It’s cold and flu season upon us. Everyone seems to be coming down with cold, flu or viral infection this time of the year. If you are looking for a natural and effective home remedy to fight an infection off, then look no further than ginger-brown sugar and cinnamon combo! Ginger, cinnamon and brown sugar are a traditional Chinese home remedy used to relief cold and flu symptoms.

Ginger has been used for thousands of years as a natural immune-booster and to provide relief for cold and flu symptoms. While Western medicine has recognised ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties, Eastern medicine has long used ginger as a cold and flu remedy. Ginger is pungent and warm in nature. Since it’s natural spiciness can help clear congestion it’s been known to bring relief to respiratory issues, such as coughs, bronchitis and asthma.

Brown sugar is made from cane juice with minimal processing. It retains vitamins, carbohydrates amino acids, and micro-elements like iron, zinc, chromium and manganese. Brown sugar is a “warm” food, which reinforces energy and blood, benefits the spleen, warms the stomach, dispels pathogenic wind and cold, activates blood circulation and combats blood stagnation.

Cinnamon is another ancient superfood. It’s great to treat common cold symptoms like nasal congestion with clear mucous, sorethroat and headaches.

Common Cold Caused by Wind Cold Invasion

“Wind” is a Chinese term which corresponds to the bacteria or virus that cause the common cold. The Cold aspect of a” Wind Cold Invasion” indicates that the patient is suffering from a cold that doesn’t involve sweating and usually has a tongue with a white coating. Other symptoms include:

•    fever, chills, inability to get warm,
•    nasal or sinus congestion with clear mucus,
•    cough with clear mucus,
•    stiff neck and shoulders,
•    occipital headache (back of the head),
•    a slower-than-normal pulse that is more easily felt at the surface.

Ginger is especially effective for this type of cold as it warms the body, opens the pores and induces sweating,  pushing the pathogen out through the pores. By  doing so it shortens the time you suffer from cold symptoms.

Brown Sugar is warm in nature, meaning it can eliminate “wind cold”,  as it stimulates blood and removes the stagnation caused by cold.

Cinnamon is pungent, warm and spicy, so it’s able to stimulate yang energy and drive the cold and stagnation out.

How to use ginger, cinnamon and brown sugar? Tea is the answer

Directions:

1. Chop 4-5 pieces of fresh ginger add small piece of cinnamon bark (bark, not a powder!) and put into a small pot
2. Add water (fill the pot halfway) and bring to a boil
3. Once the water turns yellow add two teaspoons of brown sugar, stir
4. Simmer for 1 minute
5. Pour tea and enjoy hot
Drink 2-3 cups and you will feel your body warming up.

Remember!
You will sweat a lot after this tea (meaning your body is expelling the cold out). So just rest and make sure to drink plenty of water afterwards.

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Sources:
http://wakayaperfection.com/blogs/wellness/11192177-why-ginger-is-a-must-have-for-cold-and-flu-season
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/chinese/how-to-treat-the-common-cold-with-traditional-chinese-medicine.htm
http://kaleidoscope.cultural-china.com/en/7Kaleidoscope10263.html
http://www.homeremediesweb.com/cinnamon_health_benefits.php