How Can Ginger (Fresh) Make You Feel Great?

AYURVEDIC ANALYSIS

Introduction

A steaming hot mug of ginger tea on a damp day warms up your bones and burns away thick, heavy congestion. When the weather is soggy, you feel tired and groggy. You naturally crave sunlight and heat. Pungent and light, fresh ginger clears away the damp clouds of winter, invigorating your whole system as it lifts your mood and boosts enthusiasm. The perkiness of ginger bids you to say goodbye to dullness and depression.

Ginger, Sore Throats & Congestion

Ginger's heat & pungency is key to warming you up and liquefying mucus. On damp, rainy days you may feel heavy and sluggish. Even your skin feels clammy. The back of your throat may be swollen and irritated due to a thick coating of "reactive" mucus - mucus filled with dead bacteria. By stimulating your heart to beat faster and opening up blood vessels, ginger flushes damp, cold areas with warm, enlivening blood. It is particularly beneficial for clearing congestion in the upper respiratory tract, including the throat, nose and sinuses.

A simple cup of fresh ginger tea, made by boiling an inch of the root in two cups of water, does the trick. As it warms the head and your whole body, it brings a sense of lightness back to a heavy, congested head. A client explained how fresh ginger helped them relieve this stuffed up feeling, "My nasal passages opened up and my congestion cleared." Another shared, "Breathing was much easier. My mind had more clarity. My chest felt far less dense, like I had been doing breathing exercises to open up my thoracic cavity." You can also place grated ginger in a pot of boiling water and inhale the steam to clear a stuffy nose.

Try this syrup for a sore throat: Mix together 1/2" grated fresh ginger root, 1/4 tsp dried turmeric, and 1/4 tsp black pepper with 1 tsp raw honey. Slowly lick over 15 minutes and repeat up to three times a day to clear throat congestion. Ginger is most effective in late winter. Its light, clear, and warm qualities combat a slushy and soggy time of year.

Restore Warmth

The mobile, revitalizing quality of fresh ginger allows it to support peripheral circulation, dispelling feelings of cold from extremities. Although many spices share ginger's warmth, they also make you sweat which leaves you vulnerable to catching a chill as the effects wear off. Ginger operates internally only (in antara marga), kindling heat & agni without making you sweat.

A client notes, "My hands and feet tend to be cool. With ginger, I did not sweat but felt warmer to my core." Another reports, "After eating fresh ginger, the center of my chest felt hot, as if I had a heating pad inside the back of my sternum."

On cold days, a hot ginger and baking soda bath is one of the best ways to warm your entire body, stimulate circulation, and rev up metabolism. To enjoy these benefits, simply mix 1/2c of ginger and 1/2c of baking soda into a hot bath.

Ginger & Digestion

Fresh ginger is considered to be one of the best digestives, and for this reason is among the most revered roots in Ayurveda. It is suitable for all body types (tridoshic) to stimulate digestive strength (agni). A few pieces of tummy warming ginger, salt, & lime appetizer before a meal stimulates appetite, and gets digestive juices flowing. "It was like my digestive system was getting a kickstart," a client noted.

Purifying & Cleansing

Fresh ginger purifies the mouth, awakens the taste buds, and stimulates salivary secretions. You might just notice fresher breath and a sharper palate after having some. A client explained the effect it had in their mouth, "When I chewed on the fresh ginger, it gave my mouth a tingling, cleansing and hot sensation, like mouthwash almost. The peppery taste made me feel refreshed."

When food becomes stagnant in the gut, it starts to ferment and rot, leading to indigestion, gas, bloating, and the formation of digestive toxins (ama). Light, easy, and warming, fresh ginger stimulates digestion and metabolism, acting as a cleansing aid for detoxification. The volatile oils in ginger increase motility in the gastrointestinal tract, helping clear food stagnation and relieve constipation. One client notes, "My peristalsis increased with the ginger. My elimination sped up and the end result was I felt lighter."

Eating a slice of ginger can help relieve nausea in the stomach or burping due to stagnant food or excess mucus. One client who was feeling nauseous tried this trick with great results. "My gut was feeling heavy and a little nauseated, so I tried this appetizer," they shared. "It was like magic! Within 5-10 minutes, I felt much lighter and was able to eat with the family again."

Ginger & Inflammation

One of the amazing qualities of fresh ginger is that it stimulates digestion without aggravating acidity. Despite the heat of this root, fresh ginger is actually anti-inflammatory. Only fresh ginger, due to the volatile oils, has this special anti-inflammatory quality. Dry ginger does not, due to evaporation of essential oils.

Even though fresh ginger tastes initially pungent on your tongue, it has a sweet post digestive effect (vipaka). In Ayurveda, the post digestive effect means the effect a substance has throughout your body, after you have digested it. The sweet post digestive effect of ginger moistens and nourishes tissues, and is anti-inflammatory.

Dry ginger is much hotter than fresh ginger, and can be aggravating to the digestive tract. It does not have the same soothing or nutritive effect of fresh ginger, but increases heat and dryness in the body. A fiery spice, those who are overheated or feel agitated by heat should steer clear of dry ginger and favor fresh. Those who need the extra heat, however, can benefit from dry ginger. It depends on the individual.

Other Uses

Minced, chopped, grated or sliced, fresh ginger can be used in a variety of ways. It is well known for its pain relieving qualities, and its ability to settle an upset or nauseous stomach. It also acts as an antispasmodic, helping reduce tension, spasms, and cramping. A cup of the hot tea can relieve menstrual cramps due to its antispasmodic properties, and its sweet post digestive effect has a nourishing effect on the reproductive tissues. 1 tsp of fresh ginger mixed into 1 tbsp of castor oil is a home remedy for rheumatoid arthritis. 1 tsp of fresh ginger mixed with 1 tsp of ghee is reputed to help osteoarthritis.

Fresh ginger is also a powerful antibacterial agent, and has been proven to kill the harmful bacteria salmonella under certain conditions. Ginger, therefore, can also be beneficial as a food preservative. Its warming effects can help encourage a low grade fever - improving immunity.

Contraindications

For some Pitta individuals the heat of ginger is too much. One client writes, "After a while the warmth in my stomach went to a sour feeling. My stomach kind of churned." Another notes, "My eyes felt dry, my face flushed, and the whites of my eyes became bloodshot." Fresh ginger is used widely in Asia to prevent nausea in pregnant women, although it is contraindicated for pregnancy in the USA.

BUYING & PREPARATION

If you buy organic ginger, you won't have to peel the skin. For non-organic ginger, scrape the skin off with the edge of a knife or a spoon instead of using a peeler or a knife. This method is faster and creates less waste. Browse Recipes

COOKING GINGER (FRESH)

Ginger appears in recipes from all over the world, in many unique and versatile ways. In the West, ginger is often made into candy, crystallized, or added to desserts like gingerbread. Ginger is considered to be one of the "sweet spices" along with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and anise. However, its use appears frequently in savory dishes as well. In Asian cuisine, ginger, garlic, and onion form tri-root, a common spice combination. Ginger is ground with garlic into a paste and then sauted in Bengal. The Burmese shred ginger and preserve it in oil, mixing it with a variety of nuts and seeds. Ginger beer, a carbonated fermented soda, is popular in Jamaica. The people of the Ivory Coast mix ginger with orange, lemon, and pineapple to make a juice. In Japanese cuisine, ginger is pickled with red shisho leaves. Koreas kimchi is studded with ginger, added before the fermentation process.

WHY SHOULD YOU EAT AYURVEDICALLY?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Foods that supplement your specific body type’s needs and digest easily create your menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.

LEARN MORE

Is Ginger (Fresh) Good for Me?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether Ginger (Fresh) is a good fit for you. Time to complete: approximately 1 minute.

MEDICINAL QUALITIES

INCREASES Increases These Qualities (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main states (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which states are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every state has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite state. Learn More	MOBILE ABOUT MOBILE GUNA Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity. LEARN MORE ABOUT MOBILE LIGHT ABOUT LIGHT GUNA Lightness is identified by reduced weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT CLEAR ABOUT CLEAR GUNA Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama. LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR EASY ABOUT EASY GUNA Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly. LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	PUNGENT ABOUT PUNGENT GUNA Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper. LEARN MORE ABOUT PUNGENT
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types People tend to get sick, over and over again, due to similar causes and habitual imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. Catabolic people tend to be easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic people tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic people are heavy, stable and grounded, but if they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Learn More	PACIFIES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	EFFECT Alkalizing ALKALIZING An herb or food that makes the urine more alkaline (higher pH). This herbal action can be helpful for a number of inflammatory conditions. LEARN MORE ABOUT ALKALIZING , Prana PRANA Prana is the Sanskrit word for vital life energy, similar to Qi in Chinese Medicine. Many herbs stimulate your energy, or improve the flow of prana through your body. Generally, prana needs to be increased in spring after a sleepy winter. LEARN MORE ABOUT PRANA , Sattvic SATTVIC Sattvic foods promote awareness and a refreshed mind by nourishing the body without taxing digestion. Sattvic foods do not stimulate desire or nervous energy. They create clarity instead of drowsiness or heaviness. LEARN MORE ABOUT SATTVIC TYPE Spices ELEMENT Earth EARTH Resembles earth (prithvi) in quality - heavy, dense, solid, stable, hard. LEARN MORE ABOUT EARTH , Fire FIRE Resembles fire (tejas) in quality - hot, sharp, penetrating, light, dry. LEARN MORE ABOUT FIRE COLOR Brown

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Experiences are Personal

Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Bone & Joint	Antiarthritic ANTIARTHRITIC Herbs that ease arthritic pain and promote joint health. LEARN MORE ABOUT ANTIARTHRITIC
Digestion	Appetizer APPETIZER Herbs that cleanse the palate & stimulate hunger or desire to eat. LEARN MORE ABOUT APPETIZER , Antiemetic ANTIEMETIC Herbs that reduce nausea or stop vomiting. LEARN MORE ABOUT ANTIEMETIC , Antispasmodic ANTISPASMODIC Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, colic or IBS. LEARN MORE ABOUT ANTISPASMODIC , Carminative CARMINATIVE Stimulates the release of gas. Helpful for bloating or cramping abdominal pain. Propels food downward. LEARN MORE ABOUT CARMINATIVE , Digestive DIGESTIVE Herbs that encourage healthy digestive. LEARN MORE ABOUT DIGESTIVE , Sialogogue SIALOGOGUE A sialogogue increases saliva. Sour foods are often great sialogogues, and increase output of all exocrine glands. Salty taste is very moistening as well. Bitter, pungent and sweettastes also increase salivary output but to a lesser degree. Astringents LEARN MORE ABOUT SIALOGOGUE , Spleen Tonic SPLEEN-TONIC An herb that strengthens spleen function by improving strength of the blood. Spleen tonics Builds agni, brighten the person's appearances & firms up tissues. LEARN MORE ABOUT SPLEEN-TONIC , Stomachic STOMACHIC An herb that increases appetite or settles a nauseas or nervous stomach. These generally increase the digestive fire, therefore relieving symptoms of sluggish or difficult digestion. LEARN MORE ABOUT STOMACHIC
Cleanse and Detox	Burns Toxins BURNS-TOXINS An herb that detoxifies by helping your body metabolize toxins, as opposed to eliminating them. LEARN MORE ABOUT BURNS-TOXINS , Detoxicant DETOXICANT An herb that eliminates or metabolizes toxins from the body. LEARN MORE ABOUT DETOXICANT
Energy Vitality Strength	Stimulates energy STIMULATES-ENERGY This category groups thyroid and adrenal stimulating herbs LEARN MORE ABOUT STIMULATES-ENERGY
Heart & Circulation	Cardiac stimulant CARDIAC-STIMULANT Herbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area. LEARN MORE ABOUT CARDIAC-STIMULANT , Vasodilator VASODILATOR A vasodilator is an herb that widens the blood vessels by the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, thereby increasing circulation systemically or to a local area. LEARN MORE ABOUT VASODILATOR
Immune System	Anti Inflammatory ANTI-INFLAMMATORY Reduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems. LEARN MORE ABOUT ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Lung and Sinus	Lung Tonic LUNG-TONIC Strengthens the lungs. These herbs are helpful when recovering from either acute or chronic lung issues like bronchitis or pneumonia. LEARN MORE ABOUT LUNG-TONIC , Decongestant DECONGESTANT An herb that reduces mucus congestion in the sinus or lungs by restricting blood flow to mucus membranes. LEARN MORE ABOUT DECONGESTANT
Reproductive Health	Galactagogue GALACTAGOGUE Increases production of breast milk. LEARN MORE ABOUT GALACTAGOGUE