Fresh Ginger Tea

I recently noticed a post on a blog praising fresh, homemade Ginger Tea. So then I did a Google search with the words 'fresh ginger, tea, & Blog'. Apparently, a lot of people brew ginger tea at home from fresh ginger, which frankly makes me a little embarrassed. I mean, I should be doing this as a self proclaimed kitchen witch and all.

Now, I have heard of brewing fresh ginger to make tea or ginger beer, but, for some odd reason, I never did it myself or even thought much about it. I always bought little bags of organic, dry ginger at my local health food store. Well, not tonight! I brewed some fresh ginger root in boiling water and then strained it into our mugs, which were awaiting the brew with some turbinado sugar and a hefty pinch of cinnamon. The result was an absolutely delightful and fragrant tea.

In the realm of herbal medicine, ginger is known to help with nausea, digestion, and headaches amongst other ailments. I always particularly appreciate its ability to relieve nausea and stomach ailments. So I hope you will consider a pot of fresh ginger tea next time you brew up something nice and hot for yourself.

Instructions: Boil about 3/4 tablespoon of sliced or crushed ginger for every 1 cup of water for about 5-7 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to steep for another five to ten minutes. Add cinnamon and sugar or whatever you like.

Enjoy!

*Photo by Huimin @ PhotoXpress

Earache & Sore Throat

If you have an earache right now, you probably also have a pretty sore throat. The two cause quite a bit of pain & most often come hand in hand. This is because there is a tube at the base of the ear drum that runs down to your throat. This is the Eustachian tube. So whether the infection started in the ear or the throat, either way it often makes its way to the other by means of the Eustachian tube.

The most effective home remedy I have used for an earache/sore throat is an herb called Goldenseal. Goldenseal is in the Buttercup family and is native to North America. It has natural anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties making it a wise and effective remedy for earaches, sore throats, and sinus infections. This herb is often sold in tea form at your local health food store, and the Alvita company makes a tea I steep and then slowly gargle to kill bacteria on my throat. I then also drink 2-3 cups of it throughout the day.

I proudly gloated in my success with Goldenseal at work a few years ago when everyone came down with a bad earache. Everyone else went to the doctor to get antibiotics. I, at the encouragement of a friend, went to my local health food store and bought Goldenseal tea. I gargled with the tea throughout the day and drank it along with some Vitamin C drops and bowls of homemade chicken soup. Needless to say, my earache pain was mostly gone within a day and a half of drinking and gargling and was completely gone within 2 full days! I did continue with my regime for 5 days though to ensure drying of the infection.

One thing you should know about Goldenseal is that it is drying, so don't let yourself become dehydrated for any extended period. Another key point about earaches is that one should know is that severe pain while clamping down on food is not normal. Neither is an earache without an accompanying sore throat. Both warrant a visit to a medical professional, as does any earache if you feel it is just too severe.

Other ways to ease the pain at home are warm compress and Sudafed (it naturally dries out the ear and all your mucosa). No matter what you choose to do for your earache, I hope you try Goldenseal tea. This herb is just so truly effective and medicinal when it comes to all things cold & flu.

Note: This home remedy is NOT meant for children~!

Photo by Stephanie @ stephanielevy.blogspot.com

Painful Gas

This post is not about too much gas. So for you bean lovers and vegetarians out there, I can't help you much. This post is about painful gas that feels like someone is stabbing you in the gut. If this sounds familiar, keep reading.

Now, I am not going to lecture you too much about the reason you have this gas. You are probably already aware that it was caused by those chicken wings at the bar, the cheeseburger you ate at lunch, or whatever other overly fatty food you ingested earlier in the day. I will simply say that I hope you go ahead and realize these types of foods don't do much for your health and can obviously also cause painful gas!

One of the best and easiest home remedies for this ailment is peppermint tea. Yeah, I know that sounds weak, but I can assure you it is not. An 8 oz. cup or two of real peppermint tea provides extreme relief for this ailment. I usually put an organic bag of peppermint tea in 8 oz. of boiling water and allow it to steep for about 3-4 minutes. A touch of sugar is also nice and enhances the flavor of the mint.

After drinking the tea, I really recommend lying on your side. I don't know how to convey this gently, but it allows the gas to exit a bit easier. If you feel you need a little extra help, have another cup.

Please let me know if you try it....

*Photo by lefebvre_jonathan at PhotoXpress