Raw Ginger Relieves Cramps & Calms Eczema Flare-ups

I avoid eczema flare ups by keeping yeast and sugar out of my diet but from time to time I give in, or accidentally eat sugar without realizing (it's slipped into a lot of food at restaurants!). When I do, raw ginger, which is anti-inflammatory, helps tame the flare up. I also find that a high dose of ginger helps me relieve menstrual cramps and reduce bloating.

If you have a blender, working ginger into your morning routine is pretty easy. After washing and peeling a thumb-size chunk of ginger, I either blend it into a fruit smoothie or use it to make a ginger-lime water drink with a lot of bite.

For the smoothie, I like to use ginger (1 thumb size), strawberries (5), banana (half), coconut water (10 oz), spinach (a handful)

For the gingery lime 'agua fresco', I combine lime juice (1.5 small limes), water (sparkling or flat, 12 oz), ginger (1 thumb size), and a little sweetner to taste (I usually use stevia, but honey or agave would work well too)

• a blender
• fresh ginger root

Someone recommended I take a ginger shot when my eczema flared up, to help reduce inflammation. I found it worked well. Since I don't have a juicer at home, I started playing around with DIY ways to bring the same high-power dose of raw ginger into my regular diet. If you have a powerful blender, blending it into smoothies and drinks is really simple.