Motion sickness, car sickness, seasickness – it all boils down to the same thing: tiredness, headaches, irritability, dizziness, and nausea. Vomiting doesn’t relieve the symptoms. This affliction makes you feel downright miserable and can completely ruin a car excursion or cruise.

Children are more prone to motion sickness than adults. The years between 2 and 12 are the worst. But, many adults suffer as well – often to the point of complete incapacitation.

Motion sickness is caused by confusion between the brain and the middle ear. When the eyes perceive that you are motionless (as below decks in a ship) but the fluid in the middle ear is rocking and churning, the brain reacts with bewilderment.

Fortunately, the symptoms can be partially prevented or alleviated.

1. Proper Diet

Avoid eating excessively salty or fatty foods and dairy products for 24 hours prior to travel. Just before your trip, have a nutritious meal high in complex carbohydrates. Carbs help to absorb excess stomach acid and tend to be simple on the digestive system. Don’t forget to maintain excellent nutrition before and during travel with a balanced diet and your usual vitamins, if you normally take them.

2. Psychological Preparation

Motion sickness is aggravated by anxiety and stress. Pack some soothing music and a personal MP3 player. Active noise-cancellation headphones help to reduce stress caused by loud sounds. Some people also report brilliant results with self-hypnosis audio products.

3. Physical Preparation

If you are tired, stressed, or ill, motion sickness will be more severe. Try to get enough sleep before you travel. Do not place everything off until the last minute. Advance practice on a trampoline, riding in a car, or riding up and down in an elevator seems to help some seasickness-prone individuals.

4. Accupressure Bands

Sold under many names, wristbands that apply pressure to a specific accupressure point may be helpful. They come packaged in pairs – one for each wrist. You can even buy battery-powered models with supplementary electrical stimulation.

5. Forget the Gravol

Conventional nausea medications do not target the root cause of motion sickness. But, a behind-the-ear scopolamine patch often works very effectively. A ‘scop-patch’ must be applied at least 4 hours prior to travel. It is absolutely essential to wash your hands before and after applying. If you forget and touch your eyes, you can quickly develop itchiness, burning, and blurred vision. These patches adhere well and stay on for days. Scuba divers use them on diving liveaboards. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor for more information.

6. Nature’s Answer

Ginger has long been used as a folk remedy for motion sickness. It tastes excellent – and it probably won’t do any hurt – so it’s worth a try. You can buy sweetened ginger products or gel-caps.

7. Bookworms Beware!

The reading of books, maps, or computer screens will aggravate motion sickness. Forget about catching up on your reading or spreadsheets. Instead, relax and have a conversation with a fellow passenger.

8. Keep Your Eyes on the Horizon

If your eyes send the same message to the brain that it gets from the inner ear, you are less likely to experience nausea. Watch something stationary in the direction of travel whenever possible. If you are in a ship’s cabin, close your eyes and try to nap. The nap will relax you, and the brain will only receive one set of signals. This tends to make the nausea subside as well.

9. Back on Land

Scenario: You have just spent a couple of days onboard ship, and have adjusted quite nicely to the roll of the ocean. You debark for a land tour – and suddenly you are overcome by more nausea. Don’t despair! It is likely your body readjusting to the lack of motion. Unless you have picked up a case of ‘Montezuma’s Revenge’ the nausea will subside.

Knowledge is power. Now that you have a few facts, boldly step out where you haven’t gone before and delight in your vacation!

©Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the author’s note below (with active links) are included.

So, you’ve made it through security and are ready to get your vacation under way. Unfortunately, you still have a long flight to sit through. Yet, flying doesn’t have to be a miserable experience – even if you are traveling with children. Here are some travel tips to help your whole family delight in your time in the air.

As “airline food” isn’t exactly a mouthwatering phrase, it is a excellent thought to pack some food in your carry-on bag. While it may be hard to pack an entire meal, there are plenty of healthy snacks that can fight your hunger. Start with healthy items like dried fruit and granola. If you are looking for a small more protein, add some jerky to your bag. If you have plenty of healthy options in your bag, you can more easily resist the urge to munch on the less-healthy fare aboard the flight.

Keep in mind that the air inside of airplane cabins is always very dry. As a result, you might experience a thirst that can’t be quenched by the irregular, less than generous drink service. An extra bottle of water or juice in your carry-on bag can go a long ways towards eliminating this discomfort.

If you are one of the many who experience motion sickness, consider taking a pill before boarding the plane. For international flights to the Caribbean or elsewhere, a motion sickness medication may also help you to sleep through much of the flight, allowing you to awake rested and relaxed at your destination.

You have to try your best to relax. Everyone has a different outlet for relaxation, so here is a list of activities to keep your stress at a minimum – whatever your interests may be:

• If you have a laptop computer, you can easily listen to music, watch DVDs or even get some work done. Just make sure you charge your batteries before flying.

• While MP3 players are nice, you don’t need the newest gadget to zone out airplane noise. You can plug noise-canceling headphones into any type of portable music player.

• Books and magazines are fantastic ways to pass the time. If you find the noise irritating, you could even place on noise-canceling headphones without music and eliminate most distractions.

• Simple games like crosswords and sudokus can alleviate stress and exercise your mind.

One of the best tips for air travel with children is to secure seats in the front row of the cabin. In the front row of seats, your family will be granted some extra space and privacy – luxuries that are especially helpful when flying with infants or toddlers. If you have toddlers, you should also find it simpler to let your children play, stretch or wander a small at the front of the aircraft.

When flying with children internationally, most travel professionals recommend non-stop flights. Non-stop flights can be helpful as they allow your children to sleep uninterrupted and prevent potentially stressful hours of flight changes. Additionally, your kids will certainly be pleased to arrive at your vacation destination as soon as possible. But, there are some benefits to taking breaks between flights. For instance, if you are flying to the Caribbean from the northern U.S., your children might become impatient on such a long flight. With a brief layover in a southern city, you can relieve some of your family’s stress from being cooped up for a whole day. A break between flights will also allow you to pick up snacks and drinks, while your children can stretch and walk around freely for a small while.

You should also make sure that you pack all the things your children might need in a carry-on bag. This includes everything from food and medications to extra clothing and a blanket. Older children will probably be entertained by many of the items on the adult list above, but also consider packing items like stuffed animals and art materials. You should try to avoid toys with small parts – such as board games, building blocks and model kits – and your child’s noisier playthings.

If all else fails, just remind your family that you are all en route to a wonderful Caribbean vacation.

So, you’ve made it through security and are ready to get your vacation under way. Unfortunately, you still have a long flight to sit through. Yet, flying doesn’t have to be a miserable experience – even if you are traveling with children. Here are some travel tips to help your whole family delight in your time in the air. As “airline food” isn’t exactly a mouthwatering phrase, it is a excellent thought to pack some food in your carry-on bag. While it may be hard to pack an entire meal, there are plenty of healthy snacks that can fight your hunger. Start with healthy items like dried fruit and granola. If you are looking for a small more protein, add some jerky to your bag. If you have plenty of healthy options in your bag, you can more easily resist the urge to munch on the less-healthy fare aboard the flight. Keep in mind that the air inside of airplane cabins is always very dry. As a result, you might experience a thirst that can’t be quenched by the irregular, less than generous drink service. An extra bottle of water or juice in your carry-on bag can go a long ways towards eliminating this discomfort. If you are one of the many who experience motion sickness, consider taking a pill before boarding the plane. For international flights to the Caribbean or elsewhere, a motion sickness medication may also help you to sleep through much of the flight, allowing you to awake rested and relaxed at your destination. You have to try your best to relax. Everyone has a different outlet for relaxation, so here is a list of activities to keep your stress at a minimum – whatever your interests may be: • If you have a laptop computer, you can easily listen to music, watch DVDs or even get some work done. Just make sure you charge your batteries before flying. • While MP3 players are nice, you don’t need the newest gadget to zone out airplane noise. You can plug noise-canceling headphones into any type of portable music player. • Books and magazines are fantastic ways to pass the time. If you find the noise irritating, you could even place on noise-canceling headphones without music and eliminate most distractions. • Simple games like crosswords and sudokus can alleviate stress and exercise your mind. One of the best tips for air travel with children is to secure seats in the front row of the cabin. In the front row of seats, your family will be granted some extra space and privacy – luxuries that are especially helpful when flying with infants or toddlers. If you have toddlers, you should also find it simpler to let your children play, stretch or wander a small at the front of the aircraft. When flying with children internationally, most travel professionals recommend non-stop flights. Non-stop flights can be helpful as they allow your children to sleep uninterrupted and prevent potentially stressful hours of flight changes. Additionally, your kids will certainly be pleased to arrive at your vacation destination as soon as possible. But, there are some benefits to taking breaks between flights. For instance, if you are flying to the Caribbean from the northern U. S. , your children might become impatient on such a long flight. With a brief layover in a southern city, you can relieve some of your family’s stress from being cooped up for a whole day. A break between flights will also allow you to pick up snacks and drinks, while your children can stretch and walk around freely for a small while. You should also make sure that you pack all the things your children might need in a carry-on bag. This includes everything from food and medications to extra clothing and a blanket. Older children will probably be entertained by many of the items on the adult list above, but also consider packing items like stuffed animals and art materials. You should try to avoid toys with small parts – such as board games, building blocks and model kits – and your child’s noisier playthings. If all else fails, just remind your family that you are all en route to a wonderful Caribbean vacation.