We are edging ever so close to the winter months now, whether we like it or not.
And for many of us, myself included, this often brings with it a dose of seasonal illnesses.
Having recently suffered from a run of poor health, which included testing positive for Covid and recovering from keyhole surgery, I was more determined than ever not to let the cold weather get the best of my health and wellbeing.
Weeks ago I gave turmeric tea a try, to see if it could help aid some of the post-surgery bloating I was experiencing.
While the effects did not seem concrete, this sparked another idea – are there other hot drinks I could try to give my health a boost?
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With many of my friends currently facing bouts of colds and the flu, I looked at ways to bolster my immune system.
I spoke to a number of experts who recommended the combination of lemon and ginger as a way to ward off unwanted illnesses.
Matt Durkin, vitamin expert at Sealions, explained: “Both lemon and ginger are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, which can help strengthen the immune system.
“Vitamin C supports the production of white blood cells, essential for fighting off infections.”
He also noted that ginger could help with digestive issues such as nausea, indigestion and bloating, as well as inflammation.
This sounded ideal for me to try, as an abdominal surgery I underwent in early September is still causing me unwanted bloating and pain in that area.
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Matt added: “When consumed as a hot drink daily, the combination of lemon and ginger may have several positive effects.
“These can include improved digestion, enhanced immunity, and potential weight management. However, the extent of these changes may vary from person to person.”
Dr Claire Marie Thomas, from Evergreen Life, backed Matt’s claims about the benefits the drink could have for our immune system as well as the gut.
She explained in further detail: “Lemon juice could help to boost your stomach acid levels, which is important for gut health.
“If your stomach persistently fails to produce enough gastric acid, this can affect your ability to properly digest and absorb nutrients, such as vitamin B12.”
This was of particular interest to me as years ago I became deficient in vitamin B12 and have been reliant on daily supplements ever since.
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Spurred on by this advice I found a simple recipe for a lemon and ginger drink.
This involved squeezing half a lemon into a cup and then adding in sliced ginger root and hot water.
I let it rest for three minutes to infuse before drinking. To try to get the best results over a period of two weeks I drank this twice a day – first thing in the morning and before bed at night.
Some recipes advise adding honey to the drink for sweetness but I found it tasted fine without.
Of course, I was not expecting to witness any sudden changes to my health but I carried on with my typical routine as usual – in terms of the type of food I was eating and when I went to bed.
The first week of the trial I had been suffering with bad cramps in my stomach – a lasting result of the surgery I had to remove endometrial tissue from parts of my body.
This did subside roughly a week later – although they had previously been sporadic so it is not clear as to whether this had been affected by the ginger or not.
Alongside this, some of the bloating I had been suffering did ease, but again it is hard to know whether this was just part of the natural recovery process.
My initial cause for this trial though had been to avoid any form of seasonal illness, and in this regard it was a success.
Within the trial fortnight one of my housemates had come down with a cold that included a hacking cough.
Usually I would then develop a similar illness a few days later regardless of any efforts we made to stay isolated.
But this time, I managed to avoid succumbing to the same fate.
Whether this was luck or the protective effects of lemon and ginger, I will never be sure – but one thing I am certain of; it can’t hurt to keep drinking it!
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