On Thanksgiving Day, we are actually encouraged to stuff ourselves and certainly one day a year, such indulgence can’t do us too much harm.  For many, these temporary feelings goes away by the next day once our body has dealt with it. But sometimes a bout of overeating can create problems that stay around for days or even weeks.  In Chinese medicine indigestion due to overeating is termed as "food stagnation". 

Symptoms of Food Stagnation: 

• Aversion to food and the smell of food 
• Acid Reflux
• Belching
• Sour regurgitation
• Nausea with or without vomiting
• Shortness of Breath
• Abdominal fullness, pain, and tenderness
• Lethargy and fatigue

                                                      Bao He Wan Saves The Day

This inexpensive Chinese herbal formula translated as preserve the harmony pill can help ease the bloating, cramping, heartburn, or other forms of indigestion that usually accompany large, rich meals.  

Sound too good to be true?  It's really not.  Here's how it works - Bao He Wan contains herbs that help the body's digestive system break down meats, grains, and fats; stimulating peristalsis, which is the abdominal movement that keeps food moving through the digestive tract properly.  You'll feel good enough to get out for a healthy, post Thanksgiving walk (I strongly recommend this).

If Bao He Wan sounds like something you'd be interested in for this Thanksgiving or for other big meals this holiday season (or anytime!) - give me a call today at (510) 210-3822 or schedule online to come in for an herbal consultation!  

                                                         Tummy Soothing Tea

• 1 teaspoon dried chamomile flowers
  
• 1 teaspoon dried peppermint leaves
  
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried cut ginger pieces (not ground)
  
• 8 ounces boiling water
  
• Honey to taste (optional)
  

Combine the chamomile, fennel, ginger, and peppermint in a tea pot or mug. Pour boiling water over. Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Strain tea, then sweeten with honey, if desired.

The recipe below is for a single serving, but you could also make a big batch of the dry tea blend and store it in a jar for easy access.

Considerations

While teas are generally safe, not all herbal teas are safe for everyone. Some herbal teas, such as those made with dandelion, chamomile, black cohosh or dried ginger, may not be safe during pregnancy. 

Peppermint tea may not be a good idea for people with reflux or those taking blood pressure or diabetes medications, and ginger should be avoided by those using blood thinners or blood pressure or diabetes medications. Avoid dandelion tea if you take diuretics, blood thinners or diabetes medications.

Although this knotted, beige colored root is one of the most frequently used herbs in the kitchen, it is much more than a culinary spice. In current research, ginger has show to inhibit the absorption of cholesterol and increase the flow of bile. It also stimulates the circulatory system, acts as an anti-inflammatory and blood thinner. Ginger is also a strong anti-oxidant substance and may either mitigate or prevent generation of free radicals.  For the past 4000 years in traditional Chinese medicine, this plant has been used extensively for medicinal purposes as well. Depending on how it’s prepared, ginger can go by a few different names.

Fresh ginger (my favorite) is called “Sheng Jiang” and is what you typically see in the produce section of your super market.  

• Great for colds and releasing the exterior
  
• Aids in settling digestion and treating nausea and vomiting
  
• Alleviates coughing
  
• The Japanese don’t just serve slices of ginger with sushi as a garnish; Sheng Jiang also reduces the toxicity of seafood and of other herbs in an herbal formula. 
  

Gan Jiang is a dried ginger is great for warming the body.

• Aid digestion when cold or raw foods have been over eaten 
  
• Deep seated phlegm in the lungs 
  
• Loose stool accompanied by fatigue and gurgling sounds 
  

Pao Jiang, a toasted form of ginger.

• When you feel like there is an ice cube stuck in your stomach, this form of ginger will enhance the warming effect even further. 
  
• Severe abdominal pain and diarrhea
  

                               How Much Ginger Should I Take?

Intake of ginger depends on the condition. In general, no more than 2-4 grams of fresh ginger should be taken daily. However, other doses are recommended for the following conditions:

• Nausea, gas or indigestion: 2-4g of fresh root (0.25-1.00g of powdered root)
  
• Cold and flu symptoms, headaches: ginger tea (2 tablespoons of freshly shredded ginger steeped in boiled water 2-3 times daily, a few drops of honey or raw sugar can be added for taste)
  
• Arthritis: 2-4g daily; use oil or fresh root in a warm poultice or compress and apply to the painful areas.
  

                                How Much is too Much Ginger?

The American Herbal Products Association has given fresh ginger root a class I safety rating, meaning it is a safe herb with a wide dosage range. However Gan Jiang, dried ginger root, has a class II B rating, which means it should be used with caution during pregnancy.

Some evidence suggests that large doses of ginger may interfere with heart medications, diabetes medications and anticoagulants. Since ginger also increases the flow of bile, it should not be taken with caution for patients with gallstones. Excessive amounts of ginger may cause mild heartburn

                                   Facts and Folklore about Ginger

• Together with black pepper, ginger was one of the most commonly traded spices during the 13th and 14th centuries
  
• In  England during the 13th and 14th century, ginger was so sought after that one pound of ginger was equivalent to the cost of one sheep
  
• Sprinkling dried ginger into your pocket or wallet is said to attract prosperity.
  
• Sailors used to take potted ginger on long voyages with them in hopes of preventing seasickness. Fishermen would chew the root, and then spit it into the ocean to calm storm waves.
  
• Pythagoras used ginger to treat snakebites.
  
• In the middle Ages, it was used to treat the plague and in England, it was believed to protect women from incubi, evil spirits who sexually preyed upon women while they slept.
  
• It was once believed that ginger root had a high reputation as a powerful aphrodisiac