Three G's for circulation
Ginkgo Biloba
I lived in Nara, Japan for 9 years and every autumn the Gingko trees would bear fruit and lovely "Ginnan" gingko nuts would fall to the ground. The seasonal dish was called Ginnan Gohan (Ginkgo Nut Rice). These days in Japanese supermarkets, you can also buy them tinned year round. Ginkgo's ability to improve blood circulation to the brain's extremities makes it useful for many conditions. Many scientific studies over the past fifty years have demonstrated its effectiveness in treating hearing and vision problems, edema (water retention), varicose veins, leg ulcers, and circulatory diseases such as stroke and intermittent claudication (pain while walking). You can always try an Asian supermarket for availability and add a few Gingko nuts the next time to boil up some rice.
The following two ingredients frequently feature in our Nutrichef meal plans for weight loss and healthy lifestyle diets.
Ginger
A native of China and India, the creeping stems of this perennial plant have been used in Chinese medicines for many centuries. It has been used in a wide variety of different products including pickles, chutneys, curries, and, of course, ginger ale. Ginger is believed to be effective in relieving symptoms of nausea (such as motion sickness and morning sickness) and inflammation (such as arthritis, bronchitis and ulcerative colitis) and also improving circulation. Preliminary studies at the American Association of Cancer Research have shown that gingerol – an active ingredient in ginger - may halt the growth of colon cancer.
Ginger Tea
Directions
Slice a 1-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger. Place in a cup and add boiling water. When cooled enough to drink, sip and enjoy! Finally, I always advise people to cook with a wide variety of different herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables. As research uncovers fresh beneficial links between specific foods and ailments, it is important to remember that we all need a variety of healthy foods to supply us with the range of minerals and vitamins we need for the countless biochemical processes that go on inside us every day. Eating a variety of ingredients is the spice of life!
Garlic
Allium sativum, otherwise known as Garlic, belongs to the onion family Alliaceae including shallots, and leek. Garlic has been used throughout recorded history for both medicinal and culinary purposes. Garlic is one of the most versatile foods available and widely recognized health enhancing addition. Garlic promotes the well-being of the heart and immune systems with antioxidant properties and helps maintain healthy blood circulation.The active component in garlic is the sulfur compound called allicin. Allicin is the chemical produced when garlic is chopped, chewed, or bruised, so makes a superb herb to add to every savoury dish.
I was recently at The Speciality Fine Food Show at Olympia and a chap running a stall gave me a great tip about garlic. He said "if you cut garlic and leave it for 10 minutes before cooking then the allicin compound is much stronger", I'm not sure if this has been scientifically tested, but it definitely makes the food taste great so it's worth a try!
I'm often asked about foods that help with circulation so here's three G's for circulation...Read also:
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