Vomiting is the body’s way of eliminating harmful substances from the stomach, but it can leave you feeling wretched. Nausea and vomiting can be a reaction to some irritation in the gut or a stomach bug. Motion sickness, indigestion, or even a hangover can cause you to throw up. An occasional or random bout of vomiting isn’t a sign of anything serious and should pass on its own once the offender is out of your system. But if you want things to settle sooner, turn to the plant world for help. Acupressure and aromatherapy can also help sort out that queasy feeling.
1. Ginger
Whether it’s morning sickness, motion sickness, or postoperative nausea, ginger can be your ally in most scenarios where you want to throw up. The bioactive compound 6-gingerol in ginger, which also gives it that characteristic taste, is thought to be at work here. Besides controlling some receptors involved in vomiting, it reduces stomach spasms and improves the passage of food through the stomach and gut.1
Sip on a cup of ginger tea, made with half to one teaspoon of freshly grated ginger steeped in warm water, to settle your stomach.2
2. Cumin
If indigestion is making you feel bloated and nauseous, cumin could be the answer to your prayers. In fact, a study even found it comparable in effect to the drug metoclopramide which is commonly used to treat vomiting, nausea, and heartburn.3 So save a trip to the pharmacy with this good old home remedy for vomiting. You can also chomp down some cumin seeds with a pinch of common salt and some lime juice.4
3. Turmeric
Turmeric is another spice that can help if you’ve been throwing up. The anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric and its ability to stimulate gastric mucus help relieve vomiting. The bioactive component curcumin in turmeric has even been found to alleviate vomiting in people with peptic ulcers. Turmeric can also improve digestion if you have a bout of indigestion.5
Mix a teaspoon or two of turmeric powder in half a cup of warm water and gulp it down. A turmeric decoction, made by steeping turmeric root in hot water, is a traditional recipe for nausea in many communities.6
4. Prickly Pear
If you’re feeling like throwing up because you’ve gone heavy on the drinks, we have a solution for you. The severity of a hangover is linked to the inflammation caused by byproducts of alcohol metabolism. Extracts of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica) can reduce symptoms like nausea and dry mouth associated with a hangover by inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators.7 But needless to say, the best way of avoiding a hangover is to refrain from drinking excessively!
5. Dry Crackers And Toast
Eating dry crackers or toast before getting out of bed in the morning is known to help with nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. You can also take some other easy steps to quell the nausea. Have smaller meals more frequently and drink fluids separately, avoiding them during your meals. You should also stay away from greasy and spicy food.8
6. Use Acupressure
Acupressure, which is based on traditional Chinese wisdom, believes that disease is caused when the energy flow in our body is blocked. Stimulating certain specific points in the body (known as acupoints) can remove blockages and restore health. Various studies have found that stimulating the acupuncture point P6, which lies three finger breadths below your wrist on your inner arm, works for nausea and vomiting.9 There is even some evidence that it works better than antiemetic medication for nausea and is comparable to it for vomiting.10
7. Check Out Aromatherapy
Something as simple as a whiff of peppermint or lemon oil can reduce your urge to throw up. As one study found, women experienced significant relief from nausea post gynecological operations by smelling peppermint oil. They even required less antiemetic medication after the operation.11 Another study shares that pregnant women who inhaled lemon essential oil as soon as they felt nauseous found it to be helpful. 12 A couple of drops of lemon essential oil in a diffuser in your bedroom or a dab of peppermint oil on a tissue or your hankie can get rid of that queasy feeling.
8. Turn To Ayurveda
Ayurveda recommends herbal teas of ginger, cumin, or cinnamon if you’re feeling pukish.13 One study also showed that children who took haritaki churna, an Ayurvedic preparation made from black myrobalan, experienced significant relief.14
When To See A Doctor
If you’ve been vomiting for more than a day or two and the vomiting is accompanied by other symptoms like severe pain in your stomach or chest, fever, or a serious headache, a visit to the doctor is warranted. The urge to throw up may indicate a more serious health condition in this case – appendicitis, for instance. You should also go to the doctor if you’ve been throwing up green bile as this could mean an obstruction in your bowel.
A small child who’s throwing up can have you on tenterhooks. Again, it could be just a stomach bug, especially if your child is feeling well enough to play and eat. Make sure they get enough fluids. Check with your doctor about whether your child needs an oral rehydration solution to replace salts and sugar lost due to vomiting. Do take your child to the doctor if they have been vomiting for more than a day or two, the vomit is green, or if it has blood in it. The same goes if the child is irritable, floppy, or less responsive or alert than usual.15
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