Digestive Support with Ginger !

Used for centuries, ginger is a rhizome which has become popular around the world.  In ancient China and Rome, ginger was a favoured spice for cooking and healing.  Ginger then arrived in Europe around the 9th century and became so popular that it is said to have been used like salt, and pepper, and even sprinkled on beer - which is the origin of "ginger ale"!

With its unique flavour that suits sweet & salty, ginger has made its way into cuisine in various forms - gingerbread cookies (Europe), ginger in coffee (Yemen), ginger with fish (Myanmar), ginger beer (Jamaica), chai tea (India) and much more. In addition to ginger's striking taste, the medicinal benefits of ginger have been known in traditional medicine and recognized by modern day research. Ginger can provide relief for morning sickness and nausea, relieve inflammation and arthritis, improve circulation and support various other health concerns when used properly.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, ginger can support digestion by rekindling "agni" - the digestive fire.  "Agni" is one of the most important principles in Ayurveda and relates to how we not only digest food, but how we digest experiences, emotions and sensory input.  Ginger helps increase "agni" in the stomach which helps stimulate saliva, gastric juices and enzymes, bile to enhance breakdown of ingested food.  It can also support movement of food past the stomach into the intestinal tract, reducing bloating and digestive discomfort.

Ginger has sweet and pungent tastes and has heating qualities.  It has a sweet post-digestive effect and has an affinity to the digestive, circulatory and respiratory systems. Ginger is tridoshic, meaning it is suitable for each of the 3 doshas - vata, pitta, kapha.  How and when ginger should be taken for each individual depends on their agni, the season, and the state of their doshas.  Agni tends to be weaker in Vata and Kapha constitutions, and in Pitta constitutions, agni has a tendency to be aggravated leading to heartburn and other pitta conditions. Ginger is generally safe to use, however intake must be monitored in certain constitutions if taken in excess.

GINGER PICKLE RECIPE

This recipe is very simple to make, and can be an effective way to incorporate ginger in your diet to support agni:

Ingredients: 

• 2" organic ginger (fresh) - peeled, sliced finely in strips
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp rock salt or himalayan salt
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• Olive oil to cover all the ginger pieces
• Other spices can be added based on your ayurvedic constitution - turmeric, hingvastak, cumin, maple syrup

Mix the ingredients together in a small glass jar, and store at room temperature. You can chew on a ginger piece before meals. Best to make small amounts of the pickle for the week and eat fresh. 

If you would like to learn more about Ayurvedic spices, their medicinal benefits as well as their culinary uses, join us for a seminar on Saturday, Nov 21st at 3pm or on Tuesday Nov 24th at 6:30pm. Details can be found: Ayurvedic workshops

To learn more about how ginger can be used medicinally specifically for your constitution, you can book a naturopathic & ayurvedic consultation with Dr. Leena Athparia, ND.K = good for all Ayurvedic dosha typ

What is Tongue Cleaning?

Tongue cleaning has long been a practice valued in Ayurveda to maintain oral hygiene.  Tongue cleaning (otherwise known as tongue scraping) is a simple daily practice of scraping the tongue before brushing the teeth, to remove toxins.

Tongue scrapers were originally made of metals such as copper, silver, gold or brass.  Copper tongue cleaners may be beneficial to use as copper has natural anti-bacterial properties.  The mouth can breed a host of unwanted organisms which can lead to receding gums, tooth decay, gingivitis, weakened enamel, bad breath and more.  Oral hygiene is critical in maintaining healthy gums and teeth - tongue cleaning, in addition to regular brushing and eating a balanced diet, can be a simple healthy routine to incorporate into your day.

By scraping the tongue, first thing in the morning before brushing your teeth, you can remove the thick white film that develops on your tongue overnight.  This coating known as "ama" in Ayurveda is considered as toxic waste.  By removing this waste material (rather than swallowing it down in the morning), we can reduce the toxic load in our digestive tract, improve our taste, reduce bad breath and reduce chances of upper respiratory tract infections. Tongue scraping also is said to activate the taste buds which activates the digestive tract and supports healthy elimination.

How to do tongue cleaning:

1) Before brushing your teeth, observe your tongue in the mirror. Notice any changes as you observe it each day.

2) Use your tongue scraper to scrape the tongue from back to front.  Repeat this 3-5 times, rinsing the cleaner each time.  Reach as far back as you can.

3) You will notice a thick film on the tongue cleaner which will reduce each time you tongue clean.

3) Observe your tongue once again and you will notice less white coat and your tongue will feel 'clean'

4) Brush your teeth as you would normally, and you can do a round of 'oil-pulling' (coming up in a later blog!)

5) You may do this daily - after some time, if you skip a day, you will feel the difference and wonder how you ever managed without tongue cleaning !          

Tongue cleaning is an effective daily hygiene routine (dinacharya) that has long been used in Ayurveda, and is now increasingly being recognized by dentists for the associated health benefits.

Tongue Cleaners are available at your health food store, or drop by Yuri's Village Naturopathic Clinic. Tongue cleaners will be available at Health, Food, Creativity on Saturday Nov. 21st & Sunday Nov. 22 @10am - 6pm.

If you would like a comprehensive health plan which includes Ayurvedic & naturopathic medicine and is customized to your concerns, you can book an appointment with Dr. Leena Athparia, ND.