January Top Tips

Written by James
Published on 22nd December 2013 at 12:57 • No comments yet, be the first!

Overdone it this Christmas?!

If you’ve spent the festive period feasting on rich delicacies, you (and your liver) might be crying out for a bit of a detox. Several of the very same spices you’ll have enjoyed in your mulled wine, Christmas cake and glazed ham have pretty powerful detoxifying properties, so you should already be on the right track! The ancient Indian science of Ayurveda recommends several spices to help detoxify specific organs, making the whole detox process much tastier and more like nourishment than punishment. Turmeric is great for helping to stimulate a sluggish liver, which is especially helpful if you’ve indulged in too many mince pies and glasses of brandy. Try adding a generous pinch to rice during cooking to bring a golden glow to both your curry and complexion. Ginger works to boost the circulation, so it helps speed up the whole detox process - dry ginger especially helps with digestion to burn away toxins. A pinch in a glass of hot water with a squeeze of lemon and spoonful of honey is tasty and gently detoxifying, with the added benefit of nipping any colds in the bud, too. Cinnamon is also something of a panacea in Ayurvedic medicine, strengthening the entire circulation and heart, whilst warming your (possibly) exhausted kidneys. If your kidneys really have been working over-time processing all that egg nog, coriander seeds are particularly beneficial for the urinary system so will help your kidneys recover from an excess of festive cheer. This month’s free sample of This Time I Mean It! contains all these spices and more. Just add ½ tsp of the spices to 250ml natural yoghurt, 250ml cold water and 1 ½ tbsp honey (or ½ tsp salt if you’re really serious about your detox!). Blend together then drink quickly and give yourself a pat on the back. You can also make herbal teas with any combination of cinnamon, ginger, fennel or cardamon to help cleanse your system – just add ¼ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp of fennel, 2 whole black peppercorns and a pinch of dried mint to a flask of boiling water and sip through the day. Happy Spicing!