Now more than ever, is the time to boost your immune system and give your body its best chance to fight off any disease that may try to enter your system. Many chronic diseases today can be attributed to systemic inflammation. Inflammation, a localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes red, swollen, hot, and painful, is a reaction to injury or infection. To help resist COVID-19, the flu, a cold, and any other virus, here’s what you need to know about Turmeric:

1. Turmeric is both spiritual AND medicinal. Turmeric is used in Indian rites and rituals. In the Ayurvedic tradition, which comes from the culture in India and some parts of the Middle East, people eat turmeric at every single meal and mix it with red pepper to magnify its properties. It is a spice that has been around for 5,000 years, native to India, and cultivated throughout the tropics. Turmeric is a sterile plant that does not produce any seeds, and grows from 3 to 5 feet tall with dull but pretty yellow flowers. 

First I want to say this…..Tinctures are surprisingly easy to make! All you need is:

• Herb or Herbs of choice

• Mason jar

• Soaking agent: Alcohol, Vegetable Glycerin or Vinegar (Glycerin is my goto since it’s more user-friendly for children and has a sweeter taste making it more desirable for all, but alcohol has a benefit of making the tincture last forever.)

• Masking tape for labeling

• Cheesecloth used for straining

• Doppler for application use

Tinctures are a key component of traditional herbal medicine. I decided to make my own tincture when I realized the tincture I bought had all natural ingredients in it. I thought, Hey! I can make this! I wanted to save money, and tap into my inner herbalist. Using plants for medicine is something our ancestors did for healing. Tinctures usually take longer to make, anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months to fully saturate the liquid with the plant medicine. The wait period is the most challenging part of the process because the longer you allow the plants to soak, the more benefits can be yielded from the plant. Increased potency is best when making your own healing medicine.