All hail ginger!

Written by Rachel Berman   


I’ve always had a sensitive stomach, and most of the time it’s not related to the food I eat. I have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), so there are some days where my stomach turns into a knot and won’t accept anything I put into my mouth. I’ve had almost every test in my gastroenterologist’s book and tried everything Barbie suggests in her article here, but sometimes it’s still not enough.

Aside from my doctor’s advice to take medication or use breathing exercises to relax, one thing has helped me ease my symptoms immensely is ginger. Ginger root has been used for years in many cultures to treat digestive disorders and numerous other ailments. Most recently, researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center tested ginger supplements in patients undergoing chemotherapy. They found the supplements, along with standard antiemetic meds, reduced nausea by 40% during treatments. It’s so amazing what herbs can do; I hope some of them, including ginger, make their way into mainstream medicine. In the meantime, here are my go-to ginger products for when my tummy’s acting up. Placebo effect or not, they definitely work for me:

The real thing: My stomach can always digest sushi as long as there’s some fresh ginger alongside it. And at any bulk candy store, they’ll also have crystallized ginger, which has added sugar but is soothing when needed.

Beverages: From the moment I step into an airport, nausea sets in and I can’t wait to be in the air with the drink cart moving towards me. They almost always have Canada Dry ginger ale, though not diet, which is what I get on land. Still, the calories are worth it to me. I recently discovered Grown Up Soda, which is actually made from ginger and is half the calories of regular soda. Plus it’s all-natural and delicious!

Candy: I keep 10 Ginger People’s Apple or Peanut Chews in my bag at all times. I pop one any time my stomach acts up. I really can’t put into words how much I love this product — you’ve got to taste it for yourself! And what good would that do if I didn’t get you a discount from their website? Go to gingerpeople.com and enter code “SKINNYGNGR” to get 20% off any order (offer expires October 31, 2009).