GINGER - essential oil
Originating in the tropical rainforests of southern Asia, ginger belongs to the same family as turmeric, cardamon and galangal.
Ginger (Zingiber Officinale), is in the family Zingiberaceae, to which also belong turmeric, cardamom and galangal. Ginger originated in the tropical rain forests in Southern Asia. Although it no longer grows wild, it is now cultivated throughout the world and has has been used for centuries as both a culinary and a medicinal aid.
Ginger was exported to Europe via India in the first century AD as a result of the lucrative spice trade and was used extensively by the Romans. Ginger essential oil has been known to cure pain, stop vomiting, protect from wounds becoming septic, and relax spasms. It is also known to break fevers, clear the bowels, bring color to the skin, improve stomach health, and promote sweating, which helps removes toxins from the body.
Health benefits
• Analgesic: muscle aches, arthritis, rheumatic conditions, headaches, migraines
• Anti-emetic / Antinauseant: motion sickness, morning sickness, chemotherapy
• Antiseptic
• Antispasmodic: muscle spasms
• Bactericidal
• Carminative: food poisoning, bacterial dysentery
• Expectorant: cold, cough, flu, asthma, bronchitis and breathlessness.
• Febrifuge: reduces fevers, induces sweating (eg Malaria, Yellow fever)
• Stimulant: depression, mental stress, exhaustion, dizziness, restlessness, anxiety
• Stomach: indigestion, stomach ache, dyspepsia, colic, spasms
• Digestion: diarrhoea, flatulence, improves digestion, increases appetite, laxative
• Tonic
• Heart: reduces cholesterol, prevents blood clots
• Cancer
Warning: Interacts with Warfarin and Nifedipine. Consuming large amounts of ginger during pregnancy may cause harm to the foetus or increase the mother's risk of bleeding.