Workout Wonderteas: Turmeric

Before anything else: it’s turmeric.

Lots of people pronounce the dude “toomurick,” but please take note that there’s a very deliberate R in there.

Because if you’re drinking turmeric tea, you are very much none of the above. You are now equipped with:

a) Freaking awesome brain function.

b) Protection against inflammation.

c) Excellent liver support.

If you’ve been watching the drink market as of late, and had the time to lounge around a health food store to listen to their spieling, then you’re probably well aware that there are a host of benefits packed within this yellow fellow from the East.

Some call it a “superfood”; others call it simply “super.” If you’re the average Joe, and like many of us in 2018, looking to put a new spin on your life, then you’ve come to the right root.

Freaking awesome brain function.

There exists an interesting study on the function of curcumin—the active antiflammatory compound in turmeric—as a possible combatant against Alzheimer’s disease. Within this study, they drew from evidence of how it has delayed, reduced, and even reversed the oxidative damage from various chronic conditions. Applied to the brain, this was enough to offset the detrimental effects of Alzheimer’s.

What does this mean for the average person? If you don’t suffer from altered brain function, turmeric has the potential to further help the good brain function you’ve already got. This leads to experiences of greater clarity of thought and better focus—ie: forming complete sentences in your head even when you’re feeling lackluster.

This, my friend, is all you need. Taking your enhanced mind-powers to your new and improved 2018 routine, you’ll only profit. You may find that you feel more in touch with your motor neurons, the little dudes that connect your headspace to your muscles—use it to zero in on form and stability during your workout, especially if you’re already leery of injury.

Speaking of injury...

Protection against inflammation.

If we’ve already established that turmeric is anti-inflammatory due to its happy antioxidant action, the question is then, “Why does that even matter?”

It matters because inflammation is everywhere (hyperlink http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-weight-gain-inflammation-connection/). It exists in puffiness, water weight, dry skin, and the sore crankiness of body parts that aren’t used to physical activity.

If you’re not in pain the day after your workout, doesn’t that make life more pleasant?

Plus, remember that internal organs can also suffer from inflammation. Rendering those tissues soft and happy means that all your other biological functions will be more comfortable.

Yes. All of them.

If you’re chewing on the implications of that one, that brings us to the third major benefit:

Excellent liver support.

One of the first things that people shoot for in the New Year is a “detox.” It’s totally fine and natural to crave that clean feeling inside, but then some folks choose to reach for extreme measures to achieve it.

Not worth the time or effort, dearies.

Turmeric can offer gentle liver stimulation, kicking into gear your body’s own “hey-let’s-get-rid-of-stuff” mechanisms. When the nasty stuff of waste products are well-shuffled out the window, then exercise feels easier, more breathable, simply because your body isn’t being taxed at the same time with the excess of whatever’s been going on inside. (And after a whole bunch of holiday parties rounding out last year, (how're those resolutions coming), excess happens. I know. It’s ok.)

Now, how to make turmeric work for you and your needs:

A sweet cup of Turmeric Bliss is an excellent place to start. It offers the earthy aroma of turmeric alongside more fragrant counterparts, like ginger and mango, so that the experience of the spice doesn’t hit you too powerfully.

Try drinking it after dinner, just as a dessert. A standard teaspoon or teabag will introduce you to the flavor and sensation, without too much jostling to the sensibilities.

From there, adjust the dose to your needs and taste. If you do have an inflammatory disease like arthritis, or even the inflammation from persistent muscular issues like carpal tennis, then double- or triple-bagging might be helpful to experiment with.

If you find that you really like turmeric—and I mean like-like, the kind of feeling that generates fluffy passed notes in class—then see how it feels to include the ground spice, or even the root itself, in your favorite tea. Turmeric pairs excellently with other earth-toned, aromatic leaves, such as Golden Monkey and Gunpowder. (For serious organ function, give it a shot with Pu-Erh make sure to get plenty of hydration, and wait for the Hallelujah chorus from your metabolism.)

Whatever your goals are, let turmeric be your new friend.

Cheers!