The Benefits of Herbs

Ginger Root, Zingiber officinalis (Gan Jiang)

The herb Gan Jiang is used in a lot of herbal formulas for digestive disorders. This is not really surprising if we know what it does!

Ginger warms the stomach and aids digestion. It is used in the treatment of vomiting, diarrhea and nausea (including car sickness). It is also used to treat conditions like cold, cough and asthma. It can be grated and added to food. It is easier to grate when frozen. It is warming and is used especially during the winter or while feeding cold and raw foods. Ginger also warms the Yang and joints and has anti-inflammatory properties, hence, it can be used for arthritis as well.

Boswellia serrata

Boswellia is a medium-sized tree found in India, Africa and the Middle East. After the bark has been peeled away there is an oleo-resin which contains oil and gums. It is these gum resins (also called guggals) that have been used traditionally in Ayurvedic (Indian) Medicine as a natural anti-inflammatory for arthritis. Boswellia spares the degradation of glycosaminoglycans, which serve to protect the cartilage surface of joints.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as ketoprofen or meloxicam do not protect the joint surface and therefore cannot stop the progression of arthritis. Boswellia is often included in powdered herbal formulas to relieve pain from arthritis. Arthrisoothe is an example of a commercially made joint protective product containing Boswellia. Boswellia can also be used in asthma related inflammatory respiratory conditions.

The Benefits of Herbs