I don’t give a darn what conventional doctors say about diet and MS. I’m sticking with my amazing Turmeric Tea and green juice. Greens boost methylation, incredibly important since I have the MTHFR genetic mutation, and my Turmeric Tea is fantastic too!
What’s In Turmeric Tea
The main ingredients of Turmeric Tea are turmeric and ginger. Turmeric contains curcumin which activates the Nrf2 pathway, key in reducing inflammation, and ginger, high in antioxidants and replete with anti-inflammatory properties, does the same. This tea also contains black pepper which makes the curcumin in the turmeric far more bio-available. I love using food as medicine and this drink has incredible benefits for me.
Health Benefits of Turmeric
Turmeric is a member of the ginger family. Commonly grown in India, it is turned into the bright yellow spice that stains your counter tops and is often used in South Asian cooking. The turmeric root contains curcumin, a Nrf2 activator. This powerful genetic pathway turns on over 200 genes, many of which are related to detoxification and cellular repair.
What is the Nrf2 Pathway
Nrf2, or nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2, is a protein that protects against oxidative damage triggered by inflammation and injury. This protein signals the body to repair itself via the Nrf2 pathway which triggers the expression of antioxidant enzymes and survival genes. However, this pathway is latent until triggered by a Nrf2 activator, which can range from fasting to exercise, to fish oil and much more.
What is Protandim
When I write about the Nrf2 pathway I get comments about a product called Protandim. It contains milk thistle, bacopa, ashwagandha, green tea extract, and curcumin. Many people ask me about this supplement and I don’t see an issue with it. I prefer to take stand-alone supplements because they come in higher doses and I can control the combinations. As of this writing, Protandim contains 675mg of their proprietary blend. I prefer to know how much of each supplement I’m taking and take different stand-alone Nrf2 activators.
What are Nrf2 Activators
There are numerous Nrf2 activators that may be taken in a variety of doses. For example, I take 500mg per day of meriva, and 300mg per day of DIM, which contains sulforaphane. These two supplements alone contain 800mg of Nrf2 activators, so I prefer them to Protandim. I also prefer resveratrol, quercetin, and alpha lipoic acid which are also Nrf2 activators.
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Health Benefits of Ginger
Ginger is another spice that is very popular in South East Asian cooking. It can be consumed in a number of ways. One of my favorites is this Ginger Licorice Tea, and still better is my low-carb Paleo Pumpkin Pie! I love eating functional foods that contain Nrf2 activators, but I also rely on supplements. I wasn’t diagnosed with celiac disease until I was 30 years old so my gut suffered from damage from gluten during a large portion of my lifetime. Eating healthy grain-free, low-carb food and getting a boost from potent supplements in a wonderful strategy for me.
Turmeric Tea
Drinking healthy teas that I make from scratch using fresh roots, herbs, and spices is another strategy that works well for me. This potent Turmeric Tea is simply three very powerfully healthy foods –turmeric, ginger, and black pepper, concentrated into a beverage. After you make it the first time and pour off the tea, you can add another quart of water to get another two servings.
Turmeric Tea
Ingredients
- 1 quart water
- 1 ounce turmeric, sliced, not peeled
- 1 ounce ginger, sliced, not peeled
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add water to a saucepan
- Add turmeric, ginger, and black pepper
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes
- Pour through a fine mesh strainer into mugs
- Serve
Drinking Instructions
If your digestive fire is super high you can drink this during the summer as a healthy iced tea. That’s how my family likes it. If you feel a cold or a cough coming on you’ll definitely want to sip it it as hot tea. This allows the turmeric and ginger to steam your sinuses while getting into your digestive system. Both of these methods of absorption provide a boost to the immune system.
Storage Instructions
Sometimes I make a double batch of Turmeric Tea and store it in mason jars in the fridge. It stays fresh for up to 2 days.
Healing Autoimmune Disease
During my lifetime I’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease, Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroiditis, and multiple sclerosis. I live with and navigate these disease processes every day. The silver lining of all of this illness has been learning. Another benefit has been sharing my knowledge and helping others. While I’m sometimes sad and overwhelmed with all that’s on my plate, I’ve been able to meet all of you and have incredible people with me on this path of healing.
Knowledge, Connection, and the Path of Healing
What are your favorite hacks for healing? Leave a comment so we can all continue to grow, connect, and learn from each other in this incredible community!
Corky Corcoran Douglas says
I do cancer fighting nutrition and always cook with the spice. My son was diagnosed over 6 years ago with internal melanoma ( at age 19 ) and I immediately got him on 2,000 mg of turmeric of high grade supplement. Great scientific evidence ( beside anti inflammatory, etc) that tumors and cancer cells are stopped in their tracks!
I too, take 2,000 mg per day and if I forget my hands ache as in arthritis. I don’t take any other supplements ( try to get my daily allotment from real organic foods/organic/wild) but couldn’t live without turmeric.
Elana says
Thanks Corky!
Beth says
Can you please tell me which turmeric supplement you use?
Elana says
Beth, if you go to the paragraph called “What is the Nrf2 Pathway” and click on the highlighted text that says “meriva” you will be taken to the curcumin supplement that I use :-)
Maria says
Hi there. Thanks for the great post. You may also add cinnamon to the turmeric-ginger tea. It helped me pull through IBD flare ups.
Love,
Maria
Elana says
Thanks Maria!
Debbie says
Where can you find fresh turmeric?
Elana says
Debbie, I get mine in the produce section of the health food store :-)
Sarah says
Often by the ginger root.
mary says
I was just looking at the Amazon selling page for the Black Pepper Essential Oil. Many people on that page have asked if it can be ingested, and it says NO in several different places. Can you explain how it’s okay in your recipe, when the manuf. says not to ingest? What about using peppercorns in the infusion with the tumeric & ginger instead of EO??
Elana says
Mary, we’ve updated this recipe to use ground black pepper :-)
Syneva Mullins says
Elana, thank you so much for posting this. I have been having inflammation problems recently and wondered what I can do to help lessen it. I will be definitely trying this. I love your posts. I am allergic to sugar and am gluten, dairy and corn intolerant and just received a diagnose of heart disease. It is so encouraging to read how you have navigated through your health issues with many “outside the box” ways. Thank you for your vulnerability.
Elana says
Syvena, I am so lucky to have readers like you :-)
Kelly says
Thank you, Elana, for yet another great recipe. Thank you for sharing all that you have learned. You have the best recipes. When my doctor first put me on a special diet a year ago, your blog was a tremendous help to me, and it still is. Thank you!! And now I’m going to drink my turmeric tea! :-)
Elana says
Kelly, I’m so glad to be on this healing journey with you!
Susan says
Elena, I have a question re: your green juice recipe. I really loathe the flavor of cilantro. Is there a green with similar characteristics that I could sub for it? Or would you simply recommend drinking another green type juice entirely? Thank you.
Elana says
Susan, because cilantro has worked so well for me I haven’t researched other herbs that chelate heavy metals. If you hear of one I hope you’ll stop back by and let us know :-)
Ann Jones says
I can buy fresh turmeric & fresh ginger at my local HEB in Texas towns.
Elana says
Thanks Ann!
Debbie says
Just did some research on Black Pepper Oil and most of it said not to consume. Can you please give some more information on consuming this EO? Thank you.
Elana says
Debbie, we’ve updated this recipe to use ground black pepper :-)
PAMELA HARING says
Elana, I know that turmeric is supposed to help arthritis, even osteoarthritis, but I always get heart burn from it. Do you suppose that it might be less of a problem if I use fresh turmeric instead of a supplement? I’m willing to try it, if I can figure out where to buy it. Thanks.
Elana says
Pamela, such a great question! Personally, I consistently digest real food better than supplements. Also, whenever I take supplements I have them with a meal, not on an empty stomach. I hope you’ll keep me posted :-)
Susan says
Pamela, I don’t know what part of the country you live in, but I saw fresh turmeric root for sale last week at Meijer’s. You can also buy organic fresh turmeric root from amazon.com, if not available from a local whole food or health food store. Another suggestion: if turmeric tea causes heart burn, you might try diluting the tea as necessary with apple juice. When I was being treated by a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine with a new prescription of herbal tea each week, the tea caused nausea and heart burn. My doctor was very put out with me for having those symptoms (lol) but told me to dilute the tea with apple juice to the point that it was palatable. I think that she thought that the apple juice might make the tea less effective (her English was limited), but I did not find that to be the case. I suppose that it is possible that the sugar content of apple juice might be a problem for you, but I can’t speak to that.