How to Make Turmeric Paste

turmeric curcuminTurmeric is a culinary spice that is created from a plant native to South Asia. It is one of the many ingredients in curry and it is what makes mustard yellow. Turmeric’s active ingredient, Curcumin, has an anti-inflammatory medicinal property that rivals medication. Reviewing some 700 studies, Duke University concluded that, “Turmeric outperforms many pharmaceuticals in its effects against several chronic, debilitating diseases, and does so with virtually no adverse side effects.” Many patients turn to non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and analgesics, like Tylenol, for pain relief, but the regular, chronic use of these types of medications is associated with significant, and very serious, side effects such as cardiovascular problems, gastrointestinal harm and kidney and/or liver damage. Curcumin from turmeric may be able to provide safe, natural pain relief. This is especially helpful for those who suffer from joint problems and is an excellent remedy for any type of inflammation.

The recipe is very simple. First, prepare a paste made out of fresh turmeric root and water and keep in the fridge. Then you can prepare the drink by heating a cup of almond or coconut milk, adding the turmeric paste, stir in some sweetener if you choose, add sweet almond oil, black pepper, and maybe even sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on top. The touch of cinnamon creates a taste described as “liquid cake”. The black pepper is said to aid in a more complete digestion and assimilation of the Curcumin. I also like adding a tablespoon of turmeric paste to my breakfast Kefir shakes.

Instructions to make the turmeric paste:
• Add 1/4 cup of turmeric powder to 1/2 cup of water
• Heat mix on the stove for 5 minutes while stirring
• After it thickens, pour into a glass container with a lid and store in fridge

Instructions to make golden milk:
• Add about 1 teaspoon of turmeric paste to 1 cup of almond or coconut milk
• Add 1 teaspoon of honey
• Add a dash of black pepper
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of sweet almonds oil or cold pressed vegetable oil
• Add 1 pinch of ground cinnamon, then stir

Enjoy the delicious, healthful drink anytime day or night.

Cheers to good health,

Kelly Baltuska, DC


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Oil Pulling

oilpullingpicThe following information is presented in a clinical and theoretical framework. Dr. Baltuska DOES NOT practice Dentistry. This practice is NOT recommended as a replacement to your regular dental hygiene protocol.

Oil pulling is a practice dating back thousands of years, having originated with Ayurvedic medicine. This involves rinsing the mouth with 1 or 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, just as you would with an antiseptic mouthwash. The oil is swished around your mouth by pushing, pulling, and drawing it through your teeth for a period of 20 minutes.
This process is thought to allow the biochemical characteristics of oil to “pull out” bacteria, viruses, fungi and other toxins. The best time is in the morning before eating breakfast, but it can be done at any time. When done, spit out the oil and rinse your mouth with water. Avoid swallowing the oil afterwards because it will have soaked up unwanted substances of which you are trying to get rid of. It is also recommended to discard the used oil in the trash as opposed to a drain to prevent clogging the plumbing.
Oil pulling has an extensive anecdotal list of benefits that may include a cleansing, detoxifying and healing affect, not only for your mouth and sinuses but for the rest of your body as well. Candida and Streptococcus are common microbial residents in your mouth whose toxic waste products may contribute to plaque accumulation, tooth decay and even inflammation throughout your body. Coconut oil has demonstrated a strong inhibition of growth of these pathogens. Oil pulling may even help lessen the overall toxic burden on your immune system.
I invite you to try oil pulling for a few days to experience the benefits yourself. This can be another wonderful, safe, affordable and effective way to take control of your own health.


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Grounding or Earthing

Grouding or EarthingHave We Lost Touch with the Earth?

Do you notice you feel better when you walk barefoot on the Earth? Long walks on the beach may have more to offer than romance and peace of mind. Research indicates that electrons from the Earth have antioxidant effects that can protect your body from inflammation and its many well-documented health consequences. For most of our evolutionary history, humans have had continuous contact with the Earth.
It is only recently that building materials like asphalt, wood and rugs, in our homes have separated us from this contact. Only in the past 100 years have we begun to design shoes with plastics and rubbers that act as electric insulators that prevent the Earth’s natural flow of energy from reaching the human body. Think to yourself: “When is the last time I spent physically touching the earth?” For some people, this may be years!
It is known that the Earth maintains a negative electrical potential on its surface. When you are in direct contact with the ground when standing, walking, sitting, or laying down, the earth’s electrons are conducted to your body, bringing it to the same electrical potential as the earth. Living in direct contact with the earth grounds your body, inducing favorable physiological and electrophysiological changes that promote optimum health.
There is emerging science documenting how conductive contact with the Earth, which has is also known as Earthing or grounding, is highly beneficial to your health and completely safe. Earthing appears to minimize the consequences of exposure to potentially disruptive fields like “electromagnetic pollution” or “dirty electricity.” Some of the recent evidence supporting this approach involves multiple studies documenting Earthing’s improvement in immune system function, blood viscosity, heart rate variability, inflammation, cortisol dynamics, sleep, autonomic nervous system balance, and stress reduction.

The Ultimate Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory
Grounding or Earthing is defined as placing one’s bare feet on the ground whether it be dirt, grass, sand or concrete. It works even better if the ground is moist or wet because water is such a powerful conductor. When you ground yourself to the electron-enriched earth, may actually be the most effective, essential, least expensive, and easiest to attain antioxidant. It is common understanding how tremendously we rely on the Sun’s energy to sustain life. It seems that it is not as much a common thought, that our physical contact with the earth is imperative for life also.
Modern science continues to document the connection between inflammation and all of the chronic diseases, including the diseases of aging and the aging process itself. It is important to understand that inflammation is a condition that can be reduced or prevented by grounding your body to the Earth, the way virtually all of your ancestors have done for hundreds if not thousands of generations.
I invite you to take 10 to 20 minutes a day to devote to grounding yourself with the Earth. The more time the better. Take note the many benefits that you notice with this practice. Many people report more energy, less stress, better sleep, less irritable, clear thought, and less pain.

Sound far fetched? Hockey-pokey? Hippy-dippy? I thought so too a little bit until I made it a priority to try out myself. Now it is my favorite way to recover after a long run or a workout.

Enjoy this free documentary about Grounding on YouTube:

You can even purchase equipment to practice grounding indoors. Check these out:

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How to make Kombucha with Dr. Kelly Baltuska, DC

Kombucha has been around for more than 2,000 years and has a rich anecdotal history of health benefits that rival the “cure-all” and “the fountain of youth”.

It is a fermented tea drink made from a SCOBY which is an acronym for a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. It is one example of Mother Nature’s sustainable probiotic. You can find commercialized 20 oz Kombucha drinks in stores for about $4 per bottle or you can make it yourself at home for as little as 50 cents a gallon. As with most food and drink, homemade varieties are generally healthier whereas store bought products tend to be processed with sugar and additives.

High in B-vitamins, probiotics, antioxidants and glucaric acids, Kombucha’s main anecdotal health benefits include: detoxification, joint care, improved digestion and improved immune system.

The culture used in Kombucha tea varies, but consists of several species of yeast and bacteria. It may include Saccharomycodes ludwigii, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Bacterium xylinum, Bacterium gluconicum, Bacterium xylinoides, Bacterium katogenum, Pichia fermentans, Candida stellata, and Torula species, among others. Each species may be responsible for its’ own unique aid to biochemical processes within the body.

This 4 minute video clip can assist you as you begin brewing your own Kombucha at home from scratch.
First, you must grow the Kombucha Scoby.
1. Fill up your pot with 3 liters (3.1 quarts) of water and put the stove to high
2. Boil water for at least 5 minutes
3. Add about 5 tea bags to the hot water
4. Turn off heat and add 1 cup sugar
5. Cover and let tea sit until it cools to room temperature (around 75ºF/24ºC will do)
6. When the tea is cool, pour it into the glass jar and add the starter tea, which should constitute about 10% of the liquid
7. Add a half cup of vinegar
8. Cover the top of the jar with a paper towel or coffee filter, and secure it tightly with rubber band
9. Put the jar somewhere dark and at room temperature where it won’t be disturbed
10. Wait and watch for 1 to 3 weeks as your Kombucha Scoby grows
11. When the thickness of the Scoby is about ¼ inch, it is ready to be used to brew your very first batch of Kombucha tea.

After you have successfully grown your Kombucha Scoby, you can begin brewing your very first batch of Kombucha tea. This process is very similar to that of growing the Scoby.
1. Repeat steps 1 through 7 above
2. Add the Scoby to the jar and cover the top with a paper towel or coffee filter, and secure it tightly with rubber band
3. Put the jar somewhere dark and at room temperature where it won’t be disturbed
4. Wait anywhere from 5 to 30 days as the tea ferments. You can taste a small sample as time progresses and harvest the batch at different times for varying tastes. Some say that the longer it ferments, the stronger the health benefits.
5. There is an option to perform a second fermentation if you desire to flavor it and create a fizzy drink. Add different juices and tightly seal the drink to be left again at room temperature in a dark area for another 5 days or so.
6. Move your finished product to the fridge to cool. Kombucha tastes much better chilled.

Click here if you would like to learn to prepare your own Kefir at home for other probiotic health benefits.

Cheers to good health,
Kelly Baltuska, DC

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