Article originally published for the May edition of Embrace Magazine.
Ginger, the wonderful and warming spice, is a rhizome that originates from Southeast Asia. The plant belongs to the same family as turmeric, cardamon and galangal. The flowering portion looks amazing during Spring and Summer. While you may know this plant largely for its use in the kitchen, did you also know that it can be a healing medicine too?
In the world of a Naturopath, Ginger is used for it’s circulation boosting effects, it’s warming digestive properties, and to improve nausea. The active components of ginger include; zingiberene, ar-curcumene, beta-sesquiphellandrene, beta-bisabolene, and gingerols (this one is responsible for the ginger smell). Some of these components help ginger to be a great gastrointestinal aid. If you have an upset stomach, cramps or ate something that didn’t agree with you - a bit of ginger tea can work wonders! Not only does it actively encourage food breakdown by stimulating digestive enzymes, ginger also speeds up the processing time of your food. Meaning, it helps to move food out of your stomach a little bit faster and it’s antispasmodic effects help calm down muscle spasms in your digestive system (read: bloating, discomfort, diarrhoea). This same antispasmodic effect, in combination with it’s warming circulation promoting effect is also a home remedy for period cramps.
Something you may not know about Ginger, is that it can also improve your blood lipid levels and may improve triglyceride levels. So if you or a loved one has high cholesterol, try including more ginger in your diet. You can even get the pre minced ginger if you must. Chuck it in stirfry’s, marinades, sauces, in stews and soups, everything! A study by Alizadeh-Navaei et all (2008) demonstrated Ginger, at 3 grams per day, significantly lowered lipid levels; triglycerides and LDL
cholesterol were down and HDL had returned to normal after just over a month. If you happen to have Type 2 Diabetes, or are prediabetic/ insulin resistant - Ginger is also for you. Not only are you more likely to have altered cholesterol and triglycerides due to diabetes, but Ginger can help improve your insulin response and your serum glucose. Remember I mentioned gingerols as an active component in Ginger? Well, those little compounds are the hero here. They are one of the main constituents responsible for improving insulin sensitivity (which means more glucose is absorbed rather than sitting in your blood stream).
Among those very important actions that Ginger has, we should all know by now that this pure source of plant magic has more tools in its toolbox. Ginger is also antifungal, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, acts to reduce pain, AND helps protect your liver. Anyone fancy a cup of ginger tea now? All those actions are perfect for cold and flu prevention and recovery. As it’s now getting a bit chilly and cold’s are appearing throughout workplaces, I’ll give you my not-so-secret ginger tea recipe.
Ginger tea for 2:
● 2 cups water
● 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric
● 1⁄2 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
● 1 tablespoon honey (raw or manuka if you like)
● 1 lemon wedge
Bring this to the boil in a small saucepan and then simmer with the lid on for up to 10 minutes. Drink throughout the day for therapeutic effect.
You can make a bigger batch or keep simmering down (lid off after 10 minutes) to a more syrup
consistency (like a concentrate) which you then add to hot water when you want more tea!
Feel free to add echinacea root or elderberries if you would like more immune support.
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