Ginger is an ancient Asian spice, known as the healer, which over the years has spread step by step throughout the world.
In Portugal, ginger has imposed itself since the reign of King John III (1521-1557) and is nowadays a frequent condiment in cooking, beverages or in the treatment of the everyday stresses.
It is a plant of the Zingiberaceae family, it can reach a meter in height, its green leaves are born from a hard, thick underground stem and full of irregular beige nodules.
Its sweet, refreshing, powerful and ardent flavor with a strong spicy aftertaste, almost like a spell, warms the body, the layers of the soul and the spirit, its properties are countless and that has captivated more and more fans over the millennia. An interest that has caused the publication of many books on the full potential of this spice, and disseminated through the internet all its multi-benefits.
Consuming ginger prevents colds and flu, fights inflammation, like for example in the throat, improves digestion, protects the liver, stimulates blood circulation, fights nausea and the colon or the prostate cancer…
How to consume
Generally, ginger is a safe food when used in moderation. It should not be consumed more than three grams of ginger daily. It can be consumed raw, grated, powdered, in extract, in tea…, everything depends on the purpose of its use. But in therapeutic terms, its use should always be recommended and followed by a professional, as there are contraindications for certain people. Excessive consumption can cause heartburn, diarrhea, and stomach discomfort.
To whom it’s not advised
Ginger is not advised for people who have heart and stomach stresses (gastritis or ulcer), with hypertension, hemorrhagic disorders, Crohn’s disease, irritable colon or colitis, for pregnant women and during breastfeeding. It is recommended that when it is used for your health, it should be recommended by a professional.
Plant your own ginger
Choose two or three good roots and plant them in a deep and tall vase (30 centimeters), but not too deep (about 2 to 3 centimeters), and place the vase in a place where there is few direct sunlight. At first, the watering should be moderate, then the key is to keep the soil moist but not soaked, with an ambient temperature around 23 degrees. After a year you can begin to make the first crops, cut off a little of the root and plant the rest so that you continue to benefit from your healer.
Take a bath to eliminate bad energies
Heat the water between 30°C to 35°C with a cup of sea salt and two tablespoons of ginger powder. Stay in the water around 20 minutes with your navel inside the water and breathe slowly and deeply 9 times, always through the nose, in order to feel the body floating. It is an effective way to release the harmful energy accumulated in the body, soul, and spirit. Be careful, after getting off the bath, dry your body without using water – do not even use shower gel or shampoo.
Ginger towels’ against back pains
To prepare the towels, boil two liters of water with one tablespoon of ginger powder and one tablespoon of sea salt. When boiling, turn off the heat, hold the first of the two medium towels, fold it vertically twice and then with one hand at each end renew the fold, and then add the towel into the hot water. Be careful to not burn yourself, one hand grasps the two cold tips of the towel and the other hand holds it with a wooden spoon, which will be placed in the middle of the folded towel to twist and remove the excess of water. The towel has to be very warm but only moistened. Then just carefully put the two towels on the back of the person lying on their belly. Pay attention that the cold tips should not be in contact with the body, they should be turned upwards.
Then the towels are covered with a large plastic and the person is immediately covered with blankets. The towels have to be removed 20 to 30 minutes later, but if the person has fallen asleep it does not matter.
A powerful tea that warms the soul
Boil four ginger slices or one teaspoon of grated ginger in a boiler with a quart of water for few minutes, then just strain and drink.
This text is an awareness. According to the season of the year and the moment in which you are, it is up to each one to feel if they should consume this food. The dosage and frequency depend on the nature and physical condition of each Human Being.
