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Can Ginger Help Cure Some Common Ailments?
When you have menstrual cramps, you grab some ibuprofen. When an upset stomach gets the best of you, you try an antacid. And if you’re dizzy or have motion sickness, you probably pop a Dramamine.
What if I told you that you can ease the symptoms of all of these ailments simply with ginger? Yep, that interesting tasting spice found in cookies and ginger ale has some amazing therapeutic benefits.
History of Ginger
Ginger is considered a spice, as well as a medicine. The smart people of China have been using ginger for over 2,000 years to treat problems like digestion, diarrhea, nausea, and upset stomach. It is indigenous to southern China and its popularity spread to other parts of Asia, India, Europe, and Africa in the first century when spices were traded.
9 Uses of Ginger
- Can be made into a tea, candy, and even wine.
- Acts as a food preservative.
- Use powdered dry ginger root in recipes for gingerbread cookies, crackers, cakes, ginger ale, and ginger beer.
- Ginger root supplements are used to reduce inflammation in the colon, which is considered a precursor to colon cancer.
- Feeling nauseous? Whatever the cause – pregnancy, motion sickness, even chemotherapy – taking a ginger supplement can control the nausea. I never get on a plane without a ginger chew.
- A study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center has found that ginger kills ovarian cancer cells.
- Helps with those pesky “woman issues”, such as menstrual cramps and hot flashes because of its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Ginger can be used as an antiseptic or antibacterial agent.
- Ginger has nutrients and minerals like zinc, silicon, and magnesium and can boost your immune system.
Below is an info graphic from Swanson Vitamins many of the health benefits of ginger:
Ginger Essential Oil or Supplement
Want an easy way to get all of the health benefits of ginger into your life? I love ginger essential oil. It’s sourced from Madagascar from “from the fresh rhizome of the ginger plant—the subterranean stalk of a plant that shoots out the root system”. You can diffuse it, apply it to your skin, add some drops to a veggie capsule, or add it to your food for flavor. Purchase here.
Do you use ginger for other purposes or do you have a favorite recipe using ginger? I’d love to hear from you!
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.
