Mother Nature Never had Morning Sickness

Although it had long been considered the stuff of old wives tales and legend, using ginger as a remedy to treat morning sickness is rapidly earning a new respect. In new studies published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, doctors from the University of Adelaide in Australia proved once again this natural remedy is an extremely effective treatment for the nausea and vomiting that affects up to 90% of all pregnant women, usually in the first trimester.

But while many doctors still remain "on the fence" about natural treatments, according to pregnancy researcher and author Colette Bouchez, the wisdom of "Mom" has long been on the side of Mother Nature -- particularly in the treatment of morning sickness.

"When it comes to pregnancy, most women have incredibly sharp intuition and great natural instincts -- they know when something is wrong, and they sure know when something is right, and ginger has been one of those right remedies for generations," says Bouchez, the author of the brand new book Your Perfectly Pampered Pregnancy: Beauty, Health and Lifestyle Advice for the Modern Mother-to-Be.

In the new research, Dr. Caroline Smith reports ginger was compared to clinical doses of vitamin B6 (a common prescription for morning sickness) and was found to be as effective. although previous animal studies have revealed a potential link between very high levels of ginger and an increased risk of pregnancy complications including miscarriage, Smith reports that her studies found no such connection. She writes: "for women looking for a reduction in their nausea and vomiting... the use of ginger in early pregnancy will reduce the severity of their symptoms."

Bouchez, who notes that 3 previous studies on ginger found similar good results says ginger works thanks to two active constituents known as "gingerols" and "shogaols" both of which give this plant its pungent taste. Not coincidentally, she says, these same compounds also work directly on the gastrointestinal system to reduce the activity linked to nausea and vomiting.

If, however; you've tried ginger and it doesn't seem to help you, Bouchez advises skipping the gingerale and gingersnaps, and go for the "real stuff" instead.

"There is some research to show that it is the properties found in natural, fresh ginger that makes this a truly effective treatment -- so when possible, buy some fresh ginger root and use to make a tea, or sprinkle it on your cereal or bowl of fresh fruit," says Bouchez.