Turmeric Ginger Background
Both turmeric and ginger are highly prized in Ayurvedic medicine as well as in traditional Chinese medicine. The use of turmeric dates back nearly 4000 years to the Vedic culture in India and probably reached China around 700 a.d. Western science confirms that turmeric is an effective anti-inflammatory and pain reliever which explains its use in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases such as chronic obstructive airways disease (COPD), asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis as well as cancer, Alzheimers and cataracts. In TCM turmeric is categorized as 'Herbs that invigorate the Blood'. These herbs tend to stimulate blood flow and are used to help the circulation of blood in cardiovascular conditions or menstrual irregularities as well as to treat acute pains caused by Blood Stagnation. Turmeric is a bitter and pungent herb. In TCM the main clinical targets of such herbs are the digestive organs: in the intestine, for treatment of diseases such as familial adenomatous polyposis; in the bowels, for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease; and in the colon, for treatment of colon cancer.
Ginger root is the most widely used and most available herbal remedy in the world. It is used to lower cholesterol, and for relief of nausea, colds, arthritis, allergies and asthma. It is also known to protect the digestive tract and liver against parasites and toxins.