All medical testing and your doctor would say you are healthy with no disease in your body, but you still feel fatigued, have a loss of appetite, or have frustrated constipation. You can try some of the following traditional food tips to overcome those issues. 

The person’s physical, psychological, and spiritual energy (balaya in Ayurvedic terms) depend on the person’s digestive and metabolic power (agni). It is a popular theory in Ayurveda. People often complain they suffer from loss of appetite, fatigue, muscle pains, and constipation due to stress and a busy lifetime. Is it something abnormal? No, it is quite normal. 

When busy and stressed, we tend to skip meals or overfeed ourselves with junk food. Ayurveda says improper dietary habits and a stressed mind spoil your “Jatara Agni” and “Dathwa Agni” (Digestive and metabolic power). As you all know “Vishama (spoiled) Agni” suppresses your appetite and exaggerates body muscle and joint pains.

Ayurveda has easy solutions for these to help you bring your usual energy back into your life. You can try these few simple food tips that allow you to have usual “Agn” (sama agni) rather than depending on multiple medicines and natural supplement capsules to gain energy. 

You can try the following recipes, when you recover from or suffer from viral fever. Thus, when you recover from COVID, you can also use these remedies to overcome the fatigue common to most people.

Boiled Broth (Thambun Hodda)

You can use this as a drink/rasam to increase your appetite. Ayurveda recommends this drink for fatigue, joint and muscle pain, loss of appetite, and viral fever.

How to prepare Thambun Hodda

• Sliced 10 big garlic cloves, a tablespoon of crushed coriander seeds, a tablespoon of crushed cumin seeds (cumin cyminum), a teaspoon of Black Pepper seeds (do not crush), ¼ teaspoon of Fenugreek seeds (trigonella foenum graefum), 01-inch-long Ceylon cinnamon stick, a tablespoon of finely cut curry leaves (murraya koenigii spreng), 02 teaspoons of tamarind (Tamarindus indica) paste.
• Put all ingredients into a nonstick or clay pot. Put 4 cups (240ml) of water. Gently heat and boil it for at least 15-20 minutes. You should be able to strain 2 cups of the brown colour drink.
• For adults ½ of a cup per day, Ages 6 yrs to 15 yrs – ¼ of a cup per day, Ages 1yr to 6yrs – 02 teaspoons per day- twice a week before a meal. 

Sour Broth (Ambul Hodda)

When you have a fever or common cold, you can mix this curry with your rice plate, which will help you increase your appetite. This one is popular in southern Sri Lanka. You can use this curry twice a week with your meal when you are not well.

How to prepare Ambul Hodda

• Tamarind one hand full (50g), cumin a teaspoon, fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) a teaspoon, black funnel (Nigella sativa) a teaspoon, crushed coriander a tablespoon, ginger a slice, garlic 15 cloves, fenugreek a teaspoon, cardamomum 03-05 fruit. 
• Put all the ingredients into a non-stick or clay pot. Put 3 cups (180ml) of water. Gently put the heat on it and boil it for at least 15 minutes. Have this curry with your meal and see what an effective food it is.

Rice Porridge (Bath Kada)

There are two types of rice porridge. One type is Salt Porridge (Lunu Kada), and another is making porridge after frying raw rice (BadiHal Kada). Sri Lankan red rice (Rosa Kakulu) is recommended for this porridge.  Salt Porridge (Lunu Kada)’ can be used for breakfast or dinner when you have a fever, gastritis, or constipation. Having it as an early breakfast will help you relieve constipation and give you a good appetite.  Salt Porridge (Lunu Kada) will not disturb you to cover your daily nutritional requirement as it will increase your appetite. You can have a large early lunch or extra meal after having Salt Porridge (Lunu Kada). For fever, vomiting, and diarrhoea, porridge made frying raw rice (BadiHal Kada) is advised. 

How to prepare Salt Porridge (Lunu Kada)

• Take ¾ cup of Sri Lankan red rice (‘Kakulu hal’). Wash it well and put it into a pot. Then add four cloves of garlic, a piece of ginger, and three cups of water. Cook over medium heat until the rice is tender. Then blend it well and add salt, depending on your preference. 

How to prepare ‘porridge after frying raw rice (BadiHal Kada)

• Put 3/4 cup of Sri Lankan red rice (‘Kakulu hal’) in a pot. Put the heat on and roast the rice until it gives off a good smell. Then add four cloves of garlic, a piece of ginger, and 3 and 1/2 cups of water. Cook over medium heat until the rice is tender. Then drain the rice water into the cup. Add salt and sugar, depending on your taste preference. Drink it sip by sip within an hour.

Dr (Mrs.) Nadeeka S. Perera,
MPA (PIM-SJP-SL), BAMS(UOC-SL), Dip. In Counselling (IOP-SL)
Ayurvedic Physician, Dunedin, New Zealand. 

Your comments/queriessuggestions/ on ayurvedic issues are welcome.
Please Email: mnsperera80@gmail.com