Ovarian cancer strikes women of all ages and is responsible for 3 percent of all female cancers. With more and more women falling prey to this dreadful disease, there is little you can do to curb it, since its biggest risk factors are your genetics and your family history—things you really can’t change.
However, scientists and oncologists mutually agree that what you eat can make a big difference in lowering your risk of ovarian cancer. One herb which is effective in preventing as well as treating ovarian cancer is ginger.
Ginger For Ovarian Cancer
Besides giving your meals that gingery zest and flavor, ginger has been used for almost three centuries for treating numerous conditions such as nausea, headaches, cough and cold. An immune booster, ginger curbs inflammation by relaxing the blood vessels.[1,2]
Ginger is a natural remedy for nausea and vomiting experienced by those undergoing chemotherapy.[3] However, researchers from the University of Michigan found in 2006 that it could also kill both ovarian and prostate cancer cells. The scientists applied a solution of ginger powder and water to ovarian cancer cells and found that all of them died after coming in contact with the decoction.
The active component gingerol present in ginger is believed to be the reason behind its anti-cancer activity.[2] Gingerol selectively targets cancer cells and not only arrests their growth, but also prevents its spread.[4]
How To Use It
- Make a regenerative ginger tea by boiling 2tsp grated ginger in a cup of water for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid and have it twice daily.
- You can also add ginger to your meals—soups, pastas, dips, smoothies and even desserts. Check out our wholesome ginger recipes.
For more interesting stories, visit our Health page and read about other Natural Remedies here.
Read More:
Quick Fix: Ginger For Headaches
Relieve It With A Herb: Ginger For Alzheimer’s
Safe & Natural: 5 Ginger Remedies For Your Baby’s Common Ailments
References:
1. Semwal RB, Semwal DK, Combrinck S, Viljoen AM. Gingerols and shogaols:Important nutraceutical principles from ginger. Phytochemistry. 2015 Jul 27. pii: S0031-9422(15)30050-9. doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2015.07.012. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26228533.
2. Wang S, Zhang C, Yang G, Yang Y. Biological properties of 6-gingerol: a brief review. Nat Prod Commun. 2014 Jul;9(7):1027-30. Review. PubMed PMID: 25230520.
3. Marx W, Ried K, McCarthy AL, Vitetta L, Sali A, McKavanagh D, Isenring E.Ginger-Mechanism of Action in Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting: A Review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2015 Apr 7:0. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID:25848702.
4. Rhode J, Fogoros S, Zick S, Wahl H, Griffith KA, Huang J, Liu JR. Ginger inhibits cell growth and modulates angiogenic factors in ovarian cancer cells.BMC Complement Altern Med. 2007 Dec 20;7:44. PubMed PMID: 18096028; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2241638.
