Do-it-yourself venous tonic: ayurvedic trikatu

In a blender put one cup of chopped ginger rhizome, one-half cup of chopped turmeric rhizome, two tablespoons of black pepper, one quarter cup apple cider vinegar, and one quarter cup honey. Blend them together then let the mash steep in a quart jar in a warm water bath (not boiling) for one week.

At the same time in a pint jar put one half cup apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of peach gum tears. Put that jar in the water bath with the other jar and let both steep for a week at 110° F.  After a week filter the contents of the peach gum jar and add it to the ginger/turmeric/pepper mash to create a warming blood tonic. Dosage is two tablespoons of this liquid into an ounce of water at mealtime. This is very warming and settling for the digestive system.

More advanced levity tonic

The plant family of the umbellifera (apiaceae) includes three main groups, the carrots, the celeries and the parsleys. They share in common a strong rooting system coupled with a powerful upward flowering process resulting in gums and resins with strong medicinal and strengthening powers. This property can be described as rising out of cold depths to create warmth. Polar to this movement is a process of falling out of warmth into a fixed condition. In terms of pathology, that description would indicate cramping and spasm of all kinds.

The rising and warming would indicate a potential for relieving cramping and blood sugar issues. Traditional medicine makes use of warming oils from these plants as condiments. A list of umbellifera (apiaceae) family plants would include many seed, gum, oil, and resin producing condiment plants placed in foods to enhance digestion and protect the immune system.

The difficulty in using these family members as a tonic is how to remove the warming resinous properties of the herbs from the encasing gum of the sap. Research shows that a very effective way of extracting the powerful forces of these herbs is through fermentation. The yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae (wine and beer yeast) is a workhorse in this capacity.

The following recipe for an umbeliffera family tonic against blood sugar issues and immune weakness. Research has shown this tonic to be effective when a tablespoon of the vinegar that is formed is combined with a teaspoon of honey as a tonic drink for the immune system. Ashitaba (angelica keiskei), anise, angelica, caraway, celery, coriander, dill, fennel, osha root,  parsley, spikenard, and valerian root are all members of this family.

1 gallon fresh apple juice
1 cup coconut sugar
1 packet wine yeast

These ingredients form the basis for a ferment. When the ferment is active add any of the following:

2 cups shredded parsley leaves
½ cup mashed or dried parsley crowns
1 cup shredded angelica stalks, leaves or crowns
1/2 oz. anise seed
½ oz. fennel seed
2 tablespoons black pepper
any other apiacae family members from the list above

The herbs will form a cap on the fermenting apple juice and the yeasts will extract the tonic elements from the herb gums during the ferment. This ferment easily forms a bacterial mat to transform into a tonic vinegar.

One tablespoon of vinegar and one teaspoon of honey in a cup of hot water makes a warming, tonic drink for the digestive system that helps soothe the stomach and intestinal cramping. The vinegar in salad dressing is also great for digestion.