Herbal Remedies For Travel Sickness

G'morning all my faithful wonderful followers!

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to my new followers, you are all the reason I do this, to share knowledge of what this wonderful earth has for us. ( we really should be returning the favor)

Gaia (Mother Earth) has given us, I believe, all the tools to heal ourselves naturally.

Please though, as I have said in the past, please talk with your doctor or nurse practitioner before starting any herbal remedies, as prescribed medicine and health conditions can interact in a negative way.

~Peace~

Herbal Remedies For Travel Sickness

Any travel - by plane, car, boat or bus - can trigger sensations of dizziness, fatigue and nausea. In severe cases repeated vomiting may occur. Children are especially prone to sickness on long trips, but susceptibility usually decreases with age and experience of travel.

Tiredness and feelings of anxiety can also contribute to travel sickness, so try to rest and relax before traveling.

By taking herbal preparations or using acupressure techniques, motion sickness can be reduced to make traveling more pleasant. Many motion sickness drugs can cause drowsiness or a dry mouth, whereas herbs such as ginger or peppermint can be as effective but without the side effects.

Other herbs beneficial for travel include catnip, licorice, cayenne and black horehound.



Physiology Of Motion Sickness

Our senses are constantly updating our brain about our environment. Different parts of the body - our eyes, ears and skin - send separate signals to the brain about motion.

Travel sickness results when the brain receives conflicting messages.

Motion is detected by fluid changes in the semicircular canals of the inner ear, but if the eye and skin receptors don't experience this, the brain becomes confused. This confusion then triggers nausea.

Herbal remedies , such as ginger and peppermint, do not act on the brain to block these conflicting signals but rather act on the gastrointestinal tract to gently soothe and calm the stomach from these ill effects.

Herbs To Ease Travel Sickness

Ginger~The tuberous rhizome (rootstalk) of ginger contains gingerols, which calm and sooth the stomach. Ginger can be taken as an herbal decoction, tincture, or a sugar-coated pastille before and during a trip.

Oriental sailors have chewed fresh ginger root to combat seasickness for centuries. Its effectiveness has been confirmed through numerous clinical trials.

Valerian~This tall perennial herb often grows wild alongside river banks in Europe. Extracts of valerian root are rich in valepotriates, which sedate the nervous system.

It can reduce the fears of travel that trigger sickness. An infusion or tincture of fresh root is more potent than using dried root.

Catnip~Related to peppermint, catnip is a mild herb and is particularly suited to use for children. This active components are iridoids, tannins and volatile oils, which act to gently soothe and sedate the stomach and nerves. Catnip can taken as an infusion before long trips.

Peppermint~This familiar garden herb is an effective remedy for travel sickness. Its pungent peppery leaves have volatile oils to balance gastrointestinal activity and calm the stomach .

Create a dry inhalation for a trip by adding a few drops of peppermint essential oil to a hanky.

Black Horehound~This perennial herb with pretty flowers is believed to prevent nausea associated with travel sickness. It is related to peppermint and is rich in the active compounds diterpenoids, saponins and volatile oils, which help settle the nerves. Take it as a tincture or as an herbal infusion.

Licorice Root~Licorice root can be taken as an infusion, a tincture or a decoction. It has a potent anti-inflammatory effect, soothing the mucus membranes of the stomach and reducing the fatigue often associated with long trips.

You should avoid taking licorice if you are pregnant, diabetic or suffering from hypertension.

Chamomile~As well as easing the discomfort of a hangover, this herb can be used to counter the effects of travel sickness.

Chamomile's active ingredients include sesquiterpene lactones, flavinoids, coumarins and phenolic acid.

When making a chamomile infusion it is best to use the German variety of the herb's flower heads as opposed to the Roman variety; German chamomile has a milder flavor and lacks bitterness.

Ginger And Cayenne Tea

Include making an herbal remedy for motion sickness as part of your preparations before a long tip. The recipe below is easy to prepare and uses everyday ingredients you should find in your kitchen.

1. Grate 1 inch of fresh ginger root into a heat-resistant glass jug.
2. Add a dash of ground cayenne pepper
3. Pour on boiling water and steep for around five minutes.
4. Strain off the liquid and sip a cup half an hour before your trip. You can take the remaining liquid in a thermos.
5. The spicy remedy should taste quite palatable, but sweeten with honey if desired.

Thank you so much for checking out today's post, I hope you liked the information and find it useful next time you take a trip....