The herbal medicine Ginger, or Zingiber officinale is well known for it’s spicy, sharp flavour and is common in Indian and East Asian foods.
The herb grows well here in the Byron Bay area and is generally available fresh throughout Australia.
Uses For Ginger
The rhizome of the ginger plant is used for medicine and is indicated in a number of cases including
Motion sickness
Stimulating circulation
Anti-inflammatory
Ginger is also helpful in improving digestion. This includes bloating, gas, cramping. It is also a helpful addition when dealing with gastrointestinal infections. As written about previously the fresh rhizome is helpful when dealing with colds and the flu, especially when you catch it early.
The text Bioactive Food as Dietary Interventions for Liver and Gastrointestinal Disease has considerable information on ginger’s use in gastrointestinal conditions. It outlines ginger’s use as a digestive stimulant, use in healing gastric ulcers (possibly caused by Helicobacter pylori) the possibility that it could stimulate digestive enzymes as well as gastric emptying.
A very useful herb for people suffering from digestive issue in general.
The most interesting part of the same text (Dietary Interventions for Liver and Gastrointestinal Disease) went on to outline gingers use in cases of gastrointestinal parasites and dysbiosis. Interestingly ginger has been shown to be anthelmintic (kills worms) though this has yet to be fully validated. That said, the state of infection and/or dysbiotic imbalance leads to poor digestion and assimilation of nutrients. Any help from a digestive stimulant like ginger is much needed in these cases.
As the use of ginger in people with enteric pathogens has been shown to reduce diarrhea. The science is still unclear with some theories involving certain phytochemicals in ginger having the ability to reduce epithelial colonisation by some of the nastier bacterial pathogens/commensals including E. coli and Shigella.
Phytochemicals Found in Ginger
Many texts list the essential oil zingiberene in ginger as being the primary active constituent. Personally I have mixed feelings on reducing a herbal medicine that has been used for countless generations down to the single active constituent. I try to walk the line between scientific reductionism (shown by my love for peer reviewed science) and the vitalistic holism that has been the modus operandi of every traditional medicine that brought us this far.
Anyway that out of the way…ginger possesses a number of other phytochemicals including its pungent principles: gingerols and shogaols, and a whole range of additional essential/volatile oils.
Stephen Buhner outlines the use of fresh ginger rhizome in his incredible text Herbal Antivirals. I’ve outlined his useful fresh ginger juice tea and keep some fresh ginger on hand at all times. If I wake up feeling something coming on I’ll make up a thermos full of the tea and sip on it throughout the day. Incredibly effective
Mills and Bone outline gingers safety profile in The Essential Guide to Herbal Medicine as follows
1.5-3g/day of fresh rhizome
0.7-2ml/day of a 1:2 liquid extract
1.7-5ml/day of a 1:5 tincture
They list that ginger is contraindicated in gallstones (meaning don’t take it!) as well as for morning sickness in pregnancy.
They list that use in pregnancy is debatable but advise against use in pregnancy.According to the text it is compatible with breastfeeding.
The last caution associated with gingers use as an herbal medicine involves those patients already taking blood-thinning drugs (warfarin, aspirin) Close supervision is needed here.
Summary
To summarise ginger is a reasonably safe, effective herbal medicine. It’s incredibly easy to grow in warmer climates like our beautiful Byron Bay area and much of northern, coastal Australia. It’s use shines in gastrointestinal cases as a digestive stimulant with possible antimicrobial and antiviral properties and it’s a beautiful plant too! What more can you ask for?
If you’ve had any experiences with Ginger as a medicinal plant share them below!
Hi, I'm Todd Mansfield a clinical herbalist based in Byron Bay, Australia. I'm here to help you find and fix the root cause of your digestive troubles. I work with patients in person here in the clinic and offer online consultations as well. Reach out if I can help.
Ginger is believed to speed up the movement of food through the GI tract, while also protecting the gut. It may also ease bloating, cramping, and gas. If you are dealing with an upset stomach, you may want to boil some fresh ginger or add a little ground ginger to some hot water.
Blood-thinning medications: Ginger may increase the risk of bleeding. Talk to your doctor before taking ginger if you take blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin), clopidogrel (Plavix), or aspirin. Diabetes medications: Ginger may lower blood sugar.
With ginger we have good data showing that it can help to increase or accelerate gastric emptying (2, 3) – perfect for patients suffering from gastroparesis. Summary – Ginger appears to have the most impact on the stomach and can help to speed up gastric emptying.
It can cause mild side effects including heartburn, diarrhea, burping, and general stomach discomfort. Taking higher doses of 5 grams daily increases the risk for side effects. When applied to the skin: Ginger is possibly safe when used short-term. It might cause skin irritation for some people.
However, people should avoid consuming more than 5 g of it per day. The NCCIH suggest that those with gallstone disease should be cautious when using ginger. This is because it may increase the flow of bile.
Fortunately, ginger is a food that has all the elements needed to prevent and treat liver problems. Experts suggest that ginger supplementation represents a new treatment strategy for NAFLD by improving the body's antioxidant activity, reducing inflammation and insulin resistance.
Human studies have shown that taking ginger supplements may reduce blood pressure. One study in more than 4,000 people found that those who consumed the most ginger — 2–4 grams per day — had the lowest risk of developing high blood pressure. Ginger is flavorful and easy to incorporate into your diet with meals.
Ginger seems to aid digestion and saliva flow. Studies found that taking ginger could ease nausea and vomiting in some pregnant women. But pregnant women should be careful with ginger. Some experts worry that it could raise the risk of miscarriage, especially in high doses.
Peppermint, ginger, and chamomile are all good for discomfort in the upper part of the GI tract. You can use them as teas, and in the case of ginger, as a candy. Something to keep in mind is that ginger- and mint-flavored products are just that…”flavored”; they do not contain any actual peppermint or ginger!
Water: In addition to its importance for digestion, research indicates warm water may aid gut bacteria. Herbal and spiced teas: This includes peppermint tea, turmeric tea, ginger tea, and fennel tea. The herbs and spices in the tea can reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms of digestive distress.
Some studies have shown that taking high levels of ginger powder in a concentrated form in a capsule can help with the speed at which your stomach empties itself, so it can help with the speed of things going through your digestion, this can be really helpful if you've got slow motility.
Lifestyle factors that may result in frequent urination: Drinking too much water/fluid. Diuretics – foods/beverages that relieve water retention such as alcohol, tea, coffee, soda, parsley, ginger, etc. Spicy, salty, or acidic foods that irritate the bladder.
Studies confirm ginger's kidney-healing properties. One of them concludes that “ginger provides evidence for kidney protection and reduces severity of damage” caused to kidneys.
Ginger is rich in chemicals and antioxidants, such as phenolic compounds. These may provide health benefits, such as reducing inflammation associated with acid reflux. Plus, ginger's anti-inflammatory properties may help reduce the production of stomach acid.
Ginger may help relieve nausea and vomiting and aid digestion . Antioxidants and other nutrients in ginger root may help prevent or treat arthritis, inflammation, and various types of infection. Ginger may also reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer, and other health problems.
A few spoons of freshly grated ginger covered with a cup of hot water. will support your liver detox and help filter out the toxins from your body faster. If you are not a ginger fan, you can also replace the ginger tea with a glass of warm water and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
They had an idea that ginger delivered in microscopic particles could be useful in treating inflammatory bowel disorders, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. As it turned out, they were right.
Introduction: My name is Saturnina Altenwerth DVM, I am a witty, perfect, combative, beautiful, determined, fancy, determined person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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