About two months ago my functional medicine doctor tasked me with giving up coffee for at least 4 weeks.

I have been struggling with a very stubborn eczema patch on my right eyelid for the past 5 years and after trying ALL of the dietary changes, creams, herbs, tonics, acupuncture, sauna, salt caves, etc. I decided to call in reinforcement.

I had a sinking feeling in my stomach that I would have to give up coffee when she politely asked “so HOW much coffee are you drinking a day?” To which I replied, “oh like you know “… while I slid my 32 oz Yeti out of the zoom cameras view.

I knew I was drinking A LOT of coffee, but I LOVE the taste so much. I don’t need coffee to function. I start my day at least 3 hours before I even start to make it. It was a ritual I loved. Something that I looked forward too.

I knew that I was going to have to come up with something to fill the void of the ritual. I also knew that tea (which I love) wouldn’t cut it. So I turned to google and started researching herbal blends.

I bought a TON of herbs, tested a ton of batches, and finally settled on the winning blend.

Today I am going to give you the recipe, and explain the health benefits of this herbal blend.

roasted dandelion root

Dandelion Root is a powerful herb for healing digestive health. I chose this because it has a very rich flavor and is used in tons of coffee substitutes, but also because our gut is the home of majority of immune system. When you are experiencing an inflammatory issue (eczema, acne, chronic sickness) you want to nourish the immune system and the gut. Dandelion Root is also considered a bitter herb and great for cleansing the liver and the blood - two areas that are directly related to skin health.

the ingredients

Roasted Chicory Root

Another herb selected for a multitude of reasons. First helps aid in the rich coffee like flavor and balances the bitterness of dandelion. More so though, it is great for gut health. Chicory Root is mostly inulin, a prebiotic that helps feed the good bacteria in the gut. The more good bacteria we have the less likely it is that we will have a microbiome imbalance. A lot of people also rely on coffee to stimulate their bowels and keep them regular. Chicory and the inulin is a great digestion starter and is shown to help with constipation. Another amazing health benefit is that it can be effective in treating certain types of Candida (which may be the root cause to eczema)

Roasted Cacao Nibs

Then we have Cacao Nibs which we roast to increase the flavor profile ( I have used them unroasted when I was feeling lazy!). Cacao is high in antioxidants and helps to lower inflammation. Again the main goal of giving up coffee was to reduce the inflammation so having an herbal replacement that aids in this healing was a must!

Chaga

Finally we have Four Sigmatic Chaga Powder. To be honest I was really upset about giving up my coffee because of the amazing medicinal benefits of the mushrooms I was consuming. Adding the chaga packet was to make sure I was getting the immune and skin benefits that Chaga supplies ( we are always going back to immune and skin health it seems!). The chaga is not necessary however when I forget to add it in, I notice that it is missing.

recipe

So this will be really simple to create. You can keep your herbs separate and make every day or you can make a big batch and shake it all up.

You basically want a ratio of 2:1:1/2:

2 TBSP Roasted Dandelion Root

1 TBSP Roasted Chicory Root

1/2 TBSP of Cacao Nibs.

If you are making a big batch you can do it by the cup instead of the tablespoon and get the same results.

I add 4 tbsp to my French Press along with a packet of Four Sigmatic Chaga and top with boiling water. I let it sit for 10 minutes, stir, and filter.

I prefer to drink this black, but you can definitely add a coffee creamer or nut milk to your cup!

Veganuary is coming in just a few weeks, and while I'm not new to the diet, I like to use this time to take a look at my lifestyle and shift some things.

I put together a list of three ways to revamp your vegan diet this veganuary to help you ring in the new year with health and happiness!

Digestive Enzymes.

There is an old saying “you are what you eat”, but in reality you are what you digest. If you’re experiencing any digestive distress like gas, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea chances are you are not properly absorbing your food. Thriving on my vegan diet is extremely important to me. I want to have enough energy to get through my day without feeling like I’m running on empty. Part of the way to do this is to be mindful of what I’m eating and how I’m utilizing those nutrients. Digestive enzymes support your body in the breakdown of food and allow you to properly

Mindful Eating.

To piggyback onto tip #1 Mindful eating is another thing that I want to embrace this coming year. Mindful eating is one of the key tools that we have to help our body properly absorb without looking to outside resources. Mindful eating is being fully present, chewing each bite, and taking a moment between to savor the food. It not only can help you avoid overeating ( slowing down will help your body receive the full signals"), but it will give your body the chance to secrete digestive enzymes, and properly breakdown the food in a rest and digest state.

Trying New Vegetables.

When I lived in NYC I would spend my weekends at the farmers market searching for new and weird vegetables that I’ve never had before. I do that to some extent today, but want to include an even larger variety of vegetables into my diet. This will expose me to different nutritional profiles, textures, flavors, and more! If you’re new to eating vegan, you don’t have to look for extremely exotic foods just try branch out of your comfort zone however that looks for you!

Check back the whole month for more tips and tricks to making the most out of your vegan lifestyle!