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What is Ginger?
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is
an herb that is native to southeast Asia and has been used
as a food additive for more than 4,000 years, and for
medicinal purposes for more than 2,500 years. It is the
"root" of the ginger plant (which is actually not a root,
but a rhizome) that is most useful for medicine and for
flavoring food.
Health
Benefits
Ginger herb is used primarily
for the treatment of Dyspepsia (discomfort after eating),
this includes the symptoms of bloating, heartburn,
flatulence, and nausea.
It helps to protect the heart, lower cholesterol, and
prevent strokes, by preventing the clumping and build up of
platelets in the arteries that can cause blood clots and
atherosclerosis.
Ginger eases symptoms in the
digestive tract as well.
This
includes flatulence, indigestion, diarrhea, and menstrual
cramping.
Ginger helps joint pain by stimulating blood circulation.
Other conditions that have characteristics of pain and poor
circulation can also benefit from using ginger, and these
include Reynaud’s Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Side Effects.
Few side effects have been
associated with ginger at low doses.
There is a lack of available studies that confirm the
long-term, safe use of ginger supplements. Common ginger
side effects involve the stomach and intestines. Irritation
or bad taste in the mouth, heartburn, belching, bloating,
gas, and nausea have been reported, especially with powdered
forms of ginger. |