Ginger: The Spice for Life

Ginger: The Spice for Life Ruth Trimble In autumn wild-food enthusiastsgather the creeping roots of wild ginger (Asarum Canadense), an inconspicuous, fragrant little plant found growing in rich soil on roadsides and in woods. Although not in the same scientific category as Zingiber Officinale, the dried root has many of the same properties and may be used in similar ways. It was often used by early settlers in lieu of commercial ginger. The rootstocks make an excellent candy when boiled until tender in a rich sugar syrup, then dried. Try nibbling on this spicy little treat when youfeel queasy or sufferfromflatulence. Jt-T1"., ?? Years ago, before the hundreds of cold remedies now available were even heard of, I remember being wrapped in a warm blanket and given hot, spicy ginger tea to drink. My mother made it by putting one half teaspoon ginger and a teaspoon or two ofsugar in a big cup and adding boiling hot water. I usually managed to get part of it past my sore aching throat, and before long my fever would have broken, perspiration would flow, and we all got a good night's sleep. Although we used powdered commercial ginger for baking gingersnap cookies and gingerbread, this was my first indication that it could actually be good for you. The source of ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a three or four-foot-tall bush plant, which may be grown outdoors in summer or all year round as an indoor plant. The best commercial ginger comes from Jamaica. The dried powdered rhizome is the part used but not before it's at least a year old. Ginger has an abundance of joint-mending niacin and Vitamin A. When taken orally in the form of ginger tea, it helps reduce swelUng and Ruth Trimble is a lifelong resident ofKingsport, Tennessee. She has been active in the study ofwildplantfoods and herbs on her hillsidefarm, and has shared some recipes. 35 pain. The tea may be made either from prepared tea or with chopped fresh root, and several cups may be taken daily. When using fresh roots, peel them very thinly or the richest part ofthe resin and volatile oil is lost. For sprains and strains, a paste made from the powder and applied where the skin isn't broken alleviates pain as its warmth brings the blood to the skin's surface. Also, like several other spices which have been shown to activate the immune system, ginger has anti-fever and anti-inflammatory properties. Many overweight people suffer from low energy owing to lack of exercise. Excess fat blocks their energy conversion process on a cellular level and tends to obstruct activity. Ginger helps raise metabolism, improve circulation, and provide energy by burning excess fat, mucus, and toxins in the body. It adds extra fire to your system, while giving you more warmth, vitality, concentration, and determination. Ifyour energy level seems low, ginger tea will increase your "ginger"! Prepare a strong tea and drink a cup each morning. Anyone who has ever been afflicted by vertigo knows the misery and incapacitation it causes, frequently striking with no forewarning. My last attack lasted over seven months, and my doctor's prescription didn't faze it. Desperate, I looked for an alternative remedy and chanced upon several publications that advocated using ginger for motion sickness, which is very similar to vertigo. I purchased ginger capsules from a health food store and took one when the next spell ofnausea hit. Lo and behold, in one or two days' time the dizziness left me and has not returned. Now, wherever I go, my capsules go with me—I don't leave home without them, just in case. However, when Fm at home and feel little queasy for whatever reason, I reach for my ginger jar, put one-fourth teaspoon (the amount in each capsule) on my tongue, and swallow with a glass ofwater. When I next saw my doctor, I asked, "Dr. H., would you like to know how I cured my vertigo?" He nodded, and I told him about the ginger. He made no comment whatsoever, but his expression said, "Yeah, uh-huh." Since then I have learned that...