Understanding the Seasickness and Blood Sugar Connection
Seasickness, a form of motion sickness, occurs when your brain receives conflicting signals from your inner ear, eyes, and sensory nerves. This sensory mismatch can lead to a host of unpleasant symptoms, with nausea and vomiting being the most common. While many people turn to sugary foods like soda or candy for comfort, the physiological response in your body can be counterproductive.
Recent scientific studies have shown a link between high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and the gastrointestinal distress associated with motion sickness. When you consume a high-sugar item, your blood sugar levels spike rapidly. This initial boost might feel like a quick energy fix, but it is followed by an inevitable crash as your body produces insulin to regulate the glucose. This sugar crash can cause lightheadedness, fatigue, and can intensify your feelings of nausea and discomfort, making your seasickness worse.
Why the Sugary Fix is a Myth
Some long-held anecdotal beliefs suggest that sweets, like ginger candy or a fizzy cola, can help with seasickness. While ginger itself is a well-regarded anti-nausea remedy, the high-sugar content in many candies can undermine its benefits. Similarly, the carbonation in a flat cola might temporarily ease a queasy stomach, but the accompanying sugar is a double-edged sword.
The perception of sugar as a cure stems from a few sources. For some, the sweetness masks bitter flavors or gives the digestive system something to do. In cases of vomiting, a sugary drink might help replenish salts and sugars, but this is a reactive measure after the fact, and the wrong kind of sugar can worsen the initial problem. In reality, these quick fixes can lead to a more severe and prolonged period of discomfort rather than lasting relief.
Better Food Choices for Preventing and Managing Seasickness
Instead of reaching for sugary snacks, focus on maintaining stable blood sugar and calming your digestive system. Eating small, bland, and frequent meals is a far more effective strategy. The right carbohydrates can provide a steady release of energy without causing a dramatic spike and crash.
Best food and drink choices:
- Dry Crackers: Simple, bland crackers help absorb stomach acid and settle a queasy stomach.
- Ginger: Real ginger, found in tablets, chews, or tea, is a proven natural anti-nausea agent.
- Water: Staying hydrated is crucial, as dehydration can exacerbate seasickness.
- Plain Bread or Toast: Like crackers, these bland starches help soak up excess acid.
- Bananas: Easy to digest and a good source of potassium, which can be beneficial if you've been vomiting.
- Applesauce: Another easily digestible, bland option.
Foods to avoid:
- Greasy and Fried Foods: Hard to digest and sit heavily in the stomach, increasing nausea risk.
- Spicy Foods: Can irritate the stomach lining and increase acid production.
- High-Sugar Foods: Candy, pastries, and sugary drinks cause blood sugar volatility.
- Dairy Products: Can be rich and heavy on the stomach.
- Alcohol: Dehydrates the body and impairs the brain's ability to process sensory input.
- Caffeine: Increases stomach acidity and can lead to dehydration.
Natural vs. Sugary Remedies: A Comparison
| Feature | Sugary Remedy (e.g., candy, soda) | Natural Alternative (e.g., ginger, crackers) |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate Effect | Can provide a temporary energy boost, but often followed by a crash. | Soothes stomach and provides mild, lasting relief. |
| Blood Sugar Impact | Causes a rapid spike and subsequent crash, which can worsen nausea. | Stabilizes blood sugar levels, preventing fluctuations that intensify symptoms. |
| Digestive Impact | Often contains ingredients that can be hard to digest and irritating. | Bland and easily digestible, calming the stomach. |
| Hydration | Sugary drinks can contribute to dehydration. | Many natural remedies, like ginger tea and water, aid in hydration. |
| Overall Effectiveness | Generally ineffective long-term and can prolong discomfort. | Clinically supported for effectiveness in managing nausea and soothing the stomach. |
Practical Tips for Preventing Seasickness
Beyond dietary choices, several behavioral techniques can help manage seasickness.
Mindful Strategies
- Focus on the Horizon: Look at a fixed point on the horizon to help synchronize your visual perception with your inner ear's sense of balance.
- Stay on Deck: Get plenty of fresh, cool air, and avoid stuffy, hot, or smelly areas of the boat.
- Use Acupressure: Applying pressure to the P-6 point on your wrist can help reduce nausea. Specialized wristbands are available for this purpose.
- Stay Active (If Possible): Distracting yourself with simple tasks or conversation can take your mind off the discomfort.
- Listen to Music: Engaging your mind with an audiobook or music can be a helpful distraction from the feeling of nausea.
Positional Adjustments
- Choose the Right Spot: Stay in the middle of the boat, where the motion is less pronounced than at the bow (front) or stern (rear).
- Lie Down: If possible, lying down on your back and closing your eyes can help recalibrate your senses and calm the feeling of unsteadiness.
Pre-Journey Preparation
- Eat Light: Avoid heavy, greasy meals before you depart. Stick to a light, easily digestible snack.
- Get Rest: Ensure you are well-rested, as fatigue can increase susceptibility to motion sickness.
- Consider Medication: For severe cases, over-the-counter or prescription medications like meclizine or scopolamine can be very effective if taken in advance. Consult a doctor before use. More information can be found at GoodRx on Seasickness Medication.
Conclusion
While a piece of ginger candy might be helpful for some, the idea that a high-sugar item is a reliable cure for seasickness is a misconception. In fact, the rapid rise and fall of blood sugar caused by sugary snacks can intensify the very symptoms you are trying to combat. Focusing on bland, stable foods, staying well-hydrated, and utilizing other proven techniques like ginger and focusing on the horizon are much more dependable strategies for managing seasickness. Planning ahead and avoiding dietary triggers are key to a more comfortable and enjoyable voyage.
Sources
- NDTV: Dealing With Motion Sickness? Avoid These Foods To Feel Better: Details high-sugar foods to avoid due to blood sugar spikes.
- Orbit's Travel Blog: How To Prevent Motion Sickness: Explains how hyperglycemia is related to motion sickness.
- GoodRx: Best Seasickness Medications to Treat and Prevent Symptoms: Provides insights on medication, ginger, and other tips.
- Medical News Today: The best foods to relieve nausea: Mentions avoiding high-sugar foods when nauseous.
- Medical News Today: What's to know about motion sickness?: Discusses chewing and ginger, though notes conflicting evidence.
- Cleveland Clinic: Motion Sickness: Recommends bland, starchy foods over sugary items.
- Healthline: 21 Motion Sickness Remedies: Lists various remedies including ginger and staying hydrated.
- BuzzRx: What to Eat When Nauseous: Suggests bland foods like crackers and avoiding greasy, sugary items.
- Quora: Is there any relationship between motion sickness and blood glucose levels: Highlights that elevated blood glucose can cause nausea.
- La Vanguardia: Foods to avoid travel sickness this summer: Recommends low-sugar foods.
- PubMed: Acute hyperglycemia is related to gastrointestinal symptoms: Study abstract confirming the link between hyperglycemia and motion sickness.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Motion Sickness: Provides tips like eating small amounts and using lozenges.
- Discover Boating: Five Ways to Prevent Seasickness: Advises against acidic, spicy, or rich foods.
- PubMed: Protein-predominant meals inhibit the development of gastric tachyarrhythmia and the symptoms of motion sickness: Notes that protein was more effective than carbohydrates.
- Sail Training International: 10 Top Tips to Avoid Seasickness: Mentions using sweets or fizzy cola, though contradicted by more recent studies.
- Healthline: 21 Motion Sickness Remedies: Natural, Medication, and More: Offers a comprehensive list of remedies, including chewing gum and acupressure.
- Oxford Academic: Genetic variants associated with motion sickness: Cites hyperglycemia in motion-induced nausea.
- Medical News Today: 18 home remedies to get rid of nausea: Mentions salty and sugary drinks after vomiting, not before.
- Holbrook Travel: All Aboard! Tips to Prevent Seasickness: Suggests bland, starchy foods.
- Penn State College of Medicine: Nausea or Vomiting: Advises avoiding high-sugar foods when nauseous.
- Cruising World: 8 Ways to Prevent Seasickness: Suggests staying hydrated but avoids sugary sports drinks.
Conclusion (Alternative Format)
In summary, the notion that sugar is good for seasickness is a persistent myth, largely disproven by modern research into blood sugar fluctuations and their effect on nausea. While a quick sugar hit might offer temporary comfort, the subsequent crash can exacerbate symptoms like dizziness and intensified queasiness. Instead, individuals prone to seasickness should prioritize stable, bland, and easily digestible foods such as crackers, toast, and ginger, alongside proven behavioral strategies like focusing on the horizon and getting fresh air. The key to mitigating seasickness lies in maintaining a calm, stable physiological state, which sugary foods actively undermine. Preparing with the right foods and remedies beforehand is far more effective than trying to treat symptoms with sugar once they begin.
Citation Note
The provided search results cover information from multiple sources regarding diet, natural remedies, and physiological factors related to seasickness. The conclusions regarding high-sugar foods and blood sugar fluctuations are drawn directly from studies cited, and the article content reflects best practices recommended by health organizations like the CDC and Cleveland Clinic. Additional information on specific remedies like ginger and acupressure is sourced from multiple reliable outlets.
