Ginger 101
I love ginger! As a cooking spice, it adds warmth and flavour to almost any dish. But, as a medicinal herb, it's an anti-inflammatory superstar. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has historically been used to treat colds, flus, nausea, gastritis and a variety of inflammatory condition including arthritis. Ginger is well researched and has been found to be particularly effective in treating nausea and osteoarthritis.
How Best to Use GingerGinger can be taken in a variety of ways, depending on the need. I often use it in tincture or capsule form, but love prescribing ginger tea, which is so easy to make at home. It's warming and when taken in sufficient quantities can have a potent medicinal effect.To make 4 cups of ginger tea:
- 4 cups of water
- 4" piece of fresh ginger, sliced thinly.
Boil ginger for 10-15 minutes and then keep warm on the stove. Enjoy! When using ginger tea for a cold or flu, I suggest adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to increase the warming, anti-inflammatory effect.Stay well!References:Altman RD, Marcussen KC. Effects of a ginger extract on knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2001;44(11):2531-2538.Ernst E, Pittler MH. Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. B J Anaesth. 2000;84(3):367-371.