Nausea? Forget about it

September 30th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 1 Comment

The general population of India know inherently that Ginger is good for upset stomachs and aids digestion. As a member of the Reeds Crew I was there a few years ago. I find Asia inspiring, wonderful and slightly scary all at once. Throughout Asia I found Ginger in many forms. From pickled with sushi to straight up raw chewing of the root I think I may have seen, if not all, a fair amount of ways to ingest the root.

Ginger, in actual fact, the stem and underground part of the ginger plant, has been used for medicinal purposes in Asia for thousands of years. In China Ginger has been a staple remedy for colic, diarrhoea and most especially Nausea for some 2 thousand years.

Now I am sure that there are sceptics out there saying well, they used to use “leaches” thousands of years ago too! Science has advanced! Well that may be true but people don’t still use leaches today for good reason. Science has not backed up their claims.

Apart from its excellent results with old wives tales Ginger has been proven (through double blind clinical trials) to drastically reduce the onset of nausea and vomiting. Going the natural route has always appealed to me. Maybe it was growing up in an environment where Natural and wholesome was considered better and cooler, or maybe it’s just that I dislike putting chemicals in my body: either way, I am sticking with ginger.

#TRC :”The Reeds Crew”

The benefits of ginger are not limited to digestion

September 29th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 3 Comments

By now you know we are passionate about ginger. It is a truly spectacular root. The more I read up about it the more I am amazed, and the more I find out, the more people I meet who seem to have really interesting experiences using Ginger in a medical context.

For more than two thousand years Ginger has been used as a Digestion aid, and to treat a variety of ills and somatics. From western uses to a varied and wide range of eastern religions and medical practices, Ginger is a constant source of health and vigour. The bits that are important active components of the ginger root are the volatile oils and pungent phenol compounds (such as gingerols and shogaols). It is these oils that have such a remarkable effect on the human body.

In today’s modern world, with people more and more educated on what goes into our food and beverages, and consequently our bodies,  it is no wonder that expectant moms as well as regular folks alike are turning to the healing effects of Ginger.

Health care professionals recommend Ginger to help treat or even prevent nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness, pregnancy, and even cancer chemotherapy.

So maybe Ginger does have some amazing healing properties after all. In the next few blogs I am going to talk about some of the cool things ginger is used for and where and how it has been and is being used.

#trc

Reeds: ginger’s magic history

September 27th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 2 Comments

In the last blog I told you I had found an article telling us all about the magical  properties of ginger. It seems that the more I find out about ginger the more intrigued I get by the history and use of the root.

According to the people in the know (and I use that concept rather loosely) spells and magic can be enhanced by the use of ginger. Apparently when you perform a spell you should eat ginger first as the article said “The warming properties will lend the spells power by heating you up.” Well, I don’t know about you but I am not particularly comfortable casting love spells or any kind of spell for that matter.

You never know what you are messing with when you start playing with spells and just eating/drinking ginger makes it more powerful!?! Holy moly. Besides the usual claims of “love spells” etc they also seem to claim that ginger root attracts money. They go so far as to recommend sprinkling ginger powder in your pockets or even on actual money to attract wealth as well.

Some people are really crazy. It is amazing to me how the human mind can decide what is real and what is only imagined. For instance, we know that Ginger has healing properties and also is an incredibly powerful herb in its own right.

However I don’t now if I believe in all its glorified uses. The natives of Dobu Island in the middle of the pacific seemingly chew ginger root and then once they have masticated the root enough, they simply spit it out right at oncoming storms! That is right. Storms! They believe that spitting the ginger at the storm will stop it in its tracks.

No matter what you believe, it seems that around the world ginger has more uses than just stopping a tummy ache.

Read more: How to Use Ginger’s Magickal Properties

Ginger is magic?

September 27th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 2 Comments

For countless years Ginger has been a part of the fabric of mankind. We use it in medicine and in our culinary efforts. But I had no idea that it was magic!

Now let me preface this entire blog with a disclaimer: If anyone from some sort of authority is reading this I am not saying that ginger is actually magic or has any magical properties of any kind. I was reading up about magic because a friend invited me to the magic castle to watch a performance of “prestidigitation”, which is a really big fancy word for card tricks. I am interested in all sorts of stuff and I find magic kinda cool, in an almost nerdy way.

So anyway, while I was reading up on Magic and its history I found an article on “The magickal properties of ginger”. Wow. First off I had never seen magic spelled that way and second, what? Ginger is magic?!!

Apparently Ginger has magickal(sic) properties associated with love, money, success and power.

Well, I drink a lot of Ginger brew (and root beer, but whose counting, right?) and I hate to break it to whomever wrote that but I am not sure about all of the above. I am actually rather lucky in that I do have love.  I tell you this not in a gloating way, I am just blessed. However, money, success and power? I don’t know if I feel comfortable pronouncing that Money and Power will be yours if you drink ginger brew. Weird. That was a lot to take in on its own but it went on!

From helping you get money to getting rid of tropical storms, ginger apparently has been used to do it all.

In fact I am going to tell you about some fantastic uses for ginger you probably won’t believe! I don’t know if I do…but they are entertaining!

#trc

How is Ginger Brew made?

September 24th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 1 Comment

People often ask me: “How is your ginger brew made?” My answer? With love and happiness. Well that is the truth really. Of course we use raw ginger, real natural honey and filtered sparkling water, but the most important ingredient is good healthy fun.

The fact is that most companies that make soda generally make over-sugared (is that a word? it is now…) drinks that remind me of Calvin and Hobbes “chocolate frosted sugar bombs” candy cereal.

Have you ever witnessed a kid on a sugar kick? It will only take you one single time with a kid tearing around the house or mall after a regular soda, or heaven forbid, an extreme sports style “energy drink”, to be convinced that all natural and wholesome is the way to go.

When Reeds Inc was first started it was born of a love of ginger and the good that it did. It was not solely a business that went after straight sales to the masses. It is the ultimate David vs. Goliath story except that instead of stones and a catapult, we use ginger and wholesome ingredients. And you know what? I am happy with that. The connection we have to our customers is something that never ceases to amaze me and at the same time warm my heart. And people sense that. I know because we get their emails and tweets.

Every bottle of our brew has been handcrafted in small numbered batches at our headquarters. We oversee every single step of the process so we know its good and done right. That is what I love about it. It is old school. Made right here in the USA by real people with love. Now that is a way to work and that is how we do it.

#trc

Who was the first person to eat ginger?

September 23rd, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | No Comments

While peeling some raw ginger root the other day to pop some in my tea, I got to thinking what a bizarre looking root it really is. The fact that it is a root with many amazing healing properties with a long and rich history is pretty awesome. But who dug it up and went “you know what, that looks tasty”?

It certainly wouldn’t have been my first choice as a meal. Ginger has a mandrake look to it that in the right light can be kind of scary. Even my cat is afraid of a big raw ginger root. I think he believes it is some kind of creature that could sprout teeth and fur at any second. And you know what? In the right light, if I am alone at home and have been reading a Steven King novel, or worse, watching some horror re-run on TV, my mind tends to run away with me and suddenly I have a bowl of yelling roots as well as a frightened cat.

It is not surprising then that the word Ginger is from the ancient Sanskrit  “Singabera” meaning shaped like a horn. Even the 1^st century Greek name for it sounds like a big scary mythological beast: “Zingiberis”. But it isn’t a beast at all. It is just a small root with scarily powerful properties.

The truth is I have no idea who ate the first ginger. It has been around for as long as there are historical records and even before then. No matter who our ancestor was that decided the odd looking root may have some nutritional benefit was very wise. And probably a woman. As a plant the stem grows about 12 inches above the ground with long ribbed green leaves and yellow or white flowers sometimes streaked with purple around the sides. Not so scary. Pretty flowers don’t sound scary.

It is when it is actually used that ginger is amazing. Once peeled and chopped up it is so fragrant even the cat got curious again.

And once the tea had brewed it may just be that I was more relaxed by the process or maybe the Ginger really worked because with a content cat on my lap, and a warm belly with a sense of well being second to none, I cracked the first smile of the day.

#trc

Reed’s, Inc. Announces Bulk Barn, Canada’s Largest Bulk Food Retailer, to Carry Selected Reed’s Beverages

September 21st, 2010 In Newsletter Updates | Comments Off

Company Expands Sales of Branded Products in Canada with Growing Retail Food Chain

Los Angeles, California, Sept. 21, 2010 — Reed’s, Inc. (NASDAQ:REED – News) (OTC.BB:REEDP – News), maker of the top selling sodas in natural food stores nationwide, announced today that Bulk Barn, which operates over 130 retail stores across Canada, has begun carrying selected Reed’s beverages in all of its stores in Canada.

“We are thrilled to be working with Bulk Barn, the largest bulk food retailer in Canada offering the best, freshest selection of premium products and packaged items in the country,” said Chris Reed, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Reed’s, Inc. “Bulk Barn carries over 4,000 quality items, from grains, spices, nuts, candies, exotic dried fruits, vitamins, supplements, and a host of healthy and natural food products, and we will be one of only a few beverage lines carried in their stores. Our all natural sodas offer the perfect addition to Bulk Barn’s wide selection of premium quality products. We are excited to work with them and increase our presence in Canada by offering Bulk Barn customers the finest natural beverages in the world.”

Neal Cohane, Reed’s Senior VP of Sales and Marketing, stated, “We continue our North American expansion. Bulk Barn will help expand Reed’s presence in all Canadian provinces except B.C. Opportunities to build our brand in Canada are untapped. Gaining entry into a prestigious retailer like Bulk Barn will only help build our momentum moving forward. Canadian consumers are sophisticated shoppers looking for natural and organic brands. Reed’s is a tremendous alternative to the everyday ordinary.”

It’s all in the root.

September 20th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | No Comments

Ginger is a root that has been inextricably linked to us as humans. For thousands of years Ginger has been grown by man and used in many wise and wonderful ways. The use of Ginger in eastern cooking and medicine pre dates historical records. The wonder of it is that it enjoys a widespread use in many eastern cultures as well as significant use in the west. While some mistakenly call it a “wonder drug”, it is certainly a natural substance with powerful properties.

Besides the many claims for its medicinal properties, Ginger is just plain delicious. However one can’t scoff at the claims too much. It certainly does produce “heat” in the body and as the muesli eaters say: “boosts your chakras man”. Besides the many uses in cooking it can apparently even be rubbed on as a poultice for headaches. I haven’t personally tried it, but hey, if I get another migraine (touch wood I don’t), I may be forced to try rubbing ginger paste on my temples instead of sitting in the dark cradling a ginger brew.

In fact the Romans were more interested in Ginger as a healing herb than a cooking spice. During 13 and 14^th century in England Ginger was so sought after that one-pound in weight of the rhizome was equivalent to the cost of a sheep!

I am sure the vegans out there are appalled. Poor sheep they will cry reading this. But remember that if you had a ginger farm then you could go and trade a few pounds for all the sheep in England and then set them free.

There. The sheep are safe. But the ginger isn’t.

#trc

Summer at an end: is flu on the way?

September 18th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | No Comments

It seems that summer is coming to an end. That means the leaves are changing with fall. The temperatures are starting to do their customary welcome dip and people start hand sanitizing more than ever. Flu season is just around the corner and the drug companies are quick to advertise their wares.

It seems that right around this time of year sneezes become more common, and the big pharmaceutical companies remind us that with cold weather come more sick families.

While for some ailments, drugs are unavoidable, I prefer to stick to good old fashioned natural remedies, as far as possible. The human body is amazing thing and we are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for sometimes.

Our planet is chock full of natural remedies that have been used for thousands of years to treat illness and ailments. People still use Ginger ale and ginger for remedies. How do I know? While I was on Twitter the other day I saw a random tweet by someone who said all the stores in their area were “sold out of Ginger ale-evryone is sick”.

Wow. Well that is better than reading everyone is terribly ill and on meds I guess. Hope you all get better soon in Atlanta.

I remember being a kid and being given ginger ale when I wasn’t feeling well. Heaven. It was always better than cod liver oil!

Reed’s Addresses Growing Market for Naturally Sweetened Diet Sodas with New Improved Virgil’s Diet Line

September 15th, 2010 In Newsletter Updates | Comments Off

Company to Relaunch Virgil’s Stevia Sweetened Diet Sodas with Improved Flavor and Packaging Design

Los Angeles, California, Sept. 15, 2010 — Reed’s, Inc. (NASDAQ:REED – News) (OTC.BB:REEDP – News), maker of the top-selling sodas in natural food stores nationwide, announced today that it will address the growing market for naturally sweetened diet sodas with new and improved flavor combinations for its Virgil’s diet line that uses Stevia to add natural sweetness as well as a new packaging design.

“Reed’s is committed to using only 100% all natural ingredients in all of our products, including our improved Virgil’s diet line that has a spectacular new look and taste,” stated Chris Reed, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Reed’s, Inc. “The new flavor combinations in our Virgil’s diet sodas build on the reputation of our original award-winning Virgil’s line and use Stevia, a natural, herb-based zero calorie sweetener, to create an all natural premium beverage that is refreshing and delicious. Our current Virgil’s diet line is growing 70%-plus year over year. We anticipate an acceleration of sales with the new look and formulations.”

While the traditional carbonated soda category has faced headwinds on health, wellness, and obesity concerns, the diet soda market has performed better as the market has shifted to drinks with benefits that appeal to health conscious consumers. Low calorie diet cola sales increased 2% reaching almost $4 billion in sales for the one-year period ended Jan. 23, 2010, compared to a 1.6% increase for regular cola sales.* The low-calorie beverage segment continues to grow as consumers worry about nutritional issues and demand healthier options.

Added Mr. Reed, “Consumers are focusing more and more on the origins of the food and drinks they buy, and wanting to know what their food contains. Stevia works great with the traditional spices that we use to brew our Virgil’s line. We’re thrilled to offer dieters our Virgil’s award-winning taste and a healthy alternative to the artificial chemical sweeteners that are being used in many other diet sodas today.”

For more information on Reed’s award-winning line of all natural brewed sodas, please visit: http://www.reedsinc.com/.

*SOURCE: The Nielsen Co., Schaumburg, Ill., food, drug and mass merchandise outlets including Wal-Mart for the 52 weeks ending Jan. 23, 2010.

Can you get motion sickness if you aren’t moving?

September 10th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | Comments Off

Have you ever felt like you are feeling nausea and motion sickness but aren’t moving? Strange to believe but motion sickness doesn’t necessarily mean you are actually in motion.

According to doctors motion sickness is a feeling of

• spinning, usually due to a disturbance in the vestibular system (an inner-ear sensory organ) and other sensory input. This includes sensory overload from the eyes. The signal is sent from the retina to the occipital cortex in the brain.

A lot of scientific mumbo jumbo for your inner ear and senses generally telling your brain you are moving. Your brain goes “woah!” and that’s that.

The strength of the symptoms for the illness vary in each person, but uniformly it causes

• dizziness
• nausea
• vomiting
• spinning sensations
• sweating.

Neither of these are particularly cool if you are on a boat having a party or even watching a movie in 3-D. People even got sick during “Cloverfield” and “ The Blair Witch Project” because of the shaky handheld camera work.

Weirdly, symptoms can also rear their head if you put strain on certain parts of the body like the neck.

For instance if you are painting a ceiling you may find that your neck and head have been in an awkward angle placing pressure on the occipital area resulting in motion sickness symptoms. I wouldn’t have wanted to be Michelangelo, unless I had some ginger on hand.:)

Fox Business News to Host Reed’s, Inc. Chairman Chris Reed; Live Television Interview to Air September 9th at 12:40 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time

September 9th, 2010 In Newsletter Updates | Comments Off

Founder Chris Reed to Discuss Company’s Record Revenues and Business Outlook for 2010 and 2011

Los Angeles, California, September 9, 2010 — Reed’s, Inc. (NASDAQ:REED – News) (OTC.BB:REEDP – News), maker of the top-selling sodas in natural food stores nationwide, announced today that Founder, Chairman and CEO Mr. Chris Reed will be a guest on Fox Business News on September 9, 2010. The television interview with Mr. Reed will be conducted live at 12:40 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

Chris Reed, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Reed’s, Inc., said, “I’m looking forward to talking about Reed’s, Inc. with Fox Business News Anchor Cheryl Casone and discussing our business growth plans. I’m hoping to have an opportunity to show some of the new products coming out, including the exciting release of the newly improved Virgil’s Stevia sweetened soda line.”

Reed’s Sees Momentum from Record Second Quarter Results Continuing to Build

September 8th, 2010 In Newsletter Updates | Comments Off

Company Expecting Solid Third Quarter and Year-End Results

Los Angeles, California, September 8, 2010 — Reed’s, Inc. (NASDAQ:REED – News) (OTC.BB:REEDP – News), maker of the top-selling sodas in natural food stores nationwide, today announced that it sees its accelerating revenue growth to continuing into its 2010 fiscal third quarter.

“Revenues for our third fiscal quarter are projected to exceed $5 million, which is 26% ahead of last year,” stated Reed’s Chief Financial Officer, Jim Linesch. “Our overall 2010 sales are running over 20% higher than 2009, at a growth rate that we believe will continue through year-end and well into 2011.”

Back to school

September 7th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | Comments Off

With the back to school commercials all over the TV and the media bombarding us with specials for the kids, it’s easy to forget about the important stuff. Like the fact that even though you have had to deal with their energy throughout the summer, they very soon will be back to school. That not only means a long trip back by road or air if you have been away, but most importantly, they are heading off into a wonderland of germs.

Being surrounded by a whole bunch of other or even new kids causes a bunch of children to get sick every year the first few weeks back at school.

And that is just the pre cursor to what the doctors term the September spike. Cold/flu and asthma stats apparently jump through the roof in September.

So what can you do? Well, Ginger has been used for thousands of years to treat colds and flu as well as a preventative measure.
Used in Ayurvedic, Japanese, and Chinese Traditional medicines the essential oil of ginger has at least 100 chemical components. It is used in various forms to treat colds, chills, phlegm, nausea, vomiting, shock and on and on, while boosting your bodies ability to fight off infection.

Ginger can be sneakily put in many forms. We have real natural sodas but you can get it in ice cream and candy too. Keep your
diet all natural and all healthy, add a little ginger, and your kids will be tearing around with a smile on their face minus the coughing, right through winter.

The Reeds Crew:)