|  Ginger or Zingiber officinale (Latin), is a tasty, aromatic spice that has been a mainstay of Asian and Indian cuisine and traditional medicine for thousands of years. Today ginger’s popularity has spread across the globe and it is one of the world’s most widely used herbal treatments. Ginger has been used in traditional Asian medicine to treat nausea, stimulate appetite, fight body odor and promote perspiration. Ayurvedic medicine traditionally recommends ginger for the treatment of arthritis. Ayurveda Energetic of Dry Ginger
Rasa (Taste) – Katu (Bitter)
Guna (Properties) – Laghu (Light), Snigdha (Unctuous)
Virya (Potency) – Ushna (Hot)
Vipaka (Taste at the end of digestion) – Madhura (Sweet)
Dosha karma (Effect on doshas) – Pacifies Kapha and Vata dosha
Benefits – Ginger is an appetizer and it promotes taste. It is also a cardiac tonic, enhances digestion and relieves pain.
Indications – It is used externally as a paste in inflammations, rheumatoid arthritis, painful oedematous conditions. It is used internally in anorexia, cough, dyspnoea, vomiting, gastritis, abdominal colic, rhinitis, rheumatoid arthritis, thirst, joint pain, post partum disorders and oedema.
Chemical constituents of ginger
Ginger contains Volatile oils (bisabolene, cineol, phellandrene, citral, borneol, citronellol, geranial, linalool, limonene, zingiberol, zingiberene, camphene), Oleoresin (gingerol, shogaol), Phenol (gingeol, zingerone), Proteolytic enzyme (zingibain), Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Linoleic acid. The pungency of ginger is due to Gingerol which is the alcohol group of the oleoresin (when resins are associated with volatile oils, they are called Oleoresins).
Pharmacological properties of Ginger
Studies found that ginger has carminative, analgesic, sedative, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-pyretic, anti-bacterial and gastro-intestinal motility effects.
How Ginger Is Used
The underground stems of the ginger plant are used in cooking, baking and for herbal formulation. Common forms of ginger include fresh or dried root powder, tablets, capsules, liquid extracts (tinctures) and teas.
Simple home remedies with Ginger • Stomach disorders and indigestion : ½ tsp Ginger juice mixed with little rock salt can be taken 2 to 3 times daily before food in case of indigestion.
• Bloating : Add ½ tsp dry ginger powder to 1 cup of hot water and close it with a lid for 5 minutes. Drinking this water helps relieve bloating. • Motion sickness : One can drink fresh ginger juice mixed with lemon juice and honey, prior to travelling. Chewing a small piece of ginger every few hours helps prevent vomiting and travel-induced motion sickness. • Nausea : Fresh ginger juice mixed with a little honey helps to dispel nausea. This is useful even for nausea during pregnancy.
• Headache : A glue of powdered dried ginger can be applied to the temples to mitigate headache. • Colds and the flu : Two tablespoons of fresh ginger added to hot water and consumed frequently helps sooth cold and sore throat symptoms. • Heart disease : Regular addition of ginger in the daily diet helps decrease cholesterol levels and prevents clots. • Menstrual cramps : Ginger tea is beneficial in menstrual cramps relief and irregular periods. • Earache : One or two drops of lukewarm ginger juice infused in the ear assists to cure the ear infection. • Respiratory diseases : Ginger root has proven expectorant properties. A ginger decoction mixed with honey helps treat asthma, bronchitis, the flu, coughs, and colds. • Skin conditions : The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger assist in eczema relief. Consumption of ginger tea or intake of capsules helps decrease irritation on the skin. • Diabetes : Consumption of ginger infused water in the morning may help manage glucose. | 
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