It’s Springtime! The famous Indian poet Kalidas beautifully describes this colorful season:
"The gentle breeze, softens the chilly air of the winter. The land comes to life as the flora suddenly bursts into maturity and young flowers bloom all over. The air is filled with the intoxicating smell of fresh flowers and the effect is seen even on the cuckoo which is in an inebriated state."
According to Ayurveda, every change in season has an effect on our three doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha. And to keep these doshas in balance Ayurveda recommends following Ritucharya (seasonal routine) suitable for our specific doshas.
The warmth of spring starts to gradually break down kapha in our bodies (that has been accumulated in the winter). This is the main reason why we may start to get a cough, sinus problems, cold, and yes, allergies during the month of March, April, and May (the months of spring in the Northern Hemisphere). Ritucharya gives us the knowledge to follow a particular diet and regime to prevent these symptoms to manifest in our bodies.
Here, I introduce you to my favorite Ayurvedic Tonic: Golden Tea! This drink promises more than you can think of. The combo of ginger and turmeric works like a high-powered scraper that scrapes away all the residue and toxic build-up of winter.
Both ginger and turmeric are rhizomes and have been lauded for thousands of years in Ayurveda for their medicinal and culinary properties. Turmeric and ginger, both highly rich in antioxidants work synergistically to strengthen the digestive agni and increase the metabolism.
Here is how I prepare this tea. A simple few ingredients but a strong potent tonic!
. 2 cups of Water
. 1 tsp fresh grated Ginger
.1 tsp fresh Turmeric Root or Turmeric Root Powder
. 1 tsp Natural Sweetener (of your choice)
. 2 tsp Lemon/Lime Juice (optional)
. 1/8 tsp crushed Black Pepper (optional)
Begin by making the ginger-turmeric paste. Add it to 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Simmer this for about 15 mins on the stove until the liquid reduces in half. Switch off the heat. Add the sweetener of your choice, I generally have this without any sweetener, yes, you’re right I am a little crazy…lol. But you could add maple syrup or honey (if not a strict vegan).
The most benefit you get from drinking this tea is when you use freshly grated ginger and turmeric. But in today’s modern world it is not very practical to expect that with everyone, so you could use turmeric powder but would strongly encourage using organic good quality one. I have written a post on how to buy good quality organic turmeric.
I buy dried organic turmeric rhizomes and grind them in small batches in my Vitamix Dry Grinder which does an amazing job. For ginger, I buy it at Whole Foods where they sell really good quality organic Hawaiian ginger which I just LOVE!!
I enjoy sipping this warm Ayurvedic Golden Tonic just before my breakfast and also have it just before dinner in the evenings if I feel heavy and lethargic.
Enjoy this tea smelling the intoxicating fresh flowers of spring!!
Photo: JeevaLifestyle.com
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