Winter Holidays
Auguri!
5 Steps To Be Healthy During the Winter
Winter, which is about to come, looks like a difficult season due to the cold temperatures that bring with it diseases such as colds, coughs, flu and this year Covid also. To protect yourself adequately, it is necessary to strengthen your immune system.
Here are 5 essential things to do for an efficient immunity.
- Healthy and balanced nutrition. Proper nutrition provides the energy needed to stay fit and to produce antibodies. You will therefore have to be careful to consume seasonal fruit and vegetables, limiting industrial and over-sweetened products. The ideal is to prepare your own meals, limiting sodas, pastries and alcoholic beverages because they can hinder the immune system. Some vegetables, such as mushrooms (like shiitaki), garlic, onion, shallot, and ginger have antibacterial properties. To stimulate our immune defences, you must also include fats in your diet, favouring mono-saturated or poly-saturated fats (fish such as sardines or mackerel and vegetable oils such as extra-virgin olive oil). It is highly recommended avoiding saturated fats like butter and whole milk. It would also be important to take a probiotic cure to strengthen our intestines. Perhaps you know that 70% of our immune system is in our intestines and probiotics strengthen the intestinal mucosa, especially in winter or if you have a serious or chronic illness. These micro-organisms are found in yoghurt and fermented milk. Another important part of winter nutrition are elements like zinc and selenium, which also contribute to stimulating the immune system and are found in foods rich in proteins such as crustaceans, egg yolk, poultry and the cheese.
- Vitamins. Vitamin A is a precious ally of immunity because it stimulates the production of antibodies. Products of animal origin such as meat, fish, whole milk and milk products in general are rich in vitamin A. Vitamin C, found in fruits and vegetables, helps the formation of immune cells. Vitamin E is naturally present in sunflower seeds and vegetable oils. It has to be an important part in the nutrition of elderly people because it compensates for the loss of immune defences due to ageing. As for vitamin D, its effectiveness is proven in the regulation of immunity. It also acts to counter the development of some autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. The main source of vitamin D is the sunlight. If you live in Belgium like me, or in another country in the Northern hemisphere, where the sun is scarce during the winter, taking supplement of vitamin D is recommended, especially if you are a woman in menopause or a person of a certain age. It is true that you can also find it in fatty fish, but in small quantities.
- The quality of sleep. Sleep disorders affect many people. The benefits of a pleasant night are well known. Stress and toxin are eliminated, tissues are repaired, cells are regenerated and you wake up in a good mood. A good sleep, in addition to having these effects, also strengthens your immune system and protects you from infections. To be well rested, you need to get enough sleep, between 6 and 8 hours. If you are having trouble falling asleep, have a ritual to clear your mind, avoid drinking coffee, overeating, and drinking too much alcohol in the evening. To prepare for a quiet night, remove from your room all the elements that stimulate your attention too much and emit blue light (TV, mobile phone, computer). Practising a relaxing activity such as meditation and reading before sleeping, may help you in falling asleep. An herbal tea before going to bed may also help you.
- Exposure to light. Light has an impact on the regulation of the biological clock. The lack of light, or the wrong light (artificial light, the blue light from the LED screens I mentioned earlier, night work shifts, or too rich diets), could have consequences on sleep and the immune system. To regulate your biological clock, try to get maximum exposure to sunlight, letting it into your home and workplace. In case of major disorders, you can buy a light therapy lamp that simulates sunlight in intensity and light spectrum. You can find them in every price range.
- Finally, physical activity. Regular physical activity has a direct effect on immunity. By improving blood circulation, exercise allows the different components of the immune system to spread better in the body. In older people, it helps prevent the decline of immune functions. But be careful not to practise too intensely as this could have a counterproductive effect. It is quite easy to practice good habits to get some physical activity on a daily basis. For example, you can take the stairs instead of taking the elevator or you can walk 30 minutes a day. If you want to go to the gym (a bit difficult in these Covid times), take it easy and listen to the advice of your coach or use an app.
So, are you ready to face the winter?
5 modi per affrontare l’inverno e restare in forma
L’inverno, che ormai é alle porte, si presenta come una stagione difficile per il freddo che porta con sé malattie come il raffreddore, la tosse, l’influenza e quest’anno ci si mette pure il Covid.
Per proteggersi in modo adeguato è necessario rafforzare il nostro sistema immunitario e condurre uno stile di vita sano.
Ecco 5 fattori essenziali da mettere in pratica per avere un’immunitá efficiente.
- Alimentazione sana e equilibrata. L’alimentazione corretta fornisce l’energia necessaria per essere in forma e produrre anticorpi. Dovrai perciò fare attenzione a consumare frutta e verdura di stagione, limitando i prodotti industriali e troppo zuccherati. L’ideale è prepararsi da soli i pasti, limitare le bevande gassate, i prodotti di pasticceria e le bevande alcoliche perché possono ostacolare il sistema immunitario. Alcune verdure, come i funghi (come ad esempio i shiitaki), l’aglio, la cipolla, lo scalogno e lo zenzero hanno delle proprietà antibatteriche. Per stimolare le nostre difese immunitarie, devi anche includere dei grassi nella tua alimentazione, privilegiando i grassi monosaturi o polisaturi (pesce come le sardine o lo sgombro e oli vegetali come l’olio EVO). Sarebbe meglio evitare invece grassi saturi come il burro. Forse sai che il 70% del nostro sistema immunitario si trova proprio nel nostro intestino e i probiotici rafforzano la mucosa intestinale, soprattutto in inverno oppure se si è affetti da una malattia grave o cronica. Questi micro-organismi si trovano nello yoghurt e nel latte fermentato. Perció, sarebbe anche importante fare una cura di probiotici per rafforzare il tuo intestino. Altra parte importante per l’alimentazione invernale sono gli oligoelementi, come lo zinco e il selenio, che contribuiscono anch’essi a stimolare il sistema immunitario e si trovano in alimenti ricchi in proteine come i crostacei, il tuorlo d’uovo, il pollame e il formaggio.
- Vitamine. La vitamina A é una preziosa alleata dell’immunitá perché stimola la produzione di anticorpi. I prodotti di origine animale come la carne, il pesce, il latte intero e i prodotti derivati dal latte in genere, sono ricchi in vitamina A. La vitamina C, che si trova nella frutta e nella verdura, aiuta la formazione delle cellule immunitarie. La vitamina E è naturalmente presente nei semi di girasole e negli oli vegetali. Deve essere parte importante nell’alimentazione delle persone anziane perché compensa la perdita di difese immunitarie dovute all’invecchiamento. Per quanto riguarda la vitamina D, la sua efficacia è dimostrata nella regolazione dell’immunità. Svolge anche un’azione di contrasto contro lo sviluppo di alcune malattie autoimmuni come la sclerosi a placche. La principale fonte di vitamina D è la luce del sole. Se abiti come me in Belgio, o nel Nord Europa in generale, dove il sole scarseggia durante l’inverno, l’assunzione di vitamina D è raccomandata, soprattutto se sei una donna in menopausa o una persona di una certa età. E’ vero che la puoi trovare anche nel pesce grasso, ma in piccole quantità.
- La qualità del sonno. I disturbi del sonno interessano molte persone. È noto che i benefici di una notte piacevole sono molti. Vengono eliminati lo stress e le tossine, i tessuti si riparano, le cellule si rigenerano e ci si sveglia di buon umore. Un buon sonno, oltre ad avere questi effetti, rafforza anche il tuo sistema immunitario e ti protegge dalle infezioni. Per essere ben riposati, bisogna dormire abbastanza, tra le 6 e le 8 ore. Se hai delle difficoltà ad addormentarti, instaura un rituale per svuotare la mente, evita di bere caffè, di mangiare troppo pesante e non bere troppo alcol la sera. Per prepararti ad una notte serena, allontana dalla tua stanza tutti gli elementi che stimolano troppo a tua attenzione e emettono luce blu (TV, cellulare, computer). Pratica, invece, prima di dormire, un’attività rilassante come la meditazione e la lettura. Una tisana a base di melissa, passiflora o tiglio potrebbe aiutarti.
- Esposizione alla luce. La luce ha un impatto sulla regolazione dell’orologio biologico. La mancanza di luce, o una luce sbagliata (la luce artificiale, la luce blu degli schermi LED di cui parlavo prima, il lavoro notturno, o un’alimentazione troppo ricca), potrebbe provocare delle conseguenze sul sonno e sul sistema immunitario. Per regolare il tuo orologio biologico, cerca di esporti al massimo alla luce del sole, lasciandola entrare in casa tua e sul tuo posto lavoro. In caso di disturbi importanti, puoi acquistare una lampada di luminoterapia che simula la luce solare per intensità e spettro luminoso. Ne puoi trovare in ogni fascia di prezzo.
- Infine, l’attività fisica. La pratica regolare di un’attività fisica ha un effetto diretto sull’immunità. Migliorando la circolazione del sangue, l’esercizio fisico permette alle diverse componenti del sistema immunitario di propagarsi meglio nel corpo. Nelle persone anziane aiuta a prevenire il declino delle funzioni immunitarie. Attenzione però a non muoverti troppo intensamente perché questo potrebbe avere un effetto controproducente. È abbastanza facile mettere in pratica delle buone abitudini per fare un po’ di attività fisica quotidianamente. Ad esempio, puoi fare le scale anziché prendere l’ascensore o camminare 30 minuti al giorno. Se vuoi andare in palestra (un po’ difficile in questi tempi di Covid), vacci piano e ascolta i consigli del tuo coach o usa un app.
Allora, sei pronto/a per affrontare l’inverno?
Micromanagement
“She asked me to put her in copy to all emails, even the most trivial ones. Sometimes she would knock on my office door to ask me if I was okay because I had spent a lot of time in the bathroom, when actually only five minutes have passed. She checked when I walked in and when I left my office to see how long I had been way. The pressure she exerted by checking every detail of my work was suffocating, more than exaggerated and above all counterproductive.”
This is just a testimony from an employee who used to work with a micro-manager. What exactly is micromanagement? It is a managerial practice through which the manager exercises exhaustive control of the actions, tasks, functions and responsibilities of the people subordinated to him / her at a hierarchical level.
This type of managers may also ask to see an email before it is sent, and they may want to be informed of all the decisions that employees need to take, because they think that their staff cannot take decisions. A micromanager combines impatience and distrust with absolute control of the tasks assigned to their subordinates.
The situation look like the schemes used by the “Thought Police” to scrupulously monitor every moment of the characters in George Orwell’s “1984” novel. As in that book, the consequences of this practice of strict control on employees are devastating. The boss gains in peace of mind but staff suffer from it and are also less productive. Actually, this system creates bottlenecks that cause a slowdown in all activities. This type of manager wants to earn a good reputation and prevent a supervisor from blaming them that something was wrongly done.
But the worst part falls on the employees. Many times they do not know how to give priority, because the boss constantly changes their priorities based on the urgency that arrives, or because a superior asks him or her or it is the market requiring that. Employees lose creativity and self-esteem. A culture of fear is established, where everything is subject to the orders of the superior. This can lead to sickness absenteeism.
Apart from real psychosomatic diseases that can arise, psychological situations can also develop for which the person feels worthless, becomes smaller and smaller until they doubt their abilities. You begin to ask yourself: “Am I capable of doing it? ”,“ Am I in the wrong job? ”,“ Why do they control me like this, what have I done wrong? ”. And it can also happen that you quit your job, even if you have a good salary. When a situation cannot be changed or accepted, you have to leave it, and, in this case, you leave your job.
It is important to know that people do not quit jobs, they leave bosses.
But why do managers fall into this trap?
If micromanagement spoils the work environment, employees’ health, and it is harmful even to bosses who lose productivity and may lose also staff, why can’t this total and constant control be avoided? The bosses don’t have enough work to do?
Let’s see the possible causes.
First, managers themselves suffer pressure from the environment, be it from their own bosses, shareholders, markets or competition.
Second, incompetence. Either managers feel unsecure because their staff perform an excellent job compared to their own, or the employees are not suitable for that type of job.
The third cause is clear and straightforward: the boss’s obsessive personality making them unable to organize and manage the work.
Whatever the cause is, it is necessary to analyse what is happening in order to put an end to the situation as soon as possible. First, you should go to the human resources of your company. I have worked in human resources for over 10 years and have seen a lot of micromanagement.
As an alternative, you could turn to your superior and ask them to implement one or more techniques, perhaps with the help of a coach. One technique could be that of the traffic light. Together with the boss, you define the admissible and acceptable control limits, that are not to be exceeded. If these limits should be overcome, some signals will be sent to the manager. When the manager receives them, they identify their behaviour and try to control it.
Another strategy is to define the profile of the boss and of each team members, analysing their personal, professional and communication style and characteristics. Once this “x-ray” is completed, the boss shall answer the following questions:
1. What leadership style they use with each employee;
2. What leadership style each employee would need;
3. Which leadership model they would like to use with the each employee.
By doing so, the boss can realize that the type of leadership they are using is in line with that person’s role, but it is not what that employee, due to his or her personality, needs. By adopting this paradigm shift, the boss begins to think not from their own point of view, but from that of the subordinate. While this strategy may sound like science fiction, with time and a willingness to change, success is assured.
Have you ever worked under the supervision of a micro-manager?
Why Admiring Artworks Is Good For the Morale.
During the Second World War, the director of the National Gallery of London, Kenneth Clark, while reading the newspaper found out an article addressed to him. It was a letter from a reader who asked him if he could you reopen the doors of the museum that has been closed because of the German bombing.
Obviously, it would be very dangerous for the artworks but the director is impressed by this request. “It is precisely because of the war that we need to see beautiful things,” thinks the director.
How to do? The National Gallery, like other museums, has emptied their exhibition halls. Then all the artworks were put in an abandoned mine in Wales. This precaution proved to be effective because nine bombs have fallen on the National Gallery building since 1940. Because of that danger, the museum obviously cannot be reopened.
But Londoners need consolation and Kenneth Clark makes an unprecedented decision: he made arrive an artwork secretly every month. This operation is carried out following maximum security criteria, so that the “picture of the month” does not risk anything. Two assistants remain in proximity and at the slightest warning signal they are ready to evacuate the artwork. Every night, the artwork is placed in an underground secured room.
Much to Clark’s amazement, the public shows up at the monthly appointment and this initiative lasts until the end of the war. Paintings by Titian, Velázquez, Renoir, and many more, go back and forth to warm up the soul of Londoners. As the author of the letter says, “it’s risky, but worth!”
Do you agree that artworks are good for the morale?
Perché ammirare un’opera d’arte fa bene al morale.
Durante la seconda guerra mondiale il direttore della National Gallery di Londra, Kenneth Clark, leggendo il giornale, scopre un articolo a lui destinato. Si tratta della lettera di un lettore che gli lancia un appello. “Potrebbe riaprire le porte del museo, chiuse a causa dei bombardamenti tedeschi?”
Certo, sarebbe molto pericoloso per le opere ma il direttore è colpito da questa richiesta. “È proprio a causa della guerra che abbiamo bisogno di vedere delle belle cose”, pensa il direttore.
Come fare? La National Gallery, come gli altri musei, ha svuotato le sale d’esposizione. Ha poi nascosto le sue opere in una miniera abbandonata nel Galles. Questa precauzione si è rivelata efficace perché dal 1940 nove bombe sono cadute sull’edificio della National Gallery. Di fronte al pericolo, il museo non può ovviamente essere riaperto.
Ma i londinesi hanno bisogno di conforto e Kenneth Clark prende una decisione inedita: fa arrivare tutti i mesi un’opera di nascosto. Questa operazione è svolta seguendo dei criteri di massima sicurezza, in modo che il “quadro del mese” non rischi nulla. Due assistenti restano in prossimità e al minimo segnale di allerta sono pronti a evacuarla. Tutte le notti, l’opera viene messa in una stanza sotterranea chiusa con porta di acciaio e con combinazione.
Con grande stupore di Clark, il pubblico si presenta all’appuntamento mensile e questa iniziativa dura fino alla fine della guerra. Dei quadri di Tiziano, Velázquez, Renoir e molti altri pittori, fanno andata e ritorno per scaldare l’animo dei londinesi. Come dice l’autore della lettera, “è rischioso, ma ne vale la pena!”
Cosa ne pensi? Credi anche tu che l’arte faccia bene al morale?
How Has The Curfew Changed Your Habits?
When I hear about curfews, dark times come to my mind, times of war. Actually we have been fighting a war against Covid since March this year. There are no bombs, we don’t have to be evacuated, we can eat every day because there are enough food supplies. But the curfew has changed our habits, most probably also those related to meal times.
From North to South of Europe we eat at different times. Soon in the north, later in the south. Maybe you are invited to dinner by someone and the curfew forces you to eat earlier because then you have to go home. Or you eat later because you finish work late and don’t have time to buy something for dinner, or to stop by in a restaurant. The restaurants are closed, they only offer take-away service and you must go back home within the time set by the curfew.
A friend from Paris, before the city was put into total lockdown, had to return home by 9 p.m. We know that Paris is a big city and people often use public transport, which is very efficient. To be home by 9 p.m., she had to take the subway by 8:30 pm at the latest and therefore she was eating later than her previous habits. And she began to sleep badly.
If you make an appointment before the curfew begins, you may feel stressed out because you will have to rush to get home on time. Perhaps it would be better to stay at home and respect the government’s directions and limit our social contacts. But sometimes you want to be out for a while, to meet some friends.
The effects of the curfew are not only on your social life, but also on your health as a result of adapting to a new pace of life and changing your routine.
The new schedule imposed by the curfew may have advantages, for example, you stop working earlier, go home earlier and have dinner earlier. For example, you arrive home at 7 p.m., have dinner between 8 p.m. and 8.30 p.m., go to bed around 11 p.m. and get up at 7 a.m. the next day.
This would be optimal for your health. Indeed, you would better synchronize with your internal, external environmental and external social biological clocks (time).
Internal time is what marks your endogenous rhythm, which helps you sleep at night, stay awake during the day and eat at the right time for you.
External environmental time is determined by the alternation of the phases of light and dark generated by the solar cycle.
External social time can alter these balances. If your working schedule, lunch, dinner and leisure are not suitable to your biological type (chronotype) you could enter a phase of temporal disruption that may cause several health problems, like insomnia.
Our ancestors got up with the light and went to sleep with the dark. This rhythm allowed for adequate production of melatonin (the hormone that regulates sleep), which allowed for a perfect balance between internal time and external time.
The habit of eating around 9:30 p.m. or even later goes against these natural cycles and makes it more difficult to rest well. A large dinner ending around midnight could cause difficult digestion at a time when the body should be resting instead.
It is therefore recommended to finish dinner at least two hours before going to bed to avoid poor quality sleep and an awakening marked by fatigue, irritability and low cognitive performance.
If you follow the biological rhythm of your body, you will have a big improvement in your overall health!
Do you think the curfew has made you change some of your habits?
Come il coprifuoco ha cambiato le tue abitudini?
Quando sento parlare di coprifuoco mi vengono in mente tempi oscuri, tempi di guerra. Ma in effetti quella contro il Covid é una guerra. Non ci sono le bombe, non dobbiamo essere evacuati, possiamo mangiare tutti i giorni perché ci sono scorte alimentari che non finiscono. Ma il coprifuoco ha cambiato le nostre abitudini, probabilmente proprio quelle legate agli orari dei pasti.
Da nord a sud dell’Europa si mangia ad orari diversi. Presto al nord, piú tardi al sud. Magari sei invitato a cena da qualcuno e il coprifuoco ti costringe a mangiare prima perché poi devi rientrare a casa. Oppure mangi piú tardi perché finisci di lavorare tardi e non hai il tempo di fermarti fuori a cena. I ristoranti sono chiusi, effettuano solo servizio da asporto e devi rientrare entro l’orario previsto dal coprifuoco.
Un’amica di Parigi, prima che la cittá venisse messa in lockdown totale, doveva rientrare a casa per le 21. Parigi lo sappiamo é una grande cittá e la gente usa spesso i mezzi pubblici, peraltro molto efficienti. Per essere a casa alle 21, doveva prendere la metro al massimo entro le 20:30 e quindi si trovava a mangiare piú tardi rispetto alle sue abitudini precedenti. E ha cominciato a dormire male.
Se prendi un appuntamento prima che cominci il coprifuoco, potresti sentirti stressato a causa della fretta che hai per tornare a casa in tempo. Forse sarebbe meglio starsene a casa e rispettare le indicazioni del governo che ci dice di limitare i nostri contatti sociali. Ma a volte hai voglia di stare un po’ fuori, di incontrare qualche amico.
Gli effetti del coprifuoco non sono solo sulla nostra vita sociale, ma anche sulla nostra salute a causa dell’adattamento a un nuovo ritmo di vita e del cambiamento della nostra routine.
Il nuovo orario imposto dal coprifuoco puó presentare dei vantaggi, ad esempio, si smette di lavorare prima, si rientra a casa prima e si cena prima. Per esempio, si arriva a casa alle 19:00, si cena tra le 20:00 e le 20:30, si va a letto verso le 23 e ci si alza alle 7 il giorno dopo.
Questo sarebbe ottimale per la nostra salute. In effetti, ci si sincronizzerebbe meglio con il nostro orologio biologico (tempo) interno, esterno ambientale e esterno sociale.
Il tempo interno é quello che segna il nostro ritmo endogeno, che ci aiuta a dormire di notte, stare svegli di giorno e mangiare alle ore giuste per noi.
Il tempo esterno ambientale é determinato dall’alternanza delle fasi di luce e di buio generati del ciclo solare.
Il tempo esterno sociale puó alterare questi equilibri. Se gli orari di lavoro, di pranzo, cena e svago non sono adatti al nostro tipo biologico (cronotipo) potremmo entrare in una fase di rottura temporale che potrebbe causare diversi problemi di salute, uno su tutti l’insonnia.
I nostri antenati si alzavano con il sole e andavano a dormire con il buio. Questo ritmo permetteva una produzione adeguata di melatonina (l’ormone che regola il sonno), che consentiva un perfetto equilibrio tra il tempo interno e il tempo esterno.
L’abitudine di mangiare verso le 21:30 o addirittura piú tardi va contro questi cicli naturali e rende piú difficile riposare bene. Una cena copiosa che termina verso mezzanotte potrebbe causare una digestione difficile in un orario in cui il corpo dovrebbe invece riposare.
E’ consigliato perció finire di cenare almeno due ore prima di andare a letto per evitare un sonno di scarsa qualitá e un risveglio contraddistinto da fatica, irritabilitá e basso rendimento cognitivo.
Se segui il ritmo biologico del tuo corpo, avrai un miglioramento netto della tua salute generale!
Pensi che il coprifuoco ti abbia fatto cambiare alcune abitudini?
6 Less Known Benefits of Ginger
Ginger is a flowering plant that originated in Southeast Asia. It’s among the healthiest (and most delicious) spices on the planet.
The rhizome (underground part of the stem) is the part commonly used as a spice. It’s often called ginger root or, simply, ginger.
Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice or in infusion. It’s a very common ingredient in recipes. It’s sometimes added to processed foods and cosmetics.
The unique fragrance and flavour of ginger come from its natural oils, the most important of which is gingerol.
Gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger. It’s responsible for much of ginger’s medicinal properties.
Gingerol has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, according to research. For instance, it may help reduce oxidative stress, which is the result of having an excess amount of free radicals in the body.
Ginger has a very long history of use in various forms of traditional and alternative medicine. One well known benefits of ginger is the hot infusion with lemon and honey used to treat the flu and cold.
But there are less known benefits of ginger.
Let’s see them.
1. It can treat many forms of nausea, especially morning sickness
Ginger appears to be highly effective against nausea.
It may help relieve nausea and vomiting for people undergoing certain types of surgery, and also for chemotherapy-related nausea.
It may be also effective when it comes to pregnancy-related nausea, such as morning sickness.
Although ginger is considered safe, talk to your doctor before taking it if you’re pregnant.
2. It may help with weight loss
Ginger may play a role in weight loss and in achieving your BMI (Body Mass Index).
It appears that its ability to influence weight loss may be related to certain mechanisms, such as its potential to help increase the number of calories burned.
3. It can help with osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common health problem.
It involves degeneration of the joints in the body, leading to joint pain and stiffness.
Researches have found that a combination of topical ginger, cinnamon, and sesame oil can help reduce pain and stiffness in people with OA.
4. It may lower blood sugars
This area of research is relatively new, but ginger may have powerful anti-diabetic properties (not all types of diabetes though).
The results are incredibly impressive, but they need to be confirmed in larger studies before any recommendations can be made.
Therefore, consult your doctor before using large amount of ginger.
5. It can help treat chronic indigestion
Chronic indigestion is characterized by recurrent pain and discomfort in the upper part of the stomach.
It’s believed that delayed emptying of the stomach is a major driver of indigestion. Interestingly, ginger has been shown to speed up emptying of the stomach.
6. It may reduce menstrual pain
Dysmenorrhea is the scientific name given to pain felt during the menstrual cycle.
One of the traditional uses of ginger is for pain relief, therefore menstrual pain is included.
To conclude
Ginger is loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds that have powerful benefits for your body.
It’s one of the very few superfoods actually worthy of that name.
I like candied ginger and also infusions with lemon and honey to help recovery from flu or cold, as said at the beginning.
Now that end of the year holidays are approaching, you may want to try the Pepparkakor, ginger biscuits typical of Scandinavia that are absolutely delicious!.
What about you? Have you ever tried ginger?
Crisbie Coach 