Ayurvedic Tips
Stop allergies and flu season with Turmeric, the SuperHero Spice.
Turmeric is truly the superhero of spices.
Heath benefits studied to date have centered around the component Curcumin and its anti-inflammatory properties, anti-oxidant nature, and the ability of Curcumin to cross the blood-brain barrier and increase neural BDNF levels in the brain.
However, a long history of use both as spice and medicine in India leads us to believe there is even more to understand.
The anti-inflammatory properties assist with;
• chronic bowel conditions,
• heart conditions,
• joint and muscle stiffness,
• preventing colds
• reducing weight gain
The antioxidant nature helps;
• Preventing and inhibiting cancer cell growth,
• Removing toxins and improving liver function
Boosts BNDF levels in the brain helping with;
• Depression
• Alzheimer’s
• Improved cognitive function
If you are suffering from one or more of the above you may want a stronger dose than the dried herb and this is where essential oils come in handy.
When the plant is cold-pressed to extract the essential oil you get a dosage far greater than you can from the dried powder. But Curcumin, even though it has amazing benefits, is hard for our body to absorb – there’s always a catch!
Using Turmeric Essential Oil with the dried herb or the extracted Curcumin supplement increases this absorption factor and increases the benefits we receive. Either take the essential oil along with your chosen Curcumin capsule - or doTERRA has combined them both in a unique dual chamber capsule - check that out here: doTERRA Turmeric Capsules
It’s been a game-changer for me and my health to have turmeric available as an essential oil. I’ve listed what made the biggest difference for me under Step #4 below.
With all these great benefits it becomes a matter of how to get more turmeric into your diet.
This is a recipe from Cate Stillman that has become a family favourite during the fall to prevent the fall cold and flu. Honey is also a great natural healing food so combining the 2 together makes a tasty “treat” for all ages that won’t make us sick.
Boo Candy
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup raw or unpasteurized honey
• 3 tbsp turmeric (5 drops Turmeric Essential Oil)
• 2 tsp Ginger (2 drops Ginger Essential Oil)
• 1/2 tsp cloves (1 drop Clove Essential Oil)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper* (1 drop Pink Pepper or Black Pepper Essential Oil)
Mix up spices then add in honey and mix until well blended. Store in a glass jar on the counter or somewhere close at hand where it’s handy and within reach of everyone to have daily.
Black or Pink Pepper assists with the absorption of curcumin by 2000% – so worthwhile to add if you can slip the spiciness past your kids. Pink Pepper essential oil is slightly sweet and mixes in really well with turmeric into all kids of soups, dips and my favourite – hummus.
>> Get Free Shipping when you order the four Boo Candy Essential Oils
Adding it into your stock base makes sure you get a hit of it in everything you cook. Here’s my favourite stock base although it changes depending on what’s in the fridge. The dry spice is not as potent as the essential oil for therapeutic healing but it will help over time.
Vegetable Soup Stock
Ingredients
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1 head of garlic, peeled and press or smash the cloves
• 2 onions, quartered
• 4 carrots, quartered
• 3 – 4 stalks of celery
• ½ fennel bulb
• 5 – 6 mushrooms
• 2 tomatoes
• 4 Tbsp turmeric
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 3 tbsp dried
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 10 – 14 cups of water or enough to fill the pot
Heat oil in large stockpot. Add onions and garlic, saute 2 min, add carrots, celery, fennel mushrooms and spices. Saute for 5 minutes. Add water, bring to a boil and simmer for 1.5 – 2 hours. Store in glass jars if possible or wait until cool to place in plastic. Freeze all you don’t need this week.
Mix warm water with salt and turmeric and gargle several times a day.
OR Make a throat spray with OnGuard, Turmeric and Frankincense Essential Oils and spray to the back of your throat where its believed the bacteria are residing.
>> Get free shipping and a free diffuser when you order the sore throat oil combo.
I’ll give you two options on this one – the fresh and the easy.
Mix up this fresh Lemon and Turmeric Tonic from Young and Raw and drink in daily or when you feel you need a boost.
• 1 lemon – juiced
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (or 1 drop Turmeric Essential Oil)
• 1/2 tbsp raw honey (unpasteurized)
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup water
Or mix up a batch of Therapeutic Essential Oils for a Morning Cure Capsule
• 2 drops Frankincense
• 2 drops Copaiba
• 2 drops Turmeric
• 1 drop Pink Pepper
• 1 drop Peppermint (anti-inflammation and soothes stomach)
Place all drops in a veggie capsule and take with food.
Multiply by 10 and premix in an amber coloured dropper bottle or use an empty oil bottle and attach a dropper for ease of use. (Makes a 10 day supply)
>> Get free shipping and a free diffuser with the Morning Cure Capsule Oils
This recipe for Gold Milk comes from John Immel of Joyful Belly. It provides a warm nourishing treat before bed that can be made with regular milk (yes in Ayurveda – that’s allowed) or nut milk whichever your belly appreciates more. For all those in the nourish program working on Earlier Lighter Dinners – Gold Milk satisfies the late night craving before you go to bed and does not affect your 13 hr fast…
Gold Milk
1/2 tsp dried or 1 drop of Essential Oil of each:
Cardamom
Ginger
Turmeric
Black Pepper (1/4 tsp - and swirl with a toothpick instead of adding a full drop)
Cinnamon (optional)
1 cup milk (cow or nut)
1 tsp honey
Heat Milk with spices just until it boils. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, our into a cup with honey and stir. Heating cow milk to the boiling point makes it easier to digest. If using nut milk you can just heat to drinking temperature. Make sure not to heat the honey with the milk and herbs.
>> Get free shipping and a free diffuser when you order the Gold Milk Essential Oil Spice Blend
Enjoy these 5 ways to add in Turmeric the Superhero Spice and be curious about how you feel in your body. Less inflammation, stiffness, food cravings? Is your family less sick this season?
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Share your favourite ways to add Turmeric into your diet in the comments below…
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