Ginger, the rhizome of the
plant Zingiber officinale, has been used as medicine in Asian,
Indian, and Arabic herbal traditions since ancient times. In
China, for example, ginger has been used to help digestion and
treat stomach upset, diarrhea, and nausea for more than 2,**0
years. Today, health care professionals may recommend ginger to
help prevent or treat nausea and vomiting from motion sickness,
pregnancy, and cancer chemotherapy. It is also used as a
digestive aid for mild stomach upset, to reduce pain of
osteoarthritis, and may even be used in heart disease or
cancer.
Ginger may lead to blood thinning.
It is therefore best not taken with medications that prevent
blood clotting (anticoagulants) such as warfarin
(Coumadin).
