Questions for Dr. Duckworth: Ginger

Recently, I went to the market, saw a deal on ginger and bought a couple of large... whatever they're called. Chunks for ginger? Stalks? At any rate, though I use ginger in cooking and in making my daily tea, I'm wondering if you've got any extra uses for the ginger? Noticed that you mentioned it mixed with sesame oil as a balm for wintry skin. Anything else ginger can do?

Franklin

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Dear Franklin,

Ginger root, those clunks of ginger are the root of the plant. When you purchase a goodly amount - and if you own a food processor, chopping the roots up, placing in baggies (about a handful per baggy) and freezing the chopped ginger root is an excellent way to preserve large quantities of your purchase. Don't refrigerate the fresh ginger (it will get moldy), leave out with your fruits. Ginger root will dry/dehydrate but it is still quite usable, Anyway, Franklin, ginger is a very useful plant. It has been found that 2-3 capsules of powdered ginger root are twice as effective as Dramamine in addressing motion sickness. It is quite helpful with nausea, including morning sickness. It may also be used to counter the diarrhea and vomiting of gastrointestinal "flu". The effective dosage seems to vary person to person, with some taking as many as 10-12 capsules an hour. Unlike Dramamine, ginger has no effect on the central nervous system and it apparently absorbs toxins and restores normal gastric activity. However, excessive doses may irritate the upper G.I.

In Oriental Medicine, Ginger Root is used to stimulate the organs, provide heat and restore vital Qi (Ki, Chi). Stagnation of Qi (the Life Energy of the Universe & therefore, the human body) impairs function and results in disease. Sore throat, swollen glands and other discomforts in the throat; sleeplessness; mental disturbance; unexpected or unexplained pain anywhere in the body and nervous system problems are some of the manifestations of Qi disharmony. Ginger is used to heal diseases attributable to Qi stagnation.

There are many herbal preparations that incorporate ginger in their formula. For example, a tea made of soya or tamari sauce, ginger, umeboshi plum (Japanese Salt Plum) and Bancha Tea (Japanese Twig Teat) is used to strengthen the heart. It is also drunk for fatigue, poor circulation and sluggish metabolism. The recipe: 1/2 umeboshi plum, 1 teaspoon soya sauce, 5 drops of ginger juice, 1 cup of Banch tea (boiling). To the boiling tea, add the salt plum, soya sauce & ginger juice; stir and leave on low heat for a minute or so. Drink hot.

Ginger is quite useful for digestive issues such as nausea, colitis, diverticulosis, indigestion, morning sickness, any kind of upset stomach. It is useful for menstrual cramps (internally & externally), hot flashes, muscular spasms and circulation problems.

Externally it is used to address joint issues, curvature of the spine, muscle contractions, bone spurs, inflammation, headaches, earaches, dandruff, skin problems and bronchitis. Cooked in water, it is used as a compress or soak for muscle and joints.

Yes, ginger oil is made by mixing ginger juice and sesame (or olive) oil. A very strong decoction is a mixture of 1 part oil to one part ginger juice; weaker mixtures would be 2:1 or 3:1. For skin issues, I'd start with the 3:1 mixture. Ginger oil is useful for aches, pain in the spine, joint and muscle pain, earache and dandruff. It makes a wonderful massage oil also.

Most of this information, Franklin, is contained in a 4 page info sheet entitled "Ginger. Out of the kitchen, Into the Medicine Cabinet" that I put together in 1998. You can get a free copy at the Natural Life Therapy office.