History of Traditional Use of Ginger
Ginger and her cousin Turmeric are proud members of the zingiberaceae family and grow in sub-tropical, volcanic soils in the southern hemispheres. The plant is thought to have originated in tropical Asia and is widely cultivated in the Caribbean and Africa. All cultures report similar uses of this plant. It has been used as a favorite “diffusive” circulatory stimulant and heating agent; calming nausea, removing phlegm or catarrh in a wet cough. It has also been used to support a healthy inflammatory response. Ginger is also widely used for motion sickness. Ginger is one of the most widely consumed aromatic spices on the planet.
Structure Function Claims
Maintains a Healthy Inflammatory Response. Supports Settling of an Upset Stomach. Supports Healthy Joints and Normal Platelet and Prostaglandin Production. Provides Antioxidant Support. Supports Healthy Immune Function.
Mechanism of Theraputic Action
Ginger contains hundreds of chemical components. The highest percentages of chemicals are the volatile oils (camphene, phellandrene, zingiberine, zingiberol, eucalyptol, citral, borneol, and linalol) and the phenolic compounds (gingerol, zingerone, shogaols) and resins. The fresh rhizome is less hot and contains more of the flavor components such as triterpenoids and volatile oils which act on the peripheries of the body. The dried rhizome is quite hot from its concentration of pungent nonvolatile compounds known as gingerols and acts centrally to dispel what are referred to in Traditional Chinese Medicine as “Cold-Wind” conditions. Ginger has been shown in numerous clinical trials to work as well as or better than Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory medicines without the adverse events reported such as gastric mucosal irritation and ulceration. It is thought that Ginger promotes normal production of Thromboxanes and Leukotrienes which would explain its action on the immune system as well as its ability to promote healthy circulation and inflammatory responses. Numerous studies used dried powdered ginger and fresh ginger and had very positive results with humans. Powdered dried ginger root demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects in 56 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or mysositis (muscle inflammation) when taken daily in one to two gram amounts. Pain was moderately or markedly reduced by 75% in all three categories of patients. (see references).
MacLeod AJ, Pieris NM. Volatile aroma constituents of Sri Lankan ginger. Phytochemistry. 1984 ; 23: 353-59.
Srivastava KC. Effects of Onions and Ginger consumption on platelet thromboxane production in humans. Prostaglandins Leukotriene Essential Fatty acids. 1989; 35: 183-85.
Srivastava KC, Mustafa T, Ginger (Zingiber Off.) and Rheumatic Disorders. Med. Hypotheses. 1989; 29:25-28.
Specific Differentiation of Gaia Herbs Product
Gaia Herbs utilizes all manners of Ginger in its product offerings each one specifically indicated for its proper use and all of them are Certified Organic. For example Rejuve Powder contains whole powdered Organic Ginger, Sweetish Bitters contains fresh juiced Ginger, Ginger Supreme Liquid Phyto-Caps contain a SuperCritical extract of Ginger as well as an ethanolic extract of Ginger. Gaia Herbs grows Ginger Organically on its Certified Organic farm on the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica; one of the youg roots of Blue Ring Ginger is shown above. For more photos of the Organic Farms in Costa Rica and Brevard, NC see the photo gallery on this website. Gaia Herbs captures the Essence of Natures Vitality.
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