Islander
07-16-10, 02:12 PM
by Art Young (http://www.helium.com/users/485820/show_articles)
For centuries, there has been anecdotal evidence suggesting that ginger reduces the effects of nausea. Often, when someone uses the term "anecdotal evidence" in describing the results of a non-prescription therapy, the underling message is; "this is a folk remedy that a lot of people have used successfully, but nobody really knows why, or IF it works!"
In May 2009, this anecdotal evidence about the benefits of ginger became scientific fact, and this change in terminology is more than just mere semantics. It is the result of comprehensive research completed by a group of respected scientists and published in a well-known scientific publication — The Lancet Oncology. GA_googleFillSlotWithSize(HELAD_publishercode, "ArticleATFMiddleArticle300x250", 300, 250
Originating in China, ginger is a spice that has been used by cooks around the world. Although it appears to be a root, it is actually a rhizome. This type of plant has a horizontal stem that is usually found underground and it sends out roots and stems from its nodes. In addition to ginger, other rhizomes include; bamboo, hops (a primary ingredient of beer), ferns, Iris species and every cartoon lover's favorite, anthropomorphic plant - the "Venus Flytrap."
Since this study proves the medicinal properties of ginger, botanists and other pharmacological researchers will certainly examine the other rhizomes as potentially beneficial drugs. With a little luck, researchers will find a ground-breaking medicinal element in hops, thereby allowing beer-drinking to be covered by health insurance.
The study that validated the efficacy of ginger as a legitimate treatment for nausea was conducted by Dr. Steven Grunberg, professor of medicine at the University of Vermont, Julie Ryan of the University of Rochester (http://nutrition.helium.com/topic/7735-university-of-rochester) Medical Center and others. The research was conducted among 644 patients, most of whom were women, from 23 oncology practices from around the United States.
Chemotherapy patients were chosen for this study because approximately 70 percent of this group experience debilitating nausea and vomiting as a side-effect of their treatment. Because of this, these already weakened cancer patients suffer severely.
The participants in the ginger study received two, standard anti-vomiting medications at the time of their chemotherapy. They were also given capsules containing either; 0.5 gram, 1 gram or 1.5 grams of ginger, or a placebo capsule. The patients took placebos or the ginger for three days before their chemotherapy and three days after their treatment.
The results were overwhelming. All of the patients receiving the ginger doses experienced less nausea for four days after the chemotherapy sessions. The results of this study were presented at the annual meeting of the "American Society of Clinical Oncology" in May 2009.
While this study proves the efficacy of ginger as an anti-nausea medication, the researchers were quick to note that they still don't know why this rhizome works. Ryan was quoted in several medically-oriented websites as saying that "there is other research showing that it (ginger) has a potent, anti-inflammatory effect in the gut."
In addition to sparking a race to find the best packaging and fancy marketing campaign for ginger among pharmaceutical companies (http://diets.helium.com/topic/7780-pharmaceutical-companies) who want a piece of the oncology drug market, this research will, no doubt, raise the interest in other natural remedies. This will likely confirm that some of great-grandmother's folk remedies might, in fact, be based on sound, scientific fact.
http://tinyurl.com/2fw2e9o
For centuries, there has been anecdotal evidence suggesting that ginger reduces the effects of nausea. Often, when someone uses the term "anecdotal evidence" in describing the results of a non-prescription therapy, the underling message is; "this is a folk remedy that a lot of people have used successfully, but nobody really knows why, or IF it works!"
In May 2009, this anecdotal evidence about the benefits of ginger became scientific fact, and this change in terminology is more than just mere semantics. It is the result of comprehensive research completed by a group of respected scientists and published in a well-known scientific publication — The Lancet Oncology. GA_googleFillSlotWithSize(HELAD_publishercode, "ArticleATFMiddleArticle300x250", 300, 250
Originating in China, ginger is a spice that has been used by cooks around the world. Although it appears to be a root, it is actually a rhizome. This type of plant has a horizontal stem that is usually found underground and it sends out roots and stems from its nodes. In addition to ginger, other rhizomes include; bamboo, hops (a primary ingredient of beer), ferns, Iris species and every cartoon lover's favorite, anthropomorphic plant - the "Venus Flytrap."
Since this study proves the medicinal properties of ginger, botanists and other pharmacological researchers will certainly examine the other rhizomes as potentially beneficial drugs. With a little luck, researchers will find a ground-breaking medicinal element in hops, thereby allowing beer-drinking to be covered by health insurance.
The study that validated the efficacy of ginger as a legitimate treatment for nausea was conducted by Dr. Steven Grunberg, professor of medicine at the University of Vermont, Julie Ryan of the University of Rochester (http://nutrition.helium.com/topic/7735-university-of-rochester) Medical Center and others. The research was conducted among 644 patients, most of whom were women, from 23 oncology practices from around the United States.
Chemotherapy patients were chosen for this study because approximately 70 percent of this group experience debilitating nausea and vomiting as a side-effect of their treatment. Because of this, these already weakened cancer patients suffer severely.
The participants in the ginger study received two, standard anti-vomiting medications at the time of their chemotherapy. They were also given capsules containing either; 0.5 gram, 1 gram or 1.5 grams of ginger, or a placebo capsule. The patients took placebos or the ginger for three days before their chemotherapy and three days after their treatment.
The results were overwhelming. All of the patients receiving the ginger doses experienced less nausea for four days after the chemotherapy sessions. The results of this study were presented at the annual meeting of the "American Society of Clinical Oncology" in May 2009.
While this study proves the efficacy of ginger as an anti-nausea medication, the researchers were quick to note that they still don't know why this rhizome works. Ryan was quoted in several medically-oriented websites as saying that "there is other research showing that it (ginger) has a potent, anti-inflammatory effect in the gut."
In addition to sparking a race to find the best packaging and fancy marketing campaign for ginger among pharmaceutical companies (http://diets.helium.com/topic/7780-pharmaceutical-companies) who want a piece of the oncology drug market, this research will, no doubt, raise the interest in other natural remedies. This will likely confirm that some of great-grandmother's folk remedies might, in fact, be based on sound, scientific fact.
http://tinyurl.com/2fw2e9o