Home Remedy to Prevent Flatulence and Aid Digestion

Every winter I look forward to making a hot brew of fresh ginger and cinnamon that warms my body and provides wonderful protection against flatulence while aiding digestion, controlling diarrhoea, and stimulating my circulatory system. Plus it is so delicious! I cut up the fresh ginger into small pieces after washing the skin. I don’t remove the skin.  I place it in a quart of purified water with a couple sticks of cinnamon bark and let it softly boil for about five minutes. When this is ready I may add some apple juice to sweeten a bit or I may add honey. Either or both enhance the flavors although it is very delicious with just the spicy ginger and cinnamon.

In the summer it is very soothing as a cold “tea.” I’ll prepare as above and then refrigerate and drink when desired.  I’m able to drink more fluids because of this refreshing brew thus staying hydrated. Ginger and cinnamon together are also very effective at preventing colds and the flu due to their volatile acids that help to dispel mucous and phlegm. Ginger root is used to prevent morning sickness and travel sickness. It alleviates high blood pressure by relaxing the muscles surrounding blood vessels. It can help lower LDL cholesterol. Besides all this it is an anti-inflammatory and eases the pain of arthritis. Ginger juice or tea can be massaged into the scalp to encourage hair growth. It’s such an amazingly beneficial root.

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) is a tree belonging to the Lauraceae family. The bark of the tree is what is used as a spice. There are two types of cinnamon, one being the “true” cinnamon native to Sri Lanka, the other called cassia, a related spice, which is really not a “true” cinnamon but is what is found in most powdered versions. The bark is what is so beneficial. Like ginger it aids digestion, relieves arthritis, improves memory and helps control flatulence. It is rich in fiber, iron, manganese and calcium. Together these two spices are awesome.