Ginger for an upset stomach and congestion

Pic by Frank C.Muller

I few years ago I would occasionally have a little trouble breathing clearly. As a kid I was given several different inhalers and antihistamines, I remember few if any working and the majority left me with more difficulties than without the drug. While still in high school, before I know much about alternative medicine, I found mint tea would help clear my airways. Unfortunately since then I have had trouble finding mint tea that was strong enough to have the same effect. I tried ginger tea a few years back and it worked like a charm. It was an accidental discovery as I did not take the tea to clear out my throat but it worked so I have been doing it ever since (well, I used to back when I would catch colds, it has been a while). A quick search online shows that lots of people use it as cold relief. It also helped to relieve the runny nose I had at the time. I will drink it when I go to visit my parents because I am allergic to the town they live in for some strange reason.

I have used ginger tea to alleviate an upset stomach from time to time, but it is a God send for fixing menstrual cramps. I would have it twice a day during that time and it allowed me to live my life as per normal, otherwise I would be buckled over in pain all day. The effects lasted me about 8 hours. I don't know what I would have done with out it.

The way I make ginger tea, which may not be the proper way I'm not sure, is to cut a medallion with about a cm in height (little less than 1/2") of the ginger root and peel off the skin. Mince it up a bit and put it in boiling water to steep. You can put it in the water and strain later or you can add it to a tea infuser instead. Cover and let it steep for 5-10