Ginger, A Remedy from the Kitchen Cupboard
To me, there is something so satisfying about going into the kitchen and
concocting a simple remedy for myself from food. It just seems so right to
reach for a plant and make a tea to soothe an upset tummy. One of my first
experiences with using food as medicine was with ginger. I was listening to the
radio and heard a well known herbalist talking about making a ginger and garlic
tea for sore-throats. I tried it and had such great results that I use this
remedy to this day. Since then, I have come to realize that ginger has many
more uses, and is a great thing to have hanging around in the kitchen for both
culinary and medicinal purposes.
Gastrointestinal Discomfort
Ginger has a long history of use for indigestion, nausea, and flatulence. It
has a soothing effect on the gut—relaxing the smooth muscles of the intestinal
tract, relieving nausea and gas. Ginger's effects are so strong that it has
actually been shown to act better than Dramamine in relieving motion sickness.
Small doses of ginger have also been proven to be safe and effective in
relieving morning sickness in pregnancy.
Arthritis
In clinical studies, ginger has been shown to decrease pain and swelling in
people with both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. These affects are
believed to be from the anti-inflammatory compounds in ginger called "gingerols".
Gingerols inhibit the body's production of inflammatory molecules.
Sore-throats
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, ginger has a long history of use for sore-throats.
Consumed as a tea, it has direct anti-viral and analgesic effects.
Suggestions for use:
It's a good idea to keep a handy piece of fresh ginger root around the kitchen.
Using it as a remedy is very simple:
For Nausea — steep a 1/2 inch slice (chopped into small pieces) of fresh ginger in
a cup of hot water for 10 minutes.
Sore-throat — steep a 1/2 inch slice (chopped) of fresh ginger in a cup of hot
water for 10 minutes. Add lemon, a small amount of honey and/or cinnamon to taste.
Sea sickness — chew on a piece of crystallized ginger. (It has become common
practice for sailors to keep a bag of candied ginger on their boats).
Arthritis — consume ginger regularly with meals, use at least a 1/2 inch slice
when cooking, in sauces, in salad dressings, etc—be creative!
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