Everyday Health

Warm up for Winter with Ginger

By Jane Cronin - ND. Dip Herb Med, Hons Coms - Get in touch with Jane

The cold weather this week inspired me to write an article about ginger.  Amongst its multitude of positive health actions is its warming ability.  Just one cup of ginger tea can warm the digestive system and in this way improve digestion of food.  It also has the ability to stimulate the circulatory system, so a short while after having your tea you will notice you hands and feet may start warming up. It also helps the circulatory system as it has anticoagulant effects on the blood.  

To make the tea simply take a slice of fresh ginger root, place it in a cup and pour boiling water over it.  Put a saucer over the top so the essential oils do not evaporate and leave to steep for 5 minutes.  This drink is a great start to warm the digestion and get you going on these colder wintery mornings.

Ginger has been used for its health benefits for over 5000 years, especially in Chinese and Ayurvedic (ancient Indian medicine).  It is well known for its anti-nausea actions, so you can take dry ginger capsules or just nibble a piece of ginger root to help with motion sickness or morning sickness.  Another great benefit is its ability to minimise inflamation- it has an ability to help block your pro- inflammatory pathways.  You can also use ginger to make a compress for an area with aches and pain.  Just grate a ginger root into hot water and then soak a face cloth in it (not that hot that it burns you).  Wring out the flannel and apply it to the sore area and if you like put a hot water bottle on the top.  Keep re-soaking and reapplying.

Let us not forget how tasty ginger is to eat.  Nutritionally it is a good source of magnesium, manganese, potassium, copper and vitamin B6. Ginger is a source of gingerol, which has powerful antioxidant capabilities.

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