WHAT DO YOU THINK OF when someone mentions ginger? Most people probably associate it with gingerbread, a warming tea or Asian cooking. This spicy herb, however, is much more than a flavorful addition to food; it's a treasure chest of healing power. I think of it as a superherb, a title I don't bestow lightly. Ginger deserves this accolade because it is a plant that has been proven to be safe and effective through the experience of millions of people and scores of clinical studies; it alleviates dozens of specific ailments; and it generally supports overall vitality and well-being.
Norman Farnsworth, Ph.D., senior university scholar of pharmacognosy and director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine at the University of Illinois-Chicago College of Pharmacy, calls ginger "one of the three most thoroughly investigated plants in the history of the world. " (The other two are garlic and ginseng. I empathize with the skeptic every time I begin to list the benefits of ginger, but scientific research backs its use as an extraordinary, digestive tonic, an anti-inflammatory agent and a shield against ulcers, colds and flu, and heart disease. Here's a look at these healing properties.
HOW AN HERBALIST SPELLS RELIEF
One of the tenets of holistic medicine is that good digestion is key to better health. Natural-healing texts dating as far back as ancient China and India have applauded ginger as the herb of choice for healthy digestion, and modem science offers every justification for such acclaim. Included under ginger's expansive umbrella as a digestive tonic are its abilities to enhance fat and protein digestion, and increase the growth of beneficial intestinal flora.
- At least four studies from China and Japan have demonstrated that ginger regulates peristalsis, the wave-like movement of muscles in the digestive tract that pushes food and waste through the digestive system.
- This effect enables ginger to ease both diarrhea and constipation, whether these are the result of illness or eating habits.
- This may also be why ginger is so effective at easing gas pains; though there have been no specific studies on ginger's anti-gas effect, centuries of empirical evidence dearly back its use.
- Research shows that ginger also enhances the metabolism of both fat and protein, helping the body make better use of these macronutrients. Scientists at the University of Minnesota compared an enzyme in ginger called zingibain with papain, a papaya enzyme well-known for its ability to digest protein, and found that their actions were comparable.
- Amazingly, though, it would take 180 pounds of papaya to equal the effect of just one pound of ginger.
do you know the many health benefits of ginger?
Are you in need of a little boost to your health? Well, you may just want to add ginger to your diet if you are. Ginger has been used for years to treat a variety of ailments and even the Greek philosopher, Pythagoras, has touted ginger for its benefits to good health.
But the many health benefits of ginger are more than mere ancient remedies and folktale. Today, the gnarled, piquant root of ginger is used to treat a wide range of health problems, which is backed by scientific research.
Ginger has the health benefit of relieving motion sickness and upset stomach. So if you prone to motion sickness whether by boat or car, you may just want to drink ginger tea or a ginger extract before your next travel date. That's because a study done by Phytotherapy Research Laboratory in Salt Lake City showed that ginger was far better at relieving motion sickness than the usually prescribed Dramamine.
Experts believe that a compound called gingerol found in ginger is responsible for blocking the body's vomiting reflex. Whether it's for motion sickness, simple upset stomach or for morning sickness, ginger has the health benefit of working wonders on the stomach.
Ginger is a food that has many health benefits. Ginger has the health benefit of easing headaches and migraines, easing upset stomach and motion sickness.
Ginger also has the health benefit of preventing excessive blood clotting and preventing and treating high blood pressure and cholesterol. So give ginger a try, it might just give your health that added boost. |
