Ginger Beats Nausea for Chemo Patients

When you were a kid, chances are good your Mom gave you ginger ale when you had a tummy ache or upset stomach. Ginger has been known for years as both an effective "folk remedy" and more recently, in the natural food world as a natural stomach calmer. A study just released also found that it can be incredibly effective in reducing the nausea that is a common and often serious side effect of chemotherapy.

According to an article by the Associated Press, "The study involved 644 patients from cancer centers around the nation who had suffered nausea in a previous round of chemotherapy. Two-thirds had breast cancer and the rest, other forms of the disease. They were placed in four groups and given one of three doses of ginger (the equivalent of one-half, 1 or 1 1/2 grams of ginger per day) or dummy capsules in addition to standard anti-sickness medicines." "It is heartening that ginger may offer hope as a cheap and simple way to ease the burden of chemotherapy on patients and their families, said Dr. Durado Brooks of the Cancer Society." A word of caution - Ginger caused no side effects in the new study, but doctors say people should talk with their doctors before trying it because it can interfere with blood clotting, especially during cancer treatment or if taken with the blood thinner Coumadin or other commonly used medicines. It's also a risk for people having surgery, the American Cancer Society warns.

Still, real ginger offered the hope to chemo patients battling nausea and though the study points to a specific brand, I'd like to mention New Chapter's Gingerforce capsules. New Chapter's products are among the highest quality products on the market. If you're looking for an excellent ginger product to try, start with New Chapter's Gingerforce - available of course, at shopOrganic.com.

[Note: Nothing in this article should be construed as medical advice. Please talk to your care provider.]