Avoid Getting Seasick with These Simple Remedies

January 22, 2018
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I'm writing from experience. I was the only person to get sick on a snorkel excursion to Lanai... and I work here! Since that trip, I've been trying various ways to avoid feeling that way again. Of course, if you don't get sick, it's hard to know if the reason you made it out OK is because your stomach was just better that day, the sea was calmer or because of the remedies you tried. All I can say is that I haven't been sick since, knock on wood. Here are some of things I've tried. Your results may vary...

OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS
I've tried Bonine and Dramamine and both worked great. I didn't have even a hint of sickness. However, both also caused drowsiness for the entirety of the rest of the day and into the evening. On the plus side, I'm a horrible sleeper and they knocked me out. If you prefer sleepiness to seasickness, Bonine and Dramamine have been proven over the years to work, and I can vouch that they both worked great for me.

NATURAL REMEDIES (In lieu of taking Bonine or Dramamine)
- Eating ginger is a popular, natural way to avoid getting seasick. I now start every trip with a ginger ale (carbonation is also thought to help). Then throughout the trip, I chew on ginger candies. I'm not sure if this alone helps, but combined with the rest of this section, it's worked for me.
- Avoid greasy, fatty and spicy foods for 24 hours before your trip
- Accupressure bands seem to work for me when I'm in the water. When I snorkel in rough water and need to keep my wits (no medications that make me sleepy), this is the way I go. Accupressure bands, which are worn around the wrist, can be found online and in many drug stores around Maui.
- Aromatherapy. The CDC reported that you can trick your brain away from the motion sickness by engaging your other senses. I had recently taken a trip up to the Lavender Farm here on Maui and purchased a small bottle of lavender. When the going got rough on the boat, I rubbed a little under my nose and sure I enough, I avoided sickness. Again, I can't say for a fact that this was the reason why. But combined with everything else, I made it unscathed.
- Stay hydrated. This is pretty much the key to life, right? But truly, I keep a bottle of water with me at all times and drink the entire trip.

WHAT YOU CAN DO WHEN YOU'RE ON THE BOAT
- Keep an eye on the horizon. Of course, if you're on a whale watch, this sort of defeats the purpose of the trip, but if you're on a snorkel trip, a general boat ride or a dinner cruise, staring at the horizon may help.
- Avoid looking at your phone or reading. Again, keep that head up.
- Try standing at the rail. The fresh air on your face should help you out.
- If you're already feeling nauseous, try going below deck and sitting or lying on the floor.
- Put on your headphones and listen to music. Like aromatherapy, it's all about tricking your brain into thinking about something other than motion sickness.

Are you prone to motion sickness? Please share your remedies in the comments below to help out our other passengers. Mahalo!

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