If you have a stomach ache, just head to the kitchen cabinet for some relief. Scientists say ginger could be the answer.

Ginger items, including ginger tea, ginger ale and ginger snap cookies do have a medicinal effect, according to researchers.

"I would say that definitely for pregnancy and for motion sickness or sea sickness and for post-operative nausea, it seems to work very, very well," said Suzanna Zick, a University of Michigan researcher.

In addition to helping ease stomachaches, researchers at the University of Michigan are conducting a study to see if ginger can help prevent nausea in patients undergoing chemotherapy, and they said the results are encouraging.

"We have had a few participants say that they felt they could decrease their other medications while they were in the study," said Zick.

Ginger also may be effective in reducing the pain of arthritis.

For more information, go to www. umm.edu/altmed/ConsHerbs/Gingerch.html .