Ginger Heliconia and Conception

Ginger Heliconia and Conception
Ginger is commonly used to treat an upset stomach. It works pretty well for that and for motion sickness. It doesn't contain any medicinal agent, but it seems that the volatile oils it contains are good for settling your stomach.

I have had many girlfriends who drank it and ate saltine crackers for morning sickness. It may help with cramps, too. It is promoted for arthritis and flu, but the evidence for those uses is lacking. It has been studied for chemotherapy-induced nausea, and it had some efficacy, but for people who were actually vomiting, it didn't seem to be helpful.

Ginger is not a plant, per se, but the root of a plant, Zingiber officinale. It is a common cooking spice, and, of course, everyone is familiar with ginger snaps, gingerbread and ginger ale. It is a pretty strong flavor and fragrance, and it always reminds me of Christmas time!

I have yet to mention conception. That's right. That's because I cannot find one bit of evidence that it is helpful for conception. It is probably not harmful to you if you're trying to conceive, but it is not a conception-promoter. And, in higher quantities, it may cause a miscarriage by stimulating uterine contractions. A small amount used in foods is not likely to be a problem, so don't drop that gingersnap or glass of ginger ale!

Some of the herbs discussed as fertility aids are not used as single herbs. They are combined with others into concoctions that have been given Chinese names, so sometimes figuring out what is truly the active ingredient is impossible. Perhaps it was added to other herbs to improve the taste.

In the case of ginger, I do not find any information that links it to fertility at all. It has been studied in morning sickness, and it was found effective. The doses vary, and if you are pregnant, check with your doctor before you load up on ginger. It appears to be safe in low quantities. Toss in some B6, and your morning sickness should improve! Or usually time takes care of it, too.





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