Ask the Pharmacist: Ginger helps ease variety of ailments

Q: I’m prone to nausea, even at the movies. I threw up once on a cruise ship. My neighbor suggested ginger and it does seem to help. Is this just in my mind, or is there something to it? What benefits am I deriving from ginger? — C.D., Boca Raton

A: Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) is sold at health food stores in all kinds of forms, from raw to capsules to candy. It’s popular in Thai and Indian cuisine.

I like to buy ginger coated in crystallized sugar because it tastes like chewy candy (not exactly Snickers, but much better for your body).

Carry it around with you and eat a little before going to the movies. A one-inch square contains approximately 500 mg of the active ingredient. If you’re traveling on the high seas and prone to seasickness, ginger is a great alternative to those skin patches you wear behind the ear (Transderm-Scop). Many people can’t use these patches because they get too sleepy, or they don’t like the fact they can’t drink alcohol while wearing a patch. Learn more about the motion sickness patch at http://www.transdermscop.com.

Since most anti-nausea meds “sedate” the nervous system, they can cause dizziness and drowsiness. Because ginger acts on the digestive tract, it isn’t likely to cause this reaction.

Dosages vary, but about 100-200 mg two or three times a day is recommended. Ginger has a soothing effect on the gut; it blocks the urge to throw up. In fact, ginger is considered so safe that doctors often recommend it for pregnant women.

Ginger is not just for nausea. Some people believe it can control cravings to smoke (let me know if this works), and because ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory, it appears to ease arthritis, rheumatism, migraines, asthma, allergies and many inflammatory conditions. Ginger reportedly helps fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome because it eases muscle and joint aches.

There are many ways to incorporate ginger into your diet, including using it as a spice, or taking it as a supplement. Some say ginger ale is just as good, but you have to find an authentic brand made with real ginger root. Read the labels to make sure your brand is free of artificial sweeteners.

Visit a health food store for the real deal. I like tea best as a source of ginger. Buy the tea ready-made or make it fresh yourself by grating some peeled ginger into a cup of hot water. You’ll need to grate about a half teaspoon and steep it for five or 10 minutes. Add honey to taste. Ginger thins the blood (considered a good thing), so be careful if you take anticoagulant drugs.

Did you know?

Chaste tree extract inspires a woman’s brain to produce a hormone that causes ovulation, which is why it’s sometimes recommended for irregular menses and infertility.

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Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist. This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Always consult your physician. To contact her, go to http://www.dearpharmacist.com.