Ginger Tea for Nausea, Vomiting, Stomachache, and Indigestion

A Natural Solution for Mild Digestive Complaints

Fresh Ginger Tea is a simple solution for mild digestive issues, including nausea, infrequent vomiting of clear fluid, stomachache, and indigestion.  It’s easy to make, has no side effects, and works naturally with your body to soothe your belly. Ginger Tea is non-toxic and safe for both pregnancy and breastfeeding. It even has an anti-toxin property and has been used in East Asian Medicine for thousands of years to help detoxify other herbs.

Shēng Jiāng 生姜

Fresh Ginger Tea is best for stomach conditions that come from cold. How can you tell?

• Does your stomach feel better with the application of warmth (from your hands, a heating pad, a hot water bottle, etc)?
• Does your stomach feel better when you gently press your hands over it?

Cold conditions improve with heat and often with pressure as well. How does one end up with a cold condition? Over-consumption of cold, raw foods and drinks is the main culprit, according to East Asian Medicine. One might also have had a prolonged exposure to cold or a draft which resulted in cold invading the interior of the body.

How to brew Fresh Ginger Tea:

• Slice up fresh ginger root, about 2 inches’ worth of root the diameter of your thumb.
• Add to 3 cups of cold water.
• Bring the water to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
• Serve warm, with honey if sweetener is desired. Store leftover tea in the fridge and reheat to serve.

You can adjust the strength and spiciness of the tea by increasing or decreasing the amount of ginger root. You can also cook with fresh ginger root if you have chronic digestive issues. It is traditionally used in many East Asian cultures as a spice as well as a medicinal to improve overall digestion, not to mention flavor.

If you are experiencing severe symptoms of abdominal pain or vomiting, please contact a healthcare professional. Here’s to your digestive health!

Feeling Stuck?

Easy Teas for Smooth Movement

Everybody poops. But not everybody poops every day, or even every other day. If this applies to you, you may be familiar with some of the accompanying symptoms of irregular bowel movements: gas, bloating, abdominal discomfort or downright pain, a sensation of incomplete voiding, or dry and hard stools that can be difficult to pass.
Luckily, there are some very quick and easy solutions you can try at home. You have easy access to the simplest herbs for lubricating your intestines; in fact, your most likely have at least one in your kitchen right now: nuts and honey.

First thing in the morning, have a mug of hot water with about a tablespoon of honey. You can also add lemon to the water for flavor. Wait 10-15 minutes before eating breakfast so your stomach has some time to absorb the honey.

Nuts can be eaten at any point throughout the day. About a handful of any type of nuts will do: walnuts, pecans, almonds, or seeds like hempseeds and flaxseeds. All of these are great in hot cereals like oatmeal. Make sure to add them after cooking, as raw nuts contain more nutrients. Sweeten with a touch of honey and you’ve got an easy recipe for smoother bowel movements. It’s fine to eat nuts alone or in combination with other foods, though simpler is better. Both of these easy remedies have great side benefits: honey is anti-microbial, making it great for cold and flu season. It is also soothing to the throat and a healthy way to satisfy a little sweet tooth. Nuts are full of protein, healthy fats, and micronutrients (Vitamin E, B Vitamins, niacin and calcium, to name a few).
Also make sure you’re getting enough water. It’s winter in Seattle and we all love to hit the coffee. Remember that coffee doesn’t count as a hydrating substance. For every cup of coffee, you should drink 6-8 oz of water. In general, drink to thirst. This includes any clear liquid—water, herbal teas, diluted fruit juice.

Still feeling a bit stuck? Make an appointment to discuss your individual needs.

Simple Stress Solution

Rosebud Tea 玫瑰花

Feeling stressed, anxious, or a little bit down? A really simple, tasty, warming way to lower your stress and anxiety levels is to drink a cup of tea. Rosebud tea is perfect for this. Its gentle, aromatic flavor will uplift and relax you. In East Asian Medicine, rosebuds (méi guï huä) are used to help release constrained liver qi, which is caused by stress. The liver is the organ responsible for the orderly movement of qi. When we experience stress, it strongly affects the liver. The liver becomes constrained and fails to order the qi to move smoothly. Picture a general ordering his or her troops around a battlefield—that’s your liver ordering your qi around your body as you battle stress. The more stressed you become, the more difficult it is for your liver to do its job. Herbs like méi guï huä help open up the flow of qi by calming the liver, enabling it to once more take up its job of moving qi in an orderly fashion. Just like us, our livers enjoy a bit of r&r. So help yours out today by taking 8-10 rosebuds and steeping them in a cup of hot water for about 5 minutes, covered if possible so it stays warm. You can keep the same cup of rosebuds on your desk all day, adding hot water as desired. The first cup will be the strongest. Méi guï huä tea is also good for abdominal distention and bloating, a sensation of stifling in the chest, poor appetite, irregular menstruation and premenstrual breast tenderness.

Look for large, unopened, unbroken purplish flowers. Add honey if you like a little sweetener and enjoy the side benefit of lubricating your intestines. Being a bit stuck can add even more stress and discomfort to your day, so if you have a tendency to this, try a bit of honey. This works best if you take a tablespoon in your tea or warm water first thing in the morning, before eating.

For a customized herbal formula that addresses your individual needs or some acupuncture to accompany your rosebud tea and aid you in your campaign against stress, schedule an appointment today.