Home remedies with cinnamon

Cinnamon isn’t only a tasty addition to  pumpkin pies and sticky buns! Mentions of  the healing properties of this sweet spice go  back several thousand years: the ancient  Chinese and Egyptians used it extensively,  and it is mentioned in the Old Testament.  Those ancient wise ones certainly knew a  thing or two: cinnamon has many healing  and aromatherapy benefits. Today, we can  use cinnamon in many ways to keep our  homes smelling and feeling sweet. Find out some of the fascinating ways you  can use cinnamon, and what makes it so  effective.

Aromatherapeutic properties:  

Cinnamon makes one feel warm, safe, and  protected. Wise Ones relied on the scent of  cinnamon to promote contented and uplifted  feelings.  For the scientifically-inclined:  Terpenoids are some of the healing  compounds in cinnamon. One of these,  cinnamaldehyde, is a potent antifungal and  antimicrobial agent. And the diterpenes in  the spice are thought to be anti-allergic.
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Home Remedy for Arthritis 

Cinnamon has recently been shown to act as  a natural remedy for Arthritis pain.  

Home Remedy for Diabetes 

Research suggests that cinnamon may  help treat Type 2 Diabetes by lowering  blood sugar levels and increasing the  amount of insulin production in the body.  

Home Remedy for Reducing Cholesterol 

Recent studies have shown that consuming  small amounts of cinnamon can help reduce  LDL cholesterol (the bad one). Simply eat  half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder daily.  The cinnamon can be added as a mild  sweetener to coffee or tea.  

Home Remedy for Eliminating Headaches  and Migraine Pain 

Cinnamon has been found to be an effective  natural remedy for eliminating headaches  and migraine pain.  

Home Remedy for Coughs and the  Common Cold 

Chinese medicine has long used cinnamon  as a natural remedy for coughs and the  common cold. A simple herbal remedy for  treating a sore throat is the following:

• Add a cinnamon stick to boiling  

water. 

• Let boil for 2 minutes. 

• Remove the cinnamon stick. 

• Use the cinnamon water for any  herbal tea, such as green tea. 

• Drink this tea two times per day. If  the cold persists for longer than 3  days, consult your doctor. 

Home Remedy for Toothaches 

Cinnamon has been known to help relieve  toothache pain. Simply make a paste using  five teaspoons of honey mixed with one  teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Apply a  small amount of this paste directly onto the  aching tooth 2 or 3 times daily until the pain  is relieved. You can store any extra paste in  a small container at room temperature. 

Here are a few ways you can put cinnamon  to use in your home: 

1. Stovetop simmering potpourri. Place a  pot of water or cider on the stove and add 1  to 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon. Simmer,  replacing liquid a necessary. This lovely  stovetop potpourri banishes odors and  replaces them with a deliciously homey  fragrance. 

2. Dry potpourri booster. Sprinkle a few  drops of essential oil of cinnamon on any  dry potpourri and place in a shallow bowl on  a radiator, on top of the fridge, or where  there is apt to be some walk-through traffic. 

3. Easiest room freshener. A dish of  ground cinnamon will fill the surrounding  area with a sweet scent.

4. Lightbulb diffuser. Place a drop of  essential oil of cinnamon on a cool lightbulb.  When you turn on the lamp, the scent will be  gently diffused throughout the room. 

5. Room spray. Combine a few drops of  essential oil of cinnamon with water or  vodka and spritz the mixture in any room to  dispel germs and odors. 

6. Kitchen incense. Sprinkle a few grains of  ground cinnamon on your electric stovetop  burner. When you turn the burner on, the  lovely scent of burning cinnamon will waft  through the kitchen. 

7. Homey trick for candles. Apply a few  drops of essential oil of cinnamon to any  beeswax taper or other candle before you  burn it. 

8. Sweet decoration. Anchor several  cinnamon sticks in whole cloves or dried  cranberries in a glass: this makes a pretty  and sweet-smelling decorative element. 

9. Holiday garland. You can string  cinnamon sticks with dried cranberries and  bay leaves to make a fragrant and attractive  garland that will last for decades. 

10. Pure and easy incense. Place a mound  of ground cinnamon in an ashtray or other heatproof container. Light with a match.

11. Moth Repellent Sachets. Break 4  cinnamon sticks and combine with 1/2 cup  of whole cloves and 1/2 cup whole black  peppercorns. Fill small squares of fabric  with a tablespoon of this mixture, tie shut,  and hang in your closets. 

12. Bay Rum and Cinnamon Aftershave.  Not only does this have a delightful spicy  scent, it also has antibacterial properties, and  the cinnamon helps stop bleeding from little  nicks and cuts. 

SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON THE  HEALTH BENEFITS OF CINNAMON 

Recently researchers have begun to take a  new look at cinnamon. One of the studies  followed sixty people with type 2 diabetes  for a six week period of time. Each of the  subjects in the study was given between one and six grams of cinnamon per day in pill form. Six grams is approximately one- fourth a teaspoonful.  

1.Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon  of cinnamon per day can lower LDL  cholesterol. 

2.Several studies suggest that cinnamon may  have a regulatory effect on blood sugar,  making it especially beneficial for people  with Type 2 diabetes.  

3.In some studies, cinnamon has shown an  amazing ability to stop medication-resistant  yeast infections. 

4.In a study published by researchers at the  U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland,  cinnamon reduced the proliferation  of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells. 

5.It has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.

6.In a study at Copenhagen University,  patients given half a teaspoon of cinnamon  powder combined with one tablespoon of  honey every morning before breakfast had  significant relief inarthritis pain after one  week and could walk without pain within  one month. 

7.When added to food, it inhibits bacterial  growth and food spoilage, making it a  natural food preservative. 

8.One study found that smelling cinnamon  boosts cognitive function and memory. 

9.Researchers at Kansas State University  found that cinnamon fights the E. coli  bacteria in unpasteurized juices. 

10.Recent studies have determined that  consuming as little as one-half teaspoon of  Cinnamon each day may reduce blood sugar,  cholesterol, and triglyceride levels by as  much as 20% in Type II diabetes patients  who are not taking insulin it is mildly  carminative and used to treat nausea and  flatulence. It is also used alone or in  combination to treat diarrhea. 

11.The results showed that all of the subjects,  no matter what the amount they were given,  benefited from the addition of cinnamon to  their diet. Blood sugar levels balanced out  and cholesterol levels overall were lower. The results, published in the Diabetes  Journal showed the following: 

 Total cholesterol was reduced by 12  to 26 percent 

 LDL cholesterol was reduced by 7 to  27 percent 

 Triglycerides were reduced by 23 to  30 percent 

 Fasting blood glucose was reduced  by 18 to 29 percent

Cinnamon Essential Oil 

Cinnamon is available as an essential oil as  well. It can be used as any essential oil; in a  diffuser, mixed with a carrier oil for  massage, or as a spray. As an essential oil  cinnamon is used for: 

• Low blood pressure 

• Stress 

• Constipation 

• Lice 

• Rheumatism 

It is important that cinnamon oils not be  taken internally because ingestion of these  concentrated oils can cause death.

SIDE EFFECTS OF CINNAMON 

Some recent studies in Europe have shown  that cinnamon derived from the Cassia plant  contains a toxic compound known  as Coumarin. This compound is known to  cause liver and kidney damage in high  concentrations. Since the powdered  cinnamon that we purchase in our  supermarkets is typically derived from the  Cassia plant, it is important to avoid  consuming high doses of it. Since cinnamon  has an anti-clotting effect on the blood,  caution should also be exercised when it is  used in combination with other blood- thinning products such as aspirin. Large  quantities of cinnamon should also be  avoided during pregnancy due to the  possibility of adverse effects on the  uterus. Anyone that is currently taking  medication for controlling blood sugar  levels or blood thinners should consult their  doctor before using cinnamon as a regular  supplement.

Drug Interactions and Cautions 

A snicker doodle cookie or cinnamon roll is  not going to be enough to cause  problems. For the health benefits of  Cinnamon, however, you will need to  supplement in a higher or therapeutic dose.  If you decide to try to take therapeutic doses  of cinnamon you should always talk to your  health care provider first. Cinnamon in  large doses can interact with the following  

medications: 

• Diabetes medication 

• Coumadin and other anti-clotting  medications  

You should also stay away from therapeutic  doses of cinnamon if you have the following  

conditions: 

• Bleeding disorders 

• Pregnancy 

• Within three weeks of surgery.