The Health Benefits of Ginger

Thanks to Mother Nature, so many foods and herbs on our planet taste delicious and improve health as well. Ginger is one of her top ten. This spicy, flowering plant offers myriad health benefits ranging from relieving nausea and motion sickness to curing indigestion and reducing fevers.

This remarkable rhizome, which is the root of the flowering plant, can be used freshly grated, as an oil or powder, dried, or juiced. When consumed as an herbal tea, it stimulates digestion and helps relieve colds. Ginger’s bioactive compound, gingerol, is the natural oil responsible for the herb’s marvelous medicinal properties. Its anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and antioxidating properties help ward off viruses and bacteria, such as E.coli and shigella.

Topically, ginger’s been shown to cause a marked decrease in pain from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis of the knee when combined with other natural oils. Used as a mouth rinse, ginger prevents oral bacteria from multiplying, offsetting periodontal disease for healthier gums. Studies have also shown that ginger might lower blood pressure and LDL, the “bad” cholesterol, and possibly even slow the growth of various cancers. Time and further studies will tell.

Since ginger acts as a natural blood thinner, hold off using it before and following surgery. Otherwise, enjoy this flavorful, healing root to your heart’s content.