A study performed by the American Clinical Oncology Society and funded by the federal government was released on Thursday that demonstrated that ginger and ginger capsules taken a few days prior to the administration of chemotherapy significantly reduced chemo related nausea.

Be aware that ginger ale and ginger cookies often contain only ginger flavor, not ginger, so they will not help to reduce nausea.

My wife, Wendy, adds that Chemo related nausea may also respond as Seasickness and pregnancy related nausea do: to chewing on ginger, or a little flat ginger ale (as Joel said, make sure it’s not just ginger flavoring); also to hypnosis, relaxation and deep breathing (inhaling through the nose, exhaling through the mouth), sometimes humming, and often accupressure — you can get the bands in most drugstores, sold for seasickness, they are wristbands with a small plastic ball worn against the inner arm two finger widths above the wrist.

This post is an addendum to the May 11th post “Nausea, Vomiting & Chemotherapy.”

Joel T Nowak MA, MSW