Our kitchen is full of medicines. All the herbs and spices which we use in our food are medicines. Ginger (Zingiberofficinal) is also one of them. Ginger is used very widely as a medicine in Ayurveda since thousands of years.Ginger is a pungent, aromatic herb that has been used in traditional healing systems to improve digestion, nausea, intestinal gas and menstrual cramps. Modern scientific studies have found that ginger contains powerful anti-inflammatory phytonutrients known as gingerols, as well as strong antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
This exotic spice flourishes in warm and sunny places like Kerala, a tropical paradise in South India. Ayurveda, the oldest system of holistic healing, gives Ginger pride of place in its treatment protocols, formulations and home remedies. Historically, ginger has been used as a digestive aid, a stimulant for circulation, fever reducer, pain reliever and remedy for common cold. The few situations in which ginger is contra-indicated are in cases of hyperacidity, during any form of hemorrhage, vertigo and chronic skin disease.Other than in these conditions, Ginger’s warming and stimulating properties can work wonders for many common health problems. Ginger stimulates circulation, and enhances the blood flow throughout the body. It is a wonderful warming aid to digestion for it sharpens the appetite and enhances the absorption of nutrients, by encouraging secretion of digestive enzymes. Ginger also helps to move stagnation of undigested food and subsequent accumulation of toxins that can have a far reaching effect on our general state of health, our immunity and vitality. Not only does ginger stoke the digestive fire and whet the appetite, it improves assimilation and transportation of nutrients to targeted body tissues. There is an Ayurvedic sutra/verse that says that everyone should eat fresh ginger just before lunch and dinner to enhance digestion.Ayurveda gives ginger the status of a virtual medicine chest. That’s because this wonder spice has time-tested digestion-friendly properties, in addition to its numerous other health benefits.In India, we use ginger in our daily life. Ginger-spiked chai is a household favorite, and it’s grandma’s antidote of choice for battling cold and flu. Ginger produces a hot, fragrant kitchen spice. or cooked as an ingredient in many dishes. The juice from ginger roots is often used as a spice in Indian recipes and is a common ingredient of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and many South Asian cuisines.
Ginger is an herb. The rhizome (underground stem) is used as a spice and also as a medicine. It can be used fresh, dried and powdered, or as a juice or oil. Traditional Ayurvedic texts recommend ginger for therapeutic use for joint pain, motion or airsickness and clearing the microcirculatory channels to facilitate better absorption of nutrients and better elimination of wastes.
Dr. N. K. Dutta is Surrey BC based Ayurvedic Practitioner having more than 30 years of experience in treating common and chronic diseases with the help of Ayurvedic medicines having no side effects during or after the treatment.
*Please note that supplements should be taken under the guidance of a health professional. Please consult your Doctor before taking any supplements. Don’t substitute supplements as medicine and please make sure you are not allergic to any of its ingredients.
