Stomachache? Indigestion? Heartburn? Try Some Gingerroot

Remember when you were little? What did mom, dad or grandma give you for a tummy ache? I was always given a glass of ginger ale. I understood the Carbon dioxide in the helped settle the stomach. After all, pop is soda water and had sodium bicarbonate. But why ginger ale? Because like with so many 'old time' remedies, we are finding that ginger is a natural stomach preparation.

Back in the days before we have a drug or chemical for every owie, folks with common sense knew that ginger was the very best herb for stomach trouble. Ginger grows natively in Asian. It was a pretty rare spice before we had international trade. Mostly we know it as a great spice for baking and cooking. But it is much more than that.

I keep a bottle of ginger root capsules on my medicine shelf. I have never used any over the counter remedy with my children for stomach trouble. Ginger soothes the pain every time. Whether it's nausea, heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion, ginger eases every one.

I am a substitute teacher. I pretty much live out of my car. I usually don't know where the teacher lounge is and I have to spot to put my stuff. If I get a tummy ache, I have very few resources. And subbing can be a stressful and nerve-racking job. It's a perfect environment to develop stomach trouble. So I keep my ginger right with me, just in case.

When you take the capsule, take it with a small glass of milk. The milk helps to get the ginger down to where it needs to be and get to work. For children, you can add it to applesauce, yogurt or something that will hide the taste. If they can swallow capsules, that will make it easier to ingest.

You can also steep a ginger tea. Select a green or herbal ginger tea. This spicy soothing drink is helpful as a stomach aid as well.

Cooking with ginger is great fun also. I crave ginger. I love the pink grated ginger, or the ginger root in the jar for rice, pasta, chicken, shrimp, and vegetables. Fresh ginger is delicious in so many ways.

Ginger has healing properties also. As with so many herbs and spices, ginger has a long history in the medicinal area. Most of the herbs we cook with have been and are used medicinally.