Lee Holmes' anti-inflammatory toddy

"Inflammation lies at the root of many chronic illnesses, and a majority of them start within the gut as an autoimmune reaction that develops into systemic inflammation," Lee Holmes, nutritionist and author of Heal Your Gut, told ninemsn COACH.

"This recipe is my favourite drug-free weapon of choice for combatting inflammation. It's a golden-hued suit of armour in my arsenal of gut-healing recipes featuring a mixture of ancient Ayurvedic Indian anti-inflammatory spices."

"Curcumin, a compound found in turmeric, is often used in a variety of treatments for arthritis. Combining turmeric with black pepper, as I do in this recipe, will help to increase the body's ability to absorb and digest the curcumin due to its pungent piperine content."

You will need…

250ml (1 cup) cashew milk or milk of choice
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
pinch of vanilla powder
pinch of freshly cracked black pepper
6 drops liquid stevia

Method

1. Heat the cashew milk in a small saucepan over medium heat for two-to-three minutes or until just warmed. Add the spices, ginger, vanilla and pepper, then stir to remove any lumps.
2. Remove from the heat and pour through a fine sieve to remove the grated ginger. Add the stevia and enjoy warm. Serves one.

Supercharged tip

Piperine, a key ingredient in black pepper, enhances the bio-availability of turmeric.

Lee Holmes is a nutritionist and blogger and the best-selling author of the Supercharged Foods series. For a health boost you can sign up to her Heal Your Gut program online. For more about Lee, visit her website.