Relieves Nausea & Cramps
A study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that ginger was as effective as ibuprofen for relieving nausea and cramps, including symptoms from morning sickness or menstrual cramps. Steep 2 tablespoons grated or chopped fresh ginger root in hot water for 15 minutes, strain, and enjoy. You can add honey or lemon if you want. You can also make the infusion recipe below.
Improves Circulation & Blood Flow
Ginger's warming essential oil improves circulation and blood flow, making it perfect for cold hands and feet and relieving tired muscles. Try this soak:
Grate 1/2 cup fresh ginger, and seal it in a cheese cloth or nutbag; place bag under running bathwater. When the tub is full squeeze the juice from the ginger into the tub, and place the bag into the tub with you. Sit in the water for 20 minutes.
If you don't have the cheese cloth you can just put the ginger right into the tub, the only thing is you have to clean it up after.
Soothes a Sore Throat & Cough
Ginger is valuable as a cold remedy because it is a carminative which induces healthy sweating at the onset of a cold or flu. Bring some water to a boil, add 1/2-inch knob of coarsely chop ginger per cup of water. You can then add lemon, honey, and cinnamon or cayenne pepper to taste. Drink throughout the day. For a persistent cough add a few cloves and extra ginger.
Helps Prevent Colds & Flu
Ginger helps the body to break into a sweat to help get rid of toxins. According to researchers, sweat contains an ingredient which helps you to ward off nasty germs and harmful bacteria which may settle on your skin's surface. Taking ginger tea or a ginger bath before you have a cold can help to prevent the cold from taking over in your body.
Improves Digestion
Ginger is very effective in helping the digestive system to function better. The warming effect of the oils help to relax the muscles surrounding the intestines. As a result you can avoid gas and bloating. Ginger has also shown to be helpful in breaking down foods by increasing the digestive acids providing relief from acid reflux. Add finely chopped or grated ginger to sautéed vegetables, grains or smoothies. Having ginger daily will bring relief from all sorts of digestive problems such as diarrhea, constipation and other symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Reduces Pains in Muscles and Joints
The phenolic action of Gingerol suppresses inflammatory compounds. This works on muscle strains or arthritic pain. Mix powdered ginger and turmeric with water to make a paste; apply to painful areas twice a day. (note: turmeric may temporarily stain the skin)
Good for Easing Motion Sickness
If you get a little queasy from bumpy air flights or long car trips, try a piece of crystallized or pickled ginger. Research done at Brigham Young University showed ginger worked better than dimenhydrinate (the active ingredient in over-the-counter motion-sickness meds) at preventing and treating motion sickness.
Combats Cancer
In research on tumor-bearing mice, scientists discovered that ginger can kill cancerous cells in 2 ways. In the first way, apoptosis, the ginger causes the cancer cells to "commit suicide" by destroying themselves while leaving the surrounding healthy cells untouched The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger prevent precancerous tumors from creating the perfect breeding ground and climate for growth [source: Rossiter]. In the second way, autophagy, ginger tricks the cancerous cells into eating themselves [source: Heubeck].
Get More Gingery Home Remedies and Ginger Tea Recipe on my Blog
