During the post-flu period, you may fee listless, depressed, ragged and having low energy. At this time it is good to take rejuvenative herbs to rebuild the energy of the respiratory and nervous systems. Ayurveda recommends a preparation called Chyavanprash at this time. Take a teaspoonful of Chyavanprash in the morning on an empty stomach and another teaspoon in the afternoon, around 3pm, right at the time when you feel like eating cookies or chocolate. If you tolerate milk, it can be good to drink a cup of cow’s milk twenty minutes after taking the Chyavanprash. If you do not take cows milk, you may take a non-dairy almond drink.

Non-dairy almond drink:
Soak 10 raw almonds in 1-cup pure water overnight.
In the morning, drain off the water. Rub the skins off the almonds.
Soak 20 raisins in 1-cup pure water overnight or several hours
Pour the raisins and their soaking water in the blender with the drained & peeled almonds and add:
1 tablespoon organic rose petals (optional- rejuvenative),
1 tsp. ghee (rejuvenative),
1/32 tsp. saffron (increases digestion & rejuvenative),
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom (increases digestion),
Pinch of black pepper (helps control kapha)
Blend until smooth.

Chyavanprash is frequently available in Indian grocery stores, however, the quality is questionable and it is typically packaged in plastic. For a high quality organic Chyavanprash packaged in glass see www.banyanbotanicals.com.

To rejuvenate both your lungs and your nervous system, drink tulsi ginger tea, available from www.omorganics.com and many natural food stores.

If depression is a significant feature of your post-flu experience, drink Brahmi tea. Steep 1tsp. Brahmi in boiling water for 10 minutes, strain well, add honey and drink 3 times daily, between meals. Do not drink brahmi at bedtime unless you add milk or almond milk, otherwise the Brahmi will create alertness. Brahmi is available from www.banyanbotanicals.com or www.omorganics.com.

Previous recipes