Ginger: Relief for Your Digestive System

Ginger helps alleviate motion sickness and migraines; it also eases digestive discomforts like stomach aches, nausea, and cramping.  Ginger is also known for its anti-inflammatory effects, for increasing circulation and for relieving joint pain and arthritis.

Ginger is native to Southeast Asia, but now is cultivated in the US and tropical regions such as India, the Caribbean, China, and West Africa.  It has been used for over 3,000 years for cooking and as a medicinal herb.  It is considered a tuber (a fleshy, swollen, underground root where the nutrients are stored), and the plants typically grow about 4 feet high.  You can easily grow your own ginger plant from the root you buy at the store, or simply buy supplements.

Ginger is now commonly used in supplement formulas for digestive relief, like the NOW Ginger Root Extract which may be effective for relieving nausea or upset stomach.  The formula can be taken with meals to help alleviate these symptoms and improve digestion.  This is the reason Japanese restaurants serve their meals with Ginger – besides helping to cleanse the palate, it also has minor anti-microbial properties which may help when eating raw fish.

Ginger supplements should be taken with a full glass of water, and is available as a powder, and extract, a tincture, in capsule form or in liquid form.  Side Effects of Ginger supplements are rare, but check with your physician regarding the interaction with other herbs or medication that you may be taking.