Light Your Fire- Herbs And Spices That Keep You Hot!

It feels like it gets colder every winter, and since it’s not practical to carry a heater around like a boom box (someone should create something like that, by the way), nature has cleverly given us things that we can consume instead. Other than the comfort factor, keeping warm is important to our overall health, as we need to ensure our blood is circulating so our extremities can work, our airways are lubricated and uncompromised, our joints and muscles can move freely and recover well, and so we can think clearly! I have 3 favourite humble herbs for the cold, and they’re all convenient to use in cooking, (and they’re also immune boosters in one way or another).

• Zingiber off. (Ginger)

Ginger is one of my absolute favourite herbs, and not just because of the way it tastes! This little golden treasure is an absolute medicinal powerhouse, and winter is it’s time to take front row in your kitchen. Along with being a circulatory stimulant and diaphoretic (heating the body), it also works as a diuretic (ridding the body of excess fluid), carminative (calms and aids the digestive system), anti-emetic (soothes nausea) and anti inflammatory.

• Capsicum minimum (Cayenne)

If I were a herb, I would be Cayenne. Why? It packs a spicy punch whilst being useful for your health…not unlike this little nutritionist! It’s a potent peripheral nervous system stimulant (so it makes you hot!), as well as a digestive aid and excellent for expelling toxins through production of mucous during illness. It can also be useful for those trying to lose weight as it increases your metabolic rate. Those with diarrhoea or gastro intestinal irritation should be cautious when it comes to the consumption of cayenne, as it may further the issue.

• Allium sativum (Garlic)

This bad boy was always a staple in my house growing up, and I use it even more so now that I understand what it can do. Garlic is wonderful for heating us up in the colder months, as well as possessing antibiotic, antimicrobial, antibacterial, liver detoxifying and antioxidant. One of the easiest ways to use these herbs (excl garlic), is to brew them with hot water, lemon, and manuka honey (optional). They all go well in quick and easy meals like stir fry’s, and can even be used as a salad/warm veggie dressing with some extra virgin olive oil. Get creative! I hope you find these herbs as helpful in the cold weather as I do! Nanci x