Ginger for PMS
You’re going to want to add this to your PMS Toolbelt!
It’s widely known that ginger is good for treating an upset stomach, or at least I’ve always known that. Perhaps because my mom always used it when I was growing up. Recently, when my partner started battling some injury induced nausea, I immediately went to the store to buy a big hunk of ginger to make him teas. That’s when I got curious about whether ginger truly had medicinal properties or if it was just one of those folk home remedies. Turns out it’s a pretty amazing plant that does so much more than just treat nausea, which by the way has been studied and actually works! What I was surprised to find was that it has also an effective way of treating some period related problems as well.
So let’s dig into why this native Asian root plant is so Amazing and Mightly:
It helps against period related pain.
So many of us suffer from period pain from PMS and dysmenorrhea. While some cramping and discomfort is normal, any pain that keeps us from our daily activities is NOT NORMAL (barring any underlying condition). Two separate studies found that ginger was both more effective than the placebo and JUST AS effective as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or aspirin in treating menstrual pain. But how exactly does ginger achieve this? We can thank a compound called zingibain which protects us from inflammation but more specifically, it inhibits the production of prostaglandins. These are the hormones that trigger the contraction of our uterus during our period, but when levels are too high they can cause elevated pain and cramping.
It’s effective in treating upset stomach, nausea, and vomiting.
Many women experience nausea as a symptom of PMS. Luckily ginger is a powerful natural remedy for this. You can even use ginger to treat these symptoms through pregnancy and postpartum. These symptoms can be especially tough during the first trimester so keep you ginger stash close!
It can prevent/treat headaches & migraines.
Another symptom often experienced with PMS are headaches, or in severe cases migraines. Luckily ginger has also been found to be an effective treatment for this regardless of whether they are cycle related or not.
It can prevent/treat indigestion and bloating.
Many of us also experience gastro-intestinal discomforts related to our shifting hormones. Ginger will stimulate the digestive tract which helps the stomach empty, alleviating gastrointestinal pressure and thus reducing discomfort. This is what also contributes to reduction of nausea and upset-stomach.
Finally, it’s anti-inflammatory & anti-oxidative.
Ginger also has other compounds called gingerols and shogaols. These have an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effect in the body and are responsible for most of the benefits seen above, but their effects go even further than what we’ve discussed here. Ginger also has possible positive interactions with our cardiovascular system, blood pressure, our joints and bones, digestive system, brain function, infections, and more. At the least, the anti-oxidative properties help us combat free-radicals in our bodies and are generally anti-inflammatory which is always a plus!
If you’re thinking “OKAYYY but how do I use or eat it ? “
Well, there are many several ways to consume it which is helpful if you are sensitive to it’s strong flavor. Ginger is known to be generally safe and has less adverse effects than pharmacological treatments of pain/nausea but the FDA recommends consuming up to 4grams. Use your best judgement and always check with your healthcare provider to make sure there isn’t an underlying condition that needs treatment, make sure there won’t be any interaction with medications you might be taking, and to make sure you are safe to consume ginger as a natural medicine
Different forms of consuming ginger include:
Fresh, dried, pickled, crystalized, candied, or lozenge for eating/cooking
As a beverage like tea or ginger beer for drinking
powdered, tincture, supplement, or extract for taking
Ginger essential oil or extract for topical use
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818021/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24944825/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11710709/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23871076/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23871076/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1016&context=rr#:~:text=In%20conclusion%2C%20our%20study%20shows,are%20associated%20with%20period%20discomforthttps://headachejournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2011.01910.xhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.4996https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0333102418776016https://academic.oup.com/painmedicine/article/16/12/2243/2460294https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2016/6295737/#discussionhttps://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-ginger#11.-Can-help-fight-infectionshttps://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ginger-for-nausea#How-to-Peel-Gingerhttps://www.healthline.com/health/ginger-for-headache#how-it-workshttps://www.verywellhealth.com/ginger-for-menstrual-cramps-90072#citation-2