We are taking anti inflammatory to the next level with these two super drinks!

You may have heard about anti inflammatory super foods like turmeric and ginger, and how great they are at reducing inflammation, but what is the best way to add it into your daily intake?

Well, most of the time I hear capsules as the answer, companies have extracted out the anti inflammatory part of the turmeric root and sell it as curcumin capsules. And yes, in the lab, on a Petri dish, this works perfectly. The chemists have effectively removed the anti inflammatory properties from the turmeric, and put it in a little capsule for your convenience.

Well, I don’t think it works that way. The human body is an amazing creation, and we humans haven’t even scratched the surface into understanding how our bodies work. Even though the anti inflammatory parts of the turmeric root may have been extracted, it may need a catalyst that is still in the turmeric to work effectively. If you are simply taking a pill, you have lost that catalyst and will not get the full benefit. I strongly feel that you will get the most benefit out of using whole foods.

Incorporating the spices into your cooking is a great way to get some anti-inflammatory benefit, but if you really want to boost your fight against inflammation, try one of these two methods.

The first recipe is a raw juice recipe. When juicing in smaller amounts I prefer using my hand juicer, my hand juicer was designed for wheatgrass but I find it works great for ginger as well. Turmeric, being a little less fibrous, needs to be incorporated in with the ginger to make sure that you extract as much turmeric juice as possible.

Raw Method

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce of fresh organic ginger root
• 1 ounce of fresh organic turmeric root
• 1 ounce of organic tart cherry juice
• Juice from 1 fresh organic lemon

Directions:

1. Wash ginger and turmeric root
2. Chop ginger and turmeric into 1 inch chunks
3. Put chopped ginger and turmeric into juicer alternating between the ginger and turmeric
4. Put the juice into a container and add tart cherry and the juice of the lemon

To serve, separate into two servings and drink as a shot or pour the mixture into two glasses and add 2 cups of water or sparkling water to each glass and ice as desired and sip as a refreshing drink.

Cooked Method

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces of fresh organic ginger root
• 6 ounces of fresh organic turmeric root
• 2 cups of organic tart cherry juice
• Juice from 4 fresh organic lemons

Directions:

1. Wash ginger and turmeric root
2. Chop ginger and turmeric into 1 inch chunks
3. Put ginger and turmeric into a medium sized saucepan
4. Add 5 cups water
5. Bring mixture to a boil, turn heat down to low, cover, and allow it to simmer for 2 hours
6. After 2 hours allow mixture to cool
7. Strain mixture to remove any larger chunks and reserve liquid
8. Add tart cherry and lemon juice and refrigerate

To serve, measure out 2 ounces of the liquid and drink either as a shot, add two ounces to your favorite herbal tea, or add 2 cups of water or sparkling water to each glass and ice as desired and sip as a refreshing drink.