I once had the fortune of taking a helicopter ride over the beautiful backdrop of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. For someone who experienced motion sickness on and off since childhood, it didn't always occur to me that some fun-filled adventures would be a problem - especially if I had never experienced them before. About halfway through the ride, that nauseous sensation decided to arise when the pilot decided to swerve and turn and roll and show off his aero-skills - all meant to delight us with the immense beauty of this lush island. 

While some people were singing Puff the Magic Dragon theme song, I was clenching my eyes shut and breathing in and out of a paper bag. My friend gently said to me, “If you throw up, I’ll throw up then everyone will be throwing up.” Geez. Talk about stress!! Thankfully, my symptoms held off enough with all that heavy breathing that I was able to hold it together. 

The physical reason many of us struggle with motion sickness type of nausea is due to confusing and conflicting signals our inner ear and eyes tell our brain when riding in a car, boat, airplane or amusement park rides. The eyes and one's vision do not perceive the action of being in a vehicle as movement (since you are sitting still) and this is in conflict with what your inner ear perceives and detects as motion and confuses your brain. This can be exacerbated by the added stress and anxiety of becoming nauseous in the first place, making symptoms worse.[1]

Aromatherapy & Essential Oils

For those who prefer to avoid taking OTC medications to treat nausea, many studies have found some essential oils effective in reducing the sensation of nausea whether from motion sickness, pregnancy, chemotherapy or post-surgical nausea. Let’s take a look at the essential oils in Edens Garden impressively crafted Nausea & Motion Sickness essential oil blend. 

Lemon (Citrus limon)

Lemon oil has a fresh, uplifting and invigorating aromatic that helps to reduce tension and relieve anxiety - sprinkling happiness in every nook it reaches. It is cooling and has an antispasmodic quality and studies point to its ability to control nausea and vomiting.[2,3] Other research points to just breathing in the aroma of lemon to reduce nausea and queasiness.[5]

In a randomized and controlled trial of Lemon essential oil in 2014, 100 pregnant women either sniffed Lemon essential oil or a placebo and the study concluded that the aroma of Lemon is successful and effective in reducing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.[4,5] 

Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Ginger has long been used in traditional settings as a natural treatment for nausea and gastrointestinal discomfort. It has a warm, fiery disposition and can help restore energy and motivation. Ginger is a known anti-emetic (reduction of nausea and vomiting) and studies have concluded that ginger is not only inexpensive but is a safe and effective treatment for nausea and vomiting.[6] One study to reduce motion sickness showed significant improvement in assessment scores on motion sickness.[7,8] Although it is noted that more studies are needed to confirm these findings. 

Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

The crisp, cooling menthol aromatics are energizing and help to reduce fatigue and awaken the senses. It is a natural carminative and has antispasmodic and anti-emetic properties that aid the digestive tract.[9] Current research suggests that inhaling peppermint and ginger essential oil can reduce the severity of nausea and improve how patients felt but more research is needed to fully substantiate these findings.

One study involved 100 patients 65% of the subjects chose to use peppermint alone and of those who opted to use only essential oils, nausea symptoms improved significantly. [10] Another Peppermint essential oil study conducted in 2016 with patients undergoing cardiac surgery discovered that exposure to the aroma of Peppermint essential oil assisted in the reduction of postoperative nausea.[11]

Balm Mint Bush (Prosanthera melissifolia)

Balm Mint Bush is a plant native to Australia and the essential oil has a unique aroma that is soft and purifying with hints of eucalyptus. Although research studies are more difficult to find on this oil, evaluating its main components of 1,8 cineole, linalool, a-pinene and piperitone, can give us an idea of its strengths. 

The constituent linalool (think Lavender) can assist with minimizing anxiety and stress, calming the mind and body. 1,8 Cineole content opens the breath, in turn, soothing nervous tension. Piperitone is a constituent considered carminative and pain relieving, therefore soothing to digestion.[12]

Note: Since Balm Mint Bush contains 1,8 cineole it is wise to avoid using it around and with children under the age of 10 due to this component's potential to cause breathing issues. 

Which Essential Oil Is Best For Nausea?

When choosing essential oils for nausea relief (and other symptoms) it's best to combine a few essential oils that have varying qualities to bring strength in numbers. For example, with nausea you not only want to reduce the sensation of a queasy stomach but you want to also calm anxiety and the stress that vomiting brings. The oils in Nausea & Motion Sickness unite to make clear the head and gain a new perspective - one without nausea. 

Does Peppermint Help With Nausea?

Peppermint has proven itself in studies to be a capable ally in reducing nausea from motion and car sickness, upset stomach, morning sickness and other digestive issues. Healthline states that some research studies point to the fact that peppermint oil can relax gastric muscles which helps to calm any spasm and cramping in the gut. It also states that the inhalation of peppermint essential oil can diminish nausea symptoms and improve how one feels swiftly.[13]

Where Do You Put Peppermint Oil For Nausea?

Peppermint can be irritating to the skin if used in too high of a dilution so we recommend that you follow our guide when diluting essential oils into a carrier oil. If your stomach is feeling queasy, Peppermint is a great option but even better may be to use a blend such as Nausea & Motion Sickness as essential oils tend to bolster and support each other (and the user) in blends. 

The general rule in making a massage oil for topical application is to mix 15 drops of essential oil into 1 oz of carrier oil such as Jojoba oil. If using Peppermint alone, stick to a 1% dilution of 5-6 drops per ounce. Jojoba oil is great in that it doesn’t go rancid and won't stain clothing. Once mixed, put a quarter size amount onto the palm of one hand, rub the hands together and massage the oil over the belly moving in the direction of digestion (clockwise). 

What Relieves Nausea Fast?

Inhalation is the most effective method of using essential oils when experiencing travel sickness and nausea. There are a number of different methods for inhalation of essential oils along with deep breathing to calm the senses.

• The easiest by far is to sniff directly from the essential oil bottle. However, you never want to leave an essential oil bottle open too long as exposure to oxygen can begin to break down the oils.
• Place a drop of the oil on a tissue or cotton ball and hold it close to your nose, breathing in the aroma deeply until nausea has passed.
• Try an aromatherapy inhaler for personal use which is excellent for taking on the go and stowing in your purse or pocket. 
• Place 6 drops in 100 ml of water in your home ultrasonic diffuser (with intermittent settings if possible.)
• When driving, the Edens Garden Aromaride car diffuser activates due to the air flowing through your car vent. 
• Passive diffusing with the Bloom Ceramic diffuser or the really cool Reed diffuser gives a subtle infusion to the air in the home or office. 
• Fashionable essential oil jewelry such as the Cayman bracelet is perfect for special occasions where you don't want to carry extra items with you.

How Do you Calm Motion Sickness?

Besides using any of the methods above, there are some alternate remedies that work well in tandem with aromatherapy and other suggestions in regard to eating before a long trip - whether by car, rail, bus, plane or boat. The first is using acupressure and pressure point stimulation. 

Pressure Point Stimulation

Stimulating an acupressure point along your wrist can bring needed relief. To find the Neiguan pressure point (P6), you can follow these detailed visual and verbal instructions. You can also wear special nausea bands made especially for this task.[14] 

Another thought my daughter and I stumbled on when she was little was that she would always get sick if she ate something sweet before getting in the car. We decided to avoid juice and sweet cereal and replaced them with protein such as eggs and other salty foods such as toast and butter and her nausea lessened giving her more control over how she felt. Some studies have pointed to avoiding acidic and greasy foods before a long trip. 

Sources:

1. Motion sickness https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/condition/motion-sickness#:~:text=Motion%20sickness%20happens%20when%20the,simulators%20or%20amusement%20park%20rides
2. Effects of Aromatherapy Using Sour Lemon on Nausea in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Quasi-Experimental Study https://irj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-1446-en.pdf
3. Essential oils used in aromatherapy: A systemic review https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2221169115001033
4. The Effect of Lemon Inhalation Aromatherapy on Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy: A Double-Blinded, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4005434/
5. This Surprising Fruit Might Help Relieve your Motion Sickness https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/motion-sickness/motion-sickness-lemon
6. The Effectiveness of Ginger in the Prevention of Nausea and Vomiting during Pregnancy and Chemotherapy https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818021/
7. Clinical Evaluation of the Use of Ginger Extract in the Preventive Management of Motion Sickness https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7378854/
8. Clinical Evaluation of the Use of Ginger Extract in the Preventive Management of Motion Sickness https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7378854/
9. Antiemetic activity of volatile oil from Mentha spicata and Mentha × piperita in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3562057/
10. Peppermint Essential Oil for Nausea and Vomiting in Hospitalized Patients: Incorporating Holistic Patient Decision Making Into the Research Design https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32985338/
11. Inhaled Peppermint Oil for Postop Nausea in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery https://journals.lww.com/nursing/Abstract/2016/07000/Inhaled_peppermint_oil_for_postop_nausea_in.15.aspx 
12. Mentha spicata L. Essential Oil, Phytochemistry and its Effectiveness in Flatulence https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7936090/
13. Essential Oils for Nausea https://www.healthline.com/health/essential-oils-for-nausea#peppermint-oil
14. How To Perform Acupressure for Vomiting and Nausea https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2016/12/how-to-perform-acupressure-for-vomiting-and-nausea/