Photo by Renée Benoit
“Sleep knits up the raveled sleeve of care.” – William Shakespeare, Macbeth
Years ago, when I was a Transcendental Meditation teacher, the movement introduced the ancient Ayurvedic way of promoting good health to its members. I particularly loved having warm oil drizzled on my forehead before or after a massage but I haven’t had that in years. There is one practice that I have kept up with. It’s a spicy sweet warm milk beverage that I drink at bedtime and it helps me sleep. Warm milk sweetened with honey (leche caliente con miel) has been touted for a long time as a way to help people sleep better. The problem for me is that milk makes me phlegm-y so I usually stay away from it. Fortunately, there are many alternatives to cow’s milk these days. There are nut “milks” and, of course, goat’s milk. I like making my beverage with soy milk the way ayurvedic practitioners make it. This recipe features nutmeg to relax you and ashwagandha to support your immune system.
This recipe makes one cup and everything is “to taste”. If you think any of the amounts might be too much for you simply put in a little to start, taste and add more until you get the flavor you like. Also, none of the ingredients are mandatory. If you can’t find ashawaganda or don’t like one of the spices go ahead and leave it out.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole cow or goat’s milk or unsweetened nut milk (such as hemp, almond, or cashew) or soy milk
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ashwagandha
- 2 pinches of ground cardamom
- Pinch of ground ginger
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- A little bit of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ghee (coconut oil works well, too)
- 1 teaspoon raw honey
Directions:
Add everything except honey to a saucepan and heat it to just below a simmer over low heat. Whisk to incorporate any clumps. Add ghee or coconut oil and continue to warm until it’s melted. Don’t let it boil. Remove from heat and stir in the honey, off heat (cooking honey destroys its healing properties). Pour into a mug and drink warm. Sweet dreams!
Renée Benoit is a writer, artist, ranch caretaker and dedicated do-it-yourselfer who currently lives in a 26-foot travel trailer with her husband, a cat, and two dogs while they travel the Western United States in search of beautiful, peaceful vistas and hijinks and shenanigans. Connect with Renée at RL Benoit, and read all of her MOTHER EARTH NEWS posts
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