Patient's question:
My mom got a cold yesterday. This morning I heard her shivering a lot, and her voice became very rough when she answered. I don't want her to take medicine. It's said that ginger tea can help cure a cold. How long should I boil ginger water for a cold?Doctor's answer:
The time for boiling ginger tea should be controlled to about ten minutes, not exceeding twenty minutes. The ginger used should be the kind that looks very old; the ginger pieces of old ginger have a luster, are fullymature, with firm and tight flesh, numerous fibers, and a strong pungent flavor. As the folk saying goes, "Old ginger is spicy," so add a generous amount of brown sugar while boiling. Drink it while hot, and after drinking, it's best to take a nap and sweat it out. This is quite effective for treating mild colds.