Soothing Travel Tummy

Amber Belt, ND

When we’re traveling for vacation or to visit loved ones is NOT when we want to be dealing with digestive issues such as nausea, heartburn, or an upset stomach. Often, these issues will catch us off guard and leave us scrambling to find a remedy that will help us feel better. With a little planning, we can help you nip digestive upset and motion sickness in the bud.

Motion sickness

When I was a kid and my family would travel, my poor mom would get motion sickness. I remember that she would have to take Dramamine, which would essentially knock her out. That’s no way to enjoy a trip and we can do better! Here are some remedies that are effective for motion sickness.

Ginger. Ginger is a go-to herb when it comes to nausea, including the nausea of motion sickness. In fact, a study conducted by Mowrey & Clayson found that ginger was more effective than Dramamine for motion sickness!

An effective dose of ginger is going to vary from person to person, but a dose of 1000mg of powdered ginger in capsules can be effective for many. However, other people respond better to ginger chews, candied ginger, or ginger tea. Our Auto Kit features Ginger Chews to help motion sickness.

Scopolamine patches. This option is a prescription patch that you would put behind your ear to prevent motion sickness. It will last for 3 days before it needs to be replaced. 

Scopolamine is actually a plant alkaloid that is found in herbs such as datura. I have prescribed scopolamine patches with great results with patients for years. I would caution you, though, to not try to use plants like datura internally since they can cause toxicity when used incorrectly.

Tabaccum. This homeopathic is one of our go-tos for motion sickness, including seasickness. The nausea that responds well to Tabacum is severe, continuous and leads to vomiting. The person who will do well with Tabacum feels better when they are out in open air.

Heartburn & Stomachache

It can be difficult to avoid a stomachache or heartburn when you’re on the road or in the air. Travel food and stress is a combination that can cause some serious sour stomach. It’s better to be prepared to take care of heartburn or a stomachache before they happen, so here are some simple solutions!

Peppermint. Peppermint just might be the queen when it comes to settling an upset stomach and it’s easy to take peppermint lozenges or an enteric-coated peppermint capsule along with you on your travels. However, if you have heartburn be warned that peppermint makes things worse for some people.

DGL. DGL stands for deglycyrrizinated licorice…that’s why we call it DGL! DGL works to reduce heartburn by increasing mucus production in the stomach and esophagus, providing a soothing barrier to decrease that acid burn. Chewable DGL acts quickly and is easy to carry while traveling.

Slippery Elm. Slippery elm bark is another stomach soother that can help with both heartburn and a stomachache by producing a soothing coating to protect the stomach, esophagus, and small intestine. Slippery elm lozenges or capsules are the easiest to travel with, but making a slippery elm paste or gruel will probably get you the best results. That’s why we include slippery elm powder and instructions on how to make your own slippery elm remedy in our Home & Office first aid kits!

Ginger. Yes, ginger is good for motion sickness, but it also is great for stomachaches! It has anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, and anti-nausea effects that make it indispensable for travel. We actually include ginger in one way, shape, or form in all of our first aid kits.

Combination supplements. There are a lot of great supplements that combine gut-soothing herbs and nutrients in easy-to-carry capsule or chewable form. Acid Block by Rx Vitamins is a chewable tablet that has DGL, slippery elm, and sodium alginate. That supplement can be found in our Fullscript store. We also love Mountain Peak’s Acid Assist, which has DGL, slippery elm, aloe, marshmallow and other heartburn relievers. We like it so much that we put small, transportable packets of this supplement in our Auto Kits!

I hope that these tips make your next travel adventure more pleasant. Nothing can sour a trip like a stomachache, heartburn, or motion sickness.

Safe & happy travels!

Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Dr. Belt is a doctor, but she is not YOUR doctor. Consult a trained naturopathic doctor/functional medicine doctor to ensure safety and suitability based on your health and history.