Miraculous Ginger

In this world, we live by reaction. We start the day with certain goals, and before we know it we get a phone call about a minor emergency, or an appliance breaks, or a client calls with an urgent request. Suddenly we’re in crisis mode—and we may not be able to leave this state for the rest of the day, because the moment one issue is resolved, a new one takes its place. All day long, every day, we’re dying out fires, large and small. This reactivity is what we need to survive the Quickening. At the same time, never winding down can set us up to be hyperreactive—like when there’s traffic when you’re already late to pick up your child from soccer practice, and without even thinking, you honk the horn at the car in front of you for stopping at a yellow light. Ginger is one of the most important tools for giving ourselves respite from a reactive state. 

When you’ve been going a mile a minute from morning until night and you finally start to check out mentally and emotionally, the physical body often stays reactive, in a heightened, spasmodic state. This is how stress-related illnesses such as adrenal fatigue, acid reflux, sleep apnea, spastic bladder, insomnia, digestive issues such as spastic colon and gastritis, and chronic muscle pain can get kicked up. Ginger is the ultimate antispasmodic. A cup of ginger tea can calm an upset stomach and relax any other areas of tension for up to 12 hours. Rather than acting as a nerve tonic, it acts as a tonic for the organs and muscles, telling the body that it can let go, that everything is under control. If your throat muscles are tight from speaking or yelling too much, or from having to hold in something you wish you could say, ginger is an amazing relaxant for the area. It also helps relieve tension headaches and flush excess lactic acid from muscle tissue into the bloodstream and out of the body—because it’s not just strenuous exercise that causes the release of lactic acid; stress does, too. If you sit at a desk all day with stress pumping lactic acid through your muscles, it needs a way out, since you’re not moving around to keep it flowing on its normal path. 

Ginger’s antispasmodic properties come from its more than 60 trace minerals, well over 30 amino acids (many of them undiscovered), and more than 500 enzymes and coenzymes all working together to calm reactivity. And as an antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-parasitic, ginger deserves all the accolades it gets for promoting a healthy immune system. Ginger is also ideal for stress assistance, DNA reconstruction, enhancement of your body’s production of B12, and so much more. It will be 100 years before research uncovers how much ginger truly holds.

CONDITIONS

If you have any of the following conditions, try bringing ginger into your life:

Pancreatitis, gallstones, adrenal fatigue, spastic colon, sleep apnea, spastic bladder, insomnia, laryngitis, common colds, influenza, hiatal hernia, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)/mononucleosis, migraines, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), thyroid disease, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), HHV-6, eczema, psoriasis, anxiety, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), plantar fasciitis, Raynaud’s syndrome, radiation exposure, all types of cancer (especially thyroid cancer and pancreatic cancer), celiac disease, chronic sinusitis, ear infections, fungal infections, hiatal hernia, human papilloma virus (HPV), insomnia, lymphedema, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis, shingles 

Kiwi, Sweet potatoes, Dark Chocolate, Honey (1Tbl spoon max) and of course Warm Milk....Sweet Dreams.

1. Vitamin D -- A deficiency in vitamin D affects your body's ability to regulate circadian rhythms (your body's clock). With your body's clock not running correctly, it's unable to signal the sleep hormones involved in making you fall asleep and wake up.

2. Melatonin -- Melatonin is a hormone which helps regulate your circadian cycle. Taking a melatonin supplement over a short term period (the risk of bleeding is heightened if taken over the long term) helps people fall asleep and increases the quality of their sleep.

3. Vitamin E -- If you find yourself sitting at your desk during the work day constantly twitching your leg, you have restless leg syndrome. This is a result of your body's constant need to exert energy and can be effecting your sleep. A study published in “American Family Physician” indicates vitamin E helps control restless leg syndrome; helping patients fall asleep faster and stay asleep through the night.

4. Calcium -- Many consider calcium to be nature's tranquilizer. Most know calcium as playing a key role in bone health, but adequate amount of calcium help trigger deep sleep. Calcium helps the brain relax, slow down and sleep.

5. Magnesium -- Magnesium is needed for the absorption of calcium and aids in the calming of nerves and  the relaxation of muscles.  The more relaxed your body feels, the better your chances of sleeping through the night. A deficiency in magnesium is quite common and can lead to the release of stress hormones in the body prompting conditions such as restless leg syndrome.

6. Valerian -- Valerian has been used since the Ancient Greeks and Romans as a sedative and anti-anxiety treatment. It increases the amount of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) which prevents the transmission of nerve impulses to the brain. If used over an extended period of time, valerian can actually help someone fall asleep faster and improves the quality of their sleep.

7. Chamomile -- Another herb used since Ancient times, chamomile gets its reputation as a sleep aid from the calming effect it gives. Chamomile is best used if you find yourself unable to fall asleep because you're overly stressed.
Note: If you're allergic to ragweed, it's best to avoid chamomile as the plants are related.

8. B Vitamins -- While vitamin B6 is usually thought to give someone energy, their main purpose is the production of hormones. B vitamins also keep the adrenal glands healthy, preventing them from creating adrenaline at night which can lead to insomnia and sleep interruption.

9. 5-HTP -- Normally known to enhance mood and decrease appetite, 5-HTP acts as a precursor to serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter essential for a good night’s sleep. A 2009 study found those who took a product combining 5-HTP and GABA needed less time to fall asleep, slept longer and reported improved sleep quality.
Note: Don't take 5-HTP if you're on antidepressant medications.

10. Theanine -- Usually found in green tea, theanine is an amino acid believed to calm the brain by producing GABA and calming the major neurotransmitters.

Some of these supplements come in two different forms: extended release and immediate release. If you've trouble falling asleep, it's recommended you try the immediate release to make the supplement effective as quickly as possible. If you're constantly having trouble staying asleep the night, try the extended-release as it will disperse through the night, keeping you asleep.

It's important to first consult your doctor or health practitioner before beginning any supplement program to help you sleep. Do not operate heavy machinery or drive until you are sure how the supplement will affect you.