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Nausea: True or false?

Nausea—or feeling sick to your stomach—can have many different causes. Take this quiz to find out how much you know about nausea.

True or false: Nausea after eating could be caused by a food allergy rather than food poisoning.

True. Food allergies, food poisoning and gastroesophageal reflux—the leaking of stomach contents upward—are just three examples of food-related conditions that can cause nausea.

True or false: If you feel nauseated, getting up and moving around can help settle your stomach.

False. It's best to sit still. Sometimes activity can make your stomach feel worse. If your nausea is caused by motion sickness, lying down might help you feel better. If not, it's best to stay upright.

True or false: You should avoid liquids if you're vomiting.

False. It's important to avoid dehydration, so try drinking frequent, small amounts of clear liquids. Water is best. You might also sip fruit juices, flat soda, clear broth or sports drinks.

True or false: You should try eating six to eight small meals a day when you're nauseated.

True. Bland foods like crackers, clear soup and gelatin are best. Avoid foods with strong smells, caffeine, alcohol, carbonated drinks, spicy foods and fried foods.

True or false: Ginger can help relieve nausea.

True. Some studies have found that ginger can relieve nausea due to pregnancy. It also might help control nausea caused by cancer drugs.

Nausea and vomiting are fairly common. But call your doctor if you vomit three or more times in one day, the nausea lasts for more than 48 hours, you have a fever, or you have stomach pain.

Learn about stomach pain