Herbal Spotlight: Ginger
It may surprise you that ginger is one of my favourite herbs these days for a variety of reasons that you may not know of!
The primary reason I use it is for heavy or painful menstrual bleeding.
I know, crazy right?!
More on this below, PLUS other wild ginger facts you may not know!
Ginger For Heavy Periods:
Several studies have found that ginger can decrease the amount and duration of bleeding when taken during menstruation by around 20%!!!🤯
The beauty of this is that it doesn’t need to be taken regularly, just during bleeding (or ideally starting a couple days before bleeding). 20% less blood loss can be significant in terms of maintaining iron levels!
Ginger For Period Cramps:
For menstrual cramps 😭, it’s been studied head-to-head against medications like mefenamic acid and found to be similarly effective in reducing menstrual pain.
For this use, it can also be used just during bleeding (or ideally just before bleeding starts). It also seems to be quite effective in my practice for pain around ovulation. It can be used in conjunction with NSAIDS when indicated.
Ginger For The Gut:
Ginger is quite well-tolerated, but it can give some people heartburn especially if taken on an empty stomach 😩. It can also have promotility effects, getting bowels moving a bit faster. 💩
It’s quite inexpensive in capsule form which is how it’s studied💊
Other Ginger Benefits:
Ginger also has some research around managing nausea, decreasing inflammation to improve pain, and possibly blood sugar and cholesterol benefits.
Disclaimer:
As with any herbal option, more research is needed and it is not safe for everyone.
If you struggle with painful or heavy cycles it’s worth asking your healthcare provider about!