SUPER CCF
I have a lot of clients who are looking at ways to decrease inflammation, reduce gas and bloating and detoxify at the moment. Perhaps it’s a beginning of the year thing, or maybe it’s a time of life thing. Either way, I have mentioned CCF water to numerous people since the beginning of the year and suddenly realised I don’t have a blog post about it yet. So, let’s rectify that, shall we?
CCF stands for cumin, coriander and fennel, and is a ‘digestive blessing’ in Ayurveda. Usually, as an Ayurveda health coach, I can’t say “this works for everyone” as not everyone has the same constitution (percentage of each dosha). We all have the same 3 doshas- Vata, Pitta and Kapha, but they are found in different quantities in each of us, and this can change depending on the environment, our time in life, the things that are going on at work/home or things that happened in the past. As a result of our doshic differences, we do not have the same digestion as each other either. In Ayurveda our digestive fire is referred to as ‘agni’.
The food and herbs we eat play a large part in keeping our bodies and minds in good working order. CCF tea or water combines the qualities of the three herbs to stimulate agni/digestion (cumin), keep a cooling element so the system doesn’t get overstimulated (coriander) and reduce gas/bloating (fennel). It is thus tri-doshic and balances all of the hundreds of different constitutions out there. Not only this, but adding a little to your daily routine can make you more mindful about what you’re ingesting for the rest of the day.
So, sluggish digestion? CCF tea. Gas and bloating? CCF tea. Abdominal (or even menstrual) pain? CCF tea. Inflammation in the joints, or things like headaches and body pain? CCF tea. The feeling that theres ama (toxins) in the GI tract that may be having negative effects on both the mind and body? CCF tea. You get the picture.
It’s lovely this time of year when its cold outside and you need a hot drink to wrap your hands around (although can be drunk as a cooler drink in the Summer time). Alongside eating kitchari (see https://www.trustyguts.com/seasonal-blog/kitchari-king-of-ayurvedic-menus) , CCF is one of the gentlest, kindest, easiest ways to detox the body. You arent depriving yourself- in fact, you are nourishing the delicate tissues of your body, building them up over time.
How do we make it then? I like to make a flask full in the morning and sip it throughout the day. For this, I take half a teaspoon of cumin seeds, half a spoonful of coriander seeds and half a teaspoon of fennel seeds. I boil them with water and then let it steep before I put it in the flask and screw on the cap. For people who ‘hate bits’ or aren’t used to the tatse, the seeds can be sieved out before the water is poured into the flask. I know practitioners who like to use an old fashioned teapot with tea strainer. That works very well if more than one of you in the household is drinking it. But the main thing is- it’s super easy, super cheap and SUPER EFFECTIVE. Give it a try over the next few weeks, and see how you feel come the first signs of Spring. Look at it as a gateway to healing your body and mind, but treat it lightly,with curiosity.