Food and Health

 

-- the Ginger 

     

 

 

I have been living in Denmark for more than 20 years.

 

Wherever I work, I was often asked by my colleagues: "You haven't taken sick leave for years, how did you do it?"

 

My answer is: “ I eat ginger every day”. 

 

I am a Chinese Dane. After more than 20 years of living in Denmark, I got to know many differences between the Danish lifestyle and the Chinese lifestyle, which actually leads to the different consequences of the health situation. 

 

Danes generally don't eat ginger, and most of the Danes don’t believe my secret in health keeping. 

 

Once a lunchtime, one of my colleagues had rye bread with ginger slices on it. I was surprised. So

I asked: "Don't you feel spicy?" 

"Not at all, I like it!" he replied.

 

My colleague told me that he started to try ginger after he heard me talking about ginger for a lot of times. After he took ginger for some time, he hasn’t been sick anymore. 

 

Chinese health methodology does work to Dane! Ginger does have the function to kill frequent colds and flu. 

 

2500 years ago, the efficacy of ginger in preventing and curing diseases has been known by the Chinese. Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC) also gave his understanding of ginger that “ Not rejecting ginger dishes, but not overeating (ginger)-- least an increase in the body's ‘heat’. 

 

The best medicine for healing and health is the food, in terms of the Chinese’s idea. This concept of Chinese food culture is based on the philosophy of ”Yin – Yang and Five Elements ”, which stemmed from Tao School over thousands of years ago.  

 

The theory of Yin and Yang states that everything in the universe is composed of two opposing but complementary aspects, such as day and night, hot and cold. While Five Elements refer to Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, which are indispensable elements of the world, nature is created by the circulation and the mutual generation and overcoming among the Five Elements. 

 

But what do Yin and Yang mean, in terms of the Chinese food culture? What role the Five Elements exactly play in the Chinese food and Chinese diet? 

 

This is a big question. I will try to make it simple.

 

From one perspective： Yin and Yang represent two aspects of the human body, while five elements mean the food can be divided into five categories according to a thermal property: hot, warm, neutral, cool and cold (has nothing to do with temperature). 

 

Eat hot and warm food can promote Yang in the human body while eating cool and cold food can promote Yin in the human body. Only the Yin and Yang and the Five elements keep balanced in the human body, people can maintain healthily. Any deficiency or an excess of an element can lead to illness. 

 

Modern scientific research proves that due to ginger's high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, ginger has many health benefits, including helping the digestive system, osteoarthritis, muscle soreness, and pain, and can help fight the flu and the common cold. It can also lower cholesterol levels and prevent certain cancers.

 

Eat ginger in one’s daily life to maintain good health should pay attention not to over-consume ginger, as it is a spicy food which may cause an increase in the overall body heat. If so, it will break the balance of Yin and Yang in the body, bringing unwanted symptoms and illnesses.

 

Confucius is not only the founder of Confucian philosophy but also an advocate of a healthy lifestyle. In addition to " limiting ginger", there are " limiting alcohol ", " limiting meat" and "eight do not eat". His dietary principles and health philosophy are proven to be correct in today's context.

 

Ginger is an indispensable ingredient in my kitchen. It can be used not only as a seasoning but also in various forms of cuisine. For example, ginger is mixed with honey to make jam, spread on bread for breakfast; ginger is added with sugar and vinegar as side dishes,  which can increase appetite and refreshing, just like the pickled cucumbers commonly found in refrigerators at Danish home.

 

I also cook ginger water as a beverage, which can be stored in the refrigerator for a period of time.

 

Ginger and brown sugar soup can heal cold. If you catch a cold in winter, try to cook a bowl of soup with ginger and brown sugar. Drink the soup while it is hot, you will soon feel a slight feverish and sweating after drinking, then go to bed. 

 

When you wake up the next day,  you will find yourself being recovered.

 

Try it and experience the magic of Chinese food culture with a history of 2500 years.