Spice Up Your Health with Cinnamon

Cinnamon (cinnamomum zeylanicum) is best known as a delicious spice used in a variety of recipes for desserts and entrees. Most recently, it has been unveiled as a healing medicine for an array of ailments, but most specifically, sugar metabolism, which is essential to diabetics. There are over 14 million people diagnosed with diabetes. There are two types of diabetics - Type I are those individuals who are using insulin because the pancreas can not produce insulin at all. And there are Type II diabetics, who do not use insulin, but they do use oral medications (pills) and/or a healthful diet and exercise to help maintain normal blood sugar levels.

The Pancreas

The pancreas is a gland in the body located behind the stomach that produces insulin from beta cells. The delta cells of the pancreas regulate the insulin that is produced. This is how a healthy pancreas regulates the glucose levels in the body. At times, the pancreas doesn't function to its fullest potential. It is during these times that medicinal measures must be taken.

How Does Cinnamon Help

Cinnamon can increase one's vitality and stimulates all the important bodily functions. For over 4000 years, Chinese communities have used cinnamon for medicinal purposes.

Recent studies have shown that 1000 to 6000 mg per day of cinnamon capsules promotes healthy blood sugar levels in humans. The first study showed how the extracts of cinnamon significantly increased sugar metabolism, which in turn triggered the insulin in the human body to release; this also had an effect on cholesterol metabolism. Therefore, it has been proven that cinnamon not only helps sugar metabolism, but cholesterol metabolism as well.

Methods of Using Cinnamon for Your Good Health

*1000 to 6000 mg of cinnamon capsules per day

*As a tea, use ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon in 1 cup of boiling water, allow tea to steep for 10 minutes, strain, and drink 1-3 times per day.

*Aromatherapy therapy as an additional (not solitary) way to help the body normalize where glucose metabolism is concerned. Use Cinnamon (Cassia) oil in a diffuser or simmered in hot water to help the aroma spread throughout the room you're in. You can also try to a spray bottle with fresh spring water and several drops of Cinnamon oil and spray it in your home each day for additional assistance.

Other Health Benefits of Cinnamon

*Helps congestion

*Helps diarrhea

*Improves digestion

*Helps circulation

*Possibly reduces blood pressure and fevers

Resources

-Wikipedia.com

-Human Body (non-fiction book), Edited by Ann Baggaly, published by DK