Because it is grown in hot climates, ginger was not well known in cooler climes until fairly recently. Still, some Western healers knew of it even years ago. Gerard's Herbal lists the virtues of ginger:
[I]t is of an heating and digesting qualitie, and is profitable for the stomacke, and eventually opposeth it selfe against all darkness of sight.In the Orient ginger has been used for centuries to treat stomach complaints. It is also helpful during cold and flu season, as it has a number of properties that will relieve the symptoms of these ailments. It has also been shown to have antimicrobial qualities.
Susun Weed lists a number of uses for ginger in women's health, including a compress of hot ginger infusion made to treat benign breast lumps. Ginger is commonly used for morning sickness, motion sickness and nausea due to chemotherapy used to fight cancer.
I have posted free recipes for soothing ginger mint tea and for easy gingersnap pie crust and non-alcoholic ginger beer at the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Ginger is also used in chai for its taste and health benefits. These can be enjoyed either medicinally, or for pleasure.
Medicinal Properties of Ginger:
Circulatory: anti clotting agent, circulatory stimulant, hypotensive
Digestive: antiemetic, appetizer, carminative, sialogogue
Immune: antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, antiviral, diaphoretic, febrifuge
Musculo-skeletal: analgesic, antiarthritic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic
Respiratory: antitussive, expectorant
Women's Health: emmenagogue, for painful menstruation
Contraindications and Cautions:
- Ginger should not be given medicinally to children under two.
- Ginger may inhibit clotting of the blood. Seek medical advice if you have a clotting disorder or take blood thinners. Use caution if you take other herbs that also delay blood clotting.
- Ginger may lower blood pressure. Seek medical advice if you take high blood pressure drugs or have low blood pressure.
- Ginger may lower blood sugar. Seek medical advice if taking with medications for diabetes.
- Because ginger stimulates the production of bile, it may irritate gallstones.
- Ginger may irritate peptic ulcers.
- Powdered ginger may cause heartburn. Ginger of any form may irritate the mucous membranes; used topically it can redden and irritate the skin.
Sources: | Local Harvest | Medicinal Herb Info | Susun Weed | US National Library of Medicine | University of Maryland Medical Center |
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