Would you like to know how to stop flatulence dead in its tracts or LOWER cholesterol naturally? Find out the difference in Roots and Rhizomes, stolons and tubers. Rhizomes, which make new plants by vegetative reproduction, may help with allergic reactions and reduce cholesterol. Discover abundant oils in ginger root like citral and eucalyptol that contribute to the benefits of ginger. It is said ginger will treat flatulence, stomach disorders, as well as LOWER cholesterol, aid the digestive tract and platelet aggregation, prevent heat cramps, thin blood, alleviate motion sickness, help boost immune systems, and encourage leukotrienes that help with allergic response. Ginger blends well with cloves and allspice. The oil blends well with clove oil, cinnamon oil, and lemon oil; vetiver oil blends well with sandalwood essential oil, patchouli oil, and clary sage; and limonene containing angelica root blends well with lime oil.
Angelica, ginger, and vetiver are three herbs whose essential oils are made from roots and rhizomes. Rhizomes are stems from plants that run horizontally, typically below ground level. They often send out roots from the areas where leaves attach. Above ground sprouts from a leaf are called stolons. When stolons become enlarged and store starch, they are called tubers. A potato is an example of a tuber. By means of vegetative reproduction, that is, without seeds or spores, rhizomes multiply into new plants.
Just as the roots and rhizomes support the plant, the oils from these plants stabilize the mind, body, and spirit. Root essential oils inspire relaxation, stability, and strength.
The large angelica archangelica plant, akin to carrots and parsley, contains rhizomes from which stems grow up and roots down. Angelica oil has a rich, peppery-sweet, musk-like aroma due to the rhizome components pinene, limonene, and phellandrene. The essential oils from the rhizomes of this plant, obtained through steam distillation, amount to up to 1% of the rhizomes.
Angelica root oil is valued in perfumery due to its ability to convey subtle differences in refinement to a wide variety of scents - from spicy florals to deep, woody masculine scents. The aroma and faint, sweet dry out note produce an introspective experience. Clary sage, citrus oils particularly lime oil, patchouli oil, and vetiver oil blend well with this pleasant yet strange aroma.
Vetivera zizanoides is a grass grown in tropical Java, the Philippines, and Haiti. The steam distilled essential oil from the fibrous, dark brown, thick, and sticky roots exhibit a sweet, heavy aroma. The unique vetiverol, vetivine, and vetivone components found in vetiver give it its aroma. Vetiver is widely used in perfumery as a fixative, binding other aromas together for a prolonged, consistent scent. Vetivera blends well with clary sage, lavender, patchouli oil, and sandalwood essential oil, producing a grounding, strengthening aroma that helps with emotional disturbances and collecting thoughts.
The tropical grass zingiber officianale is indigenous to Africa, the West Indies, China, and Jamaica. Although usually called ginger root, ginger is really a rhizome. The branching rhizomes normally contain around 1% essential oil, but may contain as much as 3%. The main components found in ginger oil - gingerin, ginginol, gingerone, and zingiberine, contribute to the fresh pungent, warm earthy, lemony aroma. Of the hundreds of constituents in ginger, there are also high amounts of the vaporizable oils borneol, camphene, citral, eucalyptol, linalol, phellandrene, and zingiberol as well as the phenolic compounds gingerol, shogaols, zingerone, and resins.
Ginger is one of the most widely used aromatic herbs in the world and is used commonly as a spice in cuisines globally. The young, fresh roots are juicy with a mild taste that stimulates salivation. Ginger oil blends well with spice oils including allspice, cinnamon oil, clove oil, and coriander oil. It also embellishes citrus oils, particularly lemon oil.
Theraputic Benefits of Ginger
Ginger has many therapeutic applications. Fresh ginger is mild with triterpenoid flavors and volatile oils that benefit the extremities. Dried, more concentrated ginger is hot due to the gingerols. Gingerols calm, reduce temperature, relieve pain, and stimulate movement within the digestive tract. Ginger essential oil is calming, comforting, emotionally supportive, strengthening, and warming.
Ginger has been used to:
| ALLEVIATE |
discomfort, headaches, heartburn, motion sickness, nausea & pain
|
| DISGUISE |
the taste of nauseous medicines |
| LOWER |
cholesterol |
| NORMALIZE |
platelet and prostaglandin production |
| PREVENT |
heat cramps |
| PROMOTE |
alertness, health of the extremities, & healthy immune systems |
| REDUCE |
inflammation |
| REMOVE |
phlegm |
| SETTLE |
upset stomachs (Ginger has been used for generations for this purpose.) |
| STIMULATE |
circulation & heat production |
| SUPPORT |
antioxidant levels, immune function, joints, & healthy inflammatory responses |
| THIN |
blood |
| TREAT |
colic, colds, digestive cramps, flatulence, heart disease, & stomach disorders |
(Studies on nausea and motion sickness used approximately 1 gram of ginger powder daily.)
Studies
Even though ginger is sold in many countries for medical use, it is sold as a dietary supplement in the U.S. This, along with mixed study results, does not mean that ginger is without its benefits. Medical studies indicate mixed results as to the effectiveness of ginger in decreasing inflammation where some studies show positive results and others indicate negligible improvement. In other studies, reduced joint pain from arthritis as a result of taking ginger occurred, but results from one study to the next are inconsistent. Some research shows ginger may help to thin blood and reduce cholesterol, beneficial in treating heart disease, but further study is needed. There are some studies that are more conclusive as to the benefits of ginger. Clinical trials indicate ginger performs at least as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines without the side effect of gastric problems. Ginger is believed to encourage normal production of thromboxanes (vasoconstrictors that aid platelet aggregation, which strengthen clots) and leukotrienes (hormones that are thought to moderate allergic response in asthma). If this is the case, it explains ginger's promotion of immune health, healthy circulation, and responses to inflammation. Beneficial results have been found from the use of both powdered ginger and fresh ginger in many studies. In one study, a dose of one to two grams daily of powdered ginger showed anti-inflammatory results in 56 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or muscle inflammation. Pain was moderately to significantly lowered by 75% in all three categories.
Warnings: Although ginger is generally regarded as safe (GRAS) by the FDA, allergic reactions are known to occur in some individuals causing flatulence or tightening of the throat, relieved by burping. Also it can interact with medications like warfarin and is inadvisable for individuals with gallstones since ginger stimulates the release of bile from the gallbladder. Even though ginger appears to be effective for some, the PDR advises against taking ginger root for morning sickness during pregnancy due to the possibility of mutations. This being said, Chinese women have long taken ginger root during pregnancy for morning sickness. The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, put together by health professionals and pharmacists, states ginger is likely safe during pregnancy when taken in amounts found in foods.
Root and rhizome oils such as angelica, vetiver oil, and ginger inspire creativity and thoughtfulness. Use them in blends to achieve these effects.
To learn more about aromatherapy, click Learn and view topics under Aromatherapy, Essential Oils, & Lavender. Click to view other Aromatherapy Articles.
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