A Healing Turmeric Ginger Chicken Soup
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The other night while listening to Glennon Doyle’s podcast, I reflected as she spoke about her newest diagnosis and being in the Messy Middle — that uncomfortable place where you’re figuring things out — and why sharing your Messy Middle with others is a gift and connection builder, not a burden. It resonated.
If you receive my newsletter (working on being more consistent), you may have seen that I have been navigating through some health issues myself. I knew I wanted to share because I believe that sharing the process is what truly helps people before just showing the shiny end. I tried multiple times to write posts and newsletters, but I just wasn’t ready. It’s not that I felt uninspired, but sometimes I just want to crawl inwards and not talk about my Messy Middle. I always want to show up my best, AND also while showing up exactly as who I am at every moment. I also knew that to be able to thrive in this gray space, I needed a break to authentically live, let my body begin its healing journey, and not feel the demands and pressures of social media posting expectations. And, honestly, I felt like a little bit of a failure — if I’m not feeling well myself, how can I help and encourage others? But that’s not true. It’s also about having a healthy relationship with your humanity.
You have unconditional permission to show up as you are. — Bree Lenehan
So without going into much detail right now, I’ll start with I firmly believe you have to be your own advocate. I am so frustrated with doctors who just want you to take medicine rather than find the root cause, or tell you nothing is wrong and opt not to test you for the things you ask to be tested for. I know my body, and I know when something is off. Fed up, I decided to seek my friend and Functional Dietitian, Anna Brown’s, help. Through a GI Map test, we learned:
I am doing really well managing my health through food
My IgA was elevated (likely from the antibiotic with gluten I was previously given but could have been from other gluten mimicking grains like corn, oats, millet, etc.)
H Pylori
H Pylori is actually super common, yet rarely talked about (perhaps more later) bacteria that infect your stomach and digestive tract and can cause chronic inflammation among a whole host of other things. I brought the results to my GI doctor and was required to have more testing before being treated. All clear now, but I have still been feeling inflammation and Autoimmune flare ups (MCTD and RA) with hip/joint/fascia pain. I’ve been diligently going to Physical Therapy, Pelvic Floor Therapy, and a musculoskeletal doctor for dry needling and cortisone treatment, and yet still haven’t found resolve.
Please know that I, too, experience feelings of helplessness and defeat at times. Despite everything I was doing right, I was still growing worse in pain, and because I felt defeated, part of me said Fuck It and I went a little too far this fall season. I ate more things that disagree with my body than I should have at parties and restaurants, drank too much, stayed up too late, held in stress — all the things that can make my body susceptible to a flare up and I feel it. Everything is so closely connected in your body, it’s important to pay attention when things manifest and listen to what they’re telling you.
While I’ve still got a lot of work ahead of me, (hey healing isn’t linear) one thing I’ve learned is that pain can be a lesson in disguise. And I will continue to show up and move through it until that lesson has been learned. It’s by becoming friends with your darkness that you can truly heal. I’ll continue to say this, but, if you sense something is off, please advocate for yourself. So on that note, I give you my New Year promises to myself and a healing Turmeric Ginger Chicken Soup recipe because I can tell that my body needs rest and a healthy dose of anti-inflammatory, disease-fighting food.
My 2023 New Years Promises:
Pause on purpose and take breaks as needed — learn to say no to the pressures of having to do it all
Progress over perfection — and sharing your progress can be the key to helping another (also share more recipes this year!)
Prioritize softer, more healing mobility movements for fascia and connective tissue — stretching, flossing, lengthening, rolling
Place boundaries around alcohol — I like my wine but know it’s only worsening the inflammation
Don’t give up
TURMERIC GINGER CHICKEN SOUP
This soup is the perfect recipe to make when you’re feeling sick, a little inflamed, or the onslaught of a cold coming on. It’s hearty, flavorful, soul soothing, and packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric, ginger, and garlic. I know MANY of you have been struggling with cold and flu season this year, so why not make a healing soup recipe that you’ll want to come back to year after year. This is the ultimate bowl of healthy comfort.
The Healing Powers of this Turmeric Ginger Soup
Ginger: Great for efficient digestion, upset stomaches including nausea and motion sickness, and a powerful anti-inflammatory agent to fight against colds. It’s also great for increasing serotonin and dopamine levels and could also provide benefits for anxiety, depression, dementia, Alzheimer's disease and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Garlic: Full of anti-inflammatory properties that can help boost your immune system and make it effective against fighting colds and infections, as well as antibiotic properties to fight bacteria, viruses, fungi, and even parasites.
Turmeric: Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties great for helping a variety of conditions, including arthritis, digestive disorders, respiratory infections, allergies, liver disease, depression, and many others. It is best when consumed with a black pepper and fat to help for optimal absorption. It also adds a beautifully deep, golden orange color to the soup. This recipe calls for fresh and dried turmeric (you can use all dried if you can’t find fresh).
Chicken: Packed with protein and other micronutrients, including Selenium which acts as an antioxidant and can help relieve some symptoms of the common cold. (You can still make this protein packed and vegan by using chickpeas or other beans).
Thyme: Full of vitamins and minerals that promote good health, such as vitamin C for immune support, potassium for healthy cells, and manganese for bone development and blood clotting. It also might help relieve coughing and have antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-fungal effects.
Rosemary: A rich source of powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties. Consuming rosemary regularly can potentially help lower the risk of infection and boost the immune system. Rosemary is often used for digestion problems and is specifically powerful against bacterial infections.
Kale (or another leafy green): High in antioxidants, such as vitamin C, which may help fight oxidative damage to the body and help support the immune system. It’s also high in fiber to help improve digestion.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Contains natural probiotics that can help improve your immune and digestive systems by boosting good stomach acid production, as well as antioxidants and anti-bacterial properties.
Carrots/Butternut Squash: Carrots and butternut squash are particularly good sources of beta carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and great for helping gut health and your immune system.
Celery: Rich in vitamins and minerals, celery is a great source of antioxidants that help support digestion, reduce inflammation, and may have an akalizing effect on neutralizing acid foods.
Bay Leaves: A good source of vitamins known to support a healthy immune system and a great digestive aid.
RECIPE NOTES:
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
Make this soup vegan by omitting the chicken and adding chickpeas for protein. Or sear mushrooms in the beginning for that meaty umami flavor.
EQUIPMENT:
