Montecello - with thanks
Isn't this vibrant Superfood beautiful? And don't I wish that I could claim to have just pulled it out of the soil and taken the lovely photo ..... but no .... Not my photo. Not my Tumeric. We still await the harvesting of our own rhizomes. Our Tumeric languishes in a state of incubation in pots outside my kitchen window.
What a Superfood is that a supplement isn't : a Superfood is the food state way to get your vitamins and minerals in a correct and digestible quantity. Tumeric, is most commonly known as an anti-inflammatory food however it has wonderful healing properties, including detox, anti-bacterial and cancer fighting. Tumeric more than qualifies as a Superfood.
Gardeners Path - with thanks
Apart from using it in many of our meals I have used Tumeric on numerous occasions for our animals. Golden Paste was initially made by the vet, Doug English. Golden Paste is easy to make and can be kept in the fridge for a couple weeks. Over the years I have made Golden Paste for arthritic dogs, family with skin complaints or injuries plus an injured lamb and - of course - a goat.
A freak homesteading accident involved our milk cow inadvertently standing on a little lamb. His leg was dislocated. We had to set little Oliver's leg - ouch - splint it and then treat for pain. After an initial homeopathic remedy for pain and trauma I whipped up the Golden Paste to add to his daily bottles. Oliver guzzled down his Golden Milkshake every couple hours and was back on his feet within no time. Which meant he could keep up with mama and the flock.
Meet Hannah, one of my favourite four legged kids. She was a little under the weather following kidding. She stopped eating and had some inflammation. I suspected bacterial infection. Animals understand their bodies needs better than us humans. They will self medicate when given the opportunity. One way to heal is through fasting. I separated her with plenty of fresh water (with aloe ferrox bits) and whipped up some Golden Paste. Hannah gobbled the Golden Paste so enthusiastically I feared my spoon would disappear into her rumen with the healing tumeric! I dosed her a few times a day. Very little is needed for both animals and people. A quarter teaspoon a couple times a day - more in an emergency. Within a couple days Hannah was back with the flock - but still begging for her Golden Paste. We laughed at her Golden Lipstick.
GOLDEN PASTE:
½ cup turmeric powder
1 cup filtered water
⅓ cup raw, cold-pressed coconut oil
2 tsp cracked black pepper
Bring the filtered water to the boil. Stir in the turmeric and immediately turn down the heat. Keep the mix simmering, stirring often. It takes about 7 minutes for the mix to become a paste. Immediately remove from the heat and allow to cool for a couple minutes. Then add the pepper and coconut oil. Mix well. Then bottle. The daily dose varies on the size of the animal (or person) Start with a quarter teaspoon twice a day and build up to half a teaspoon a few times a day, depending on the severity of the ailment. The amount of times you treat can be increased - not the amount of Golden Paste. It is fast digesting and powerful.
A little more often is best!
Arguably one of the most potent herbs in existence, Tumeric is truly remarkable. It is the main spice in Indian cuisine and used across the world in a variety of culinary dishes. Tumeric looks very similar to its cousin, ginger, except for that special golden glow. Tumeric has been used for centuries in ancient medicine but in recent years it is gaining popularity for a number of health reasons. Tumeric's secret weapon? The extracted compound; curcumin. Napa Valley Holistic Vet Kimberly Schmidt writes; "Turmeric on its own has anti-inflammatory powers and is a great pain reliever."
My favourite type of cooking is the Jamie Oliver style. A dash of this. A pinch of that. A dollop of the next thing. And a few bunches of this, that and the next thing. If it is wholesome and my nose approves of the combinations, then into the pot it goes! The majority of my dishes get garlic, tumeric and a selection of fresh herbs from the garden. My favourite soup is a thick veggie soup loaded with garden goodness. No matter what selection of veggies, thanks to that beautiful Tumeric, the soup is always a steaming cup of Golden Glow!
