Interesting show on seasickness remedies...

[turbokinetic]

I just watched a Mythbusters episode where they tested seasickness remedies. The guys all sat on a rotating chair setup that was almost guarnateed to cause notion sickness. Two of them were found to be highly suceptible to motion sickness, in a matter of minutes.

They tried several remedies, including armbands, ELECTRIC armbands <shudder>, ginger pills, and finally 'pharmaceuticals' which appeared to be Dramamine.

The results were quite interesting. The armbands, even the ones that "electro-stimulate," (that sounds like a politically correct word for 'shock') were totally ineffective.

The 'pharmaceutical' medicine was marginally effective, but the guys said it felt like they were still affected, but the medicine kept everything in. But they still felt bad and were visibly loopy-sounding on the show. I can attest to this, after having to work with someone who had taken this medicine. We had to stop the job because he was unsafe due to the medicine.

Amazingly, the ginger pills were highly effective for both the test subjects. With the ginger, they each were able to tolerate the rotating chair for 20 or more minutes and said it would hold out more or less indefinitely.

So GINGER is is. Worked for 2 people who were highly susceptible to motion sickness, for 20+ minutes in a worst-case test on a specially designed motion-sickness inducing chair.

Figured you folks would like to see this! I haven't been able to find online the like to that episode but it was graphic because they do show the test subjects getting sick.

Peace,
David

[andee]

Very cool....

[turbokinetic]

Very cool....

Yep I thought so too! This topic is important to me as an emet AND a marine engine repair tech.

I talked to a friend about it and he has tried ginger pills, but they aggravated an acid-reflux problem for him. What a bummer!

I wonder if that was really a direct effect of the ginger or if the reflux was due to nervousness about going offshore?

Later,
David

[qpaulina42]

Wow, thanks for this! I wonder where one gets these ginger pills. Are they all made equal? Also, did they show them being sick? Thank you Mythbusters, for taking it for the team in the name of science!

[andee]

David, it could have affected his reflux because ginger is warm and spicy. I wish I liked the taste more. I will have candies and such, but won't really put it in my cooking...

[turbokinetic]

I like ginger. It is warm and spicey but it seems to be a gentle spice that stays with me without being uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, yes they did show some graphic scenes of the two of them getting sick.

I'm not really bothered by that (only by myself getting sick) so it was no big deal.

I've seen them at Wal-Mart in the pharmacy section. Look with all the other herbs, vitamins and suppliments.

In Alabama, we have Buffalo Rock ginger ale. It is very hot and spicey. It makes me caugh and sneeze from the spicey vapor! That is one of my favorites. I can for sure feel that it affects my stomach. It has a calming effect, even if I'm not feeling bad. I can just sense that it has an "effect" on the stomach.

I would greatly recommend Buffalo Rock for anyone who likes ginger! Drink it ICE COLD!

Later,
David

[Tristesse]

Wow, thanks for this! I wonder where one gets these ginger pills. Are they all made equal? Also, did they show them being sick? Thank you Mythbusters, for taking it for the team in the name of science!

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&safe=of...d898857c6d44c6

I wouldn't click the first link because it's about seasickness so there's probably v* talk (if that bothers you) but there's some online retailers that sell them.

I'd imagine GNC, VitaminShoppe, VitaminWorld, or any natural store would sell them. The latter would be my first preference as they tend to know what they're talking about.

[jmdonofrio]

This is good to know!

[jkl81]

I'm the guy that tried the ginger, and had some reflux problems with it. Wish I could take them because they seem to be at least as effective if not better than dramamine, not only in the mythbusters test but in others. I'm scared to try it again. Ginger really is a pretty good antiemetic. Someone we know got some decent relief from even the ginger gum/candies from chemo induced nausea and v*.

[turbokinetic]

I'm the guy that tried the ginger, and had some reflux problems with it. Wish I could take them because they seem to be at least as effective if not better than dramamine, not only in the mythbusters test but in others. I'm scared to try it again. Ginger really is a pretty good antiemetic. Someone we know got some decent relief from even the ginger gum/candies from chemo induced nausea and v*.

JD - thanks for the first-person info! I would highly recommend you give ginger another try, but in another form. Try a stout, spicey ginger ale and see how it does.

I love that stuff (one of the only non-sugarfree sodas I drink) and it has a calming effect on my stomach even when I already feel good.

You may be a little far down the peninsula for Buffalo Rock ginger ale, but there are other brands that are almost as stout. I remember from my AgChem Service days that Buffalo Rock sells in the FL panhandle, but not sure how far south they're distributed.

Sincerely,
David

[barbiegirl]

Natural Source Gravol contains 500mg of standardized ginger extract per chewable gummy, and they are organic and taste good (if you like ginger) as well. These seem to work better than ginger capsules for me. I always have them with me and they actually worked better for me when I had H1N1 than the regular Gravol.

[jkl81]

I don't think I've ever seen anything like natural source gravol in the states. Seen dimenhydrinate and ginger both, just not together.

[barbiegirl]

I don't think I've ever seen anything like natural source gravol in the states. Seen dimenhydrinate and ginger both, just not together.

Natural Source Gravol is just ginger extract, no dimenhydrinate.

http://gravol.ca/en/category/product...atural-source/

[asianeko]

I would love to see this, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to see graphic scenes just yet. I may see if I can get my boyfriend to find it on youtube and edit out the graphic parts. Would anyone else be interested in seeing it without the actual V?

Or would editing the V out make it useless?

[turbokinetic]

I would love to see this, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to see graphic scenes just yet. I may see if I can get my boyfriend to find it on youtube and edit out the graphic parts. Would anyone else be interested in seeing it without the actual V?

Or would editing the V out make it useless?

It wouldn't make it useless. I actually looked for a link to it but couldn't find it. It would be great if your boyfriend could do that and share it here. Actually SEEING folks who have proven they are susceptible to motion sickness say THIS WORKS is very inspiring!

Be good!
David

[andee]

I found an all natural ginger ale at Whole Foods which has a nice stronger ginger kick to it. It's called Reed's Original Ginger Brew. Tastes nice and is definitely better than regular ginger ale, which probably has zero actual ginger in it.

[asianeko]

Thanks David! I'll ask my man and see if he's willing. No promises. I'd edit it but I don't wanna see it hahaha!

[andee]

Hey David,
I just saw an episode of Food Detectives on the Food Network, and they were testing the effects of ginger on motion sickness!! They took four people and put them on the Teacup ride after eating, made the ride 10 minutes long, and had them rate their nausea. Then they had them rest and gave 2 of them 1 gram of ginger and 2 a placebo.Turned out the placebo helped one person, and the narrator said that nausea is very psychological. The others with the ginger were both helped as well. Not as scientific but interesting none the less...what do you think?

[turbokinetic]

Hey David,
I just saw an episode of Food Detectives on the Food Network, and they were testing the effects of ginger on motion sickness!! They took four people and put them on the Teacup ride after eating, made the ride 10 minutes long, and had them rate their nausea. Then they had them rest and gave 2 of them 1 gram of ginger and 2 a placebo.Turned out the placebo helped one person, and the narrator said that nausea is very psychological. The others with the ginger were both helped as well. Not as scientific but interesting none the less...what do you think?

Pretty cool! Yes I agree that nausea is in your head (although that doesn't make it any less serious.) According to other sources; ginger seems to be most effective if taken before exposure to a nauseating situation. The fact that it helped at all after the fact speaks highly of it!

Later,
David