I'm big on self-care rituals. (But you probably already knew that.) Today I'm sharing the first in a little series of blog posts about my favorite daily rituals that directly benefit my physical health, therefore my overall well-being: Golden milk!
Note: I'm not a medical doctor. Always seek the advice of your medical doctor before starting new regimens.
Oh you guys, this is magic in a mug. I've been drinking it nightly for nearly a year, and it is just so soothing to me and is working wonders for my health. There are so many wonderful benefits to drinking golden milk. The most potent part of golden milk is turmeric, which contains curcumin. Curcumin has amazing health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cancer-preventative properties. Additional benefits of turmeric are:
- Anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, antiseptic,analgesic,.
- Boosts immunity.
- Anti-carcinogenic.
- Helps maintain cholesterol levels.
- Promotes digestive health.
- Liver detoxifier.
- Regulates metabolism and weight management.
- High blood pressure.
- Memory and brain function.
- Various skin conditions.
- Neurological disorders.
- Lowers Triglycerides
The recipe I use for my golden milk is from the wonderful instructional video below. I've written out the ingredients and recipe below (with some of my personal preferences) but I find it very helpful to watch the video tutorial, too.
First, make the turmeric paste:
- 1/2c spring water
- 1/4c turmeric powder (I like to get a large bag of quality organic turmeric here. If this becomes a daily ritual for you, you'll save money getting this big bag instead of small portions in your grocery store.)
- Heat on med/low for 7-9 min stirring constantly
- Store in glass container in fridge up to 14 days
To make the golden milk from the turmeric paste:
- 1c milk (It can be cow, almond, coconut, etc. as long as it's unsweetened. Each lends a different flavor to the golden milk, and I've found that unsweetened coconut is my personal preference.)
- 1tsp turmeric paste you made (above)
- Honey or maple syrup or stevia to sweeten (Sweetening is optional. I like to add a dollop of manuka honey to mine.)
- Heat on medium for 5 min
- Add 1/4-1/2 tsp oil to mug - Udo's oil or coconut oil are my favs
- Adding a dash of black pepper to recipes containing turmeric enhances curcumin’s bioavailability by 1,000 times, due to black pepper’s hot property called pipeline, so by mixing turmeric and black pepper together, you increase your body’s absorption of the turmeric by 2000% - and it adds a fun kick.
Other golden perks:
- If you drink it at night before bed, it helps you to fall right to sleep.
- It dyes the bristles of your toothbrush golden if you brush right after drinking it. (Um, yay..?)
- If you google 'golden milk' you can get tons more info and variations on the recipe. There are turmeric juices and smoothies out there you can make, if warm drinks aren't your thing.
- My 8 year old daughter even enjoys golden milk. She prefers hers made in the traditional way, with cow's milk.
