Ginger and Turmeric Latte

The effects of stress on your body are wide-ranging and often devastating over time. There's the more acute kind which I experienced while we were taking care of my grandmother before she passed away. My hair started thinning a a bit, I experienced tightening in my chest several times a day, my skin was off-color and I also gained weight. The healing effects of time remedied those symptoms. Then there are the more subtle, long-term effects of daily stress that you don't notice right away. They come on gradually and become the norm at a certain point. How many times have you talked to someone and said "hey, how ya doin?". "I'm tired." They reply. All the time? That's not normal.

Of course we all get tired. This week I'm dragging something fierce because of the time-change. By this weekend my body will have adjusted. But we shouldn't feel this way all the time if we're taking care of ourselves, eating well and resting. This is where certain people will jump in and talk about how busy they are, etc., etc., etc. Maybe you are busy, but do you feel like crap while you're doing it? If the answer is yes, then maybe you need to look at slowing down. Or perhaps making some changes to your life that will allow you to keep the same pace, but feel better while you're doing it. I know it's un-American and all not to subscribe to the "push yourself till you die mentality", but I'm kind of sick of killing myself when I don't need to.

As I talked about in Monday's post, traveling for my job can be stressful because, sometimes, that's just the nature of the beast. But it's also stressful to me because I often have trouble making good food choices and getting enough sleep. Because I've made a choice to take better care of myself, I now notice what that kind of stress does to my body. It's such a stark contrast. I won't get into the gory details, but I'm sure you can guess some of the ways it manifests in my body because I'm sure you've experienced the same thing.

If my body is feeling bad, I've found a few new recipes to incorporate into my daily routine to help re-set it. The first one I wanted to share is a Ginger and Turmeric Latte. I'll be the first to admit you might hate this. It's not for everyone, but I actually love the taste. Ginger and turmeric have amazing, natural anti-inflamitory properties and I've found a deliscious almond-coconut milk blend that goes really well in this recipe. Remember drinking warm milk when you were a kid? This makes me feel just as comforted, but with a fresh edge from the spices. Maybe this isn't your jam, that's ok, but find something that is. Find something that soothes your body and helps it release all that yucky stress it holds on to. Trust me, you'll thank yourself for it.

Ginger and Turmeric Latte

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped fresh turmeric
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 tablespoon coconut oil
dash of salt
1 cup almond milk or other dairy free substitute

Heat the milk on the stove while you blend all the other ingredients in a blender. When heated, pour the milk in the blender and combine.