HOW TO MAKE AYURVEDIC TEA

ayurvedic turmeric detox tea…a daily dRINKTeet

In order to be who you are, you must be willing to let go of who you think you are.

Michael Singer ~ The Untethered Soul

As another year comes to a close, I ask myself, what have I learned? Lessons come daily, many forgotten and unexamined. Others hit me over the head, repeatedly and impossible to ignore. We all have our lessons. They can be so humbling. They can be hard. And yet, once accepted, once learned, they are freeing. Liberating.

I am in process of creating a Two-Week Healing/ Cleansing/ Detoxing Menu Plan with recipes, for a reader who is struggling with a serious illness. Though not an expert, I wholeheartedly believe in the healing power of plant-based foods, and how these foods can assist our bodies in healing themselves. Healing foods don’t have to be flavorless and boring, they can be vibrant and delicious, too. Over the next few weeks I will share a few of these recipes here.

If you would like a copy of the Detox Menu Plan with Recipes,  just sign up for weekly emails and they are a free gift I offer my readers.

Part of the plan is this “daily drink” – sipped throughout the day – detoxing the body and organs, while revving up the metabolism. This tea has become a godsend to me, a small ritual I put into practice 6 months ago, that I have come to love, not only for its flavor, but for it energizing and cleansing qualities.

I first discovered this daily Ayurvedic Tea, in Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar’s book called The Hot Belly Diet -The 30 day plan to reset your metabolism and restore you body’s natural balance to heal itself.  It’s a blend of green tea, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fresh ginger and lemon juice. I’ve been adding fresh turmeric root, as well.  If you are going caffeine-free, you can use an herbal tea (like tulsi, chamomile, mint or ginger) instead of green tea, and sometimes I will use yerba matte, white tea or black tea instead of green tea, and other whole spices ( like a cinnamon stick, whole clove, cardamom) just to mix it up a bit. Please use this and adapt it to your taste.

For anyone who struggles with health issues, a sluggish metabolism or just wants to cleanse for the new year, I highly recommend this book. For more information on what Ayurveda is, and the Ayurvedic diet and practices visit this.

To make the tea, place all the seeds and roots in a french press, and pour boiling water over top. Let seep 5-10 minutes before plunging.

If you don’t have a french press, no worries, just place all the ingredients in a pot of simmering water. Strain into a mug as you drink it.

Refill the pot or french press as much as you like that day, simply reusing the same tea bag, seeds, roots.

Or, if bringing to work, make this in the morning and place in a thermos to keep it warm. Sip through out the day.

“The healing tradition of Ayurveda teaches that health and well-being depends upon our ability to digest everything we take in from the environment. This includes not only tangible substances like food and drink, but also our experiences, emotions, and the impressions we take in via our sensory portals, namely our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin.” Sheila Patal MD

If you can’t find fresh turmeric, a little ground turmeric works fine too. Add it to taste. Here in Spokane, you can usually find fresh turmeric at Super one, Huckleberry’s and at The Best Asian Market on Sprague. I often call first because once in a while, they are out.

Another way to incorporate fresh turmeric into you daily diet is to juice it, like in this  Turmeric Tonic.

“In Ayurveda, a healthy digestive system is seen as a cornerstone of well-being,” says Dr. Kshirsagar, who encourages the practice of drinking hot water and this hot tea throughout the day, in order to increase our digestive “fire,” and help keep it running efficiently.

If you don’t have a french press, just make it in a pot and strain.