Start the day with this flavorful and healing lemon, ginger & turmeric detox tea.
Did you know that a healthy bowel transit time is between 12 and 24 hours, from the intake of food to elimination? Believe it or not, the majority of the people there bowel transit time is 48 to 96 hours. To really take this all in, imagine what you ate for breakfast yesterday morning sitting in your tummy at 98 degrees….gross right?!
I used to think that going #2 once every 2-3 {sometimes even 4-5 days} was totally normal. Now the thought of that terrifies me because substances that are supposed to be eliminated get absorbed back into the bloodstream. Gross? Yes. But also not good because this can interfere with and irritate your entire system.
All that said, being healthy really starts with the gut and proper digestion, absorption and elimination of our food — all of which makes up our metabolism.
Which is why I love this morning tonic, lemon, ginger & turmeric tea. Sipping warm lemon water is one of the ways I started becoming more regular {aka going #2 every morning}. Now that I’m accustomed to my morning lemon water, I’ve started playing around with some new recipes to not only increase the flavor but overall health benefits of my morning tonic.
There's ginger for digestion, turmeric to cleanse the liver, cayenne to warm the body and amp up metabolism, and cinnamon to serve as an anti-inflammatory. It's a nice way to jump-start your body at the beginning of the day.
The measurements are approximate and you can skip them easily (just make sure not to overdo it with the cayenne and turmeric). Ginger is your favorite? Add more. Don’t want honey? Skip it.
Detox tea recipe
Ingredients:
➤6-inch piece of fresh ginger
➤1 teaspoon turmeric
➤2 cinnamon sticks
➤¹/₂ teaspoon cayenne
➤a spoonful of raw honey
➤squeeze of lemon
Here is how you should prepare it...
Peel ginger, slice thinly on the diagonal and smash it (the reason for this is to expose more surface area). Add ginger slices to a saucepan with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cinnamon sticks, turmeric, and cayenne. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Strain into a mug. Stir in a spoonful of honey and squeeze of lemon. You will still have plenty in the pot after that first cup. Get pleasure from this!
So what are the health benefits of this lemon, ginger, and turmeric detox tea? Let’s break it down ingredient by ingredient since there are only 6 ingredients.
- Lemons – can aid the body in removal and prevention; from flushing out the kidneys to preventing kidney stones and urinary tract infections. Also, a good source of vitamin C which is one of the most ‘important antioxidants in nature’.
- Ginger – my go-to for any type of tummy trouble. Ginger increases the speed at which food empties from the stomach into the intestines; therefore, it helps with indigestion, acid reflux, bloating, and gas. It’s also super effective in helping with inflammation.
- Turmeric – another powerful anti-inflammatory, high in antioxidants. Curcumin, the main ingredient in turmeric, supports the immune system in its ability to fight infection and it has pain-relieving properties {good-bye headaches}.
- Cayenne – not only will it add a spicy kick to this tonic, but it will take care of your insides too. It can help with inflammation and weight loss and give your immune system a boost with its high content of beta-carotene.
- Cinnamon – more antioxidants to help fight infection. And cinnamon has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity thus promoting more stable blood sugar levels.
- Raw honey – consuming raw honey is likely to make you feel better given its natural anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Raw honey is also a source of antioxidants, important components that help to block free radicals in the body and to protect our cells. These antioxidants help to prevent a host of diseases, making them a natural immune system booster and defender. Furthermore, honey has been shown to help soothe a cough and itchy throat. Increasing scientific evidence shows that a single dose of honey can reduce mucus secretion and coughs.