Read why ginger is a powerful weapon against nausea.
When you feel nauseated, there’s nothing better than ginger to soothe your stomach. Cultures worldwide have relied on this powerful root for millennia to cure ailments such as bacterial infections, digestive issues, and more. The healing plant medicine originated in China and India over 5000 years ago, where it was used as a detoxifying agent in foods and teas. Today, people across the globe still turn to this natural remedy for nausea, pain, motion sickness, and other illnesses.
It’s believed that ginger can ease nausea due to the main bioactive ingredient, gingerol, which helps enhance gastrointestinal emptying. Most people feel nauseated because of trapped gases in the intestines, but ginger can relieve this discomfort. It’s also a powerful anti-inflammatory and pain reliever, making it a perfect remedy for digestive disorders.
Studies show that taking at least 1,500 mg of ginger daily can reduce feelings of nausea and other symptoms associated with gastrointestinal illnesses. Raw ginger provides the most significant benefits, although tea, supplements, and extracts can also offer relief.
Below, medical professionals explain the possible benefits of ginger and how it can provide fast relief from nausea.
Understanding Why You Feel Nauseated
Most people despise the feeling of nausea, especially if it comes on suddenly and without an apparent cause. When you’re nauseated, you may experience digestive discomfort, sweating, weakness, dizziness, a rapid heartbeat, and increased saliva. The vomiting sensation can range from mild to extreme, depending on the cause and severity of the illness. Some people recover just a few hours after throwing up, while others may need several days or even a week to feel better. For example, a stomach bug or flu may resolve quickly, but more severe infections like food poisoning usually persist for several days.
Common Causes of Nausea
As we said above, one of the causes of feeling nauseated includes food poisoning, a relatively common illness infecting over 3 million US adults yearly. It occurs due to eating food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, or parasites like Salmonella or E. coli. Undercooked meats, fish, eggs, and dairy products are the most common offenders, though unclean water can also contain dangerous bacteria that cause vomiting.
Many expectant mothers also complain of pregnancy nausea in the first trimester. As the mother’s hormones rapidly fluctuate, it can cause low blood sugar, metabolic changes, and emotional stress, which result in morning sickness.
Other nausea-related reasons include chemotherapy, certain medications, stress or anxiety, motion sickness, migraines, and gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Overview of Ginger
Ginger is one of the most potent natural remedies for nausea and other digestive issues. Some general health benefits of ginger, aside from easing an upset stomach, include reducing inflammation, providing antioxidants, boosting immunity, and even fighting cancer. Potent ginger properties such as the phytochemicals gingerol, shogaol, paradols, and zingerone provide relief due to their plentiful antioxidants. When you’re feeling nauseated, ginger remains one of the most potent plant medicines to help you heal.
This delicious drink can help ease your inflammation.
Ginger and Digestive Health
Some commonly cited reasons people use ginger includes its ability to improve digestive health and gastrointestinal function. Ginger’s antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties can increase gastrointestinal motility, or the rate at which food moves through the intestines. Therefore, taking ginger supplements or eating raw ginger can ease discomfort when feeling nauseated and needing stomach relief.
Ginger for Relief When Nauseated
If you want fast relief when you feel nauseated, look no further than the ginger root. The anti-nausea properties of ginger are well-documented since various cultures have utilized the plant for millennia. As mentioned earlier, it works so well as a natural remedy for nausea because of its potent bioactive compounds, namely gingerol and shogaol. These medicinal components increase digestion and reduce gastrointestinal inflammation, which can help ease nausea.
Safe Consumption of Ginger When Nauseated
When you feel nauseated or have an infection, you may wonder about the dosage guidelines for a safe intake of ginger. The FDA recommends eating up to 4 g of ginger daily and limiting it to one gram if pregnant. For nausea, experts suggest eating 200-2000 mg daily, either fresh or as a tea, supplement, or dried form.
It’s essential to be mindful of how much you consume since some people experience unpleasant symptoms if they eat more than six grams. Some potential side effects of ginger include acid reflux, heartburn, diarrhea, gas, and abdominal pain. Also, please exercise caution when taking blood thinners since some studies show they can interact negatively with ginger.
Other Uses of Ginger
When you feel nauseated, ginger provides a versatile remedy that can relieve symptoms quickly and improve your overall health. You have plenty of options since you can consume it in numerous forms, such as fresh, dried, crystallized, pickled, powdered, or as a tea or supplement.
Additional benefits of ginger that you may not have considered include its ability to enhance immunity, ward off infections, reduce cancer risk, and ease menstrual cramps. Some people even swear by ginger to cure arthritis pain, lower blood sugar, and reduce heart disease risk. No matter what you use ginger for, it will improve your health and protect you from chronic illnesses. The next time you feel nauseated, remember to add ginger to your grocery list as a tea, supplement, or fresh root.
Final Thoughts on Ginger for Fast Nausea Relief
When most people feel nauseated, they automatically reach for over-the-counter medications. While that can undoubtedly offer relief, some prefer natural remedies for nausea, such as ginger. It’s a proven cure for stomach problems like nausea and vomiting, as cultures throughout history have discovered. People still use the powerful root today, and it’s become popular to consume as a tea, supplement, and in various dishes. The health benefits of this spicy root extend beyond stomach pain relief, as research shows it can help prevent cancer, heart disease, and even bacterial infections. So, the next time you go grocery shopping, remember to pick up the healing root to improve your well-being.
