No matter what ancient medical text you read ginger and ginger oil is mentioned. The Chinese wrote about it; it’s in Sanskrit texts, and the Greeks, Romans, and Arabians had stories to share about this sweet-spicy smelling oil that is steam distilled from the Zingiber officinale plant. The ginger plant is native to India, China, Java, the West Indies, and Africa. All of those countries used ginger as a food additive as well as a cure for nausea, tired muscles, and the common cold.
The first folk medicine cure was never written down until writing became a method of communication. Word of mouth was used to tell the wonders of the root ginger oil, which was called inji root in Tamil and Malayalam. In Burma, ginger is called gyin, and in India and Pakistan it’s called adrak. Those cultures first use the root and the powder of the root in lentil curries, and other vegetarian dishes. Tea was also made from the root. Once the ancient’s discovered that ginger could cure nausea the oil became an ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine.
The ancient Indians used the oil to cure colds, and repair damaged skin. They applied the steam distilled oil to muscles and ligaments after yoga exercises, and pregnant or nursing women used a mixture of gum resin, nuts, ghee, sugar and ginger to relieve anxiety and vomiting.
Candied ginger was popular in rural China, and ginger herbal tea was used to settle the stomach and relieve indigestion after one of those extravagant Chinese meals. The Japanese pickled their ginger and it was eaten after sushi. The Japanese believed that ginger oil could make the heart stronger and the muscles firmer so it became a medical remedy. All practicing doctors used it before synthetic drugs came on the scene.
In Chinese Medicine Ginger Released Mucus and Phlegm
The ancient Chinese knew that blocked energy caused sickness. They called that energy or life force Chi or Qi, and when the throat had excess mucus or phlegm, ginger oil was inhaled to relieve the blockage. If diarrhea was an issue ginger oil was used to get the intestinal track back in shape.
The Greeks and Romans wrote about the soothing qualities of ginger oil, especially in spa treatments. Ginger oil was blended with rose, bergamot, and frankincense to clear the skin and when it was inhaled they believed the oil boosted the immune system and gave them more stamina.
Old Jamaican records say that ginger oil was a great stimulant, and it was used frequently to relieve constipation and colic. They also used the oil to relieve muscle aches and for slow motility symptoms.
In Nepal ginger oil was a cold antidote, and in Peru it was medicine that could cure all sorts of stomach issues. Filipinos used it as a throat lozenge, and in Indonesia it cured what they called ‘the wind in the blood,’ which was the common cause of fatigue back then.
