Not too long ago, I suffered from my typical start-of-autumn out of sorts predicament. Uncomfortable scratchy throat, sniffling nose, even flu-like condition The cold virus is ever present anywhere at this time of the year, especially in the public transit system where passengers are prone to cough and sneeze. Because I love to share my work commute with humanity, my immune system is always an easy target!
Notwithstanding my regular multivitamin and Vitamin C intake, I manage to catch any unhealthiness that floats in the air. Some people might call it hypochondria, but for me it's the real thing! One not-too-long-ago morning was no exception. When I reached the office and sat down to work, my throat felt unusually tickled and my nose started a blow fest that lasted for almost the entire work day. It was so bad that I felt weak and fatigued from all the fluids that left my body. As everyone will agree, feeling that way is no way to handle a day at work.
Like some folks, I don’t like taking over-the-counter medicine as the effect on me makes me totally unproductive. There’s the nausea or drowsiness that can result from merely taking a cold or cough medication. Not too long ago, I discovered an awesome cure for my scratchy throat predicament. Ginger. I mean, fresh ginger root, not the powdered kind in a bottle. When my last itchy throat and cold episode occurred, I made it a daily routine to cut a portion and slice it in small pieces (skin peeled off, of course), put it in a cup of water, let it sit in the microwave for two minutes. Then drink it. After drinking my ginger tea, I would often chew on the ginger slices. The taste was atrocious I’ll admit, but since I wanted to feel well, I had to grin and bear it. In one Asian country (the Philippines), chewing ginger is believed to drive away evil spirits. Technically, that’s what I did! After doing the same nightly routine, pretty soon I felt fine like no virus had ever invaded my body.
I love ginger, not only for medicinal reasons, but also for culinary purpose. It makes certain dishes taste good! Fresh ginger is part of Asian cooking, used in pork, seafood, vegetable and chicken cuisines. In Western countries, ginger has been an ingredient in biscuits, puddings and cakes. If you enjoy gingerbread and ginger snaps, thank the awesome ginger!
Other medicinal uses of ginger include relief of indigestion, stomach cramps, diarrhea and gas pains. Morning and motion sickness are also curable by ginger intake. Because ginger loosens and expels phlegm from the lungs, it helps to relieve respiratory problems.
Did you know that ginger is a common kitchen aphrodisiac? The Kama Sutra mentioned in the chapter under "occult practices" that ginger has the power to gain a woman’s affection. Men searching for the elusive Ms. Right should pay attention! To gather more information on the benefits of this tuber, please visit this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger.
Did you know that ginger is a common kitchen aphrodisiac? The Kama Sutra mentioned in the chapter under "occult practices" that ginger has the power to gain a woman’s affection. Men searching for the elusive Ms. Right should pay attention! To gather more information on the benefits of this tuber, please visit this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger.
Before I discovered the ginger cure, my sore throat practice was squeezing fresh lemon juice into a cup of water, adding a pinch of salt and microwaving the mixture for two minutes. Then I would gurgle the concoction. In no time at all, the tickle in my throat would be gone and I‘ll be rid of the nasty sore throat.
As you may know, lemon has many quality uses besides being an ingredient for drinks or dishes. Its reason for being is not only to be eaten, but to be a cleansing agent. The wonders of lemons are enumerated in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon. Check it out!
Even garlic is good for the human heart, known to prevent heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It can also fight the common cold. More information is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic.
It is said that frequently eating onions can lead to good health because this bulb plant is good for the common cold and heart disease. Get more facts at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion.
A couple of months ago, I learned about the papaya cure for digestive problems. Other cures can be found in this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaya.
Wow, if we can all enjoy healthy lives by simply growing certain things in our backyard, wouldn’t that be amazing? Doctors may not like it, but our pocketbooks will certainly wear a happy face!
