What Are the Benefits of Milk Thistle & Ginger?

Milk thistle supports liver function, while ginger has potent anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea properties. Of the natural supplements on the market, these two rank highly in terms of safety and usefulness.
  1. Milk Thistle

    • According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, milk thistle, which contains the active compounds silmaryin, silibinin and silidianin, may prevent and repair liver damage from alcohol or hepatitis.

    Considerations

    • Phosphatidylcholine makes these active compounds more available in the liver than they would be without the presence of this nutrient. Users can take a combined milk thistle supplement for better absorption.

    Ginger

    • Ginger makes good cookies and Asian food, but it also has surprising health benefits. According to the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, ginger fights nausea with great potency - whether in patients recovering from surgery or a simple case of pregnancy-related morning sickness.

    Benefits

    • In addition to working against nausea, ginger also serves as an effective anti-inflammatory. In a 2005 article published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, researchers with RMG Biosciences, Inc., reported that ginger supplements can fulfill some of the same functions as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, but possibly more effectively and with fewer side effects.

    Potential

    • Milk thistle and ginger may both make good supplements for cancer patients: ginger for nausea and milk thistle for liver protection. In addition, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports that milk thistle appears to have anti-cancer properties itself, though researchers must do more testing to confirm this hypothesis.

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