The turmeric is a popular home remedy for colds, congestion, cough and skin problems in India.
Turmeric is a powerful, dark yellow spice that most of the people know as an ingredient in curries. Turmeric’s health benefits are greater than everyone believes.
The thing that our mothers and grandmother knew all along was proved in a recent scientific research!
Turmeric possesses a wide variety of anti – inflammatory, anti – carcinogenic, antibacterial and antiviral properties, as well as vitamins and minerals – as it was recently reported by CNN.
Turmeric, whose active agent is curcumin, can:
- Detoxify the liver
- Remove plaque from the brain and improve oxygen flow, acting as a preventive for Alzheimer’s
- Prevent cancer cells from forming
- Stimulate the immune system
- Reduce cholesterol
How to add this miraculous spice to your wellness and health regimen?
Turmeric can be found in most of the health food stores in supplement form, and there is no reason why you should not spice things up this flu and cold season?
Replace your every day hot cocoa with an invigorating cup of hot turmeric milk. You can easily prepare the hot turmeric milk, known as haldi ka doodh at home.
It took us some research, several rounds at the stove, and the assistance of a few devoted followers to come upon this amazing combination of ingredients — satisfying, creamy and rich! You can increase the absorption of turmeric into the body greatly by adding black pepper to the mixture. It also gives the drink a spicy kick.
(Warning: Turmeric can stain countertops and clothing, so proceed with caution and wear an apron!)
Ingredients for one serving:
- sieve or strainer
- pinch of powdered ginger or small piece of peeled ginger root
- ¼ of teaspoon of ground cardamom (or a few cardamom pods)
- dash of black pepper or black peppercorns
- 1 cup of milk (whole or 2% milk, coconut milk or almond milk beverage)
- ¼ – ½ a teaspoon of turmeric
- dash of vanilla extract
- ¾ – 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar (depending on desired sweetness)
- pinch of cloves (if desired)
- pinch of allspice (if desired)
Preparation:
- First warm the milk on the stove, and when it’s warm, add turmeric powder. Stir slowly in order to dissolve any lumps. The liquid will take on a rich, mustard color.
- Add the ginger root, vanilla, honey and spices.
- Keep the pot on low heat for a few minutes.
- Pour the milk through a fine strainer to remove the cardamom, pepper and ginger root. (The turmeric can be a bit grainy, too.)
- Enjoy! You a free to adjust all of the ingredients for your individual taste!
Note:
Turmeric is generally considered to be safe.
The WebMD in a report stated that: “it has been known to cause stomach upset and nausea in some individuals, especially if consumed in high doses. Pregnant women MUST NOT use turmeric supplements. If you have any medical conditions like bleeding disorders, diabetes, immunity problems, gallbladder or kidney disease talk with your doctor before using turmeric supplements regularly. Stop taking it at least two weeks before any surgery, because turmeric can potentially increase bleeding.
Talk to your doctor before you start using turmeric supplements, if you are taking any medicines regularly. Turmeric supplements can interact with medicines like NSAID painkillers, diabetes drugs, aspirin, blood thinners, statins and blood pressure medicines. They might also interact with supplements that decrease clotting, like garlic, ginseng and ginkgo.”
Source: www.elephantjournal.com
