Anti-Inflammatory Golden Chai

Turmeric is supposedly really effective as an anti-inflammatory, up there with prescriptions for ulcerative colitis. While I have not noticed that effect myself, I'm still trying to incorporate turmeric into my daily diet. This is the first way I've managed to consume more than half a teaspoon at a time and actually like it.

Ingredients

1/2 - 1 tsp ground turmeric

3 oz hot water

chai masala of your choosing (I coarsely grind 1 cinnamon stick, about 5 green cardamom pods, 8 cloves, and 8 peppercorns and put them in my tea infuser basket. I also include a teaspoon of honeybush tea, rooibos, or another herbal blend.)

1 tsp honey ginger syrup (I made this so I wouldn't have to cut fresh ginger to add to my tea infuser every time I make this tea. I just keep the syrup in the fridge now. It also dissolves much better than plain honey.)

3 oz unsweetened soy milk (or non-dairy milk of your choice)

Directions

1) Put turmeric in a mug, add tea infuser filled with additional tea and spices, and fill your mug halfway with hot water (or however much you have to fill it for your ingredients to all be submerged). Let steep for 15 minutes.

2) Remove your tea infuser and add honey ginger syrup and stir. 

3) Top with non-dairy milk and heat for 1 minute in the microwave because it doesn't taste great room temperature. Stir again and drink hot.

Nail Strengthening Cuticle Oil

Non-edible recipe. My nails have always been pretty thin and bent too easily, so awhile back I started trying out oils and polishes that are meant to strengthen them. This is what has worked best for me. 

Ingredients

2 tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp jojoba oil (or sweet almond oil)

1/2 tsp vitamin E oil

6 drops lavender essential oil

6 drops lemon essential oil

Directions

1) Mix together all the ingredients and store them in a small glass bottle with dropper. 

2) Apply a drop to each cuticle/nail (and optionally to the backs of your hands as well for moisturizing purposes) before bed and rub it in. 

I've been using this daily for a couple months now and my nails grow significantly longer now without chipping or peeling. Also, the skin on my hands hasn't gotten dried out yet this year and it's December. Compare with past years when I moisturized with petroleum jelly and still got dry, cracked skin.