“Health Benefits of Ginger”

Fights Germs: Certain chemical compounds in fresh ginger help your body ward off germs. They’re especially good at halting growth of bacteria like E.coli and shigella, and they may also keep viruses like RSV at bay.

Keeps Your Mouth Healthy: Ginger’s antibacterial power may also brighten your smile. Active compounds in ginger called gingerols keep oral bacteria from growing. These bacteria are the same ones that can cause periodontal disease, a serious gum infection.

Calms Nausea: The old wives’ tale may be true: Ginger helps if you’re trying to ease a queasy stomach, especially during pregnancy. It may work by breaking up and getting rid of built-up gas in your intestines. It might also help settle seasickness or nausea caused by chemotherapy.

Soothes Sore Muscles: Ginger won’t whisk away muscle pain on the spot, but it may tame soreness over time. In some studies, people with muscle aches from exercise who took ginger had less pain the next day than those who didn’t.

Eases Arthritis Symptoms: Ginger is an anti-inflammatory, which means it reduces swelling. That may be especially helpful for treating symptoms of both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. You might get relief from pain and swelling either by taking ginger by mouth or by using a ginger compress or patch on your skin.

Curbs Cancer Growth: Some studies show that bioactive molecules in ginger may slow down the growth of some cancers like colorectal, gastric, ovarian, liver, skin, breast, and prostate cancer. But much more research is needed to see if this is true.

Lowers Blood Sugar: One recent small study suggested that ginger may help your body use insulin better. Larger studies are needed to see if ginger could help improve blood sugar levels.

Eases Period Pains: Got menstrual cramps? Ginger powder may help. In studies, women who took 1,500 milligrams of ginger powder once a day for 3 days during their cycle felt less pain than women who didn’t.

Lowers Cholesterol: A daily dose of ginger may help you battle your “bad” or LDL cholesterol levels. In a recent study, taking 5 grams of ginger a day for 3 months lowered people’s LDL cholesterol an average of 30 points.

Protects Against Disease: Ginger is loaded with antioxidants, compounds that prevent stress and damage to your body’s DNA. They may help your body fight off chronic diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diseases of the lungs, plus promote healthy aging.

Relieves Indigestion: If you live with chronic indigestion, also called dyspepsia, ginger could bring some relief. Ginger before meals may make your system empty faster, leaving less time for food to sit and cause problems.

Reviewed by: Melinda Ratini, DO, MS on November 29, 2018

Sources:

Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials: “Inhibitory effect of Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale extracts on clinically important drug resistant pathogenic bacteria.”
Journal of Ethnopharmacology: “Fresh ginger (Zingiber officinale) has anti-viral activity against human respiratory syncytial virus in human respiratory tract cell lines.”
Phytotherapy Research: “Antibacterial activity of [10]-gingerol and [12]-gingerol isolated from ginger rhizome against periodontal bacteria,” “Acute effects of dietary ginger on muscle pain induced by eccentric exercise.”
Benzie, I., Wachtel-Galor, S., Herbal Medicine, 2nd edition, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, 2011.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: “Ginger.”
Jundishapur Journal of Chronic Disease Care: “The Effect of Ginger on Pain and Satisfaction of Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.”
American College of Rheumatology: “The Effect of Ginger Therapy On Symptoms of Osteoarthritis: An Open Pilot Study.”
International Journal of Preventative Medicine: “Anti-Oxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Ginger in Health and Physical Activity: Review of Current Evidence.”
Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: “The Effects of Ginger on Fasting Blood Sugar, Hemoglobin A1c, Apolipoprotein B, Apolipoprotein A-I and Malondialdehyde in Type 2 Diabetic Patients.”
BMC Complementary & Alternative Medicine: “Effect of Zingiber officinale R. rhizomes (ginger) on pain relief in primary dysmenorrhea: a placebo randomized trial.”
Clinical & Medical Biochemistry: “Effects of Ginger on LDL-C, Total Cholesterol and Body Weight.”
FEBS Letters: “Calorie restriction and prevention of age-associated chronic disease.”
World Journal of Gastroenterology: “Effect of ginger on gastric motility and symptoms of functional dyspepsia.”
European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology: “Effects of ginger on gastric emptying and motility in healthy humans.”

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2Live

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk. 

“12 Good Things That Can Go Bad”

1. Exercise: You can do a number on your body if you hit the gym too hard. Overuse can damage joints, tendons, ligaments, and even your heart. Women who exercise too much may start missing periods or speed up the bone loss that leads to osteoporosis. How much is too much? If your workouts leave you exhausted or irritable, or if you have a hard time sleeping, eating, or concentrating, it might be time to scale back.

2. Sleep: If you snooze beyond your typical 40 winks, you could do your body more harm than good. Studies show that more than 8 hours of sleep every night increases your risk of death from heart problems by 34%. You also can have trouble with concentration, weight, and blood sugar levels.

3. Antibiotics: Antibiotics kill many of the bacteria that cause infection and sickness. So what could be the harm in taking some if you have the sniffles? Turns out, bacteria can change if they’re in contact with antibiotics too often. This makes them resistant to the drugs. Take antibiotics only when you’re sure you need them.

4. People-Pleasing: It feels good to make people happy -- but there’s a fine line between being helpful and being a pushover. If you agree with others just to keep the peace or take on too many tasks because you can’t say no, it can make you unhappy.

Just Say No: Practice these turn-down skills to help save your sanity: Ask questions to be sure you know what you’re getting into. Ask yourself this: What’s in it for you? Then answer firmly, and know you don’t have to give a reason for your refusal. “No” can be a complete sentence.

5. Sex: The jury’s still out on whether you can be “addicted” to sex. However, you can have an overactive sex drive. This makes you think about and act on sexual feelings more than the average person. When you focus most of your attention on sex, it can affect your everyday life and relationships in a negative way.

Find Out Why: In some cases, your focus on sex can be caused by other medical problems. Check with your doctor to see if it might stem from medications you take, situations of abuse, or possibly even a brain tumor. Support groups and counseling can also help you get your life back to normal.

6. Handwashing: This is the best way to keep germs at bay. Suds up too often, though, and your hygiene could actually suffer. Studies show that too much can damage your skin and give germs a place to grow and thrive.

7. Healthy Food: You only eat food that’s good for you? Great! But how much do you eat? Overeating causes high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, bone and joint problems, sleep problems, and even depression -- no matter what kind of food you put on your plate. And if you take in more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight, which can lead to heart disease and stroke.

8. Water: It’s rare, but you can drink too much water. When you do, your kidneys can’t get rid of the extra fluid fast enough. This drops the sodium in your blood to unhealthy levels -- a condition called hyponatremia. It can cause nausea, weakness and fatigue, headache, or, in severe cases, seizures, coma, and death. You’re at higher risk if you’re an athlete who exercises for long stretches of time, like a marathon runner.

9. Work: Do you stay at the office long past quitting time? Maybe you really love what you do -- or maybe you’re a workaholic. If you feel like you should be working all the time and tend to choose work over relationships, that might be you. Remember what they say about all work and no play.

10. Smartphone Time: They make a lot of things easier, but if you can’t stop looking at yours, your smartphone can make your real life harder. It can affect how you relate to people, your mood, your sleep quality, and even your brain chemistry.

Tips to Unplug: Change things up. Schedule different things to do at the times you’re most likely to be on your phone. Set limits on the amount of time you want to spend on it and turn it off when you’re not using it. And seek support -- friends and family can help keep you in check.

11. Vitamins: They’ll keep you and your family healthy, right? Maybe not. Too much iron can cause nausea and vomiting, and if you overdo the vitamin C, it can lead to nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. Too much vitamin A can cause vision problems, among other things. Excess vitamin D can make muscles weak, and it can even lead to heart problems. And vitamins K and E can cause bleeding issues. You and your family should stick to the daily dose, and nothing more.

12. Friendships: You can never have too many friends, right? Well, maybe. According to some studies, the number of people you can really call “friend” is around 150 to 200. Your brain can’t process more than that. And for best friendships, the number is much lower -- around five. Research is ongoing, though, especially as social media connects people in new and different ways.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Robinson, MD on September 10, 2018

Sources:

Kids Health: “Compulsive Exercise,”  “How Much Food Should I Eat?”
The American Council on Exercise: “Top 10 Signs You’re Overtraining.”
American Sleep Association: “Is Too Much Sleep Bad for You?”
Devore, E. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, June 2014.
Buxton, OM. Social Science & Medicine, 2010.
American Diabetes Association: “Too Much or Too Little Sleep May Raise Your Blood Glucose Level and Expand Your Waistline.”
American Psychological Association: “Just Say No,” “Workaholism: It’s not just long hours on the job.”
Krueger, RB. Society for the Study of Addiction, 2016.
Fong, T. Psychiatry (Edgmont), 2006.
Medscape: “Hyponatremia.”
Mayo Clinic: “Factors That Influence Water Needs.”
Andreassen, C. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 2014.
Cash, H. Current Psychiatry Reviews, 2012.
CDC: “Hygiene of the Skin: When is Clean Too Clean?”
St. Joseph Health: “Can a Child Overdose on Gummy Vitamins?”
Zhou, W. X. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2005.
Dunbar, R. Human Nature, 1995.

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2Live

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk.