
‘The great gift of a spiritual path is coming to trust that you can find a way to true refuge. You realize that you can start right where you are, in the midst of your life, and find peace in any circumstance.’ – Tara Brach
I thought this was a lovely recipe to start the new year off with. I made it first thing this morning and sipped it as I cooked breakfast for the family. I have just returned from some time with my family in the UK and my cousin Sabrina had made some for me. She drinks it to keep her immune system up and inflammation down, which is extremely important for a frequent traveller such as herself.
Turmeric is used a lot in Ayurveda. It supports the body’s innate inflammatory response, it has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, it nourishes the joints, cleanses the blood, and helps the liver with detoxification. It is best to combine curcumin the active ingredient in turmeric with a little black pepper. An article from John Hopkins notes that this is shown to increase the bioavailability by 2000%. A little fat will also help activate the curcumin. Ginger is added as it is another great ingredient for digestion, joint and heart health. Make sure to add the honey when the elixir has cooled down as adding it to a hot mixture will cause some toxicity from an Ayurvedic perspective.
Ingredients
- 1.5 inches turmeric (chopped)
- 1.5 inches ginger (chopped)
- Pinch of black pepper
- Honey (optional)
- 1/8 tsp. ghee/coconut oil
- 4 cups of filtered water
Method
- Place all the ingredients apart from the honey in a small saucepan, bring to the boil and let simmer for 5-20 minutes depending on your strength preference.
- Once the elixir has cooled a little, add the honey and stir until it is dissolved.