Ginger or Zingiber officinale as it called scientifically, originates from the root of the ginger plant. It has been used in Asian medication for centuries. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties like ibuprofen, paracetamol; potentially making it a better pain relief agent than the conventional medicines, additionally, it doesn’t carry any of the debilitating side effects.
Ginger has various medicinal benefits that can be used for a myriad of health issues. Moreover, It can also soothe upset stomachs and diminish nausea.
The anti-inflammatory properties make it a highly recommended remedy for people who have arthritis.
In the words of Dr. Roy Altman(1), a rheumatologist from UCLA Medical Centre, “Research shows that ginger affects certain inflammatory processes at a cellular level.”
[Also Read: Treat Arthritis Naturally]
Also, Roberta Lee(2), MD at Beth Israel Medical Centre in New York City pitched in saying, “Ginger has anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer and antioxidant activities, as well as a small amount of analgesic property.”
Did You Know?
| 1. Ginger and garlic paste can be used as a medication to cure several skin diseases, including rashes and acne.
2. Ginger is a natural blood thinner. Hence it could interfere with medications for blood thinning. It is recommended that you check with your doctor/physician before using ginger for arthritis. |
Why Ginger For Arthritis?
The early effects of arthritis include inflammation in joints, redness, pain, and swelling. Several studies conducted on ginger in the early 21st century have found out that ginger extract was as effective as ibuprofen in the first treatment period.
A study(3) conducted in 2001, compared the effects of concentrated ginger extract to placebo in 247 patients suffering from osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. It was observed that ginger was able to reduce the pain and stiffness in the knee joins by 40% percent.
Ginger has been a critical ingredient in ancient Asian medicine and treatment. It is to as the ‘queen of traditional medicine.’ Due to the presence of a compound, allicin ginger is known as an anti-inflammatory agent. Using the paste of ginger on the affected joints could be extremely beneficial. Additionally, mixing it with turmeric would increase the potency of the treatment.
[Read: Home Remedies for Arthritis]
Facts about Ginger
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Ways To Consume Ginger
Ginger, as stated above, has been in the spice cabinet since ages. So, one of the best ways is to consume is to add to your meals. The aroma adds to the taste, and its chemical properties benefit you physically. There are many other ways you can intake ginger like:
Raw Ginger: Ginger roots can be consumed raw in small quantities (2-4 grams a day). Its smell and taste may make it a little hard for a few people. However, when you take raw ginger, its juices are highly beneficial for the throat and can resolve throat infections.
The intake of fresh ginger helps in alleviating pain and inflammation and also helps in increasing your immunity and helps you fight arthritis. It is to be noted; if you cannot consume raw ginger, then you could sip on it in the form of tea.
Ginger in Cooking: Ginger can be consumed by adding raw/crushed ginger to your meals or brewed as a tea, or into syrup to flavor cold drinks. Ginger mixed in tea can be a natural healing tonic for many health issues.
Ginger Paste: Ginger paste is mixed with multiple products to have various medicinal effects. This has been discussed in detail below.
[Read: Turmeric for Arthritis Pain]
Ginger Paste and Its Consumption
To make this paste, you would need to mix ginger with turmeric, warm oil (coconut preferably), and a topical cream that is safe to use and doesn’t contain any chemicals to have revolutionary results. Additionally, you could also use skin ointments that have ginger in them to reduce pain and inflammations.
It is to be noted that before buying this product to read the label and to learn the percentage it consists. Anything above 5% is suitable for your arthritis.
Benefits of Ginger in Arthritis
For people with arthritis, anti-inflammatory, and pain relief properties of ginger are an absolute blessing. Lab studies on ginger have successfully established the fact that ginger has several distinct compounds like gingerols, allicin, shogaols that give it the medicinal properties to treat arthritis.
Ginger is also known as COX-2 inhibitors, which are medicinal drugs used to treat pain and inflammation. These compounds proved to be beneficial in cases of rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
A research conducted in 2016 shows that those suffering from osteoarthritis who consumed ginger extract witnessed a 30% reduction in pain and a 22% decrease in disability compared to normal control groups.
With all the benefits that ginger has, it still might not be suited for everyone. It is to be noted that ginger might react differently depending on various factors. Hence, it is recommended that you check with your doctor/physician before adhering to this regimen. Also to be noted is that the side effects are minimal, however, should not be neglected.
So, the best practice will be to use ginger for a trial period, check how your body responds and then decide whether to increase the ginger dosage, decrease it or completely stop taking it if any allergies occur.
Arthritis can be excruciating, and it is understood that you might want to try any and every possible treatment to get rid of it. However, a sensible and safe approach will be to integrating ginger for arthritis and observe how your body responds to it.
Using up to 4 grams of ginger each day could be highly beneficial for managing the symptoms of arthritis. It is to be noted 4 grams is relatively safe to consume irrespective of the patient’s condition. However, if you intend to increase your dose, it is recommended that you consult with your primary health care physician before doing so.
Ginger is easy to ingest or apply on skin or incorporate into a healthy and balanced diet, use this spice to control and prevent the symptoms of arthritis.
FAQs
1. Is Ginger Good for Arthritis?
Ginger has proven beneficial properties for those with arthritis. It has both inflammatory arthritis that helps cure both rheumatoid arthritis and degenerative arthritis like osteoarthritis.
2. Is Turmeric Good for Arthritis?
Apart from Ginger, turmeric also helps reduces pain, inflammation, and stiffness related to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA); treats bursitis, thus, turmeric is considered good for arthritis.
3. How Do You Use Ginger for Arthritis?
Add a few teaspoons of grated ginger over a salad or into a stir fry or allow it to simmer it in a pot with hot water for five minutes to make a soothing tea.
