Healing Elixir

This really is a magic potion. It’s decreased inflammation in my body, significantly.

I started making and drinking this awesome healing elixir after a long month of travel. Sitting on airplanes and driving in cars can make my leg lock up.

Below is the phenomenal recipe that may help you feel better, too. This recipe makes enough of the healing chai elixir to last about a week.

A bit of background

If you don’t know much about me, I have my own pain story. Since 2003, I have been growing tumors in my right leg. It’s a rare condition, and I shouldn’t be able to walk. Yet, I do. I also lead an active life.

Over the years, I have learned a lot of ways to decrease inflammation in my body through diet and have enjoyed increasing my movement potential and decreasing my pain through the disciplines of therapeutic yoga and Pilates.

In my own body, I have discovered that movement helps with pain and inflammation. And not surprisingly, I’ve learned that diet helps, too. I really want to live with vitality and have found ways to increase my vitality.

This recipe for homemade chai tea is one way to increase vitality by reducing inflammation. When we have inflammation in our body, we often feel pain and decreased range of motion in our joints.

A gift worth giving

I am going to admit that making the chai tea base is a multi-step process. And, if I can do it, you can, too.

It’s a gift worth giving to yourself to help you feel better.

I was gifted this recipe by a dear friend and fellow Anusara® yoga teacher, Madhuri Martin. Madhuri and I worked together for a year on a national gathering for fellow yoga teachers in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.

As a thank you for putting in the hours, she gifted me a basket full of spices and a recipe. Little did I know that Madhuri’s recipe would change my life.

Chai tea recipe starts with ginger

A good tip for making this chai tea recipe is to start the night before. The base begins with a strong ginger tea. For your water to absorb all of the healing benefits from the ginger, it needs a good, long, hot soak – overnight.

Certainly, you could also start your ginger tea base early in the morning. And then by evening, you could continue making the rest of the chai tea base.

Either way, first, you’ll need a piece of fresh ginger root about the size of your hand. Ginger root can be found in most grocery stores in the produce department.

Slice the ginger root into small sections. You may leave the skin on. Then use a mallet or tenderizer to break down the fibers in each ginger slice.

Put the sliced and tenderized ginger root in a slow cooker or crock pot. Add at least 1 quart to a half gallon of water.

Set the crock pot to low. And let it run overnight – about 8-10 hours.

Health benefits of ginger

Allowing the ginger slices to slow cook in the crock pot on low for 8-10 hours will permit the healing properties of the root to be leached into your tea. Ginger has many documented and well researched benefits. Here’s a few to entice you to use ginger as your base for your healing chai elixir.

• Gingerol is the potent anti-inflammatory compound in the root. Gingerol is the substance responsible for alleviating joint and muscle pain. In addition, The Journal of Pain noted that daily use of ginger supplements reduced exercise-induced pain by 25%.
• Researchers have found that ginger contains anti-tumor properties. Several studies have shown ginger’s effectiveness at treating ovarian cancer, as well as breast cancer. Furthermore, this powerful, healing root also has strong research supporting its benefits for healing from prostate cancer and also colon cancer.
• Ginger has been noted for its anti-diabetic compounds. The root helps lower blood sugar and increase insulin release.
• Migraine sufferers and women with painful menstruation also benefit from ginger’s ability to reduce pain.
• Long known for its ability to help subside nausea and vomiting either due to motion sickness or morning sickness, ginger also helps those enduring medical treatments like chemotherapy.
• In general, ginger is a powerful digestive aid. It not only helps settle an upset stomach, it also helps eliminate intestinal gas and bloating.

The rest of the healing spices

Chai Tea Spices – Ingredients

Buy fresh whole spices. Grind the spices either by mortal and pestle or an electric grinder. Hand grinding is definitely harder, yet a good physical activity combined with mental focus. And, you’ll need more time. It takes time to do things by hand.

You could also grind the spices in a coffee grinder. I use an electric coffee grinder.

• Fennel Seed – 2 Tbs.
• Anise Seed or Star Anise – 1 Tbs.
• Coriander Seed – 1 Tbs.
• Cardamom Seed – 3 Tbs.
• Ceylon Cinnamon Stick – 2 sticks
• Cayenne (pre-ground is fine) 1 tsp.

According to my friend, Madhuri, you can use black tea or green tea as the chai tea base, too. Due to its powerful healing properties, I really prefer to use the ginger tea made in the crockpot.

Making the Chai Tea Base

In a large pot, combine the ginger tea (and the ginger slices) with dry ground chai spices. Add more water to your pot on the stove. Maybe add another quart or so of water.

Bring the liquid to a boil. Then, simmer on low for at least 20 minutes or longer. I usually simmer for about 40 minutes.

Strain the liquid

At this point, your house will smell really good from the spices simmering on your stove. Use pot holders and a fine strainer to pour the liquid into a big bowl.

All of the leftover solids from the tea – the ginger and spices – are awesome to add to your compost pile or dig a small hole and bury in your garden.

Store the Chai Tea Base

I like to use mason jars with lids to store the chai tea base in my fridge. It will keep for a week. And, pretty much, this recipe makes about a week’s worth of chai tea base.

Making a Cup of Chai

I have found that my Chai Tea Base is pretty potent. So, I like to “cut it” with other liquids. Also, by “cutting” my chai, the “liquid gold” lasts for the week. So, here’s how I make my perfect cup of homemade chai.

You can certainly change it up and experiment! You have your base elixir which is the most important part of the recipe. The rest of the recipe is based on your personal taste buds.

Good questions. Great answers.

As I kept feeling better from drinking Madhuri’s Chai Tea, I became super curious about the healing power in my cup. It’s a delicious and therapeutically potent combination.

Make a Batch; Reap the Benefits

I hope you’ll take the time to take care of you. Try making a batch of homemade chai. Using this recipe, you’ll have enough Chai Tea Base to last you a week.

Make a cup of chai tea based on your personal taste buds. Do it for a week. Let me know how you feel.

Drop me a comment below. I’d love to read how it works for you or any modifications you make to the recipe.