Summer is unfortunately slowly coming to an end, what makes me feel a little bit sad. Because a lot of light and reasonably sunny weather (for Scotland), was helping me to keep my mental health in more or less good condition, despite the situation we all have to deal with. And I hope that September will surprise us with a lot of sunny spells, and and temperature that will let us spend some time outside.
This smoothie recipe is perfect for Scottish weather, which sometimes is hot and cold in the same time – very summery strawberries with a twist of warming ginger. You might probably heard that in Traditional Chinese Medicine ginger has a special place, it has a warming nature and disperses cold and wind – perfect for Scottish weather 😉
But seriously, fresh ginger is warm in nature, so do not overuse it, as this may cause further heat accumulation in the body. Ginger stimulates the stomach mucous membranes and increases stomach acid secretion and intestinal mobility. Do not use fresh ginger if you have issues with stomach ulcers. Ginger increases heart rate, respiration rate and blood pressure. So it’s perfect if you have problems with a low blood pressure. On the other hand, use with caution if you have high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat and fast breathing rate. Ginger also has yeast/fungus-inhibiting properties. So if you feel this kind of internal dampness (symptoms: feeling of heaviness, swelling or water retention, distended abdomen, phlegm discharge, loose bowels, sluggish energy) or external dampness (symptoms: dizziness, a heavy sensation in the head and body, and joint soreness and pain), you could consider including ginger into your diet.
Ginger can be use to treat many initial flu and heat symptoms like dry and sore throat, constipation and fatigue. I remember couple years ago we’ve been on a camping and spend a week in a tent with pouring rain. What saved us from getting sick, was a cup of warm fresh ginger tea couple times a day.
I recommend making this smoothie from room temperature ingredients to keep the balance and harmony.
strawberry and ginger smoothie
INGREDIENTS:
· 250ml room temperature buttermilk
· 1 banana
· handful of ripe and juicy strawberries
· slice of fresh ginger (about 1cm/1/2inch)
Slice banana, peel ginger and dice in smaller pieces. Rinse strawberries and remove the stems.
If you add fresh ginger according to TCM, it’s important to keep a temperature neutral to prevent disharmony from developing. That’s why I recommend using room temperature ingredients.
Put banana and buttermilk in a jug and smooth it using blender. Then add strawberries and ginger and blend until you get uniform and smooth texture.
Enjoy!
Source of knowledge:
https://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=54203
https://hk.asiatatler.com/life/chinese-medicine-ingredients-help-boost-health
Eat Better Feel Happy 