Ginger - Zingiber officinale
Edited 2009
Anti-Oxidant, Circulatory
Stimulant
It
was from the Sanskrit word 'shringavera' (meaning 'horn
body') that the Latin name Zingiber was derived. When
Ginger was introduced into England it became known as
'gingifer' and it is from this word that the name we call
it today evolved. Ginger
grows best in tropical and sub tropical regions.
The 'rhizome'
(root) is used in cooking and medicine.
The warmth of ginger means that it can
easily be seen as an aid for the blood circulation.
History
Of Ginger More than 5000 years ago the ancient
Chinese and Indians looked upon Ginger as the 'universal
medicine'. It has received praise from
Confucius and Pliny for
helping blood
circulation. Nostradamus wrote
recipes for Ginger preserved in honey and the Koran
mentions a fountain of Ginger-flavoured water.
The
ancient Greeks ate ginger wrapped inside bread after
meals to help digestion and circulation and the
early English made a soothing ginger beer to aid the
stomach.
Uses of
Ginger Ginger is today an ingredient in more than
50 percent of traditional herbal remedies. Its properties
as an anti-oxidant and circulatory stimulant mena that it
has been used to treat many conditions, including nausea,
indigestion, fever, and infection.
Ginger
contains high amounts of iron and calcium, in addition to
its major constituents - gingerol and paradol. Gingerol
is a powerful antioxidant - clearing up the free radicals
that can do so much harm within the body - and it is
anti-inflammatory.
Recent
studies to test the validity of medicinal claims have
proved positive in a number of areas. In particular,
Ginger has been found to have the ability to stop nausea
and vomiting, prevent coronary artery disease, and heal
(and prevent) arthritic conditions and stomach ulcers.
Its powerful blood circulation effects are at the root of
many of its observed benefits. Ginger was also shown to
be effective against tumour growth, migraines and
rheumatism.
Nausea
and motion sickness Results of scientific tests,
noted in the Lancet in 1982, show that "The powdered
rhizome of Zingiber officinale has been found to be more
effective than dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) in reducing
motion sickness in individuals highly susceptible to this
malady."
More
medical reports show that Ginger is effective in easing
morning sickness in pregnant women and post-operative
nausea in patients recovering from surgery.
Another
trial studied 80 naval cadets, unaccustomed to sailing
in heavy seas. Out on the open sea it was reported
that "ginger root reduced the tendency to vomiting and
cold sweating significantly better than the placebo
did".
Digestion Ginger
is a great aid to digestion. It increases digestive
movement through the stomach and duodenum, and has also
been shown to stimulate several valuable digestive
enzymes in the pancreas.
In
India and China it has long been the custom to drink a
tea brewed from fresh Ginger, as an aid to
digestion after a meal. The enzymes in Ginger break down
protein efficiently and rapidly, leaving the digestive
system free of any discomfort.
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Ginger and the Muscles and Joints
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