Golden milk is a beverage that relies heavily on turmeric as the main substance and it's combined with milk (coconut milk, almond milk, etc.), honey, black pepper, ginger, and cinnamon (optional). Also known as turmeric milk or liquid gold, golden milk is an ancient recipe that has been used for centuries by people in Southeast Asia and is also used in Ayurvedic medicine.
Turmeric gives golden milk its golden color, but it is much more than that. Its active ingredient curcumin is a strong antioxidant with amazing, potent anti-inflammatory properties that are exceptional for your health. Turmeric blended with the aforementioned ingredients not only makes for a tasty drink but an essential one as well. Here are just a few of the numerous benefits to drinking golden milk according to Heathline.com:
1.Drinking Golden Milk May Protect Against Heart Disease.
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Studies have shown that turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon have all been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease. One study, in particular, showed that people who received curcumin before undergoing heart surgery were less than 65% likely to experience a heart attack during their stay in the hospital compared to ones who received a placebo. While these are some great benefits, more research is still needed.
2.Golden Milk Is Packed With Antioxidants.
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As mentioned above, curcumin is a strong antioxidant, but this is also true for the other elements that make up golden milk, such as ginger and cinnamon. Antioxidants protect against cell damage and lower your risk of infection and disease. Having a diet rich in antioxidants is crucial to your diet and living a healthy lifestyle.
3.Drinking Golden Milk May Reduce Your Risk of Cancer.
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As a form of alternative medicine, ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric have all been used to help with the reduction of cancerous cells in the body. Curcumin may kill the cancer cells and slow down the growth of tumors, cinnamon may reduce the growth of cancer cells, and ginger have anti-cancer properties. These are a few popular methods used in alternative medicine, however, research on these studies are limited.
4.Drinking Golden Milk May Reduce Inflammation and Joint Pain.
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Turmeric's active ingredient is curcumin and it has anti-inflammatory effects, which help reduce inflammation and pain in your joints. Ginger and cinnamon are also known to have anti-inflammatory effects and, when mixed with turmeric, make it a power-packed beverage.
5.Golden Milk Can Potentially Reduce Depression.
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Although more research is needed, studies show that taking curcumin gives you similar effects as taking antidepressants. People who are depressed may have lower levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), while curcumin actually boosts levels of BDNF, which puts you in an overall good mood.
Because of these amazing health benefits, many people have used this ancient recipe, some adding a little twist to it. Here are three variations of the golden milk recipe:
Featured image by Getty Images.
Originally published January 11, 2019
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In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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