Ginger: A Natural Remedy for Motion Sickness by Rev. Carol A. Ingle (Raven)

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Ginger: A Natural Remedy for Motion Sickness

By Stephanie Bloyd

Ginger is a great remedy for motion sickness and troubled tummies. Cultivated for millennia in the Far East, this useful root was approved by the German Commission E to prevent motion sickness and dyspepsia. (Commission E was established by the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices in the 70s to review herbal remedies.)

Ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties also have been shown to improve joint pain associated with arthritis. And its blood-thinning properties also may help reduce cholesterol levels by stimulating the secretion of bile and hindering fat absorption, says James A. Duke, Ph.D., in his book, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook.

In The Herbal Drugstore, Linda White, M.D., recommends ingesting ginger in one of the following forms:

Fresh root
Teas
Capsules
Tablets
Tinctures
Liquid extracts
Candied slices

Take ginger about half an hour before traveling to prevent motion sickness. Duke recommends taking one 480-milligram standardized supplement twice a day, or 2 to 4 grams of dried ginger up to three times a day. To ease joint stiffness, you can soak a towel in ginger tea and apply it directly to your skin.

Those with gallbladder disease should avoid using ginger, and it also may interact with anticoagulant drugs. Pregnant women who wish to use it to prevent morning sickness should first check with their health care practitioner.

Candied Ginger

Kathy Fisher

recipe for making candied pieces of ginger root:

1 1/2 cups of water, or more if necessary
1 cup of granulated sugar or alternate sweetener
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup firm ginger root, peeled and sliced a quarter-inch thick
(optional: bittersweet baking chocolate or extra sugar for coating)

Bring the water, sugar and lemon juice to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the sliced ginger and return to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Raw ginger takes three to five hours to cook completely. When thoroughly cooked, it should be tender and almost translucent. If the syrup cooks down too fast and doesn't cover the ginger, add more water. During the last hour or two of cooking, test the pieces to be sure they're done. If the syrup isn't thick enough (the consistency of honey) when the ginger is nearly done, remove the lid. As it thickens, the syrup will bubble up, so be alert to avoid a mess. When the ginger is finished, let the mixture cool for half an hour.

Strain the ginger pieces out of the syrup. (Save the ginger-flavored syrup in a jar with a tight lid for use on ice cream, pancakes, waffles, yogurt or to make ginger ale.) Let the ginger dry overnight on racks or a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.

Toss the ginger, a few pieces at a time, in a bowl of sugar. Let the well-coated pieces dry for a few hours on the rack or cookie sheet. If the pieces absorb too much sugar and get sticky, just recoat them.

Another way to finish candied ginger is to coat it in melted chocolate, kept warm in a small double boiler. Dip the pieces with a fork, tap off the excess and put the coated pieces on wax paper until they're completely dry.

Press two pieces of either the sugar-coated or chocolate-coated candy together. If they do not stick to each other, they are ready to store in a tightly-closed container.