#femented beverages

[bloodandlard]

Şalgam suyu, probiotic carrot and turnip drink

Shalgam juice is a delightfully sour beverage traditionally prepared in southern Turkey from lacto-fermented black carrots and turnips, usually accompanying heavy, rich fatty meals to aid digestion. Due to the use of black carrots, the juice is rich in polyphenol antioxidant anthocyanins, as well as necessary minerals, amino acids, C, carotenoids, and some B group vitamins. For the curious, more can be read about their incredible health benefits here than I could ever accurately spill in this journal.

Originating from and primarily cultivated in western and central Asia, black carrots are incredibly difficult to come by in California (and have I looked), so I have substituted it in this recipe with equal parts red carrots and purple carrots. The purple carrot substitution in particular contains anthocyanins, the antioxidant-rich properties offered by black carrots, and also helps with getting the desired sanguineous color. Please enjoy!

Ingredients

to fill one, 3 Liter jar:

salt

cleanest filtered or mineral water

8-10 black, red, or purple carrots

1 large turnip

optional: 1 beet

optional: teaspoon fresh, red spicy chiles

1/3 cup dried organic chickpeas and bulgur

The instruments you will need, besides those typically used for cleaning, will simply be a kitchen scale, calculator, an organic cotton spice pouch, and a 3 liter vessel (or adjust as necessary to fit what size you have).

Directions

1. As always, thoroughly wash and rinse all your vegetables under cold water three or four times or as necessary. As with all ferments, you want clean NOT sterile vegetables as the lactic acid bacteria on the surface of your vegetables are necessary for an active ferment.

2. Remove carrot, beet, and turnip stems; peel your turnip and beets, but not your carrots. In fact, for this ferment, it is ideal to preserve as much of the carrot skin as possible. Use the blunt edge of your knife in quick motions to remove all the hanging root hairs from your carrots.

3. Cut your carrots in half vertically, and the thicker ones into quarters as shown below. Slice your turnips and beet into thick discs.

4. Place your empty jar over a kitchen scale and reset it. Begin packing your jar with the chile flakes/desired spices (optional) and the pouch of chickpeas. Layer on your turnip and beet slices, and then finally your long carrots. Register the weight of your vegetables.

5. Pour in your clean, filtered or mineral water over your vegetables until the water just covers your contents.

6. Register the total weight of your jar including the vegetables and water. For me, the total came out to be roughly 2,345 g. Multiple your weight by 0.02 as we will be using 2% salt to make our brine. This came out to be 46.9 rounded up to 47 g of salt that I needed for this jar.

7. Finally, pour the salt in your jar. Place your fermentation weights carefully over your vegetables to ensure nothing is floating to the top. Cover with the lid and move your ferment into a cool, dark environment. Shalgam suyu will need about 3-4 weeks to best develop its flavors at room temperature, and longer if you prefer a very tart, salty drink.

My finished jar will not be in direct sunlight—obviously that was just for this photo. The floating bits are some peppercorns I added. I will be updating this post in a month and see how my shalgam suyu has developed!

[astangayurveda]

Best Ayurvedic Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis in India

Arthritis is a term indicated for the disease of bone and joints. Rheumatoid arthritis has been described in Ayurveda as Amavata. It is mainly characterised by symptoms such as Joint pain, Redness, Swelling, Edema, and Inflammation by the action for best Rheumatoid Arthritis Ayurveda treatment in India.

What are the types of Arthritis?

The two most widespread types of Arthritis are OsteoArthritis and rheumatoid Arthritis. Other types include juvenile arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout and fibromyalia.

1.      Osteoarthritis 

 2.      Rheumatoid arthritis 

 3.      Juvenile arthritis 

 4.      Psoriatic arthritis

 What are the Common Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

·         The symptoms of amavata in Ayurveda include,

·         Pain all over the body

·         Loss of taste

·         Thirst

·         Lack of enthusiasm

·         Heaviness

·         Fever

·         Indigestion

·         Swelling of body parts.

Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment

In Ayurveda following are the lines of treatment in Rheumatoid arthritis (Amavata):

·         Langhan(Fasting)

·         Sodhan chikitsa(Purification of the body)

·         Shaman chikitsa (Treatment for subsiding the symptoms)

·         Swedan (Fomentation)

·         Katu-tikta-deepan-bitter medicines for promoting digestive power

·         Virechan (Purgatives)

·         Snehpana(Ingestion of uncoutous substances)

·         Basti (Enema).

·         Dry fomentation using sands like dry substances

·         Upanaha(Loal application of unctuous substances)

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a Joint Disorder, which affects Multiple Joints at different sites. It is described as “Amavata” in Ayurveda. The word ‘Ama’ means Toxic material generated as a un wholesome product in the body due to weakening of digestive fire. This ‘Ama’ is then carried by ‘Vayu’ and travels throughout the body and accumulates in the joints, which is the seat of ‘Kapha’. As this process continuous, all the Joints are gradually affected, which results in Severe Pain and Swelling in the Joints. When ‘Pitta’ also gets intensify, it causes Burning Sensation around the Joints.

Ayurvedic Management of Amavata: 1. Ahara Chikitsa or Dietary regimen: One should take Old Rice, Butter Milk, Wet Ginger, Garlic, Wheat, Bitter gourd and Horse Gram in his diet. Avoid utilization of Dairy products, Sweets, Oily foods, Chinese Food, Junk and Fast Foods, Salty and Sour Foods, Jaggery, Black Gram, Fish, Cold Drinks and Ice Creams. 2. Vihara Chikitsa or Life Style Modifications: One should avoid Cold Breeze and Excessive Wind. Bathing with cold water should be strictly avoided. Warm water bath is recommended. It is also sensible to take a gentle walk after consumption of food. Also it is good to avoid water intake immediately after consuming food. 3. Aushadha Chikitsa or Drug Therapy: ‘Guggulu’ is the most useful drug in treating ‘Amavata’. Also herbal preparations of Ashwagandha, Haritaki, Rasna, Sunthi, Pippai and Trivrut are helpful in ‘Amavata’. Administration of caster oil is also very effective in this disease. The mentioned drugs should be taken only after consulting a eligible Ayurvedic Physician. 4. Panchakarma Chikitsa or Detoxification Procedures: This is a purification procedure. By taking this Therapy Toxins are eliminate from the body. The course is as follows: 1.      Snehana: Internal and external oleation to the body / affected parts is given as a preliminary process. 2. Swedana: This is through by application of steam on the affected parts. It helps in reducing inflammatory conditions in the body. Sankara Sweda is also very helpful. In chronic cases Shali shasthika pinda sweda is recommended. 3. Virechana Karma: It is a variety of Purgation which is induced by oral intake or herbal compound preparations. By the process of Virechana, the ‘Ama’ is eliminated from the body. Also the bowel is cleansed, which results in suitable absorption and assimilation of the medicinal preparations properly. 4. Vasthi karma: This is done by administration of herbal enema. It is helpful in chronic cases. Kashaya Vasthi, Anuvasana Vasthi and Matra Vasthi etc are planned according to the Patient’s  requirement and necessity.

Ayurvedic Treatment for Amavata lasts for 14 to 28 days depending upon the brutality of the disease, patient’s Constitution (Prakruthi). Care of Joints in ‘Amavata’ 1. Physical activities cause pain in the joints should be avoided. 2. Staying in one position for too long should be avoided. 3. Good posture of the Joints should be maintained. 4. One should sleep on a firm mattress or bed. 5. Weight should be controlled as surplus of weight adds stress to the joints. 6. Exercise is very important to keep the joints in working condition.

Suggested diet and life style to treat Rheumatoid arthritis are :

Do mild weight bearing exercises frequently as they improve bone density. Not to climb stairs or bend or squat. Walking a little distance may help. Biking, swimming or aerobic dances helps to develop the bone condition. Avoid alcohols, cigarettes, carbonated beverages. Take food that is wealthy in calcium like cheese, orange juice, leafy vegetables. Cereals,etc.  Drink milk regularly as it has vitamin D at ease in it. Take a lot of vitamin K rich foods such as lettuce, spinach, Brussels sprouts etc., Take care to use only freshly cooked warm food and take hot soups of lentils, pulses and meat with ginger, black pepper and long pepper powdered sprinkled to it. It is crucial to include a moderate amount of ghee and oil in diet as it lubricates the joints. Avoid taking food that are sour, spicy, deed fried, oily, pungent, acid, dark poultry, refined sugar, femented food and also diminish the intake of salts. Also follow some basic rules of not eating wrong mishmash of foods, eat only up to your limit, strictly follow the timings of your eating and do not eat in between the meals.