Mythbusters

[Danny_Labrador]

Anyone watch this program? (Discovery) great program, I love it.

Anyway the last one I watched explored the myth that there is an effective non-pharmaceutical solution to seasickness.

They constructed a sickness-inducing contraption, (copied from NASA), and then subjected two subjects, who they had found to particularly susceptible to sickness, to various “cures” against exposure time on the rig.

Sprays, wristbands pressure, wristband electric - all tried and failed, vomiting took over.

The one that worked on both of them was........... Ginger tablets.

The pharmaceutical cure that they eventually tried just made both of them drowsy and did not seem to reduce the sickness.
Thought that was interesting.

 

[Saguday]

Excellent program, we love it too - my two young sons especially.

Missed that prog, but pleased to hear about the ginger - pity I'm the only one in the family who likes it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif They'll learn. in the meantime everyone else will have to stick to Stugeron (which I can't buy in the US! <grrr>)

 

[bumblefish]

Some time ago there was a report in one of the anaesthesia journals, I used to read those before PBO, which reported that taking ginger, zinzibar officinalis, reduced the risk of vomiting following an operation. However, you had to take about 5 grams of the stuff, not easily swallowed just before an operation!

 

[Poignard]

My old gran [whom God preserve] used to administer a mixture of ginger and bicarbonate of soda in water to us kids if we complained of feeling sick. Within minutes you would be running like hell for the bucket! I suppose it was a cure in a way, because you would soon have nothing left in you to be sick with.

 

[Black Sheep]

We all know there is an effective non-pharmaceutical solution to seasickness - lying down under a tree.

 

[JKay]

Re: Myth busters

A placebo worked on one of them!!!

cheers Joe

 

[bumblefish]

Funnily enough an extensive part of our medical school training was associated with how to overcome the emotional issues attached to vomiting and therefore to neither fear nor shy from the act. I have maintained this training in later life and therefore although I am occasionally sick at sea it is seldom unpleasant or worrisome. Is this normal?

 

[Whitelighter]

Yes, great programme. Did you see the one where they sank a small sail boat the 'raised' it using ping-pong balls?

 

[Bodach na mara]

Do you think ginger beer would work?

 

[Poignard]

I'm sure you're right. I've no medical knowledge but I believe if your body is telling you to be sick then there's a good reason for it, so do it. Just try to make it to the rail first!

Pity this line of argument doesn't apply to food, though. Why is my body telling me it wants pies and chips etc, when a glance in the bathroom mirror tells me I don't need them?