Ginger/Ginger Root
Ginger is a natural spice often found in many eastern foods. It is also useful, however, for its many medicinal properties.
Ginger root has been used in eastern medicine for over 2,500 years for its various medicinal properties, including soothing the stomach, reducing inflammation in the knees and joints, and possibly reducing colds. Ginger Ale used to be a drink designed to reduce nausea before it became a popular beverage.
It is also often used as a supplement to keep digestion healthy and reduce pain in the back, knees and fingers.
What are the Benefits of Ginger/Ginger Root?
Ginger root has shown itself to calm upset stomachs, prevent nausea (pregnant women that take ginger while going into labor report less vomiting and nausea) and reduce motion sickness. In eastern medicine, it was widely use to reduce cold symptoms and fever. It contains 12 different antioxidants which help keep your blood healthy, and is even a mild anticoagulant.
Ginger's use as an aid to digestion primary helps neutralize stomach acids and improve the muscles in the digestive tract.
In addition, there has been a great deal of research showing that Ginger is useful for helping reduce inflammation, so Ginger is often used as a supplement to help prevent osteoarthritis and joint pain. It may also be an analgesic, which helps reduce joint pain, and people with arthritis and joint issues often drink Ginger tea with the hopes that it will help relieve some of that pain.
Is Ginger Safe?
There have been no reported side effects of taking ginger root at any dose, as some people eat raw ginger as a snack. In addition, there are no drug interactions that are known.
It has been reported that in very rare instances heartburn has been reported from eating ginger, but in supplements this has not yet been encountered, and is likely due to its natural spicy flavor rather than its medicinal properties.
Overall, Ginger has shown itself to be an effective natural supplement for improving your digestion, reducing nausea and fever, and stopped motion sickness, as well as reduce joint pain due to its anti-inflammatory properties and analgesic ability. It is an effective addition to any diet.
