Chisom Ebih
Ginger is a plant with leafy stems and yellowish green flowers with spice coming from the roots of the plant.
Ginger is native to warmer parts of Asia, such as China, Japan, and India, but now is grown in parts of South America and Africa. It is also now grown in the Middle East, for use as medicine and with food.
Ginger is commonly used for various types of “stomach problems,” including motion sickness, morning sickness, colic, upset stomach, gas, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), nausea as well as loss of appetite. It also has the following health benefits:
Nausea and vomiting caused by HIV/AIDS treatment: Research suggests that taking ginger daily, 30 minutes before each dose of antiretroviral treatment for 14 days, reduces the risk of nausea and vomiting in patients receiving HIV treatment.
Painful menstrual periods: Research shows that taking ginger powder 500-2000 mg during the first 3-4 days of a menstrual cycle modestly decreases pain in women and teens with painful menstrual periods. Some specific doses that have been used include 500 mg of ginger three times daily and a specific ginger extract (Zintoma, Goldaru) 250 mg four times daily.
Morning sickness and dizziness: Taking ginger by mouth seems to reduce nausea and vomiting in some pregnant women and reduce the symptoms of dizziness.
Osteoarthritis: Most research shows that taking ginger by mouth can slightly reduce pain in some people with osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a common health problem. It involves degeneration of the joints in the body, leading to symptoms like joint pain and stiffness.
Reduce muscle pain and soreness: Ginger has been shown to be effective against exercise-induced muscle pain. In one study, consuming 2 grams of ginger per day, for 11 days, significantly reduced muscle pain in people performing elbow exercises.