What Is Ginger?
Ginger is a common spice in Asian and Indian food traditions. In addition to a delicious tang of flavor, ginger is a useful medicinal plant. What we know of as the spice ginger is actually the root or rhizome of the plant, which is part of the Zingiberaceae family of plants. Ginger can be found whole or dried and powdered, and may be available sliced in a ready to open jar in some markets.
Adding ginger to your diet can put a sparkle in your eye because it’s loaded with antioxidants. It can aid in digestion and boost your overall health. Simply peel and slice, grate or squeeze this root to add a sweet zing of health to your food!
Ginger For Your Face
Ginger can help with many skin imperfections such as scars, particularly scars that are lighter than the rest of your skin. Peel and slice ginger and lay the slices on the scars and let the ginger slice dry. If used at least once daily, this treatment should even your skin until the scar disappears within just a few months.
You can boost the vitality of the skin on your face with a simple mask of equal parts grated or powdered ginger, fresh juice of a lemon, and honey. Let this rest on your face for thirty minutes twice a week, then rinse and enjoy your fresh face!
Another soothing facial mask using ginger also includes milk. Find out how to whip up a facial mask at home that will give you smooth, even skin.
Ginger For Your Hair
Ginger can aid in hair growth and reduce the look of thinning hair. It can also be used to treat dandruff. Adding fresh grated ginger will stimulate your scalp and leave it tingly and ready to grow strong, beautiful hair.
For shiny hair, peel a ginger root and squeeze out one tablespoon of the juice. Mix the ginger juice with equal parts olive or jojoba oil. Gently rub the mixture into your scalp, and leave it on your head for no more than thirty minutes-don’t let it dry-then rinse it off with a mild shampoo.
You can also mix ginger juice and water for no more than ten minutes, and rinse it away with a mild shampoo. Mix grated ginger, sesame oil and a bit of lemon juice for a scalp mask to be left on for thirty minutes, and rinse it away with a mild shampoo.
It’s important to note that ginger is a skin stimulant. If your scalp is very tender, this stimulation may be more of an irritant than an invigorating treatment. If you feel your skin becoming tender or irritated, shorten your sessions with your ginger scalp mask until they are a pleasant experience.
Ginger For Your Whole Body
Many of us deal with cellulite due to genetics. We can work hard to maintain a healthy weight and still find this dimpled, lumpy fat on certain areas of our bodies. Ginger can help to burn that fat away.
Because ginger has great stomach-soothing qualities, it can be used in combination with hotter spices. A simple drink of one teaspoon each of cayenne pepper powder, grated ginger and the juice of one lemon, mixed with warm water, can heat up the body and blood to burn away cellulite and other excess fat.
Ginger also makes a great skin scrub. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup olive oil, the zest of one lemon, and two tablespoons of grated fresh ginger. Twice weekly, work this mixture over areas plagued with cellulite until your skin is tingly and rinse off with a gentle body wash.
Ginger is an amazing and healthful gift. Use it to stimulate your scalp, heal your scars, and get rid of your skin imperfections.