I provide my basic recipe for fermenting turmeric rhizome about half way down the article above.
I imagine whether or not it would help with chronic pain would depend on the source of the pain. For me, when it comes to tendonitis from heavy lifting/hard labor or torn/sore muscles, turmeric helps with pain relief (via anti-inflammatory action) in a big way. I have heard people says it helps with headaches and arthritis as well. Though I imagine that it may not work if the source of pain was something else.
Wow! I'm very impressed with the detail, care, and beauty you put into your articles. You have inspired me to want to create some fermented turmeric and also to post your substack on my website. Please visit my site - https://awakenednexus.com/More-Links. I posted your FT article under the 'Things we Grow & Eat' section and a link to your substack toward the bottom of the page. Many Thanks!
I am so glad you appreciate the time and care I put into my articles and I am honored you would want to share on your website.
Fermenting turmeric rhizome is such a simple and yet extremely empowering way to use food as medicine. Please let me know how it goes! :)
I love that Jean-Luc Picard quote you shared in the about page for your website, so apt for the times we have lived through in the past 4 years. I shall have to re-watch that episode.
Did you see my article on 24 reasons to start a garden in 2024?
I just read your excellent "The Burden of Civilization is Upon Us" post ( https://awakenednexus.com/Media/the-burden-of-civilization-is-upon-us ) and felt moved to share it as I feel as though many of the things I cover in that article offer definitive courses of action that can be taken by every day people that would fit under your "Stop by Starting" section.
Looks like we have a mutual admiration party started here, Gavin. : ) I look forward to future relations with you and will surely be sharing your wisdom!
Loved this, Gavin, thank you! And I am inspired to give fermented turmeric and other ferments a try. I'm living in a part of Mexico on the side of a mountain that gets hot 30ºC plus during the day, and 15ºC or so in the evening. Is that temperature range too big for good fermenting?
The temperature fluctuation you described is not too big, but if you can put the jars in a basement, or the coolest part of your home it will allow you to make a successful ferment with less salt being required. As long as you have all the solid ingredients fully submerged in a salt brine (weighed down) I think you could still get away with dissolving 3 tsp of sea salt per 500ml of water for making a salt brine to ferment veggies, herbs and medicinal rhizomes in (such as turmeric). My kitchen sometimes gets that warm in summer and I am still fermenting a range of different things and I am mostly successful. You may want to avoid putting things with higher sugar and wild yeast content in your ferments at that temperature though (such as lemons in with turmeric or carrots in with cabbage for sauerkraut/kimchi) as the higher temperature increases the chances of kahm yeast taking over (it is not dangerous or anything, just unpleasant). The higher heat level usually just means a more intense and short lived active fermenting stage (so you need to watch those sealed jars carefully if you do not have an airlock system that can automatically release pressure (such as these: https://www.masontops.com/products/pickle-pipe ) from CO-2 being produced by the fermenting organisms. In the hot summer months I have "burp" any sealed fermenting turmeric, kraut or kimchi jars at least twice a day to avoid the risk of the jars exploding form built up pressure. You can always use 4 tsp of sea salt dissolved per 500ml of water if you want to minimize the chance of an off batch in high temp fermentation conditions (it just means the end product will taste discernably salty) but it will still carry all the powerful health benefits and should be fine to be eaten in moderation despite the higher salt content.
This is a great book https://www.wildfermentation.com/the-art-of-fermentation/ for exploring fermenting foods which I recommend getting a copy of if you are serious about exploring fermentation as a means of preserving food and augmenting the potential of medical plants
This helps a lot. Great tips. And there is a shop here whose owner makes ferments, and so I will consult with her now that I have some knowledge to ask reasonable questions.
Re salt: I recently read that the 'salt scare' was another health psyop. Actual studies that link heart and blood pressure with salt were very poorly done, and modern ones do not see a connection. Dr. Mercola has gone so far as to say that really it is impossible for an over ingestion of salt to be an issue.
I'll start the fermentation process with turmeric, as the organic shop, which is the ferment shop, has great turmeric. Now to find some fermenting weights. :-)
Many years ago I did this with lemons, which is a middle east specialty. Loved them.
I saw from your washing dishes essay that you are Canadian as am I. Hello. I'm in the process of getting residency here in Mexico, following my job loss with the mandates last year. Wow, more than a year ago now. Life is... well, how to say it... impermanent! If I had been forced to choose a place to live before covid Mexico wouldn't have made the top 20 list, I don't think. And yet, here I am and it is wonderful. :-D. And impermanent!
Most of the super food/ food as medicine info is in my book, though I had to cut some out due to printing budget constraints so this post contains a little extra compared to the section on turmeric in my book.
Sounds good, I am getting closer to having physical copies available but I can sell you an ebook copy when ever you like. Just email me if you buy one as the download link for the ebook on my website is not working (I am website design illiterate) so I will need to send you the link to where you can download the ebook PDF directly after purchase.
I am glad you appreciate the wacky ferment ideas man, I also make a Kimchi with turmeric, golden beets, carrots and Bhut Jolokia peppers that I call Golden Dragon Chi ;)
You can create a microclimate by placing your potted turmeric plants near a radiant heat source like a south facing brick wall (ideally also near a small water feature like a fountain, as they are tropical plants and so they love humidity). When growing inside, a small humidifier placed near the plants or daily misting the leaves helps make them happy.
I grew so much turmeric this past southern hemisphere summer; no one wanted my surplus. Now I shall ferment. Thank you so much.
So how do you ferment it please? Wondering if it helps with chronic pain symptoms?
Hi Francoise,
I provide my basic recipe for fermenting turmeric rhizome about half way down the article above.
I imagine whether or not it would help with chronic pain would depend on the source of the pain. For me, when it comes to tendonitis from heavy lifting/hard labor or torn/sore muscles, turmeric helps with pain relief (via anti-inflammatory action) in a big way. I have heard people says it helps with headaches and arthritis as well. Though I imagine that it may not work if the source of pain was something else.
Hope this helps.
Wow! I'm very impressed with the detail, care, and beauty you put into your articles. You have inspired me to want to create some fermented turmeric and also to post your substack on my website. Please visit my site - https://awakenednexus.com/More-Links. I posted your FT article under the 'Things we Grow & Eat' section and a link to your substack toward the bottom of the page. Many Thanks!
Greetings Laura,
I am so glad you appreciate the time and care I put into my articles and I am honored you would want to share on your website.
Fermenting turmeric rhizome is such a simple and yet extremely empowering way to use food as medicine. Please let me know how it goes! :)
I love that Jean-Luc Picard quote you shared in the about page for your website, so apt for the times we have lived through in the past 4 years. I shall have to re-watch that episode.
Did you see my article on 24 reasons to start a garden in 2024?
https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/24-reasons-you-should-start-a-garden
I just read your excellent "The Burden of Civilization is Upon Us" post ( https://awakenednexus.com/Media/the-burden-of-civilization-is-upon-us ) and felt moved to share it as I feel as though many of the things I cover in that article offer definitive courses of action that can be taken by every day people that would fit under your "Stop by Starting" section.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment.
Looks like we have a mutual admiration party started here, Gavin. : ) I look forward to future relations with you and will surely be sharing your wisdom!
:) I look forward to that as well!
I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on the etymological exploration of the word "Civilization" which is offered in this video:
https://youtu.be/fYVBjgHRmus?si=2nhldejooz-wNEmp
Thanks for helping to empower many to take decentralized action to improve their lives and communities through the resources shared on your website.
Loved this, Gavin, thank you! And I am inspired to give fermented turmeric and other ferments a try. I'm living in a part of Mexico on the side of a mountain that gets hot 30ºC plus during the day, and 15ºC or so in the evening. Is that temperature range too big for good fermenting?
Mucho gusto!
Warm Greetings from the North Guy :)
I am glad you are excited to get fermenting.
The temperature fluctuation you described is not too big, but if you can put the jars in a basement, or the coolest part of your home it will allow you to make a successful ferment with less salt being required. As long as you have all the solid ingredients fully submerged in a salt brine (weighed down) I think you could still get away with dissolving 3 tsp of sea salt per 500ml of water for making a salt brine to ferment veggies, herbs and medicinal rhizomes in (such as turmeric). My kitchen sometimes gets that warm in summer and I am still fermenting a range of different things and I am mostly successful. You may want to avoid putting things with higher sugar and wild yeast content in your ferments at that temperature though (such as lemons in with turmeric or carrots in with cabbage for sauerkraut/kimchi) as the higher temperature increases the chances of kahm yeast taking over (it is not dangerous or anything, just unpleasant). The higher heat level usually just means a more intense and short lived active fermenting stage (so you need to watch those sealed jars carefully if you do not have an airlock system that can automatically release pressure (such as these: https://www.masontops.com/products/pickle-pipe ) from CO-2 being produced by the fermenting organisms. In the hot summer months I have "burp" any sealed fermenting turmeric, kraut or kimchi jars at least twice a day to avoid the risk of the jars exploding form built up pressure. You can always use 4 tsp of sea salt dissolved per 500ml of water if you want to minimize the chance of an off batch in high temp fermentation conditions (it just means the end product will taste discernably salty) but it will still carry all the powerful health benefits and should be fine to be eaten in moderation despite the higher salt content.
This is a great book https://www.wildfermentation.com/the-art-of-fermentation/ for exploring fermenting foods which I recommend getting a copy of if you are serious about exploring fermentation as a means of preserving food and augmenting the potential of medical plants
Hope that helps and happy fermenting! :)
This helps a lot. Great tips. And there is a shop here whose owner makes ferments, and so I will consult with her now that I have some knowledge to ask reasonable questions.
Re salt: I recently read that the 'salt scare' was another health psyop. Actual studies that link heart and blood pressure with salt were very poorly done, and modern ones do not see a connection. Dr. Mercola has gone so far as to say that really it is impossible for an over ingestion of salt to be an issue.
I'll start the fermentation process with turmeric, as the organic shop, which is the ferment shop, has great turmeric. Now to find some fermenting weights. :-)
Many years ago I did this with lemons, which is a middle east specialty. Loved them.
I saw from your washing dishes essay that you are Canadian as am I. Hello. I'm in the process of getting residency here in Mexico, following my job loss with the mandates last year. Wow, more than a year ago now. Life is... well, how to say it... impermanent! If I had been forced to choose a place to live before covid Mexico wouldn't have made the top 20 list, I don't think. And yet, here I am and it is wonderful. :-D. And impermanent!
LOVE.
Is this all in your book? Because tomorrow I will be able to buy the book!!!
I'll get back to you asap, working tomorrow, but I WANT THAT BOOK. ^_^
Can't WAIT.
Most of the super food/ food as medicine info is in my book, though I had to cut some out due to printing budget constraints so this post contains a little extra compared to the section on turmeric in my book.
Sounds good, I am getting closer to having physical copies available but I can sell you an ebook copy when ever you like. Just email me if you buy one as the download link for the ebook on my website is not working (I am website design illiterate) so I will need to send you the link to where you can download the ebook PDF directly after purchase.
No, I want the hard copy to keep forever more. I will wait!
^_^
Thanks, Gavin! (Hurry up!) ;)
That's awesome.
I got to grow me some ginger and turmeric.
Nice. Thanks m8.
Wow, those ferments are so packed full of goodness, great ideas!
I am glad you appreciate the wacky ferment ideas man, I also make a Kimchi with turmeric, golden beets, carrots and Bhut Jolokia peppers that I call Golden Dragon Chi ;)
Fantastic. Will try this though temperatures much lower here.
You can create a microclimate by placing your potted turmeric plants near a radiant heat source like a south facing brick wall (ideally also near a small water feature like a fountain, as they are tropical plants and so they love humidity). When growing inside, a small humidifier placed near the plants or daily misting the leaves helps make them happy.
Wonderful information. Thank you so much..
Thank you Gavin! Wonderful and thorough as always!
You are most welcome my friend :) Thanks for swinging by!