25 Health Benefits of Cinnamon - A Miraculous Spice

Cinnamon is one of the world's oldest known spices. The tree is native to Sri Lanka where it was found thousands of years ago. It is the best spice available in terms of its nutrition and health. It contains unique healthy and healing property comes from the active components in the essential oils found in its bark. Cinnamon has extremely high anti-oxidant activity due to which it has numerous health benefits. Aside from being used as a medicine by other cultures since ancient times, the health benefits may also come from eating it which can be listed as follows:

1. Lowers Cholesterol:
Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon included in a daily diet can lower cholesterol.
Also Cinnamon may significantly lower LDL "bad" cholesterol, and triglycerides (fatty acids in the blood) and total cholesterol.

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2. Reduces blood sugar levels and treating Type 2 Diabetes:
Several studies have shown improved insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control by taking as little as ½ teaspoon of cinnamon per day. Improving insulin resistance can help in weight control as well as decreasing the risk for heart disease.

3. Heart Disease:
Cinnamon strengthens the cardiovascular system thereby shielding the body from heart related disorders. It is believed that the calcium and fiber present in cinnamon provides protection against heart diseases.

Including a little cinnamon in the food helps those suffering from coronary artery disease and high blood pressure.

4. Fights Cancer :
A study released by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland showed that cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.

Besides, the combination of calcium and fiber found in Cinnamon can help to remove bile, which prevents damage to colon cells, thus prevents colon cancer.

5. Tooth decay and mouth freshener:
Cinnamon has traditionally been used to treat toothache and fight bad breath. Small pieces of cinnamon can be chewed, or gargled with cinnamon water which serves as a good mouth freshener.

6. Cures Respiratory Problems:
Cinnamon is very useful home remedy for common or severe colds. A person suffering should take one tablespoon of honey with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.

Cinnamon also found to cure flu, influenza, sore throat and congestion.

7. Brain Tonic:
Cinnamon boosts the activity of the brain and hence acts as a good brain tonic. It helps in removing nervous tension and memory loss.

Also, studies have shown that smelling cinnamon may boost cognitive function, memory, performance of certain tasks and increases one's alertness and concentration.
8. Infections:
Due to its antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-parasitic and antiseptic properties, it is effective on external as well as internal infections. Cinnamon has been found to be effective in fighting vaginal yeast infections, oral yeast infections, stomach ulcers and head lice.

9. Eases menstruation cycles:
Cinnamon has also been found useful for women's health as it helps in providing relief from menstrual cramping and other feminine discomforts.

10. Birth Control:
Cinnamon also helps in natural birth control. Regular consumption of cinnamon after child birth delays menstruation and thus helps in avoiding conception.

11. Breastfeeding:
It is also believed that cinnamon aids in the secretion of breast milk.

12. Reduces Arthritis Pain:
Cinnamon spice contains anti-inflammatory compounds which can be useful in reducing pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.

A study conducted at Copenhagen University, where patients were given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder combined with one tablespoon of honey every morning had significant relief in arthritis pain after one week and could walk without pain within one month

13. Digestive Tonic:
Cinnamon should be added to most recipes. Apart from adding flavor to the food, it also aids in digestion. Cinnamon is very effective for indigestion, nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, diarrhea and flatulence. It is very helpful in removing gas from the stomach and intestines. It also removes acidity, diarrhea and morning sickness. It is often referred to as a digestive tonic.

14. Reduces Urinary tract infections:
People who eat cinnamon on a regular basis report a lower incidence of urinary tract infections. Cinnamon is diuretic in nature and helps in secretion and discharge of urine.

15. Anti clotting Actions:
A compound found in Cinnamon called as cinnamaldehyde has been well-researched for its effects on blood platelets. [Platelets are constituents of blood that are meant to clump together under emergency circumstances (like physical injury) as a way to stop bleeding, but under normal circumstances, they can make the blood flow inadequate if they clump together too much]. The cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon helps prevent unwanted clumping of blood platelets.

16. Natural Food Preserver:
When added to food, it prevents bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative.

17. Headaches and migraine:
Headache due to the exposure to cold wind is readily cured by applying a thin paste of powdered cinnamon mixed in water on the temples & forehead.

18. Pimples and Blackheads:
Cinnamon helps in removing blood impurities. Therefore it is often recommended for pimples.

Also external application of paste of cinnamon powder with a few drops of fresh lemon juice over pimples & black heads would give beneficial result.

19. Thinning of the blood and improves blood circulation:
Cinnamon is a blood thinning agent which also acts to increase circulation. This blood circulation helps significantly in removing pain. Good blood circulation also ensures oxygen supply to the body cells leading to higher metabolic activity. You significantly reduce the chance of getting a heart attack by regularly consuming cinnamon.

20. Toning of tissues:
Considerable anecdotal evidence exists to suggest that cinnamon may have the ability to tone and constrict tissues in the body.

21. Muscle and joint pain relief:
Those who eat cinnamon on a regular basis often report that their muscle and joint pain, as well as stiffness, is reduced or even eliminated.

22. Immune System:
Honey and cinnamon paste is good for boosting the immune system, removing regular fatigue and increasing the longevity of an individual. It is also known to have anti-aging properties.

23. Itching:
Paste of honey and cinnamon is often used to treat insect bites.

24. It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium.

25. Healing: Cinnamon helps in stopping bleeding. Therefore it facilitates the healing process.

Indeed, cinnamon has several health benefits as highlighted above that can be used to improve one's health and boost one's immune system. This is a great reason to keep some cinnamon around. Sprinkle it in your tea or coffee, over oatmeal or a sweet potato and, this will do wonders to your health.

[However, there's a word of warning to be taken that over dosage of cinnamon may be unwise. Also it is not recommended for pregnant women.

Also, people who have been prescribed medication to manage their blood sugar should not reduce or discontinue their dose and take cinnamon instead, especially without consulting your doctor.]

25 Health Benefits of Cinnamon - A Miraculous Spice

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The Health Benefits of Bilberry

Bilberry is made from a little blue berry that is related to blueberries and cranberries. Bilberry is a powerful anti-inflammatory. The herb is also a powerful antioxidant and has glucoquinine (lowers blood sugar levels). Bilberry contains flavonoids called anthocyanosides that protect the collagen structures in the blood vessels of the eye. Bilberry is used to treat eye problems such as Macular Degeneration, diabetic neuropathy, and/or cataracts.

Benefits of Bilberry

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Bilberry is found mostly in dark skinned fruits. It is used to treat diarrhea, vericose veins, and mucous membrane inflammation. The herb is beneficial in the treatment of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and in eye health.

This herb may also help night vision. During World War II, British Pilots ate bilberry jam before going out on night flights. They claimed it improved their vision. It is believed that the bilberry herb helps the eyes to adjust to changes in light quickly. This is one of the greatest benefits of bilberry and can be very beneficial for ones eyes according to many studies.

In Europe it is used to treat venous insufficiency- a condition that causes swelling and varicose veins. It further relieves pain and itching, and it also. Helps combat skin ulcers on the legs. Reynaud's disease may benefit from bilberry. Reynauds causes pain and numbness in the outer extremities (fingers, toes and nose) when cold.

Bilberry improves circulation and makes artery walls. The herb may reduce inflammation, ease gastro-intestinal problems, and gum problems that have been linked to heart disease. Diarrhea and mouth sores can benefit from Bilberry as well. Bilberry has strong antiseptic properties, relieves peptic ulcers, diabetes, fibrocystic diseases, and painful menstruation.

Our conclusion For The Benefits Of Bilberry

Because of Bilberry's strong antioxidant composition, the herb makes an excellent free radical scavenger, which helps combat the cell damage that leads to premature aging and disease. The most noted benefit that we briefly discussed above, is its ability to treat a range of problems relating to ones eye health. For example, the herb protects collagen structures in the blood vessels of the eyes, thus promoting healthy capillaries that carry many vital nutrients, such as oxygen-rich blood to your eye muscles.

Various Studies have confirmed that the benefits of bilberry go even further than one might be aware of. The herb can be useful for protecting against macular degeneration, cataracts, night blindness, and poor or fading vision. We believe bilberry to be one of the best herbs available for the protection of ones eyes health. Clinical studies have even shown that if given orally to healthy people, it improves visual accuracy. Our conclusion is that everyone should consider consuming bilberry as it helps as part of an overall maintenance of ones health.

Other benefits of bilberry include treating menstrual cramps and helping aid stomach ulcers. Varicose veins, thrombosis, angina, and poor circulation may also be improved with the use of bilberry, as the herb helps with healthy blood flow.

Our last point to note is that bilberry contains a substance called glucoquinine, which has the ability to lower ones blood sugar levels significantly and its antioxidant, anthocyanin, within the herb itself, can reduce high blood pressure.

Possible Precautions for those considering using Bilberry

Some side effects related to the use of Bilberry, include the possibility of: stomach upset, dizziness, or headache. It could cause diarrhea, and thin out blood. Caution should be used as bilberry could interfere with medications. However, there are no known adverse interactions with prescription drugs, or have there been any harmful effects noted in the literature for this herb to the best of our knowledge. As always, though, use your common sense when taking nutritional supplements: if you notice any unwanted side effects, discontinue usage, or reduce your dosage level straight away. Remember to always consult with a qualified physician before beginning supplementation of any kind.

Pregnant or nursing women should always refrain from supplementation with nutritional products until they speak with their personal doctor.

Our opinion on the Bilberry Herb

The evidence for bilberry's benefits as a herb are long, varied, and shown in many clinical trails when it comes to treating eye disorders and maintaining clear vision in healthy individuals. However, many of the recent beneficial discoveries need further study in our opinions to validate the benefits further. Among these new findings are bilberry's benefits for menstrual cramps and helping treat stomach ulcers.

Because of the many benefits of bilberry, along with more or less unknown adverse side effects, we would say it is a supplement well worth checking out especially since there is a lack of side effects of bilberry -- unlike many other herbs on the market.

Tips On Getting The Best Benefits Of Bilberry

1. Make sure you purchase a bilberry supplement produced with a standardized extract. Standardized extracts contain the highest level of therapeutic benefits within the herbs. Most other herbal supplements on the market, however, do not even contain the amount of ingredients stated on the label. This is worrying within the nutritional industry and consumers need to take this issue seriously.

2. Dosages range from 20 to 160 mg. However, people who are in good overall health should take lower dosage levels, but maintain long term use. However, those people with specific conditions, such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, etc mentioned above in our article, may wish to supplement with dosage levels in the higher ranges, but do not go over what we have stated above.

The Health Benefits of Bilberry

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Mustard for Health - Speed Up Your Metabolism and Improve Digestion

Mustard is known to be very helpful for digestion, and can help to speed up your metabolism.

Mustard produces such a tiny seed yet it yields many health benefits. Mustard is one of the most popular spices in the entire world and is used in every country as a favorite spice. Part of the cabbage family, mustard can be used in its whole seed form, as a ground powder or combined with wine, vinegar or some other liquid to create a loose paste.

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There are three varieties of mustard: black, brown and white. The mustard plant grows to be quite tall and has a bright yellow flower.

It was imported to US through Spanish missionaries and seen as a cure-all. Its sharp and bitter taste, especially mixes into paste with vinegars, gave off a medicinal fume long before its health benefits were discovered.

Better than a Vitamin

Mustard seeds are a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids as well as calcium, dietary fiber, iron, manganese, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, protein, selenium and zinc. Selenium is a nutrient that has been shown to help reduce asthma, arthritis and certain cancers. Magnesium also reduces asthma and lowers blood pressure. The effects of mustard are currently being studied for menopausal women and on migraine attacks.

Other Healthy Benefits

Just a few of mustard's possible healthy benefits include:

Speeds up metabolism

Stimulates digestion, increasing saliva as much as eight times more than normal

Inhibits cancer cell growth and possibly prevents other types of cancer as well

Treatment of skin diseases through the application of sulfur found in mustard

Reduces in the severity of asthma

Decreases symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

Lowering of high blood pressure

Prevention of migraines

Facilitation of gastric juices which aids digestive problems and gives digestive aid

Soothing of sore throats, bronchitis, asthma and pneumonia

Disinfectant qualities it provides

Additionally it has four powerful qualities: it is antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic and has anti-inflammatory properties.

How to Add Mustard to Your Diet

Mustard is for more than just hot dogs at the ballpark. Whether in ground powder form, seed form or out of the bottle, there are multiple ways to include mustard into your diet to reap its benefits. And since its pungent, tangy taste enhances food so uniquely, it can easily replace fattier condiment options such as mayonnaise, butters and sugary catsups.

Mustard is often used in Indian, French, German and Irish foods. But there are many more options as well.

Include powdered mustards in salad dressings, egg dishes, pickles, marinades and vinaigrettes.

Sprinkle whole mustard seeds on salads, over vegetables and rice and on roasting meats. Try roasting them first in a dry skillet for a nuttier taste.

Mustard paste is useful. Bottled mustard can be rubbed on meats before roasting. Try dipping cut vegetables in a mustard sauce for a unique, flavorful dip. Mustard paste can easily be added to mayonnaises, vinaigrettes, marinades and barbeque sauces.

Mustard is so versatile; you will find many exciting and new ways to use this old standby.

Mustard for Health - Speed Up Your Metabolism and Improve Digestion

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Natural Health Remedies For Sore Throat Relief

Sore throat - the most common contagious viral or bacterial infection... a tickling sensation that becomes sore, frustrating and eventually severely painful. Antibiotics can cure only bacterial sore throats but for viral based infections, antibiotics are of no use. However, natural remedies for sore throat can really do wonders with viral based infections. You will get pain relief usually within an hour or two by using these natural health remedies for sore throats, but sometimes it may take a little more time.

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Most natural health remedies boost our body's natural resistance power to combat infections and to support our immune system. To lessen the symptoms of an irritated sore throat and speed the healing, these natural health remedies for sore throat can be easily and effectively used at home.

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1. First of all, increase your liquid intake as it helps to hydrate dry mucous membranes and keeps your throat coated with moisture. Mild, warm and soothing drinks like ginger n honey tea, holly basil n clove tea, decaffeinated coffee, and warm water with lemon and honey are some of the best natural health remedies for sore throats.

2. Use a humidifier in your room as dry air irritates sore throat. Humidifier reduces the irritation by adding moisture to the air.

3. One of the best known natural health remedies for sore throat is gargling. Gargling with a mild mixture of salt or 4-6 drops of grapefruit seed extract and warm water, sage or raspberry leaf tea or other herbal teas, several times a day, will ease sore throat pain, reduce the inflammation and hydrate dry tissues.

4. Some aroma oils like tea tree, geranium, lemon, cypress or bergamot essential oils can be taken as gargles with warm water and to moisten the irritated throat with a spoonful of honey.

5. Vitamin C is also a natural health remedy for sore throat. and is very helpful in speeding up the healing process for sore throat and it is recommended by doctors. Vitamin C enriched fruits like pineapple, oranges, lemons and limes contain natural anti-inflammatory agents and are also natural health remedies for sore throat.

6. Take two or more cloves crushed and two teaspoons of fresh holly basil leaves, then pour boiling water over them and steep for ten minutes. Strain the tea, add some honey and drink it. You can repeat it for a maximum of two to three days.

7. Natural health remedies for sore throat also include using the throat reflex points on your feet and both hands to heal sore throat by applying acupressure acupuncture or reiki techniques.

8. Steam inhalation for some minutes will help you breathe easier if you are feeling difficulty in taking a breath. Put 3 drops of tea tree oil, eucalyptus, rosemary or lavender oils in a bowl of boiling water and inhale deeply for 3-5 minutes.

9. Some of the herbs such as slippery elm, licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), cider vinegar, cedar, scallion, cayenne pepper, sage, honeysuckle flower and marshmallow root are also used as natural health remedies for sore throat.

10. Another natural health remedy for sore throat is a soothing hot cup of barrage tea, anise mint tea, fenugreek seed's tea or a concoction of tea leaves, cinnamon or turmeric powder two or three times a day will also sooth, coat and protect the throat.

Luckily, most of these amazing herbs and natural ingredients are easily available in your home,at local markets or natural health food stores and make natural health remedies for sore throat convenient, easy and affordable.

This article is intended to provide assistance and information to people who are interested in learning more about natural remedies. It should not be used as a basis for any form of diagnosis or treatment for any medical condition. Always seek professional medical advice.

Natural Health Remedies For Sore Throat Relief

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