Benefits of Ginger and It's Uses

(NaturalNews) Ginger has long been used as a natural healing agent by Asian and other cultures. Ginger, a rhizome, is especially helpful in treating digestive issues such as nausea and diarrhea. Other medicinal uses of ginger include inflammation, heart conditions, arthritis, colic, and headaches. Many studies have been conducted looking at the benefits of this spice.

Ginger has been shown by various studies to be more effective than placebo in the treatment of motion sickness related nausea. One of the greatest benefits of utilizing ginger instead of medication is that ginger does not have the side effects of drowsiness and dry mouth. Studies have also shown that pregnancy related nausea and vomiting can be safely and effectively treated with the use of small doses of ginger over short periods of time. Other studies have looked at the benefits of ginger at reducing nausea and vomiting post chemotherapy in cancer patients.

Other studies have shown that ginger is effective in the treatment of inflammation. The use of ginger has been shown to reduce pain and the use of pain medications in suffers of osteoarthritis of the knee. Preliminary studies have suggested that ginger may also be useful in treating high cholesterol and reducing blood clots.

Ginger also appears to have anticancer properties. Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have found that in laboratory settings ginger powder can kill ovarian cancer cells. Interestingly ginger not only causes apoptosis which is essentially cell suicide, but also autophagy which is cells attacking and digesting themselves leading to death. The benefit of ginger causing both types of cell death could play an important role in limiting resistance which is a problem typically seen with conventional cancer treatments. Researchers at the University of Minnesota's Hormel Institute in Austin studied the effect of ginger on mice injected with tumor cells. The study found that the mice in the ginger group developed tumors at a greatly reduced rate. Dr. Anne Bode of the University of Minnesota stated that, "These results strongly suggest that ginger compounds may be effective chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic agents. "

The active ingredients contained in ginger include oleoresin, gingerols and shogaols. Ginger may be taken for medicinal purposes in both the fresh and either dried or distilled forms. Ginger has many therapeutic benefits which have been used for centuries. Recent research has found many new uses for ginger including the exciting possibility of treating and preventing cancer.


About the author
Sheryl is a kinesiologist, nutritionist and holistic practitioner.
Her websitewww.younglivingguide.comprovides the latest research on preventing disease, looking naturally gorgeous, and feeling emotionally and physically fabulous. You can also find some of the most powerful super foods on the planet including raw chocolate, purple corn, and many others.