Ginger or Adrak is underground stem or rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale. It is one of the oldest spice. The rhizome of ginger is dried to get dry ginger which is also known as Sunthi/sonth in Ayurveda. This can be pulverised to make ginger powder.
Sonth or dry ginger is a very well-known medicine is Ayurveda. It is good for the whole body. Dried ginger oral intake improves body immunity to fight infections and promotes longevity. It is aromatic, pungent, sweet and hot in potency. It decreases vata, kapha and increases Pitta in the body. It is good for the heart, head, respiratory system and digestive system. Since dry ginger is hot and balances vata inside the body, so it is used in vata diseases such as joint pain, arthritis, and also in respiratory diseases.
Ginger powder taken in dosage of 0.5 – 1.0 g, 2-3 times for period ranging from 3 months to 2.5 years is completely safe and does not produce any health risk.
Ginger powder is faecal astringent and can cause constipation. Also it increases pitta/bile. Therefore, take this medicinal herbs in the recommended dosage to get maximum benefits and less side-effects.
Here is given, how to use Dry ginger to get relief from various clinical conditions using simple home remedies.
- Chronic rheumatic pain, Kapha, colds, excess mucus
Take ginger powder tea before bed, and cover up with blankets to promote sweating. - Loss of appetite
Prepare a decoction by boiling 2 tsp of dry ginger powder in a cup of water for 10 minutes. This should be taken thrice a day. - Throat irritation, sore throat, hoarseness of voice
Take 3 gm of sonth with honey.
Gargle with decoction of ginger powder in water. - Pain in waist, pain in joints, rheumatism, swelling in joints and similar joint problems
Take 5 gm ginger powder with castor oil.
Or take 2-5 gm ginger powder with water. - Indigestion, tastelessness, abdominal gas and pain
Take 5 gm of dry ginger before the meals with rock salt or jaggery. - Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Take 2 gm powder thrice a day with warm water. - Anemia
Take 1-3 gm powder with jaggery thrice a day. - Respiratory problems
Take 4-6 gm powder with old jaggery thrice a day. - Hiccups
Take fine powder for nasya. - Migraine
Take Ginger powder (500-600 mg) at the onset of migraine aura. Repeat after every four hour for 3-4 days. This gives relief from migraine attacks.