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Ginger. It smells wonderfully soothing – some would describe the scent as refreshing, warm, peppery, spicy, and even sparkling. Many luxurious spas use it as a scent to welcome their guests and also to relax and pamper them. It is also known to have amazing medicinal properties, esteemed as the panacea for nausea, ridding the body of wind, preventing inflammation and aiding with digestion. It is even touted to be a cure for coughs, colds, headaches and menstrual cramps.
Lots of people like to add it to their food and drink, and even apply the juice or a crushed poultice directly to the skin to reduce inflammation or for its anti-bacterial properties. We think they are all great ways to use ginger, but one of our favourites has to be as a massage oil that is a firm favourite with ladies who want to reduce their bloat, and definitely among ladies who have just given birth.
Here is what you need to know about ginger and why we love it so much as one of our best treatments!
Why is Ginger so Awesome?
Ginger is one of the best natural remedies out there. It has a very long history as an ingredient in traditional and herbal cures, in many different cultures all around the world. Its main active compound is gingerol, which is mainly responsible for its fragrance and its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Another main constituent in ginger, shogaol, contributes to its spiciness and heat, and also has amazing antitussive effects, preventing coughs and easing many common symptoms of colds.
There are many ways to use ginger – such as powdered, dried, fresh, cooked in foods or steeped as a tea, but our focus today is on using it as a massage oil!
Benefits of Ginger as a Massage Oil
The ginger oil used in our treatments is extracted from ginger root, producing a warm, spicy and energising oil with its distinctive fragrance and heat. It is a main ingredient in our Sparkle series of treatments, that includes a wind-relieving massage and a energising ginger mask.
Ginger oil in massage treatments is particularly used to target areas that suffer from bloat and water retention, such as the stomach and legs. It provides much relief to ladies who suffer from bloating problems, whether they are due to digestive problems or recurrent due to monthly PMS symptoms.
Another really nice place to massage using ginger oil is on the temples and the neck, as ginger helps ease nausea and headaches due to its spicy fragrance. A gentle massage on the sinuses and chest using a drop or two of ginger oil also helps relieve cough and cold symptoms.
Who Benefits the Most from Ginger?
Ginger is definitely a favourite among those who suffer from bloating problems, and our treatments, while a tad hot due to the spiciness of the oil, will really help release the stubborn wind trapped in the stomach.
Also, ladies who have just given birth will benefit a ton from an amazing ginger-infused treatment, since the goal of post-natal treatments is often to get rid of as much wind as possible to help the body regulate and be re-balanced.
The ginger that we use in our massage oils, mask and wellness drinks from the Sparkle series of treatments hails from Thailand, and it is great for weight loss as it helps eliminate excess water and wind from the body. Perspiration is a common side effect of the treatment as retained water and toxins are expelled from the body, so do drink more water when you opt for this treatment to help your body replenish its water and keep cool!