GOLDEN MILK OF BLISS

This helps to restore your nervous and sexual energies, and a cup of it acts as an ideal relaxant before bedtime. The aromatic essential oils in cardamom are used to help digest the highly nutritious fats in this replenishing elixir.

Serves 1 cup
• 150ml/51⁄4fl oz of almond, rice or other milk
• 2tsp ground almond
• 2 cardamom pods (gently crushed/split)
• 5 strands of saffron
• A pinch of turmeric root powder
• A pinch of nutmeg powder
• ¼tsp of ashwagandha root
• Honey to taste

1. Gently warm the milk in a pan for a few minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients (except for the honey).

2. Pour into a cup and stir in some honey. Ashwagandha powder has a bit of a funny taste, so if you prefer you can take an ashwagandha capsule when you drink the milk instead.

3. The ground almond sinks to the bottom, so stir before drinking.

MELISSA’S MAGIC

The old name for lemon balm is Melissa, which can be used as a gentle carminative (helps to dispel gas and prevent bloating) herb for children and adults. It’s a favourite for raising your mood when confronted with feelings of insecurity, anxiety and self-judgement. Plus it has an affinity with the thyroid and can calm hyperactive people.

Serves 1 cup
• 2 sprigs of fresh lemon balm leaf (the top 8cm/3¼in with 4–6 leaves)

1. Put the lemon balm in a cup. Add 250ml freshly boiled filtered water.

2. Leave to steep for a few minutes and enjoy with the leaves still in your cup.

DID YOU KNOW?

ALMONDS
Sweet to taste, almonds have aphrodisiac traits thanks to their high zinc content. Eating them regularly can also lower cholesterol – always a good thing.

SAFFRON
This spice has antidepressant and anti-cancer properties, thanks to the a-crocin (a carotenoid compound) which also gives the spice its golden hue.

TURMERIC ROOT
Brings warmth to your digestion and helps increase the flow of blood deep into your tissues and organs, bringing nutrition and health to your whole body and mind.

NUTMEG
Believed to ‘hold the energy in’ and helps to break the sleep-awake-sleep-awake pattern of transient insomnia. It also has pain-relieving characteristics.

ASWAGANDHA ROOT
With its calming and replenishing effects, it has the ability to restore the blood, enhance nutrients and build bone strength, while helping you adapt to life’s stresses.

CLEAN LIVING

It’s best to use a water filter. A temperature- controlled kettle ensures you don’t waste energy.

JOLLY GOOD READ

CLEANSE NURTURE RESTORE WITH HERBAL TEA by master herbsmith and Pukka Herbs co-founder Sebastian Pole
(£20, Frances Lincoln)