Ginger Sorcery

I had a big ol' ginger root in my fridge I was using to make cocktails with. Well, I'm glad my less healthier use for the root has since helped me in so many ways!

Maybe it's just the social-distancing and the Stay At Home order, but when I really didn't want to venture to the store for pain medicine and vitamins, I turned to the all-knowing internet.

I first looked up something that would help with inflammation. Due to my recent downtime, I've been running A LOT. Which has been amazing because I'm usually too busy with work to run everyday. But I totally forgot that my ankle is prone to Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome.

So, during all my research, I found that ginger can be used in all these different ways to help with just about any ailment.

But first....why is ginger so good for you anyway?

What makes ginger so amazing?

Ginger contains a compound oil known as gingerol. Gingerol is responsible for ginger's medicinal properties. Below is a list of some of the health benefits ginger has been linked to.

• Muscle Pains & Soreness - anti-inflammatory properties ease muscle pain and soreness when ingested and topically applied.
• Nausea - ginger eases nausea from morning-sickness, motion-sickness, and even from a stomach flu.
• Congestion - can help clear up nasal congestion and ease the effects of post-nasal drip on the throat.
• Anti-Diabetic Properties - helps with lowering blood sugar and aids in general heart health.
• Boosts Digestion - aids those who suffer from Chronic Indigestion.
• Menstrual Pain - its anti-inflammatory properties, especially in powder form can be as effective as ibuprofen and other pain meds.
• Heart Health - among lowering blood sugar, ginger can effectively lower cholesterol levels over time.
• Brain health - anti-inflammatory properties have been linked to aiding in brain function and its antioxidants and bio-active agents decrease inflammatory responses and stresses to the brain.
• Anti-bacterial - ginger is a strong agent in fighting off bacterial infections. It can help fight the infection quicker, or can be taken as a daily vitamin to help keep infections and bad bacteria at bay.

For this article, I'm only going to dive into some of the ways the actual ginger root can be used for some everyday remedies. But, you can find just about any form of ginger powder or capsules at stores or online.

Ginger Lemon Tea (Hot or Cold)

Everyone has probably had some form of this when they were kids. I like to make a Nalgene's worth and drink that throughout the course of a day if I've been running really hard lately and feel like my body needs some extra help to recover.

This drink can help with anything from muscle/joint pain, indigestion, flu-like symptoms, lowering cholesterol, promoting gut health, boosting energy, etc. It's great for when you feel your worst but will help you feel your best even when you are in good health already.

I originally made this because my boyfriend came home with galvanized steel poisoning a while ago that produced horrible congestion and nasal-drippage. The only thing that can really help anyone experiencing "Metal Fume Flu" is any and all things anti-inflammatory. And boy, did this concoction work!

Here's how to make a large batch:

• Use a grater to grate about 2-3 Tablespoons worth of ginger. This is usually about 2 bigger "thumbs" off the root.
• Juice 1 lemon, or 2 if you want more lemon flavor. For added lemon oil benefits, roughly chop up the rind and add to the mix.
• You'll need about 1 Tablespoon of honey or sugar. If you can find any, local honey will provide extra benefits (especially if you have seasonal allergies).
• Boil about a liter's worth of water.

Combine ingredients into a medium-size mixing bowl and let steep for 5-10 minutes. The longer you let the mixture steep, the stronger the ginger "spiciness" will be in the drink.

Hold a fine-mesh strainer over the Nalgene or another liter-size receptacle and slowly pour or ladle the liquid in. It's a safe idea to place a towel under the water bottle or do this over the sink. Once you have all the liquid inside the bottle, you can discard the strained bits and enjoy!

Since I typically make this large batch in the morning, I'll have a nice, hot mug of this right after making it. Then the bottle goes in the fridge and I drink it throughout the day. When cold, this mix is AMAZING when topped off with some tonic water or club soda.

Have fun and experiment! Especially during this time of being under Stay-at-Home orders and you don't want to leave the house if you don't have to. The other day, we were out of lemons! So, I tried half a cucumber and some blood-orange juice instead. I did have to add some more sugar than I normally would, but it was still tasty.

Some other beneficial additions: turmeric, any kind of fresh citrus, pomegranate juice, cardamom

If you want to make just one or two mugs worth of this for an immediate fix, simply cut down the amount of ingredients. Go for one smaller "thumb" of ginger and just a squeeze or two of lemon juice and honey.

Ginger Garlic Muscle & Joint Pain Relief Goo

This one is a bit more on the voodoo side of things, but I can't rave about it enough. This weird topical application of ginger seriously felt like the strongest version of BioFreeze...maybe even stronger.

What you'll need:

• Plastic Wrap
• Medical tape or any tape that will stick to your skin.
• Ginger
• Garlic gloves
• Salt
• Grater
• Muddler or blender

I haven't listed amounts for anything because this will depend on the size of the area you are applying it to. I made this for a small spot on my ankle that was about 2 inches x 1 inch and used about 1 Tablespoon of ginger, two garlic cloves, and a hefty pinch of salt.

Grate the ginger and either grate or finely chop the garlic cloves. Add to a blender or small bowl for muddling. Add in a stout pinch or two of salt. And muddle (or blend) up the mix! This isn't a really science and doesn't have to be pounded to a pulp or anything. You just want everything to mix up and to secrete the most oils you can.

Once you have your gooey paste, thinly spread it onto a piece of plastic wrap. This piece should be cut to size for the area you want to apply it to. Now carefully place the plastic wrap with the layer of paste onto the area. Tape up all edges of the plastic and ensure there's no leaking.

You can leave this on for however long you'd like, but do take it off if you feel any uncomfortable irritation or burning. It should feel a lot like IcyHot or BioFreeze.

**This should not be placed over an area that has open cuts or wounds! This is intended to help deep muscle and joint pains only.**

Making your Own Ginger Oil

This is for all you Essential Oil lovers out there (myself included). Yes! You can make your own ginger oil! And it's so easy!

Making ginger oil is a great alternative to the goo listed above. If you're not sure about taping mush onto your sore muscles, try making some ginger oil and using this when massaging areas you're experiencing pain.

The best part? You only need 2 ingredients! And you probably already have them.

• Ginger (finely sliced) 1 Cup
• Olive oil (or another carrier oil of your choice that you have available) 1.5 Cups

How to:

• Add the sliced ginger onto a baking sheet and let dry for at least 6 hours.
• Combine the ginger and olive oil in an oven-safe bowl or dish and mix well.
• Turn the oven to 150 degrees F and let the ginger and olive oil simmer for 2 hours.
• Let the mixture cool completely before straining.
• Use a cheesecloth to strain the oil into another bowl. You can use a fine-mesh strainer if you don't have a cheesecloth.
• Once you have all of your ginger oil in the new bowl, transfer the oil into a bottle for storing. A dark or amber bottle with a secure lid is preferred to prolong life.

You can make as much or as little of this oil as you want, just use the same proportions as this recipe and you'll come out with some great ginger oil!

This oil can be used in conjunction with other essential oils for a deep-tissue muscle massage oil. Or use solo with a carrier oil to topically treat sore muscles. You can further experiment and use this oil for salves and lotions for a longer affect on muscle tissues.

Explore and experiment with all the ways you can use ginger to feel your best!