We all have memories of mom's home remedy, something she gave us whenever we complained of a minor upset, a sniffily nose, stomach upset or the like. For my siblings and me that wasn't chicken soup, it was ginger ale. Ginger ale served two purposes, both curative and placebo. Curative, in that few foods or spices, of which ginger is best known, are as well documented as medicinal plants as they are as food. The placebo effect grew from my child mind which associated ginger with ginger snap cookies. I thought I was getting cured with medicine of which cookies were made!

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF GINGER.

We all have memories of mom's home remedy, something she gave us whenever we complained of a minor upset, a sniffily nose, stomach upset or the like. For my siblings and me that wasn't chicken soup, it was ginger ale. Ginger ale served two purposes, both curative and placebo. Curative, in that few foods or spices, of which ginger is best known, are as well documented as medicinal plants as they are as food. The placebo effect grew from my child mind which associated ginger with ginger snap cookies. I thought I was getting cured with medicine of which cookies were made!

The Benefits of Ginger

Nausea – it is often used to ease nausea caused by travelling or pregnancy as well as that due to other causes.

Digestion – it has the ability to calm the stomach, promote the flow of bile, and improve the appetite.

Stomach Cramps caused by wind – it can relieve these, often quicker than any other herbal medicine.

Circulation – it helps to support a healthy cardiovascular system by making platelets less sticky and therefore reducing the likelihood of aggregation (a major factor in atherosclerosis) much recent work has focused on the use of ginger in circulatory disorders such as Raynauds disease, which is characterised by blue fingers and toes. Ginger appears to promote blood flow to these areas, which eases the problem.

Rheumatoid arthritis – it has traditionally been used to help inflammatory joint diseases such as arthritis. It is also valued for its analgesic action, which may help arthritic conditions.

Cholesterol – studies have suggested that ginger may be useful in keeping cholesterol levels under control, although how this works is not yet understood.

Respiratory infections – it is well known for its warming expectorant action on the upper respiratory tract, and this is why Chinese herbalists have traditionally used ginger to treat colds and influenza.

Ginger and Menstrual Cramps
"I noticed you didn't mention on your site that ginger completely soothes menstrual cramps. A few months ago, I was out of Advil and too crampy to go to the pharmacy, which was closed anyway. I looked in my herbal dictionary and ginger was listed as being good for PMS pain. I just grate up about a teaspoonful (or less) and swallow it using water as a chaser. Within about 15-20 minutes cramps are gone, and stay gone for many hours. It works better than commercial pills since they seem to dull pain, whereas ginger seems to knock it out. Apparently it relaxes the muscles or something. All I know is it works. "

Put Some Spice In Your Medicine Cabinet
"Vioxx is off the market and petrol is gone up, but the last real health deal is still out there and dirt cheap, too – in the spice aisle of the grocery store. The spices of the East – cayenne, turmeric, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon…. Ginger earns its age-old reputation as a stomach-settler and a purifier. It has cholesterol-lowering, artery-debunking antioxidants and anti-fungal, blood-clotting and even cancer fighting properties. You can't make Asian or Indian food without it. Or gingerbread! While the FDA doesn't regulate spices, it categorizes all the above as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) so ban the bland and take your medicine – it's delicious."

Ginger and Morning Sickness
"Ginger could relieve the nausea and vomiting experienced by pregnant women, say Australian researchers. Ginger does not prevent morning sickness but it may help ease some of the nausea experienced by pregnant women.

Ginger and Indigestion
"I use fresh ginger every morning when I get up. I had major surgery about 13 years ago and parts of my intestines were removed because they had been knotted up. Ever since then I have been having to learn to work with abnormal indigestion. A while back I read that a century ago a sage in India would eat a small piece of fresh ginger every day when he got up to help his own indigestion. I followed his example and it seems to be the most delightful way to take care of this problem. Many years I took all sorts of chemical as well as natural pills, grains etc, etc. Ginger finally seems to hit the spot."

Contra-indications/Precautions
Anyone with a history of gallstones should consult a medical practitioner prior to use. Short-term use of low levels during the first three months of pregnancy appears to have no adverse side effects. Anyone using anticoagulants should not use ginger.