Ginger
A Good Healing Tea
A good healing tea is made as follows:
- A pinch of peppermint
- A pinch of powdered ginger
- A pinch of clove powder or 2 bruised cloves
- One cup water
To prepare the tea:
Boil the water but do not use an aluminum kettle. Pour water into a mug or pot leaving herbs to steep for at least five minutes, but don’t leave for longer than ten minutes or the tea may become bitter. For stronger tea, use more herb rather than steeping the tea for a longer time. Sweeten with honey if desired.
Ginger Tea For Pain
For pain, soak cloths in ginger tea and apply them directly to the painful areas.
To prepare the tea, chop the ginger root into small pieces. Use approximately one to three teaspoons of herb per cup of boiling water. Ginger is very strong, so if you have never used it before, start with the lesser amount of herb. Boil water but do not use an aluminum kettle. Pour water into a mug or pot leaving herbs to steep for at least five minutes, but don’t leave for longer than ten minutes or the tea may become bitter. For stronger tea, use more herb rather than steeping the tea for a longer time.
Sunflower Seed and Ginger For Coughs
If you have the hacking cough of a heavy smoker this remedy will disguise your weakness. Put two ounces of sunflower seeds into a saucepan with a quart of water, and an inch or so of whole ginger. Simmer until reduced to a pint and a half. Add sugar or honey to taste. When cold, strain. A tablespoon of whisky will help the drink to stay fresh; if it is not added, it should be made fresh every two or three days. This is an excellent decoction to relieve bronchitis or a hacking cough.
Elderberry Cold Preventative
Put stalked elderberries into an earthenware jar, cover with a well-fitting lid and place in a slow oven. Leave till the juice flows, then pour it off into a pan and return the covered jar to the oven. Continue doing this until you have obtained all the juice from the fruit. Extract amount remaining by squeezing the fruit through muslin.
Measure the juice, and to every pint add half a pound of loaf sugar, about half a dozen cloves and a piece of bruised root ginger.
Place the pan over heat and bring to the boil. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, then strain into bottles or jars with a secure lid. Drink diluted with hot water to taste.
Peppermint Tincture for Digestion
- 1/2 cup dried peppermint leaves
- 1/4 cup-1/2 cup very finely diced fresh ginger root
- 1/4 cup dried fennel seeds
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 1 1/2 cups vodka
Put peppermint, ginger and fennel in glass jar and pour over the boiling water until they are just covered. Fill the rest of the jar with vodka and close with air tight lid. Keep in a cool dark place for at least 2-6 weeks, shaking daily. Strain through mesh strainer or cheesecloth and store in dark place in small jars.
For adults up to 1 tsp can be taken straight or in water as needed. For heartburn indigestion or nausea, one dose is usually sufficient, though sometimes a second dose is needed.
In pregnancy, 1/2 tsp in the morning often helps with morning sickness, with additional doses if needed throughout the day.
For children, 10-20 drops is usually enough, or it can be used externally.
Ginger and Pineapple for Sore Throat
Hawaii has had a long history of effective native medicine. Gargling with warm ginger root juice has been considered to relieve sore throats and inflamed tonsils.
Naturopathic doctors today have improved on this remedy by alternating gargling with warm ginger juice and gargling with cold pineapple juice.
Here’s the recipe for the ginger juice:
Boil one-half cup of water and one teaspoon of powdered ginger, just until boiling. Once it has cooled, add one-quarter teaspoon of honey and the juice of half of a lemon. Alternate gargling with the ginger juice mixture and with cool pineapple juice. Repeat as needed.
Herbal Tea For A Cold
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon dried Peppermint
- 1 teaspoon dried Yarrow
- 1 teaspoon dried Elder Flowers
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 pinch powdered mixed spices (Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves)
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
Infuse the herbs in the water for at least 5 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients and honey to sweeten if necessary. Take a wine glassful every 2 hours.
This pleasant, soothing mixture will induce a gentle perspiration, thus helping to reduce a fever.
From: The Complete Book of Herbs and Spices
For information about the individual herbs visit: The Encyclopedia of Herbology
Cayenne Tea
Ingredients:
- 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1/2 cup boiling water or hot Milk
Stir the Cayenne into the liquid and sip slowly. This will warm the whole system and is an old remedy for warding off disease.
If the taste is too strong, take Cayenne in pill form, or try ground ginger with honey – a deliciously warming drink.
From: The Complete Book of Herbs and Spices
For information about the individual herbs visit: The Encyclopedia of Herbology
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