Treading gingerly

The root has many benefits and can be used in many ways. Explaining more for Be readers, Simon Bandy, of Health Plus, said: “Ginger is a strange knobbly root that originated in Asia. It not only tastes great in food and drinks but it has so many benefits too. “The natural oil from ginger – gingerol – is the main bioactive compound, responsible for much of its properties.” And he revealed the different ways of using it: * To improve circulation: ginger has blood thinning properties and is known as a vasodilator – meaning that it helps to open up blood vessels and allows more blood to pass through, thus improving circulation around the body. * To warm up and relax with massage: ginger can also help to warm you up on a cold day and is great if you are suffering from cold hands and feet due to poor circulation. Simply add a couple of drops of Health Plus Ginger essential oil to your hand cream and apply regularly. Eating and drinking ginger will have a similar but slower effect. * To aid good digestion: medical studies have shown that ginger speeds up the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine, and lessens discomfort during digestion. It is also well-known for relieving nausea from travelling, pregnancy or post-operatively. * To ease pain: as a natural anti-inflammatory, ginger can be very useful to those who suffer from arthritis, joint pain, menstrual cramps, and some types of headaches. * To aid recovery from coughs and colds: adding a generous slice of anti-viral ginger to hot drinks will help to ease the symptoms and lessen the duration of the virus.