Healing with common herbs

So you have a cold?  Before you rush for the aspirin or any cold medicine, try the simple herb like ginger.

By making a simple ginger and honey, lemon tea, it will have the effect of soothing and decreasing the cold symptom.  Simple common herbs like chocolate, cinnamon, and liquorices are use daily in our life. 

But how do those simple herbs work, and what are their properties?

Once you know the basic property of those herbs, they can come in very handy in a pinch.  Of course, keep in mind that for any medical problem and sickness, you should seek out a medical doctor first.

GINGER:

“A time honored remedy for setting an upset stomach, ginger has been show in Clinical studies to prevent motion sickness and nausea following surgery.”—NY Times 2/9/1999

The oil of the ginger has been found to strengthen the heart and promote secretion of saliva and gastric juice.  In China, ginger also is known for its anti-bacteria effect on raw food, such as raw fish.

So next time in eating the Sushi in a Japanese restaurant, you will now understand why they serve the raw fish with the ginger, it is to stimulate your appetite as well as to serve to kill some of the bacteria in raw fish.

Some common remedy you can use with Ginger

Hon’s Brew:  Ginger tea

5 slice of Ginger

1 lemon

3 table spoon of Honey or to taste

1 Cup of hot water

Feeling a little run down, and over ate after the holiday.  Put the sliced raw ginger and the rest of the ingredient in the cup with hot water; let it soak for a minute then drink it slowly.  You will notice that your energy and the over stuffed feeling will slowly evaporate.  Not only does the Hon’s Brew is good for you, it tastes great.

Ginger Compress:

In Chinese medicine, ginger has the effect of also taking away wetness and cold from the joints.  A favorite activities in the winter time, is to do ginger compress which is simply grating a single ginger root and putting the ginger pulp into a cheese cloth and heating it up in hot water.  After squeezing out the excessive water, one applies the ginger compress to the area of the body where one feels a deep bone chilling coldness.

The use of Ginger Compress is also very effective in menstrual cramp.  Just put the warm compress on the lower back area where many women tend to feel achy during their menstruation.

Cooking with Ginger

You will notice if you have ever eaten at a Chinese Restaurant, whenever they served fish, they always have slice ginger in the dish.  Why?

It has Antibacterial effect!  Correct.  But the ginger also serves to tame the fishy smell of the fish.  Its enzyme breaks down the fish’s bacteria that produce the smell.  This is very similar to the use of lemon and wine in western cuisine of cooking fish.  The ginger has the effect of also bring out the delicate taste of the food.

So next time, when you cook you favorite soup or chicken or fish, add a few slice of ginger to the pot or wok first and you will notice an enhancement in the favor of your dish. Pulse you will feel good, that the ginger has herbal healing effect of cleansing your blood and improving circulation.  But be careful, excessive consumption of ginger may cause heart burn and aggravate gallstones.

 

 

 

 

 

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