Thanks for your comments, and for sharing your experience.

Ginger is indeed an amazing herb. In the Chinese Materia Medica, it is classified as an herb that “releases the exterior” which means that it can help to dispel pathogens from the surface of the body and prevent them from lodging more deeply. Because of its warm nature, ginger is especially useful for the onset of a cold with chills (described in Chinese medicine as an “attack of wind-cold”), as described above.

As you noted, ginger is also commonly used for digestive upset, and is often added to Chinese prescriptions strengthen and protect the stomach.

Chinese herbs work synergistically, meaning that different properties of the same herb will be enhanced depending on how it is combined. For example, ginger has a different effect when used together with cinnamon, where it focuses on warming and strengthening the surface of the body, than with bamboo shavings, where it focuses more internally on the lungs and stomach.

Best wishes,
Kate

I will also share the idea the a cold does not necessarily need to last a long time, or worsen with time, if one sees an acupuncturist, or uses some of your self-treatment options.

I’ve heard it touted many times, especially for digestive issues. How is it that ginger works for cold and flu treatment? What a magical herb!