Ginger honey remedy counters morning sickness

A new study suggests that Ginger Honey Tonic, a potency-assured formulation manufactured by New Chapter, is a safe and effective way to treat nausea and vomiting associated with morning sickness.

Traditional remedies for expectant mothers trying to treat the nausea and vomiting of early pregnancy include soda, crackers or crushed ice, which are only marginally helpful, or over-the-counter medications, which may have potential side-effects.

Results from a new double-blind, placebo-controlled, and hospital-based study conducted by obstetricians Dr Angela Keating and Dr Ronald Chez of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The University of South Florida show that those using the ginger honey formula had significant reductions in nausea and vomiting.

The study, published in the September/October issue of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine​, was conducted over a six-month period with women aged 24-37 in their first twelve weeks of pregnancy. The women were chosen at random to use New Chapter's Ginger Honey Tonic or a "placebo" syrup. Neither group of women was aware of the use of the placebo product. They were asked to rate their symptoms and how they felt on a 10-point scale at regular intervals.

Researchers reported that 77 per cent of the Ginger Honey Tonic group experienced a dramatic 4-point or greater improvement on the nausea scale within nine days. These findings led the team to conclude that "1 g of ginger in syrup or capsules ingested daily in divided doses appears to be a reasonable and safe option in the treatment of nausea in early pregnancy."​

Equally important, there were no contraindications to the suggested use of New Chapter's Ginger Honey Tonic during pregnancy.

"At New Chapter, we believe in the safety and effectiveness of the whole food or herb, not in isolating a single substance,"​ said Paul Schulick, CEO of New Chapter and author of Ginger: Common Spice and Wonder Drug​ (Hohm Press 1996).

"The main ingredient in our Ginger Honey Tonic is the potency-assured juice of blue-ring ginger, which offers a unique representation of protein-digesting enzymes and other health-promoting ginger compounds. This blue-ring ginger is grown organically on New Chapter's farm in Costa Rica, without the use of any toxic chemical fungicides, pesticides, or fertilisers commonly found in other ginger plants and products."​

Schulick added: "We feel this research also helps demonstrate the value of our Ginger Honey Tonic in reducing nausea that may arise from a variety of causes, from simple motion sickness to nausea as a side-effect of other medical problems or treatment regimens such as chemo and radiation therapy."​

Morning sickness is a common experience with an estimated 60-80 per cent of all women experiencing nausea and /or vomiting during their first trimester of pregnancy. In addition to compromising expectant mothers' daily functioning and quality of life, in more severe cases, morning sickness can also lead to weight loss, malnutrition or other more serious health complications for the mother and developing child.