It is thought that Ginger (Zingiber officinale) was never like it is as a wild species, but a cultigen created by the first Austronesian people of Island regions of Southeast Asia, and travelled with them and expanded through the Austronesian expansion.
In fact, Ginger has been around for so long and so loved that it has incorporated itself into the traditional medicine pharmacopoeia of many cultures.
Ginger is a perennial with rhizomous roots which grow false stems (made of rolled leaves) bearing yellow and purple flowers.
It is the rhizomous root that produces the hot fragrant spice which is consumed in many cuisines, beverages, as well as used in traditional medicines.
Many people know of the famous anti-nausea activity of Ginger, but few know that Ginger is also showing good clinical results for having anti-obesity and metabolic syndrome activities, gastroprotective and prokinetic effects, let alone benefits for blood pressure, dysmenorrhea, morning sickness, osteoarthritis, and exercise-induced muscle soreness.
In functional medicine, Ginger is increasingly used for its prokinetic activity, and for preventing relapse in small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) treatment.
In a recent meta-analysis, the use of Ginger supplementation was also found to benefit non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
The bioactives in ginger are classified into three main classes, the gingerols, volatile oils and diarylheptanoids.
In western herbal medicine, Ginger is also known for its affinity for the throat, and for promoting digestive & respiratory health. In fact, it is often used as a ‘medicine horse’, an herb to direct the activity of other herbs to a certain region, for the throat.
Dried, powdered Ginger is also wonderful in a hot bath to for a sore muscle soak.
The Ginger essential oil is also often added to body care and aromatherapy products for its stimulating, refreshing and warming qualities.
For nausea, Ginger is hard to beat, has strong clinical substantiation, and can be used fresh or dried (consumed), or as an essential oil.
Not only has Ginger been found in clinical studies to be safe and effective this way for pregnancy-related nausea, but also inhaled post-surgery.
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*This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician.