Ginger: an excellent choice to make you feel better

patrons could add it to their drinks. Apparently, this was the introduction of ginger ale! Aside from this tidbit of information, ginger does have medicinal properties.

Ginger has been used to treat nausea, motion sickness and vomiting. Ginger has a long history of use for all types of digestive upset and can be helpful to increase appetite. Powdered dried ginger root is made into capsules for medicinal use. Although very effective against all forms of nausea, health officials do not recommend taking ginger root for morning sickness commonly associated with pregnancy, although it has been known to prevent morning sickness. 

Research has also found ginger to be a powerful antioxidant. Ginger has also been shown in research to have a role in the natural inflammatory response of the body. In India, for example, ginger is applied as a paste to the temples to relieve headaches. Ginger has also been commonly used to treat inflammation. There are several studies that demonstrate positive results on reducing joint pain from arthritis and other inflammatory disorders. It may also have blood thinning and cholesterol lowering properties, making it effective in treating heart disease. Ginger is also used for people suffering from gallstones, because the herb promotes the release of bile from the gall bladder. It has also been used to relieve headaches. Another important advantage in the use of ginger is the compound known as cineole, which may help reduce stress. 

The anti-inflammatory properties associated with ginger lessen the pain of arthritis sufferers. It also is said to aid in the treatment of respiratory infections. Results in animal trials showed that ginger seems to prevent or slow the rate of tumor growth in cancer. Another study showed that rats given ginger and then subjected to chemicals that induce cancer had a significant reduction in cancer than the control rats. 

You may also be interested to learn that in a research study reported in the International Journal of Obesity in October 1992, shows that ginger increases weight loss by calorie burning. Researchers found that ginger made the tissues use more energy. Ginger is very safe for a variety of complaints. Occasional heartburn seems to be the only documented side effect. However, it increases stamina; eases cold symptoms; soothes and promotes healing of minor burns and skin inflammations; is a digestive aid for nausea, vomiting, cramps and motion sickness. 

While the health benefits of ginger are many, its efficacy is more potent when purchased fresh. Grating or using a garlic press will give you the maximum benefit. 

Ginger Overview

Ginger is not commonly known as a medicinal herb. In fact, most people think ginger is used only for cooking and flavoring candies or drinks. Ginger is actually an excellent herb to use for a variety of illnesses and general maladies though.

Ginger grows as a perennial plant, and most people think the roots of this plant are what's used for seasoning and herbal medicine, when in reality that's not quite the case. The area of the plant which grows below ground before the root is known as the rhizome, and this is the part of the Ginger plant which is used.

Ginger is excellent to use for coughing. It's a common ingredient in old fashioned or home made cough syrups for example, and it can be added to tea, water, or other drinks for this purpose as well.

When used in combination with Cayenne, ginger is an excellent remedy for relieving head congestion and clearing sinus cavities too.

Adding ginger to bathwater is an old fashioned yet tried and true method of relieving various problems too. It can help promote sweating in the body for instance, which will quickly bring down a fever. It also works wonderfully well as a way to relax and relieve sore or tired muscles. Just add three to four tablespoons to a lukewarm bath, and soak in that.

Ginger is another herb to use for helping cleanse the kidneys and bowels too, which in turn helps have an overall tonic effect on the entire body. Since the kidneys and bowels are largely responsible for carrying wastes and toxins out of the body, cleansing them helps tone up pretty much everything else as well.

Ginger also helps stimulate the circulatory system, and this in combination with the kidney and bowel cleansing causes it to help carry additional toxins from the body.

Ginger is quite useful for female menstrual problems too though. It can help a suppressed menstrual cycle get started for instance, plus it's an excellent remedy for painful menstrual cramping.

Generally, Ginger should be kept around during the cold and flu seasons particularly. Because it's so useful for treating coughs and sinus congestion. It's also wonderful for treating bronchitis and sore throats, plus it helps settle upset stomachs, and helps relieve general muscle aches and pains.

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