"JAMAICA GINGER ROOT" Botanical Name: Zingiber officinale. Medicinal Properties: Stimulant, pungent, carminative, aromatic, sialgogue, condiment, diaphoretic. Uses in Folklore: Ginger root (chewed) stimulates the salivary glands, which is said to be useful in paralysis of the tongue; also good for a sore throat. Prized since ancient times both for its flavor and for its medicinal properties. In China, the tea has long been prescribed for colds, coughs, flu and hangovers. The Chinese believe that the tea has the power to strengthen lungs and kidneys. Tibetans use ginger to stimulate the vital energies of one who is debilitated, lethargic, or convalescing from an illness. Modern medicine recognizes many of the spice's time-honored virtues. It is a carminative (ridding the stomach and intestines of gas) and an aid in the digestion of fatty foods. Recent research has even shown that ginger can be helpful in preventing motion sickness and vertigo. from E-Mail [log in to unmask]