Ginger is a natural form of aspirin

The weather in Estonia can be very unpredictable. A couple of months ago, as usual, I got ready for a walk with the dog. When I left the house the sun was shining and there was not a cloud in the sky, and of course I dressed in summer clothes and did not think to take an umbrella with me. When I wandered quite far into the forest, the weather changed dramatically it was raining cats and dogs. By the time I got home, I was already completely drenched through, and my teeth were chattering like crazy.

The hot sauna did not help and the next day I woke up with a stuffy nose and by the end of the day I completely lost my voice.

And then I remembered that I read somewhere how Tom Petty, before recording one of his songs, also caught a cold and lost his voice. Some of his comrades bought ginger root and boiled it. Tom Petty breathed over the boiled ginger root, which opened his sinuses thus he was able to record the song.

Fortunately, I also had ginger at home, I decided to try breathing boiling root just as Tom Perry did and it really helped. The effect was certainly not very long-lasting, but being able to breathe deeply at that moment was a real pleasure for me.

I was so intrigued that I wanted to know more about this incredible root. Turns out ginger is like a natural form of aspirin. Ginger includes a naturally occurring substance known as salicylate. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is a synthetic derivative of salicylate that is used to treat many ailments. So basically it can result in blood thinning, which is why it had such an effect.

There were numerous studies conducted, that prove gingers positive effects on health. It is used as a preventative treatment for nausea (during pregnancy for example) and to increase the rate of gastric digestion. Ginger consumption is also known to reduce inflammatory parameters, so for example drinking ginger tea during a cold will not only help to relieve symptoms, but also contribute to a faster recovery.

After reading about ginger's many amazing benefits, which I was also able to experience for myself, I decided to substitute coffee with ginger tea. I'd like to share my recipe with you:

Peel a small piece of ginger and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add lemon or lime and some honey or other sweetener to taste