eastern slimming recipe

The Chinese tradition of engaging a "confinement lady" to take care of new mums after she has given birth is still practised today, although not as widely as it used to be. This is because it is not as easy to find a good confinement lady these days. They are also pricey.... with some charging over 3K a month.

The confinement lady is engaged for a period of one month. And during that time she will take over all the duties of the new mum. She will bathe the baby, feed, change and put the baby to sleep including taking over midnight feeds. She will also prepare
nutritious meals for the mum so that she can regain her strength after childbirth.....after all childbirth does take a toll on the mother's body!

The food prepared is in accordance to the yin yang beliefs that the Chinese practise. That is...Heating Yang Foods that includes most spices. Most commonly used spices are ginger, peppercorns, sesame seed oil and lemongrass....and Cooling Yin Foods...such as banana, watermelon and coconut...

After childbirth Heating Yang Food is prepared for the mum using lots of ginger. Common dishes prepared include pig trotters in vinegar and ginger and chicken in Chinese wine and ginger...These are believed to help the mother retain her internal body temperature and get rid of "wind" and a bloated stomach

A warm bath prepared by boiling lemongrass in water is also prepared for the mum each morning.

I have always enjoyed these special dishes as ginger is my favourite spice! Besides i have always sufferred from a bloated stomach and the ginger, peppercorns and lemongrass always soothes and gets rid of the bloated ness. Bathing in a warm lemongrass infused bath i find is very relaxing...it seems to clear my nasal passage as well.

Here are two recipes using ginger that you can try at home to spice up your day!

Ginger Tea
serves 4

4 cups water
2 normal teabags
1 cup sliced ginger
Brown sugar to taste (if you dont have brown white will do)

Method
1. Boil the ginger in 4 cups of water for about 5-8 minutes or until fragrant. The longer you boil the spicier your tea.

2. Add tea and boil for a further 5 minutes or so until the tea is steeped into the ginger mixture

3. Add sugar to taste and serve.

This next drink recipe using ginger will help in slimming !

Slimming Ginger Drink

1/3" sliced fresh ginger root
2 sticks celery
1/2 a grapefruit
1/2 cucumber
1/4 radish
1 slice fresh pineapple

Put all ingredients in a juicer and juice it.

Ginger increases metabolic rate. Celery, pineapple and cucumber are diuretic. Grapefruit helps in weight loss, Radish contains iodine which helps increase metabolism