin can actually work well in a nausea-fighting tea. Try a mug by mixing 1 cup (240 mL) of hot water with 1 teaspoon (2 g) of cumin seeds. Allow the tea to steep for 10-15 minutes before removing the seeds and drinking it slowly. A bit of honey can be added for sweetness if desired.

Have some peppermint tea. Peppermint is on par with ginger as being one of the best natural nausea-fighting remedies around. Use 1 teaspoon (1.5 g) of crushed and dried peppermint leaves or use a few fresh leaves with 1 cup (240 mL) of hot water to make the perfect tea. This can be drunk hot or cold, as many times throughout the day as you would like.

Try ginger ale. If eating ginger isn’t enough for you, grab a can of ginger ale soda. Check your soda ingredients first though to make sure it is made with real ginger and not artificial flavor. Sipping a can of ginger ale may settle your stomach and help to keep you from throwing up.

Sip some cola syrup. Slightly different than a regular cola soda, cola syrup is a thick liquid used for treating nausea. With the same classic flavor of your favorite cola, it might be nice to sip on it while you’re sick. Pour 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 mL) over some crushed ice and sip the liquid slowly over several minutes.

Drink all liquids slowly. No matter what you choose to drink to stay hydrated, avoid chugging it down quickly or in big gulps. Your stomach is already irritated, so ease liquids into it with small, slow sips.