Vomiting usually follows feelings of nausea, and it is the action of forcefully removing the contents of your stomach through your mouth. On some occasions, this may be voluntary, but in many instances, vomiting is something most people would wish to avoid. Thankfully, there are ways in which you can avoid this from happening. This article will detail exactly how to prevent vomiting.

How to Prevent Vomiting

As mentioned, there are numerous ways in which you can prevent the action of vomiting from occurring. Although in some instances, it may be unavoidable, the following methods may help to prevent vomiting, so try it when it occurs to you.

1. Limit the Amount You Eat

Large meals, especially those full of grease, sugar and calories, can lead to vomiting. To avoid this, eat smaller meals but more frequently (6 small meals a day as opposed to 3 large meals), and opt for healthier, more nutritious foods.

2. Ensure Food Is Clean and Properly Cooked

Food poisoning can occur when you eat unclean foods or foods which have not been cooked properly. This can lead to many unwanted symptoms, including vomiting. To avoid this, ensure you only consume food which has been stored correctly and properly cooked.

3. Limit Your Consumption of Alcohol

Although alcohol can fuel a great time, too much of the stuff can lead to vomiting, as your body has a hard time processing what is essentially toxic. To prevent this, try to not drink alcoholic beverages in quick succession, and always alternate between alcohol and water when drinking.

4. Don't Exercise Straight After Eating

Exercise is great for the body and the overall health, but strenuous activity immediately after a meal can make the stomach become upset, and possibly leading to vomiting. If you can, try to wait a couple of hours after eating before exercising or carrying out any strenuous activity, so as to allow the food to digest first.

5. Try Sugary Beverages

Although sugary beverages may not find themselves in nutritious diets, they can be beneficial when considering how to prevent vomiting, as they can reduce one's urge to vomit. If you are feeling nauseas and feel as though you may vomit, try drinking a glass of soda or fruit juice to subdue the urge.

6. Avoid Bad Odors

Being in an environment which has a bad smell or odour can have a detrimental effect on one's ability to keep the contents of their stomachs down. Removing yourself from the bad smell or odour can help to reduce the likelihood of you vomiting.

7. Opt for a Cool Environment

Place a damp, cool washcloth on your face or forehead, and sit in front of an electric fan, or go outside into the crisp cool air (weather permitting). A cool environment is thought to help to ease stomach upset, and therefore, reduce the chances of you vomiting.

8. Get Some Sleep

If you are feeling unwell, rest is always advisable. An upset stomach can also be accompanied with lethargic and fatigued feelings, meaning that you may require more rest than you normally would. Sleep can be helpful in easing stomach upset, and therefore, help to prevent vomiting.

9. Activate Your Sense of Touch

The exact reason as to why activating one's sense of touch helps to prevent vomiting may be due to the fact that it distracts you from the thought of vomiting. Try pinching your arm, biting your lower lip or pulling your hair. The small amount of pain helps to divert your attention away from the need to vomit.

10. Distract Yourself

When ascertaining how to prevent vomiting, simply distracting yourself can be highly beneficial. Instead of thinking about vomiting or feelings of nausea, try to focus on happy thoughts, or watch your favourite TV show or movie to take your mind off of it..

11. Use Acupressure

Acupressure involves the manipulation and stimulation of different pressure points around the body, although the pressure points in the wrist are commonly targeted when hoping to ease nausea and vomiting. You can do this yourself by facing your palm upwards and gently massaging the middle of your wrist with your thumb, or alternatively, place both of your wrists together and press them into each other.

12. Take Medications

When opting for medical relief from vomiting, it is important to use the right medication, as the wrong medication may make your condition worse because many medications list nausea and vomiting as side effects, so watch out for that too. Dramamine is beneficial in the treatment of nausea and vomiting, although t should not be consumed by anyone under the age of two years old. Acetaminophen can also help to eradicate any pain associated with vomiting, without causing the condition to worsen.