Candied ginger makes easy tea

Q. I found that using crystallized ginger is a quick and tasty way to make a cup of ginger tea. I keep it on hand and simply put a piece or two in a cup of hot water and let it steep. Best of all, it really seems to help when I feel like I’m getting a cold. I also use it if my stomach feels a little off.

A. Thanks for the tip. This does sound quicker than grating a piece of fresh ginger root, letting it steep for several minutes and straining it.

Ginger has a long history of use for digestive upset, and we also have heard from many readers who find it helps ease cold symptoms. Brazilian scientists have done preliminary research showing that ginger can have anti-inflammatory effects in the lung (Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, October-November 2007).

Q. My son has Raynaud’s phenomenon, which is very painful when it is cold. I heard that eating more bananas and potatoes could help because of the magnesium in them. The mineral is supposed to relax constricted blood vessels. Is there any truth in this? Would magnesium pills as a supplement work just as well?

A. Raynaud’s phenomenon is a condition in which cold temperatures or emotional stress triggers vasoconstriction of the fingers and toes. They turn white or even blue and become painful with exposure to cold.

We have heard from other readers that cinnamon extract or astragalus root can ease the symptoms of Raynaud’s. Swedish researchers have concluded that magnesium plays a significant role in Raynaud’s phenomenon (Clinical Physiology, September 1994). We can imagine that taking a supplement might help. Neither bananas nor potatoes are especially rich in magnesium, however. Whole grains, leafy green vegetables (spinach, chard), nuts and blackstrap molasses are good sources of magnesium.

Q. Could you please send me the recipe for the persimmon-ginger tea I read about in your column? I suffer from heartburn, and I am looking for a natural remedy instead of an acid-suppressing drug. I have recently been diagnosed with osteoporosis and don’t want to make it worse. I suspect that the acid-reducer I have been taking may have contributed to the problem.

A. Many medications may increase the risk for osteoporosis (American Journal of Medicine, Oct. 2010). Among them are proton pump inhibitors such as esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole and rabeprazole, as well as corticosteroids like prednisone and antidepressants such as fluoxetine, paroxetine and sertraline.

The tea you are interested in contains ginger, cinnamon and persimmon. We are sending you the recipe. It can be found in our Guide to Digestive Disorders, along with many other nondrug approaches to easing heartburn. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (61 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. G-3, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.

2011 King Features Syndicate, Inc.