Home remedies when you feel nauseated

You can effectively combat nausea with a number of home remedies — but never suppress the urge to vomit, since that is one of your body's most powerful defence mechanisms against harmful substances.

Nausea and vomiting are often the result of eating tainted food, consuming too much alcohol or catching a virus. But it can also be a symptom of motion sickness, pregnancy or simply a reaction to stress.

As unpleasant as it feels to throw up, a brief bout of vomiting usually serves a purpose. It rids your body of toxic substances and, once it's over, nausea and stomach pain should disappear. Some people experience nausea when travelling by car, boat or train. Motion sickness is especially common in children, whose balance mechanisms are more sensitive than adults'.

• You can effectively ward off rising nausea by deeply inhaling the aroma of a freshly cut apple.
• For sudden nausea, put a drop of peppermint oil onto your tongue, or dribble the oil on the back of your hand and inhale the aroma deeply.
• In days of yore, people kept scent bottles handy, but today people are more likely to reach for essential oils. Put two drops each of lavender or sandalwood oil on a handkerchief and inhale the scent deeply.
• To help calm your stomach, crush five millilitres (one teaspoon) of fennel seeds in a mortar, pour 250 millilitres (one cup) of water over it in a pot. Bring to a boil, and let steep for 10 minutes before drinking.

• This tea will help prevent motion sickness. You can prepare it in advance and take it along in a small thermos. Pour boiling water over one piece of cinnamon bark, and let it steep for 10 minutes before straining and drinking it.
• With increasing nausea it sometimes helps to slowly chew a little ginger.