The golden colour of turmeric reminds me of the autumn foliage that is starting to fall from the trees outside. Have you been to the wineries lately? It is mind-blowing! The landscape colours, the oranges, golden ocres and reds. Stunning.
With its warm and sweet aroma, turmeric is one of my favourite spices—along with its cousin ginger—for this time of year. Widely used in cooking, turmeric is also known for its natural healing properties, and is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine. Turmeric is the king of natural anti-inflammatory as it contains curcumin which is believed to work in the same way as pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories without the nasty side effects, plus it aids in improving your immune system. With flu season on the rise and cold temperatures drying out our skin, here are two helpful ways turmeric can be used this autumn.
Turmeric Elixir
This turmeric elixir recipe is the perfect thing to drink on a cold day when you are sick or have an upset stomach. The turmeric will help rebuild your immune system, and it tastes delicious!
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/4 tsp turmeric (freshly grated or powder)
1/4 tsp ginger (freshly grated or powder)
a pinch of black pepper (optional)
1tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp of raw honey (I love for this recipe orange blossom honey and/or thyme honey)
Bring one cup of water to a boil. Once your water is hot enough, stir in all the ingredients. You can breathe in the steam of the elixir to help clear your sinuses if you are congested. Black pepper is wonderful chesty cough. Sweeten it up with a tbsp of your fave honey and enjoy it!
Turmeric Cleansing Lotion
This recipe is simple to make and really works! Turmeric is a natural acne fighter, and evens out skin tone to help it glow, so this lotion is a fabulous face cleanser/mask. (Some people may be allergic to turmeric, so be sure to test a small amount on your body first to make sure it doesn’t irritate your skin!)
Ingredients:
3 tbsp. Almond flour
1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder
1 tsp Fresh lemon juice
1/4 Organic plain yoghurt
Mix all the ingredients into a small bowl and stir together until they are fully combined. Use the cleansing lotion immediately, or store it in the refrigerator for up to a week. The lotion can be applied to parts of your body or face that need to be moisturised, and it’s a great way to treat under eye circles. Leave the lotion on for 15–20 minutes before washing it off completely. You will see the best results if applied daily for 2 or 3 weeks!
Do you have any favourite spice for autumn season? Tell me which one and how you use it!
Love, Sonia x