Ginger Root
Botanical Illustration by Sasha Abiaad. If you like this art, you can purchase a print here!
Ginger is native to southeastern Asia, a region whose cuisines still respect and feature this herb. Ginger is an herbalists love and is used in all classic forms of herbal medicine for its aromatic, spicy medicinal properties. After the ancient Romans imported ginger from China almost two thousand years ago, its popularity in Europe remained centered in the Mediterranean region until the Middle Ages when its use spread throughout other countries. It was a very expensive spice, having to be imported from Asia, but like today, it was still in great demand. In an attempt to make it more available, Spanish explorers introduced ginger to the West Indies, Mexico and South America, and in the 16th century, these areas began exporting the precious herb back to Europe. Today ginger is readily available almost anywhere one can find a grocery store.
Botanical Names: Zingiber officinal
Parts Used: The rhizome
Therapeutic Category: mild herb with minimal chronic toxicity
Constituents: oleoresin, essential oils (zingiberene, bisabolene, phellandrene, camphene, sesquiterpenoid alcohols), pungent compounds (gingerol, gingerdiols, gingerdiones), acetic acid, asmazon, acetate of potash, sulfur, lignin.
Taste: spicy, sour, very pungent, somewhat sweet, phytonutrient dense, citrus notes
Energetics: very pungent, hot, dry, sweet, restoring, dispersing, stimulating, relaxing, aromatic
Actions: antiviral, antibacterial, immunostimulant, diaphoretic, expectorant, warming emmenagogue, carminative, antinfective, tropism enhancing, diffusive and muscle stimulant, digestive stimulant.
Tropism: lungs, digestive system, uterus, immune system
Preparations and Dosage:
The fresh or dry root is best prepared by decoction, tincture, or taken as an essential oil. A short decoction of the fresh root has the best diaphoretic effect for warming the exterior and respiratory conditions. Longer decoctions and tinctures are best suited for respiratory, digestive, and menstrual conditions.
Dosages:
Decoction: 1-3 g fresh or 3-10g dried root.
Tincture: 0.5 ml at 1:4 strength in 70% ethanol
Essential Oil: 1-2 drops in a gelatin cap topped with olive oil.
Cautions and Contraindications: Should be avoided in stomach and lung conditions involving heat. Use with caution in hot and dry conditions. Use with caution during pregnancy, should be taken mainly for morning sickness.
Topical use: Topically, Zingiber is used in a poultice or compress for sprains, spasms, and muscle aches.
Nutrition: Zingiber is filled with antioxidants, trace minerals and strong phytonutrients (gingerol is the main phytoconstituent that aids in nausea and digestive relief).
Gingers Relationship to Cold Conditions
In all classic forms of medicine, ginger has been used against cold conditions at first sight. Since ginger is so hot and spicy, it can easily dispel upper respiratory cold infections which present chills, sneezing and coughing while it’s spicy aspects disperse and engage to create a heat that will warm and move stagnant mucus and lymph.
What is a cold condition?
Cold conditions in the body are associated with stagnation and the weakening of vitality. Physically, cold conditions can present as loss of appetite, stiffness, stagnant mucus build up, loss of motivation, cold extremities, chills, slow pulse, impotence, frigidity, delayed scanty, or absent menstruation, and mental dullness.
Relationship to Nausea
Zingiber has a very engaging relationship and affinity for the digestive system and it’s microbial inhabitants. It’s incredibly nourishing and two of its active constituents; gingerol and shogaols work together to form a medicinal action that stimulates the digestive system once they hit the stomach. Zingiber fresh or dried has been shown to increase stomach emptying and digestive response which may result in reduced nausea. It’s an age old remedy for morning sickness.
One of my most intense Ginger experiences was day two of the worst food poisoning I’d ever had in my life. I’d been up since the early morning stuck in a vomit nausea vomit cycle. In between vomiting, I mustered literally all my strength to get to the kitchen and take a spoonful of lemon, ginger, honey syrup I’d made a few days ago for my summer drinks. Afterwards, vomiting stopped and the nausea came in smaller waves than before. It became my morning routine until the poisoning had passed. Thanks Zingiber :’) you really came in klutch.