Keep Calm and Eat Ginger.
Anyone who knows me well, can attest that I absolutely love Ginger! It’s my go-to for almost everything, especially at the first signs of a cold or upset stomach. The warm, slightly spicy root with a hint of sweetness, is the perfect wake up call in the morning or call to emergency when help is needed for stomach relief after an indulgent meal. Even more, ginger is wonderful for revving up that gut “fire” and increasing digestive integrity. Ginger, without a doubt, yields more bang-for-your-buck considering all of its amazing health properties.
History of Ginger
Ginger has long been apart of traditional healing in India and China. In fact, Confucius wrote that he never ate a meal without ginger. And it’s no wonder why, due to its many varied therapeutic properties. Well-known for its curative effects on digestion, nausea and soothing benefits during cold and flu season, these are just a few gifts ginger has to offer. (Krishan, 2011) And there are so many more! The following provides some wonderful reasons to incorporate ginger into your life everyday:
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Benefits of Ginger
- Reduces Inflammation
- Aides Acid Reflux/GERD
- Improves Nutrient Absorption
- Reduces Motion Sickness
- Treats Migraines/Headaches
- Aides Morning Sickness (Krishan, 2011)
- Reduces Flatulence
- Clears sinuses & Helps Congestion
- Reduces Joint Pain & Arthritis (Khalsa & Tierra, 2008)
- Strengthens Immunity
- Regulates Circulation
- Aides Stomach Cramps
- Supports the Sex Drive…it’s an aphrodisiac (Krishan, 2011)
- Lowers Blood Sugar
- Treats Cardiovascular Conditions (Khalsa & Tierra, 2008)
- Aides in Treatment & Prevention of Ovarian + Prostate cancer (kills ovarian & prostate cancer cells similarly to or better than chemo and radiation with zero toxicity (University of Michigan, 2006)
*In the USA, more than 15% of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 20,000 American women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer (American Cancer Society, 2015)
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4 ways to Consume Ginger…
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- Ginger as Lemonade: Add ice to ginger tea, then add sweetener such as stevia, xylitol, honey, or maple syrup. Simply keep tea warm and forgo ice for the winter version. Heck, squeeze some lemon in there. Your liver will love you!
- Ginger in your Juice: Grate fresh ginger root right into your juicer or blender, along with carrots, apples and lemon juice.
- Ginger and Herb Rice: Cook basmati rice. Take the lid off the pan, quickly stir in finely chopped garlic, ginger, green chillies and fresh cilantro leaves. The effects of ginger are enhanced with the use of garlic. (Singh Khalsa, Tierra. 2008)
- Fresh Ginger and Honey Tea: (my favorite) Cut 2-4 inches of fresh ginger (remove skin) and simmer in hot water on the stove for 15 minutes, pour tea into mug, add 1-2 tsp of honey. You may also add cayenne or turmeric for additional detox and anti-inflammatory properties.
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<3 Kristin
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References:
Krishan, Shubhra. (June 7, 2011). “10 Health Benefits of Ginger.” Retrieved from:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10healthbenfitsofginger.html/1
Singh Khalsa, Karta Purkh, and Michael Tierra. The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs. 1 USA: Lotus Press, 2008
Fawcett, Nicole. (April 4, 2006) “Ginger Causes Ovarian Cancer Cells to Die.” University
of Michigan Health System: UM Medical School. Retrieved from:
American Cancer Society: Fact Sheets for Professionals. (January 2015). Retrieved from:
Murray, Michael. The Encyclopedia of Healing Food. New York: Atria Books, 2005.
“Keep Calm and Eat Ginger” image from www.cafepress.com
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