Ginger, like garlic, is a common ingredient found in most kitchens. It is a universal herb that crosses all barriers, cultural, historical, and geographical. It has also been historically documented in its use as a medicine for common ailments for over a thousand years.
In fact, ginger root has been cultivated for so long that its exact origin is unclear. However, documents indicate it has been cultivated for millennia in both China and India, and it reached the West approximately 2,000 years ago.
Ginger - A Fresh & Dried Spice and Medicine
Ginger root can be used fresh or dried, as a spice, or, in medicine as a healing agent. In China and India, ginger is not only a common kitchen ingredient, it is also one of the most widely consumed herbal medicines.
Experts indicate that both dried and fresh ginger root are official drugs of the 1984 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Some experts would also include the liquid extract and tincture of ginger as medicinal remedies.
Ginger is used in dozens of Traditional Chinese prescriptions as a "guide drug" to mediate the effects of potentially toxic ingredients. In modern China, ginger is probably used in half of all Chinese herbal prescriptions.
Ginger & Medical Research
Research of fresh and dried ginger has been examining a broad range of biological activities including anti-bacterial, anti-convulsant, analgesic, anti-ulcer, and anti-fungal, to name a few.
These studies have examined ginger extracts as having medicinal properties in relieving numerous ailments. Several human studies in resent years have confirmed and questioned the traditional claims for the use of dried ginger as an anti-vomiting agent.
While researchers indicate ginger cannot be unequivocally touted as an effective medicinal agent for motion sickness, it cannot be labeled ineffective until more research is done.
Ginger has been used as a medicinal remedy to treat the common cold, coughs, and, to prevent nausea. But it is wise to consult a herbalist or pharmacist knowledgeable in the use of herbal remedies.
Remember, it is important to seek professional advice to ensure that any treatment one utilizes is not masking any other hidden medical problems, and/or if you are on other medication, including over-the-counter remedies.
Whether ginger is used as a culinary herb, condiment, spice, home remedy, or medicinal agent, it is valued the world over. More research could well reveal new value for this ancient herb.
Precaution: Ginger taken internally is relatively safe, though in extremely large doses, it has the potential to cause depression of the central nervous system and cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heart beat).
Recipe for Nausea
For mild nausea, try a ginger tea. To make the tea, slice a piece of fresh ginger and put a few shavings or slivers of it in a tea ball. Pour a cup of boiling water over it and let it steep for ten minutes, then allow the tea to cool before drinking.
For more intense nausea, try ginger capsules available in most stores in the health food section. Follow the label directions for dosage.
When to consult your physician or other healthcare practitioner:
- You feel frequent nausea for more than two days.
- You vomit periodically for more than 24 hours.
- You have nausea and you are suffering from sudden, severe pain in the chest or abdomen.
- You vomit blood or a substance that looks like coffee grounds.
- You're elderly and your nausea is accompanied by fever.
