Ginger is a spice that has been used for thousands of years, both in cooking and as medicine.
According to Ayurveda, the ancient, holistic healing tradition from India, ginger is supportive to healthy digestion and to the lungs, and is hot, sweet, and pungent. Depending on your dosha, or constitution, dry ginger might be more beneficial than fresh, for some people. For example, fresh root is more helpful for vata and pitta doshas, while someone with kapha dosha might benefit from dry powder, which is much more warming and drying. A little fresh ginger with lemon is used in Ayurveda to support appetite.
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), ginger expels cold, wind, and dampness. It can be helpful if digestion is slow after eating and if the hands and feet are always cold. According to TCM, because of its warming properties, ginger might not be recommended if you have signs of excess heat or yin deficiency. Ginger is definitely warming, as anyone who has tasted the fresh, spicy root can attest.
Ginger can be anti-inflammatory, increase circulation, and support gastric emptying. It has been shown to be a non-competitive antagonist of 5-HT3 receptors in our brains and in our gut. These are serotonin receptors that are also targets for anti-nausea medicines that are prescribed during treatment. Ginger can work nicely side by side with those medicines.
The studies showing the benefit of ginger with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) have had mixed outcomes. Is ginger for everybody? Maybe, maybe not, but it’s inexpensive and pretty tasty. Might be worth giving it a try.
Listen to Episode 7 of The Cancer Pod (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/side-eff-ks-nausea-vomiting/id1584013388?i=1000536961961) for more ways to support against nausea and vomiting from cancer treatment.
Find out more about The Cancer Pod here https://linktr.ee/TheCancerPod
#thecancerpod #stupidcancer #cancer #cancercare #cancersucks #sideeffects #cancerinsider