Traditional Chinese medicine teaches that certain foods have medicinal properties, whether taken orally or used topically. These foods carry a healing essence that innately support a certain organ function. Understanding the properties of these foods can be very beneficial in your path toward healing.

Ginger is the number one food used to deal with stomach discomfort and food allergies. Its warm essence can also help lessen arthritis pains, reduce inflammation, and get stagnating Qi flowing again. Simply follow this recipe for Harmony Tea. It’s delicious and simple.

Ginger can be added to many foods—whether sweet or savory. Try fresh ginger slices in chicken noodle soup or sauté fresh ginger with garlic and fresh steamed broccoli or green beans.

Or, for a sweet twist, hollow out a few apples and set them in a baking dish with 1/2 cup of water. Then grate fresh ginger into a mixture of raisins, cinnamon and honey. Fill the apples with this mixture and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes.

If the taste of ginger is too strong for you, try this topical approach instead. Make a heat pack by filling a cotton sock with dried ginger, peppercorns, cinnamon, sea salt, and cloves (optional). Seal the sock by tying it off tightly. This helps keep the fragrance in and the air out. Place the heat pack in the microwave on low heat for about 20 seconds, until the pack is warm, not scalding hot. Use it anywhere you have pain or discomfort. Be sure that the heat pack is not too hot for sensitive skin, especially on children. Even if you are pain-free, this heat pack can help! Simply place the warmed pack on your stomach to warm your body from the outside-in.

Expand Your Learning

Read more about the beneficial properties of ginger: Ginger for Prevention and Digestive Balance.

Ginger is on our eating-for-healing food list in our popular Dragon’s Way Qigong® program. Discover the secrets of this 6-week program, and register for our class, starting January 24.