Fourth and final day drinking Ginger, I awake to a refreshing cold infusion of Ginger root. It’s not strong and hot, it’s more sweet and it looks kind of like lemonade. I like it.
According to Green, Ginger is a master herb for relieving nausea and motion sickness, an anodyne in gastric and intestinal pain; a carminative and anti-spasmodic in the digestive tract; diaphoretic for promoting perspiration in feverish conditions; anti-inflammatory particularly useful in rheumatic conditions that benefit from heat, anti-microbial; rubefacient; and a reliable emmenagogue.
Some of this I have learned, but I’d like to study some definitions further before moving on.
- anodyne, analgesic - relieves pain when administered orally or externally.
- carminative - promotes the expulsion of gas, and soothe the stomach, supporting healthy digestion.
- anti-spasmodic - prevents or eases spasms or cramping in the body.
- diaphoretic - induces increased perspiration, dilates capillaries, increasing elimination through the skin.
- anti-inflammatory - combats extensive or too-painful occurrence of inflammation.
- anti-microbial - helps the body’s immune system destroy or resist the proliferation of pathogenic micro-organisms.
- rubefacient - generates a localized increase in blood flow when applied to the skin.
- emmenagogue - increases menstrual flow.
(Green, James. The Herbal Medicine-Maker’s Handbook - A Home Manuel. 2000)
During my last few days with Ginger I have experience some of it’s wonderful effects on my body. I did not experience any unwanted effects. It’s difficult for me to quantify any pain relief that I received from the Ginger but I believe that it was a helpful addition to my rest and yoga to relieve the post massage pain and soreness.
Ginger has soothed my stomach at all times except when trying to eat some of the marc left over from the tea. I had to try it, Ginger is good. Ginger has helped me sweat, even the cold infusion, which seems to have some very warming and soothing attributes among it’s pleasant taste. Regarding menstrual flow, I may consider less Ginger tea around that time to avoid increased flow.
Over all my experience with Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been marvelous. I enjoyed drinking Ginger tea warm and cold. I am pleased to learn about Ginger’s many amazing medicinal uses. Cold infusion of Ginger was previously never thought of and I excited to have found this new way of making Ginger tea. It seems that the warming of the cold infusion is more noticeable because I am not already warm from the tea. It’s delicious!
Today, me and three friends went to the Trillium Festival at Tryon Creek State Park. We had the opportunity to go on a guided hike with a long-time friend of Tryon Creek. Tryon Creek has many native flora growing upon it’s 645 acres. We saw familiar friends including, Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock, Big Leaf Maple, Black Cottonwood, Oregon Grape, Salmon Berry, Western Red Cedar, Red Alder, Water Leaf, and of course Trillium.
New discoveries including Wild Ginger, we were able to scratch-and-sniff and the leaves which smell like Ginger. Wood Violet has little yellow flowers currently in bloom. I believe that we also met Sitka Willow (Salix sitchensis).
Also today, at Brooks’ house, Demel pointed out Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), which has fern-like leaves and it is an herbaceous perennial.
This evening, I have started my Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) cold infusion. Still without a scale, I used 4 heaping soup-spoonfuls guessing that it may be near an ounce. I am really not sure and will be looking into a scale this week. I’d like to know that my doses are correct. Drinking the last of my cold infused Ginger tea, mmm, very refreshing.
No comments:
Post a Comment