Ayurvedic Perspective

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Ginger is among the healthiest (and most delicious) spices on the planet. It is used in dipping sauces, dressings, rubs, pesto, teas, and even Super Shakes. Amongst very few rhizomes, ginger is widely used as a food as well as a medicine.

Ginger has been proven to put forth a numerous therapeutic and preventive properties right from cough colds to cancer. Ginger has been found very useful as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, anti-nausea compound, and anticancer agent as well as the protective effect of ginger against other disease condition.

Ginger is used in numerous forms, including fresh, dried, pickled, preserved, crystallized, candied, and powdered or ground. Zingerone, shogaols, gingerols, and volatile oils give ginger peppery and slightly sweet, with a strong and spicy aroma.

Ayurvedic texts credit ginger as a “Vishwabheshaj” - Universal great medicine. An old Indian proverb says that “everything good is found in ginger.”

China and India produce most of the world’s ginger, with half being produced on India’s Malabar Coast.

Zingerone, shogaols, gingerols, and volatile oils give ginger its distinct aroma and flavour, as well as its medical properties. The amount of these therapeutic compounds in ginger is determined by geography, time of harvest, and processing methods.

 

 

METABOLISM /DIGESTION:

Ginger being pungent in flavour, it helps in cleaning the tongue by increasing the salivary secretions. Cleaning of tongue increases the appetite

Some research indicates that enzymes in ginger can help the body break up and expel this gas, providing relief from any discomfort.

Ginger also appears to have beneficial effects on the enzymes trypsin and pancreatic lipase, which are important for digestion.

In addition, ginger may help increase movement through the digestive tract, suggesting that it may relieve or prevent constipation.

Improves appetite and digestion, fresh ginger juice along with other Ayurvedic drugs helps in improvising the apetite.

IBS: In Irritable Bowel Syndrome  ginger powder is used along with other medicines

In hiccups, mix jaggery and ginger juice and instill a few drops in the nostrils to stop hiccups.

Nausea

Ginger might help decrease nausea from chemotherapy, motion, pregnancy, and surgery.

Ginger works by inhibiting serotonin receptors, exerting anti-nausea effects at both the brain and gut level. It may also decrease the release of vasopressin, diminishing nausea related to motion.

 

Digestion

Ginger has been valued as a digestive aid since the Middle Ages. Ginger can calm over-active stomach contractions, allowing stomach contents to enter the intestines (this may also help to decrease heartburn). It also contains an enzyme called zingibain that may assist in protein digestion.

Anti Hyperlipidemic effects- standardized ginger extract or hot decoction of dry ginger decreased aortic atherosclerotic lesion areas, plasma triglycerides and cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)

Cold - Cough and Flue:

In Cold or Asthmatic attacks, ginger tea – crushed ginger is added to boiling water and tea is prepared with this water.

In Earaches, warm a little Ginger juice and instill a few drops in the ear to relieve pain and clear ear wax (cerumen).

Arthritis:

In Arthritic joints eg Gout, Rhematoid arthritic pain, decoction of dry ginger and caster roots should be taken every morning for lubrication of joints and relief from pain.

Anti-inflammatory & anti-oxidant

Consuming ginger may help to decrease muscle soreness, inflammation, and relieve osteoarthritis pain.

Asthma

Over several months, ginger may promote smooth muscle relaxation and more elastic blood vessels. Smooth muscle relaxation might also be a benefit to asthmatics.

Anti-bacterial

Ginger might help destroy oral pathogens and H. pylori (the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers), making it anti-bacterial.

Migraines

Ginger may help to reduce migraine headaches (pain and frequency), similar to some prescription medications

Drug interactions

It’s possible that ginger could interact with calcium channel blockers and drugs that lower blood sugar. There have been reports showing interactions with blood thinning drugs. Five grams (or more) of ginger has anti-platelet action.

Side effects:

If you’re taking ginger medicinally, consider using standardized capsules or tablets, so that you can be sure of the dose you’re getting.

Consuming a lot of ginger at once (like, eating an entire knob of it) might result in heartburn, diarrhea, and mouth irritation. Besides that – ginger seems to be safe.

 

Scientific Perspective 

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Efficacy of Ginger on inflammation and oxidative stress ( Phytotherapy research 8th March 2020 - EPub, ahead of printing. Without any conflict of interest of authors ) ( PubMed indexed Journal )
This article is a compiled extract of 20 Full-text articles and 25 different authentic studies on the said subject.  Thus, ginger can be useful in preventing and managing various infections.

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Key points.
1. IL1, 6, TNF Alfa, CRP, Prostaglandin E2 are inflammatory cytokines released by our immune cells.

2. NFkB ( Nuclear factor K beta ) mainly activates expression of inflammatory target genes, chemokinins and the enzyme COX 2.

3. Several studies have shown that compounds in Ginger in a dose of 500 mg to 3 gms per day, reduces expression of  NFkB, and attenuates all other above mentioned inflammatory cytokines. Due to various phenolic compounds, ginger improves the antioxidant properties of the immune system through another Nuclear factor called Nrf 2.

4. Largely Ginger is relatively very safe to use and has negligible side effects. 

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Ginger, a natural compound, which is found in each and every house or kitchen has the best ability to strike the golden balance of blunting the inflammatory cytokines without compromising on immunity.  

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Expected effects and benefits 

The ginger powder will act on the entire upper respiratory tract and may help to arrest the travelling of Virus or bacteria to the Lungs.  

It will also reduce signs symptoms of cough cold sinusitis, breathlessness and will improve voice quality. 

Will reduce headache body pain , discomfort and Fever without any side effect.