Ginger Root - my spicy bulbous friend.

Its been around for centuries, used in cooking, in medicine and in rituals - whats the big deal yo?

I decided to write about Ginger root and why/how I use it. Because, well, my love for it might inspire you to incorporate GR more actively in your life. Maybe. Lets see.

First things first : Im a huge advocate for using FRESH raw produce.  In this post I am writing about fresh ginger, not ginger pills, powder or any other silly versions of this lovely vegetable. It is the only way you will get the most out of this root in terms of flavor AND nutritional benefit.

A few reasons to get into Ginger :

• Its most common attribute is its ability to effectively aid your digestive system, increasing saliva and digestive fluids. Relieves indigestion, gas pains, diarrhea and stomach cramping. It cleanses the bowels and kidneys. 
• In cooking, it has been used from Japanese cuisine to salads, eaten raw, making ginger beer and even icecream.
• It is a great known diaphoretic - meaning it causes one to sweat, helping you to detox.
• Great for the skin - either from external application or ingestion.
  
• It is used to treat nausea - from either motion or morning sickness.
• It is anti-inflammatory - helps relieve pain and reduce inflammation associated with arthritis, rheumatism and muscle spasms.
• Helps to effectively stimulate blood circulation.
• It has long been thought to have aphrodisiac powers, taken either internally or externally. It is mentioned in the Karma Sutra.

Well, as you can see, I have many reasons to write and rave about Ginger Root in my blog.

How I use it :

• In natural tea, with honey and lemon. It is a time honored partnership of 3 very powerful natural ingredients that always does the trick for me when I have a sore throat, cold or just need to purify my stomach.
• I add fresh Ginger in nearly ALL the juices I make with my GS-3000, it adds a great zing to my morning blends.
• I recently had a massage at Bliss spa and noticed the therapist used fresh ginger together with the massage oil she used... it was amazing. My skin was warmed almost on contact and I later noticed how fresh, clean & detoxed it had become after I showered. I now use fresh ginger to give myself a mini facial scrub once a week. I have concocted a mixture using fresh ginger, lemon ( for oily skin ) and ground oatmeal - I exfoliate with the mixture then leave on skin for 5-10 minutes. If your skin is on the dry side, try adding honey or a drop or two of Extra Virgin Olive oil to the mix.
• I suck on ginger and honey lozenges that really help sooth my throat ( Especially when working together with the active manuka honey. )

I leave you with a little tip about buying fresh ginger. I used to buy it at my local supermarket, but have noticed buying GR from my nearest Asian market was a better choice, it is much fresher because it moves off the shelves faster.

I mean really....? :