Teas that Heal…Soup that Sooth!!
#4 Journey of healing with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Have you been a fan of hot drinks? I wasn’t, till I had no choice. Gulping down food in a hurry and rushing to start the day was my routine, till my body started collapsing with pain, inflammation, and fatigue.
Since the time, I have been on this journey of healing for nearly a decade now. One of my findings has been the role of natural herbs combined with other routines I follow, listed in my publication.
- Amrutha Bali/Giloy/Tinospora Cordilfolia
A herb well known in the Indian subcontinent, popularized by Baba Ramdev in the early 2000s….My mother always harped about this herb, little did I know that I would develop such personal dependency on this one herb…..During flare-ups, a flu-like condition…..A glass of Giloy tea gives a considerable amount of relief, provided one is not on any anti-immune suppressing medicines.
Right from the start, I have been very clear about one thing…I will not suppress my immune system, it has been a very painful decision though. But my regular consumption of Giloy has saved me a lot of suffering. It is a great booster to your immune’s fight against infection.
The chills one gets on the onset of infection, sore throat, and body aches?…. This herb arrests it in 30 mins. This has been my painkiller for the longest now….Instead of paracetamol, I keep this herb handy in my kitchen, it isn’t that bitter if you have it piping hot. A few pieces of stem are boiled in water and the water has to be boiled to half its initial quantity.
2. A warm mix of Ghee, turmeric, and pepper with salt in water.
There is a trend of consuming turmeric for RA conditions due to its high content of curcumin, a lot of turmeric-producing farms/companies market it that way….According to the general Ayurvedic norms, you have to mix turmeric with warm milk and have it at bedtime…..I did this and it backfired….I would instantly have a bad stomach, my knees would get inflamed with excruciating pain within 30 minutes…..It took me a long time and persistent trial and error to come to this soup that I have now.
First thing in the morning on an empty stomach, in a very generous beer mug full of warm water, I mix less than half a spoon of ghee with a pinch of turmeric, pepper, and salt to taste, Most of the time I skip the salt… coz I don’t care so much about the taste.
It has been one of the key additions that took care of hydration, lubrication, and nourishment at the same time. This concoction stops gas formation, hydrates the body, and also provides warmth. The curcumin in the turmeric nourishes the joints, pepper helps absorb the turmeric, and ghee provides lubrication in the gut, which is dry and leaky in RA patients.
3. Triphala - Combination of Amalaki, Bibhitaki, and Haritaki
An Ayurvedic anecdote to gut health, I have included this in my routine very recently and it is making a noticeable difference, With an unhealthy gut, I have had trouble with bowel movements on and off, a pinch of Triphala in a glass of warm water before bed…does something magical to the system and makes your morning ritual smooth and short. I had constant trouble digesting, with loud burps frequently…this has reduced a lot, and now I am planning to put this in my travel kit and carry this magic potion everywhere with me.
4. Detox Tea — Combination of Fennel, Cumin and Coriander seeds
For lack of a word in English, Let’s stick to the above name, I have been very familiar with this drink since childhood.
In my family, If a guest doesn’t drink the regular tea, we serve them this tea of course with a generous dose of milk and sugar….A decoction of just these seeds is great for keeping your system healthy. Thanks to my husband, this tea has been revived in my kitchen and is part of one of the drinks we consume daily. He makes sure, that it is made and kept in a flask every morning.
There is a lot of mix-and-match, one can do with the above-listed ingredients….I have played around a lot, I have put 1 and 4 together, I have had tea made with all the 1,3, and 4 in one drink. However, the listed combination in the mentioned order above is recommended by Ayurvedic doctors.
Overall, what I found is…they are safe and effective…. especially if your immune system is dysfunctional. This has even helped me with anxiety and overthinking.
Much to my surprise, I learned from my psychologist friend that….Your mental health is connected to your gut health.
If your gut is struggling so will your mind, I have gone through Brain fog, panic attacks, long bouts of sadness, overthinking, and anger issues during these years. Just taking all of these above drinks or a combination of them regularly, has been great to the mind and to the body.
A regular intake of these decoctions has put my mind at ease before I start feeling there is a problem in my head. I would highly recommend them to everyone….As you start consuming them, you will understand, which one is working for you and in what way.
Self-awareness and self-assessment is the key to self-healing. A little bit of silence in solitude makes us aware of our system, There is a lot of information available at the click of a button these days and an army of doctors and healthcare professionals, but what will be effective in your case, what will be part of your recovery journey is the question only your body can answer.
This is ayurvedic tea that has all the above ingredients and worked wonders for me, specially with anxiety and stress related headaches You can try it here is the link
