Natracure Blog — ginger

The health benefits from tea start with the prominence of antioxidants, called flavonoids. Tea is the perfect source for epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which is the strongest of flavonoids. EGCD has been shown to fight harmful free radicals in your body that can potentially lead to heart disease, cancer and other life-threatening complications. But there are also a great number of teas that can help you treat less serious, yet more common health problems. Let’s go over 4 ailments that can tea can start helping you with today.   1. Common Allergies – peppermint, green, nettle teas Tea has been proven to help ease the troublesome symptoms of seasonal allergies, including sneezing, sore throat, nasal congestion, itchy eyes and more. Although severe allergies will require a visit to your doctor, teas are a great way to battle milder cases. The menthol elements of peppermint tea will work wonders to clear up your sinuses and green tea has been shown to fight allergic reactions. Nettle tea contains antihistamine properties which will work to prevent symptoms from cropping up in the first place!   2. Trouble Sleeping – chamomile, valerian root teas Teas containing chamomile and valerian root teas are great natural sleep aids. Chamomile has always been associated with both reducing anxiety and helping with sleep. However, valerian root contains components that work as a sedative. Avoid using this tea frequently, as your body can become dependent on it to sleep!   3. Stomach Issues – ginger, peppermint, chamomile teas Have some nausea? Go with ginger tea. Ginger’s chemical components can aide general stomach pain. Oils from peppermint work to calm down upset stomachs and can aide those with irritable bowel syndrome. Chamomile works to fight muscle spasms and ease digestion troubles. It has also been shown to reduce gas and heartburn.   4. Stress and Anxiety – chamomile, black, green teas Chamomile tea is caffeine free and has been proven to reduce anxiety and calm you down. Green and black tea do have caffeine, but interestingly they also contain an amino acid called L-theanine, which  has been shown to decrease stress and even improve focus!   The benefits of drinking tea are undeniable. Add tea to your diet and you will greatly increase your mental and physical health levels.   By Pat DeRiso Sources: yahoo.com, webmd.com, Wikipedia.com

The lingering effects from day-to-day physical activity can be debilitating. Soreness and pain can vary in intensity and are caused by a multitude of sources. Whether you are a runner, weight lifter, or casual exerciser you are sure to experience some type of pain from your efforts. This is mainly due to inflammation in your joints and muscles. Additionally, strenuous exercise will release proinflammatory cytokines that will work to suppress your immune system. This doesn’t mean you should stop your physical activity. Thankfully, there is a natural way to combat bad cytokines, inflammation and general pain. The answer lies in the ginger root. Multiple studies have been released proving the benefits of ginger to faster recovery and pain relief.  The first study in 2014 revealed that ginger did effectively lower harmful cytokines in endurance runners. Another study that followed in 2015 showed ginger will speed-up muscle recovery following weight-training. The latest study discovered that ginger aids pain caused by running or resistance training. What does this all mean to you? Your diet needs more ginger to help fight pain and decrease recovery time. The next question is how do you get it? Read on to find out.  

1. Tea Time Tea is a perfect way to add ginger into a daily routine. Simply grate fresh ginger into some hot water and you’re good to go. To enhance taste, add some lemon juice and/or honey. Another benefit is that teas like this will also work to fight cold symptoms!

 

2. Stay Smooth Smoothies are a fun and nutritious way to sneak ginger into your recovery and pain relief regiment. You simply add a tablespoon of fresh ginger to a smoothie of your choice and you’re instantly on your way to a more pain-free life. Melaina Huntti of yahoo.com recommends a great Ginger Recovery Smoothie recipe.

Blend the following ingredients for one minute:

• 1 cup almond milk
• ½ of a banana
• ½ of a pear
• 1 cup of Greek yogurt
• 1 and ½ cups of ice
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• And, of course, 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger

Enjoy the deliciousness!  

3. Supplement Your Recovery Taking ginger supplements is perhaps the easiest way to get ginger into your body. You can easily purchase ginger supplements online or at your local pharmacy. Just pop a ginger pill daily to ensure constant recovery aid.

 

4. Stir It Up Easily the most delicious method to ingest ginger is through stir-fry. You can do this at home by whipping up some meats and veggies in peanut oil. Simply stir in some chopped garlic and ginger to make a delectable Asian-inspired dish. You can make a night out of it by going to your favorite local Japanese restaurant. The Japanese are known for using ginger in their recipes and these meals can provide ginger in a fun and appetizing way for the whole family!

   

Whatever your method, if you are an active individual it is clear you need to add ginger to your daily diet. Your sore muscles and joints will thank you and you’ll be able to get back to the pain-free you even faster!

  By Pat DeRiso

  Sources: yahoo.com, mensfitness.com, runnersworld.com