Mount Kilimanjaro and Ginger Tea

This morning as I drank my coffee I watched Ann Curry on the Today show report on how she is adjusting to altitude and preparing to complete her climb up Mount Kilimanjaro. She was at 15,300 feet and sounded much better than the day before when she was fighting altitude sickness.

Back in 1997, I made the same struggle up that mountain. No matter how much training you do (I ran 4-6 miles every other day for 6 months, and it sucked!), no matter how many herbal supplements and aspirin you take, you have no idea how you body will handle the climb until you get there.

At 16,000 feet making our final ascent I was as sick as a dog and suffering from the beginning stages of frost bite. My friend Bridgette climbed along seemingly unaffected. Then at 18,000 I got my burst of energy while she was puking her guts out.

What did keep me going on our 6 day trek, as we climbed higher and higher from camp to camp, was ginger tea. Yes, simple, homemade ginger tea. Every day our guides made it for us. We even packed it into thermoses and carried up the mountain with us, stopping to sip on it and nibble crackers to fight off nausea. There's something about ginger that's warm and comforting. It helps fight nausea and it gives me a little boost of energy too.

Here's how to make it.

Fresh ginger

Lemon

Honey

Hot water

Grate or chop up as much ginger as you want to use. More to make your tea stronger, less for a mild taste. Bring a pot or kettle of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add ginger. Let this steep for at least 10 minutes. Pour into a mug and add a little lemon and honey.

So Ann, my advice to you... get your Sherpas to beg, borrow or steal some ginger and get that tea brewin'.