A Modern Day Guide to Therapeutic Lifestyle Design and Healing Chronic Stress from the Inside Out!

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area

Christina Pandolfo, MS, OTR/L, NC

thetherapeuticfoodie@gmail.com

Category Archives: Domino

Tea Time with Turmeric

Happy Therapeutic Thursday! It has been raining most of this week here near San Francisco. My fall nesting instincts have kicked in – I’m craving lots of tea, warm blankets, piles of books, and cozy cuddles with my pup!

Right now I’m taking a little break and decided to make Turmeric Tea, which I just learned about this year. So, I’m inviting you to my little tea party, and will share this deeply nourishing and anti-inflammatory tea recipe with you!

First though, I want to share some of the amazing properties of turmeric that I am fascinated with. Turmeric’s yellow pigment, called curcumin, has been demonstrated to have major anti-inflammatory effects – so much so, that it has been shown to be comparable to both potent prescription and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs. For people that experience any form of arthritis, or joint pain, intake of turmeric may help to relieve the symptoms of morning stiffness and decrease joint swelling – all without the toxic side effects of drugs.

Besides being anti-inflammatory, turmeric has also been demonstrated to have powerful antioxidant properties, and is being studied for its anti-cancer effects – including tumor fighting abilities. Seriously cool stuff!

Now, time for the recipe. I really like this tea – it is creamy and a bit spicy – but not overly spicy. Warm and comforting, I can see this will be a tea-time regular during these colder months.

Turmeric Tea (adapted from Powerful Plant-Based Super Foods, by Lauri Boone, R.D.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups almond milk or coconut milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • Pure maple syrup (to taste)

Directions

  • Over medium heat, warm the milk in a saucepan.
  • When hot (but not boiling), stir in the turmeric, ginger, and black pepper.
  • Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from heat and strain into cup.
  • Stir in a bit of maple syrup to taste, and serve warm.

Fun Fact of the Day: Adding black pepper with turmeric while cooking may help to increase the bioavailability of curcumin – which means that adding pepper helps your body to absorb more of turmeric’s awesome health benefits!

Hope you enjoy the tea, and see you next week!

Little Domino Napping in the Rain

Sources: Boone, Lauri (2013). Powerful Plant-Based Super Foods. Beverly: Fair Winds Press; Murray, M (2005). The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. New York: Atria Books.

Welcome to The Therapeutic Foodie!

Welcome to The Therapeutic Foodie! My name is Christina Pandolfo, and I am an Occupational Therapist, Holistic Nutritionist/Certified Nutrition Consultant, and Wellness Practitioner with over a decade’s worth of healthcare experience helping others on their healing journey towards optimal wellness and best version of themselves. As a therapist and nutritionist, my mission and passion is…Continue Reading