🫚💛 Golden Milk Recipe 💛🫚

It’s National Nutrition Month, and I’m going deep into the benefits of whole-food nutrition and phytonutrients.

One of the most overlooked health foods? SPICES.

Spices are highly concentrated in antioxidants and phytonutrients that support everything from a healthy inflammatory response to immune function, energy, and mood.

Golden milk is a delicious way to warm up while getting the unique benefits of these healing spices.

It’s simple to make and easy to customize:

1️⃣ Warm 1 cup of milk (or your favorite milk alternative) in a saucepan over low heat.

2️⃣ Stir in 1 teaspoon of honey, maple syrup, or your preferred sweetener (optional) and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

3️⃣ Add your choice of warming spices: cinnamon (½ tsp), ginger (¼ tsp), turmeric (¼ tsp), and/or cayenne pepper (dash).

4️⃣ Whisk everything together until smooth and steamy, then pour into your favorite mug.

You’ll get a concentrated dose of phytonutrients from spices that support healthy circulation and quell inflammation.

Have you tried golden milk before?

Let me know your favorite add-ins or variations in the comments ⤵️

#elementsnatmed #drelizabethcantrell #drelizabethcantrellnd #naturopath #naturopathic #naturalmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #functionalmedicine #foodismedicine #foodasmedicine #antioxidants #antiinflammatory #colga #columbusga

Curcumin for Metabolism (new study!)

What you need to know ⬇️

Curcumin is the biologically active compound in turmeric (the yellow spice used in curry).

It’s a polyphenol known for its beneficial effects on metabolic health—including blood sugar, insulin, inflammation, and weight.

But curcumin is not well absorbed from the digestive tract, so there have always been questions about its bioavailability and whether it’s worth taking.

A new research review (PMID 39062953) reveals that curcumin may not need to be well absorbed to still have metabolic effects 🙌

The reason is because curcumin acts directly in the gut to shift the gut microbiota in favor of beneficial bacterial strains, like Bifidobacteri, Lactobacilli, and butyrate-producing bacteria.

👉 This shift in gut microbiomes translates into a cascade of events that influences metabolic health.

The thing about natural compounds is that they always have multiple effects on many pathways in the human body. This is what makes them more challenging to study and to explain but so powerful for our health.

If you want to explore ways to add more turmeric into your diet, you can try out:

🫚 Golden Milk (warm milk with turmeric and spices)

🫚 Yellow Rice (add a dash of turmeric while cooking)

🫚 Scrambled Eggs or Tofu (mix turmeric in when cooking)

🫚 Smoothies (sprinkle into your smoothie)

Do you have a favorite way to use turmeric? Let me know in the comments.

Servida S, Piontini A, Gori F, et al. Curcumin and Gut Microbiota: A Narrative Overview with Focus on Glycemic Control. Int J Mol Sci. 2024;25(14):7710. [link]

✨Supplement Spotlight: Curcumin✨

✨ 5 Health Benefits of Curcumin ✨

Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric—the spice that gives a deep yellow color to Indian curries.

It’s also a popular dietary supplement because of its many health benefits!

Here are 5 reasons to love curcumin:

1️⃣ Fights Free Radicals

Like many herbs, spices, and plant foods, curcumin is a powerful antioxidant—helping to combat everyday toxins and oxidative stress.

2️⃣ Supports a Healthy Inflammatory Response

Curcumin is most famous for its role in inflammation. It can be taken temporarily (when healing from an injury or illness) or long-term.

3️⃣Supports Healthy Blood Pressure

Curcumin improves endothelial function, which supports healthy blood pressure

4️⃣ Supports the Brain

Curcumin increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is critical for learning and memory

5️⃣Supports Mood

Possibly also through BDNF, curcumin has been shown to support a healthy mood.

There are more reasons to love curcumin, but that’s probably enough for now.

One important thing to know about curcumin is that it is not easily absorbed from the digestive tract.

👉 That’s why supplement quality matters.

We recommend a high-quality curcumin product that is formulated for optimal absorption.

Just ask!