Simple Pantry Solutions: Ginger

by Laurie LaRusso, MS, ELS

Sometimes all the medicine we need is right there in the kitchen or pantry. From cooking and cleaning to fighting infection, the kitchen has something that can help.

Ginger tea, gingerbread, sesame ginger chicken... The list of tasty ginger favorites is endless, but in addition to spicing up your cooking, ginger may help when youre not feeling so well. Although ginger has a long history as a home remedy, researchers have yet to identify its active ingredients and determine exactly how it works.

Medical research suggests that ginger may help relieve the nausea and vomiting of motion sickness, pregnancy, and post-surgical stomach upset. Ginger is approved by Germanys Commission E

Ginger can be taken in the following forms:

• Fresh ginger root chopped or sliced (often used in cooking or served raw with sushi)
• Ginger tea
• Dried, powdered ginger root or fresh ginger root combined with boiled water (a decoction or infusion)
• Tincture (an alcoholic extraction of the herb)
• Capsules

The amount and type of ginger you take will depend in what you are taking it for. Here are some commonly recommended medicinal dosages:

To prevent motion sickness

Ginger is a common cooking spice that is unlikely to cause any ill effects. However, for pregnant and nursing women, young children, and people with liver and kidney disease, the safety of taking ginger medicinally has not yet been established. In addition, ginger can reduce the ability of blood to clot. If you are pregnant, undergoing surgery, taking blood-thinning medication, or have a chronic illness, ginger obtained through food is considered safe. However, talk to your doctor before taking ginger medicinally.