Flu and cold season is already upon us. My youngest brought home a generic virus from school recently complete with fever, nasal drainage, headache, body aches and gastrointestinal issues. Schools are great petri dishes for sharing such things, and this particular virus seems to be racing through the schools in our district.
When I first got sick with Lyme, I worked with a nutritionist in another state. At one point, I got a cold. The nutritionist suggested I put a tablespoon or so of powdered ginger in a very hot bath. She argued in an unscientific premise that the ginger and the steam would help pull the virus out through my pores. While her logic may not have been accurate, ginger is a healing herb. It is most often used in natural healing for digestive complaints, especially nausea, colic, and gassiness. However, ginger is also believed to reduce inflammation and to induce healthy sweating which can help in fighting viruses. Ginger may interact with some medications, so be sure to check with your health care providers before using it in any substantial amounts.
I find ginger baths to be very comforting, and they’ve become a part of my virus routine. When I am sick, I fill a bath with water as hot as I can humanly tolerate and then liberally sprinkle in powdered organic ginger. The ginger has a warming and stimulating effect on the skin, and I really like how it feels. However, someone else I know tried it and complained strongly about the burning sensation it caused on his genitals, so be aware that is a potential side effect. The bathroom (and most of the house for that matter!) end up filled with the appealing smell of ginger, adding in the benefits of aromatherapy. Even if the ginger doesn’t doing much for me medicinally, the routine has become one that relaxes me and brings me a bit of solace when I feel unusually miserable.
© 2014 Green Heart Guidance