When used in massage or on an oil burner Ginger Essential Oil is an effective way to treat travel sickness and is especially helpful where there is excess of moisture as in catarrh, influenza and runny colds. Sore throats and tonsillitis can also be eased. Though a warming oil tending to counteract ailments caused by dampness, is also able to reduce feverish conditions by increasing activity of sweat glands subsequently cooling the body down.
Botanical Name: Zingiber Officinale
Origin: Cochin
Ginger Essential Oil blends very well with Cinnamon, Clove, Elemi, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Lime, Myrtle and Orange.
Ginger Essential Oil like so many of the spices, is a native of Asia, growing originally in India and China. It came to Europe via the 'Spice Route' in the Middle Ages, and was introduced into South America by the Spaniards. It is now grown commercially in all these places as well as the West Indies and Africa. It has been known since ancient times, and its medicinal and cooking uses overlap to a large degree.
The essential oil is produced from the root by steam distillation, and is a pale, slightly greenish yellow, darkening with age. Many people smelling it for the first time are surprised, and even disappointed because it does not smell like the dried or preserved ginger with which they are familiar in cakes, etc. In fact, it smells almost identical to the 'green' or fresh root ginger. Its principal constituents are gingerin, gingenol, gingerone and zingiberine.
In traditional Chinese medicine Ginger is used in any condition where the body is not coping effectively with moisture, whether the moisture originates within the body or without. Diarrhoea and catarrh are examples of inability to deal with moisture of internal origin, while rheumatism and many of our winter ills are aggravated by external damp, and the fiery properties of Ginger are used to combat this.
Oil of Ginger, in small proportions, blends well with many others, especially Orange and other citrus oils. A single drop can be added to a massage blend for arthritis, rheumatism, muscular pain and fatigue.
