Turmeric Milk for Health

One of the side affects of Multiple Chemical Sensitivities is the extreme inflammation processes that begin as a result of exposure to a particular chemical, then refuse to "turn off."  I believe this is because the Amygdala, or ancient part of the brain, becomes supersensitized to the point that even thinking about a trigger substance causes it to release chemicals into the body that would only normally be released in a "fight or flight" situation.

Think of it like this... you're walking along a mountain trail and suddenly you almost step on a rattlesnake!  Your muscles immediately tense up. Your responses become fine tuned. Your heart races. Blood pumps to your extremities and you break out in a sweat. All of this occurs in about 10 seconds.

And then, you realize it's just an old twisted stick laying across the trail.

The Amygdala has responded, believing the stick to be a snake.

This is a simplified explanation of Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, according to Ashok Gupta, whose program has been successful for many MCS sufferers.

Due to this overactive amygdala, people have a physical reaction to whatever has become their trigger. When your amygdala is super sensitive, then almost anything can set it off... a fragrance, exhaust, fumes, even a color or a photo.

One of the hardest things for me has been the inflammation that all that stress causes in my muscles and joints. Taking ibuprofin or some other pain medication can help, but there are dangerous side affects in that alone.  So I've been searching for a healthier answer.

Things that work for me are massage, heat, meditation and staying away from gluten.

But I've recently discovered a miracle, and so I thought I would share it with you.

The miracle is Turmeric.

I'm not going to spend time here telling you about all the many problems turmeric is said to heal, from infections to arthritis pain to cancer. You can do that research yourself. Just google turmeric for healing and read all night long.

What I AM going to teach you is how to get a good daily dose of turmeric and love it at the same time.

It's called Golden Milk or Turmeric Milk.

It is traditionally made with cow's milk (I use organic) because that also gives you a good bit of calcium. But you can make it with any soy or nut milk, or even make a tea.

You will find many recipes online that simply add turmeric powder to milk.

This is not the way to use it as the raw turmeric powder is very bitter.

But when you COOK it, something special happens.

So here's how to do it.

Start with turmeric powder.

If you want to try it before you spend $$ on organic spice, just pick up a large bottle at the market.

Put on an apron!

Turmeric will stain everything it touches a bright yellow, and it will splat when it boils.

Dump the turmeric into a clean pan and cover it with DISTILLED water, if possible.

If you can't use bottled water, draw the water the night before and let it sit out til morning so any chlorine will dissipate.

If you are the type of person who wants to measure things, you will need about 1/4 cup turmeric powder and 2.5 cups water.

Stir this up and bring to a boil.

Turn down the heat and stir constantly for at LEAST 8 minutes.

You must cook and stir this until it is the consistency of a honey-like paste.

It is the right consistency when it will hold its shape when you drop some off the spoon into the rest.

You must stir this constantly while it's cooking so it does not scorch.

Once the paste is finished cooking, turn off the heat and let it cool.

Store in a GLASS container or jar with a tight fitting lid.

You can keep the paste up to about a month in the refrigerator.

You will notice an "off" smell when it begins to go bad.

Use only a clean spoon to get it out.

To make your turmeric milk, put the following into a saucepan:

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger. I buy whole fresh ginger. I peel it, slice it, and put it in a ziplock bag. Then when I need it I just take out a slice and mince it.

A few grinds of fresh peppercorn

About 1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom or 1 crushed whole cardamom seed:

Add 1 teaspoon honey or agave

And 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the turmeric paste.

Stir this up and bring it to a boil.

Let it cook about 3 minutes.

Add 3/4 cup of milk.

Lower heat and cook until hot - do not boil it.

Pour it into your cup.

Now add about 1/4 teaspoon of a good oil, such as coconut oil, almond oil, or sesame oil.

Relax and enjoy.

It's such a wonderful, aromatic, exotic drink.

I hope you love it!

If you drink one cup in the morning (try it instead of coffee!) and one cup at night (for a very restful sleep) you should notice inflammation in your body disappearing within 2-3 days.

I'm not joking about turmeric's other medicinal uses. A quick search online will show you what I'm saying.

You can also use your turmeric paste for golden yogurt or golden rice. Just add a teaspoon of the paste. It also can be used on skin for healing cuts and for skin problems such as psoriasis.

I plan on making some turmeric paste to take along on my next Camino trek.

I can't think of a nicer way to help me sleep

or to wake up each morning.

Enjoy!

Annie

See my AnnieWalkersCamino website at 

www.anniecarvalho.weebly.com

for more information about
Guided Walks on the Camino Santiago 
and on other Pilgrimage Trails of Europe

Pilgrims from 1954 and 1965

I received this photograph today on my Facebook page. It was posted by Camino Xacobeo, and following the post, several people submitted more information. I really love these old photos and thought you might enjoy seeing what pilgrims looked like in earlier times. I was 2 years old when this photo was taken.

This is a group of pilgrims arriving in Santiago after walking the Camino Francés in 1954. They came (walking) from Germany, Holland and France, etc. Photo is taken at the Plaza de as Praterías. They are known as the first modern pilgrims.

The photo is from the Municipal Archive in Santiago and was published the first time in in the book "Los años santos compostelanos del siglo XX. Crónica de un renacimiento', Xunta de Galicia, 2004, Manuel F. Rodríguez". The photo was taken some day in June of 1954. 

Many of the people in this photo later became pioneers in the promotion of the Camino, especially in France. We are working on identifying the people in the photo.

What happened to them? One of the woman (we do not know who on the photo) was René de La Coste-Messeleire that passed away in 1996. She was big promotor of the Camino from the 50's to the 1990's. She lead the pilgrim association in Paris for many years that was founded in 1950.

Bill Williams posted:  These wonderful pilgrims are dressed for Holy Mass. I'm reading The Road to Santiago by Walter Starkie published in 1957, his walk started deep in France in 1953. I think the book was reprinted about 10 years ago. Find this book if you want to know the story of these pilgrims. Starkie arrived one year before this group.

 Here is another wonderful photo!  This is a group of Chinese pilgrims from 1965. They are in the cathedral with the Arch Bishop Quiroga Palacios from Santiago. They traveled up from Madrid by regular transportation. I love how beautifully they are all dressed! Those were the days when men we dressed up for church. Sometimes I miss those days!



I've been very busy working on the May/June and September Camino walks. 

I had to rebuild my entire website last week. The VistaPrint website I was using was dropping contact forms. The only reason I knew it was happening was because one woman had the insight to email me directly. I have no idea how many forms I missed. If you submitted a form and haven't heard from me, please go to the NEW website at www.anniecarvalho.weebly.com and submit a form there or contact me here on this blog with a commnt.

I've also been working on my Gupta Program. I'd like to post on that but don't want to dwell on my MCS, nor do I want to bore you. So I'll just say I'm amazed with the progress I've made after just a couple of weeks, and I'm feeling very hopeful. 

I'm doing a bit of felting when I can. I'm working on a dog miniature portrait this week. And a lady from Oregon contacted me to do a wedding ring pillow in the shape of a salmon steak!  Haha!  Only in Oregon!

The winter has been lovely here in the desert. There's been lots of sunshine, a bit of wind, cold mornings, but lovely afternoons. I've been on a few desert hikes in the Coachella Valley Preserve. The palm oases are just gorgeous here! It's a surprise to find such contrast in a few feet of walking. Last week, we walked to the Pushwalla Oasis. Water from the springs along the San Andreas earthquake fault feed perpetual water features in the form of seeps, creeks, and ponds. The water feeds the majestic California fan palm which creates a cool and shady respite from the hot summer sun. Wide sweeps of desert wash, dotted with smoke tree and indigo bush, feed into the oasis, and tucked around the oasis lie the rare desert wetlands, lined with arrowweed, willows, cattails, and cottonwoods.

This is generally about a six-mile round trip hike, but we took a few side trips, making it about 10 miles in all. That's 16 kilometers for those of you doing the Camino. Another half of that and you're at the next albergue!

These photos are not in order...

The water has made some awesome cracks in the soft cliffs

Dressed for the sun!

Palms are a type of grass, evident when they bend over like this one!

Blessed shade - entering the Oasis

This is actually the END of the oasis and you can see the water disappearing into the sand

The trees are quite tall. I'm that blue spot looking for owl pellets

The water makes it good for lots of young palms to take hold

Water break in the shade

Following the stream

The stream led to another oasis close by

Hard to imagine there's water and palms hidden here

Interesting rock we found in the wash

Joe's resting by a very cold water pond fed by the spring

We hope to get up to San Jacinto sometime soon to hike. 


Are you walking anywhere? Post your blog links in the comment section!


That's all for today folks!


Ciao!
Annie

See my AnnieWalkersCamino website at 

Anniewalkers Camino

for more information about

Guided Walks on the Camino Santiago 

and on other Pilgrimage Trails of Europe

Breakfast on the Camino - Coffee and Desayuno

Desayuno, or breakfast, is often the second thing 

on a pilgrim's mind each day.

And unless you are staying at a Parador

or have a bottomless pocket,

the breakfast shown above

will be something a Pilgrim only dreams about!

If you are like me, 

by morning, you've already scoped out the closest bar 

and know exactly how long you'll have to walk 

for that first cup of COFFEE!

It is said the first Spaniard to drink coffee 

was a Jesuit missionary named Padro Paez. 

His journal about his imprisonment in Ethiopia describes it 

as a "dark, bitter infusion."

 100 years later, the Borbon dynasty formally introduced coffee 

to the country.

They've never looked back!

Starbucks can't hold a candle to the coffee in Spain, 

as far as I'm concerned! 

Following are some of the choices you might find. 

Remember, 

some of the smaller villages may not have such a long list.

Save exploration for the large cities.

Generally, you will have at least 3 or 4 choices.

Here is a good option to carry in your mochila 

for those mornings where there is a kitchen 

and the equipment to boil water. 

It is called Nescafé and you will find it 

in just about every tienda in Spain. 

I don't believe I ever paid more than 2 Euro for a box,

much less than I'd pay in the USA, 

so I wait and buy it there.

Open the package and you find these cool little single serving tubes.

It's not the same as a brewed cup of coffee, 

but it's pretty danged close. 

I discard the box and just carry the tubes in my pack. 

They're sturdy and I've never had one break open. 

Pour the contents of one tube into your cup, 

add boiling water, 

and voila! 

It'll get you down the road to the next bar.

Once you locate the bar 

(they almost always are open by 7 am), 

pull yourself up a seat and order. 

Your choices are numerous, depending on where you are. 

You'll almost always have at least these first three options 

in even the smallest villages along the Camino Frances. 

Why not try them all!?

CAFÉ SOLO.  

This is ESPRESSO. 

You will get one shot of espresso in a small glass or cup.

CAFÉ DOBLE.

  This is a double shot of expresso 

and may come in a cup or in a glass, 

as may the single.

CAFÉ CON LECHE.

  This is coffee with milk, generally about half and half of each. 

The milk is steamed 

so it's probably what you would call a "latte" 

except the richness is much greater, 

in my opinion.

You will notice that there are always 2 packets of sugar and a spoon on your saucer. This is standard. If you don't want to use both packets of the sugar, put the packets on the counter and the attendant will pick them up. Or put them in your backpack to use later in those places where you can not find a bar and need to drink your instant Nescafé.

CAFÉ CORTADO or CAFÉ MANCHADO.

This is two shots of expresso with just a tiny bit of milk added.  

It is NOT the same as a Café Bonbon. 

Often, condensed milk is used, so this can be quite sweet.

LECHE MANCHADA 

(different from Café Manchado) 

is hot foamy MILK with a drop of espresso. 

It is a bit like a Cappicino and is very rich; 

nice on a cold Camino morning!

CAFÉ DESCAFEINADO

Decaffeinated Coffee. 

You can ask for it "de maquina" (from the machine) 

or "de sobre" (from a packet). 

It is not generally brewed fresh from beans.

CAFÉ BONBON

 Café Bonbon is also called Café Cortado Condensada. 

It is espresso with sweetened condensed milk. 

It comes layered with the heavy milk on bottom. 

You stir it before drinking.

CAFÉ CON HIELO

 Café con Hielo is coffee with ice. 

It comes separately. 

You pour it over yourself.

CAFÉ AMERICANO.
The first time I walked the Camino, not every bartender understood this.
The second time I walked, they all knew it by heart.
If you are not adventurous and just want a plain old coffee
like you'd have in the USA
order this.
It's a shot of espresso
covered in hot water.

Please bear in mind there will be regional variations, and it can be confusing. On the Norte and Camino Frances routes, a cortado is a tiny cup of espresso with just a dab of milk while a café con leche is equal parts of milk and coffee in a modest serving. However, on the Via de la Plata, you may find a cortado more like the café con leche you are used to, while a café con leche is mostly milk with a dab of coffee - what you might call a leche manchada.

If you drink tea, you have options.

You can purchase teabags in most tiendas and markets.

Carry them along if you have a favorite.

Otherwise, plain black tea can almost always be ordered.

If  you ask for TÉ CON LECHE

it may come with or without

the milk already added.

If you prefer to use your own teabag, 

simply ask (and often pay for)

UN VASO DE AGUA CALIENTE POR FAVOR

* * *

DESAYUNO or BREAKFAST

Buy it or carry it.

The choice is yours.

Breakfast can be a challenge for the Pilgrim. Often, your choices at a bar are a bocadillo, a bocadillo, or a bocadillo! Unbelievable to some, the Spanish do eat sandwiches for breakfast, which often doesn't happen until mid-morning. It reminds me of a hobbit-like "second breakfast."

A good start is the ZUMO. Your heart will sing when you see the telling zumo machine on the bar counter top! It means FRESH ORANGE JUICE for desayuno!

THE BOCADILLO will be offered in nearly every bar. It is a sandwich, and the breakfast version may or may not offer scrambled eggs. You may get jamon y queso (ham and cheese) or any number of combinations of items on a freshly baked bun. If it doesn't feel like the breakfast you're used to, I suggest you get used to eating it anyway. It will sometimes be your only choice and you need the energy.

If you are in a larger city, look for CHURROS y CHOCOLATE. I wouldn't say they are common along the Camino Frances. But you can find them if you keep an eye out.

The chocolate is often very thick, almost like a pudding. The churros are long donuts. The batter is pushed into the hot frying oil with a tube. You eat these with your fingers, dipping them into the thick chocolate. MMMMMmmmmm!

TORTILLA. This is not the tortilla you find in California! This is more like a frittata. It is made most often with potatoes, onions, and maybe garlic and/or peppers. They are cooked until soft and then beaten egg is poured over the top and the entire thing is cooked until firm. Sometimes it is baked. Sometimes it is cooked in a skillet and flipped. However it is done, it is delicious and each one is different. It comes in a wedge or square slice. It keeps well for a full day in your pack if you wrap it up in a napkin. It also makes a great sandwich filling  so if they're offering it, you may want to buy two and save one for your picnic lunch later.

Many villages will have a bakery, and a bakery means pastries! An adventurous pilgrim won't pass up the opportunity to try all the local variations of pastries! Heck, you can walk off those calories in an hour or two! And you're only here for a short time. Enjoy!

Another option is to go to a tienda or market and buy something for tomorrow's breakfast. There are fresh fruits everywhere in Spain. Just remember, "No toca la fruta!" Don't prod and squeeze the fruit - it is not appreciated! This is especially true in the small markets where they buy the fruit by the case and don't want it bruised. Just point and the attendant will hand you the fruit. Don't worry. It's sweet and good, unlike the stuff that is picked green and gassed in the good old USA. This is REAL fruit. Trust...

You can find YOGUR (yogurt) for half a Euro or less. It comes in these nice little cups and travels well. I have kept it for two days in my pack with no problems. It is, after all, curdled milk.

ARROZ CON LECHE 

(rice pudding or rice with milk) 

is another option.

You'll find it in the same little containers as the yogurt

in the same cold case.

It's very good and filling.

MARIA'S

These are lovely milk crackers.

They have different brands but are pretty much the same.

They are not too sweet and are wonderful for dipping

into your coffee.

They make a great snack also.

I always carry them in my pack.

They are always under 1 Euro.

FRESH HUEVOS

Fresh farm eggs are everywhere in the tiendas along the Camino.

They are so much different from the processed eggs you buy in the supermarket, 

you will be surprised. The yolks are dark yellow and sometimes even orange. They stand up rather than run all over the skillet. They are FRESH and full of goodness. Don't pass by the opportunity to eat eggs straight from the farm. You can buy them by the 'each.' You don't have to buy a dozen. I have paid anywhere from 10 to 30 cents each. Take them to the albergue and boil them up. Carry them in your mochila. Peel and slice them, making your own fresh breakfast bocadillo

TOSTADA

In Spain, tostada means "toast."

 It comes dry unless you specify "con" something.

You may or may not get butter and jam.

You may or may not get another type of spread.

My favorite spread was one on the Via de la Plata.

It was made of lard mixed with minced meat,

and colored with paprika.

It is called manteca colora,
and I have a blog on making it at home
if you like it.

Here is a photo of tostada con tomate,

a paste made of tomatos and olive oil.

Delicious for breakfast!

Sometimes, if you stay in a private albergue, breakfast will be included in the price.

Breakfast is continental and generally consists of

coffee, bread and butter, and jam.

You can almost eat all you want.

Local bakeries are often required by law to donate a certain number of fresh loaves of bread daily to the refugios to feed the pilgrims. So be happy that someone loves you!

There are probably many more choices, 

but these have been the ones that I am most familiar with.

In the end, no matter what you order, 

if your Spanish isn't up to par, 

you may get a surprise!

My advice is to be a good pilgrim and take what is offered with grace. 

You will have learned something new, 

and after all, 

that is part of the Camino adventure!

Buen Camino!