05/26/2025
👩🏻🦰SHOUT OUT TO MY GINGERS 🧑🏽🦰
Happy World Redhead Day! When you think “ginger,” I know you probably think spicy….warm….powerful….and yes, all of this is true of us gingers (ahem).
And maybe it’s coincidental but…it’s also all true of the fabulous herb of the same name! Let’s give it up for ginger–the knobby root of the ginger plant (Zingiber officinale) is used frequently in traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Ginger, or “Sheng Jiang,” has a number of different clinical indications in Chinese medicine. For instance:
🫚Ginger can treat mild and/or early stages of colds and flus. It is also used for cold prevention
🫚Ginger can treat nausea, vomiting, and related abdominal pain. (There’s a reason moms give their kids ginger ale when they are having tummy troubles!)
🫚Ginger can treat coughs with lots of sputum, both acute and chronic cases
🫚Ginger can help counteract seafood poisoning, which is one of the reasons it is traditionally served with seafood in some cuisines (like Japanese sushi)
In Chinese medicine, herbs are typically combined in formulation to maximize each other’s benefits and to reduce side effects. Fresh ginger root is frequently paired with other herbs, including licorice (Gan Cao), cinnamon twig (Gui Zhi), red date (Da Zao), and ginseng (Ren Shen), depending on your health concerns.
Link in bio for my blog about ginger and hints for including this powerful healing herb in your diet (pro tip: it makes smoothies easier to digest).
Interested in a more customized approach? Herbal consultations are included with your treatment at my Oakland acupuncture clinic. Gingers and non-gingers always welcome!
