Nausea: that awful feeling you get when you need to throw up. We all hate it, yet we all experience it a time or two (or 50). Next time you’re feeling nauseated, remember these foods that can kick the feeling away.
- Bananas. Bananas can help restore potassium and relieve an upset stomach by stimulating mucus production. Mucus production acts as a barrier between the stomach lining and the acidic gastric substances which cause an upset stomach.
- Rice. Rice is an easy food to digest when feeling nauseated, and it’s the only starchy food that doesn’t trigger gas during digestion. If you’ve lost fluids due to vomiting, add salt to your rice to keep your sodium levels in control.
- Applesauce. Applesauce is a great food to eat when feeling nauseated because the high fiber-filled food helps rid your body of chemicals that induce nausea.
- Ginger. Research has yet to find exactly how ginger helps relieve nausea, but ginger has been used for centuries as an anti-nausea trick. Ginger can also reduce vomiting. So, if you’re nausea leads to vomiting, ginger may be exactly what you need.
- Sports Drinks. Nausea can lead to a loss of electrolytes, and a lack of electrolytes can make you feel even worse. That is why sports drinks are great, as they replenish fluid loss and electrolytes.
There are many causes of nausea, such as fever, food poisoning, alcohol use disorder, morning sickness and chemotherapy. If you experience nausea and vomiting with additional chest pain, severe abdominal pain, blurred vision, confusion, high fever, stiff neck, or rectal bleeding, call 911 or get medical assistance.
Tips to Prevent Nausea:
- Avoid eating for about 4-8 hours if you’re vomiting often
- Watch out for bold, spicy flavors, fatty foods, and strong aromas, as they can trigger nausea.
- Eat small meals frequently
- Eat food cold or at room temperature
- Rinse your mouth out before and after meals
- Eat foods slowly
- Avoid hard-to-digest foods
Sources: mayoclinic.org, everydayhealth.com