First apply this hot ginger compress but for five minutes only.The ginger compress will stimulate circulation and prepare the affected area for a more effective taro plaster treatment.
What You Need:
120g of fresh ginger roots work best, if you cannot find fresh ginger, use 1 tablespoon of powdered ginger.
A large pan with a lid.
1 liter of water
A cheese grater
1 large towel and 2 hand clothes.
A small cotton bag with string to close it. You will put the ginger in here and use it like a tea bag to infuse ginger into the pan of water (without getting grated ginger bits into the water).
Rubber gloves
Preparation:
Pour the water into the pan and bring to just below boiling point (leave the lid on to keep the temperature constant).
Meanwhile grate approximately 120 gram of ginger (or prepare 1 tablespoon of dry powdered ginger), put it in the cotton bag, and close with string to create a type of fresh ginger teabag.
Squeeze out the liquid of the fresh grated ginger into the pan and then drop the entire bag in the water. Leave to infuse for 3-5 minutes. At this point you can turn off the heat.
Carefully remove the bag and squeeze out (with your gloves) the last of the juices to release all the benefits of ginger!
The pan should now contain 1 liter of fresh ginger water and you are ready to start applying your ginger compress.
How To Apply The Ginger Compress
The warmer the compress, the better, so wear your gloves throughout the treatment to avoid burning your hands.
Soak the hand towel thoroughly in the hot ginger water, remove and squeeze to remove dripping water.Tip: re-cover the pan with the lid to keep the ginger water warm.
Fold the steaming cloth and place it directly on the skin of the area you want to treat. Do the same with a second cloth and put it over the first one—this will help maintain the heat and moisture. Cover them with the larger dry towel.Tip: The towel must feel hot on the skin but it shouldn’t scald! Slight reddening of the skin is normal, like if you stay in a hot bath for some time!
Keep the ginger compress in place for 3-5 minutes, or until the compress begins to cool.
Important notes:
Never let the water boil, otherwise ginger will lose its healing properties.
If the water cools down during treatment, you can reheat it, but without boiling it.
It is possible to put grated ginger straight into the pan without using a bag. The downside of this is that some bits of ginger may end up on your skin while applying the compress and may be a little messy.
Fresh ginger is more effective (read the health benefits of ginger). If you cannot find it you can use powder ginger
Caution: ginger compress should not be applied on babies, pregnant women, to the brain area, in cases of high fever, or on cancerous tumors.
Step 2: Apply The Taro Plaster:
Mix peeled taro root and ginger together with flour and water until a paste is formed.
Place this mixture straight on the skin and cover it with a linen cloth.
Use the bandage to hold the mixture firmly in place.
Leave the taro plaster in place for 4-5 hours. This allows time for the treatment to take effect.
For an effective treatment, you will need to apply this plaster every day for at least two weeks.
Taro root can be found in natural food stores, Chinese or Armenian groceries or Asian stores.
For our purposes it is advisable to pick smaller tubers rather than the big ones, because they are believed to be more effective for plasters.
If you cannot find taro you can use a normal potato: grate a potato and crush some green leafy vegetables. Kale is a good option. Mix together in equal proportions. You can then apply this mixture to the affected area like a normal taro plaster.