Just Say No To The ‘Cinnamon Challenge’

March 30, 2012

NPR

By Scott Hensley

“Cinnamon is an amazing spice. Not only is it yummy, but it’s actually quite healthy for you too. But don’t be an idiot and try eating a spoonful of it. Common sense, please.” –KTRN

Do not take the “cinnamon challenge.” Don’t let anyone you know take it, either.

And don’t take our word for it. Instead, heed the warning from the folks who run the country’s poison control centers.

“We urge parents and caregivers to talk to their teens about the cinnamon challenge, explaining that what may seem like a silly game can have serious health consequences,” says a statement from Dr. Alvin Bronstein, medical director for the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center.

If you’ve never heard of the cinnamon challenge, good! But, if you must know, it boils down to consuming a spoonful of ground cinnamon in a hurry — without a drop of liquid to wash it down.

Sounds easy. But it’s not. The cinnamon is remarkably effective at drying out your mouth. Add in the spicy burn, and you’ve got trouble. Gagging, coughing and worse.

As Bronstein says, “teens who engage in this activity often choke and vomit, injuring their mouths, throats and lungs. Teens who unintentionally breathe the cinnamon into their lungs also risk getting pneumonia….”

And for people with asthma or other respiratory problems, the challenge is even riskier than for those without them.

Click here for the full report.

How Do You Live To Be 110?

January 18, 2012

Natural News

By S. D. Wells

“Living past 100 with no pharmaceuticals is easy.  Just ask Bernando LaPallo.”  –KTRN

Tell someone you’re over 100 years old, and they might assume the worst right away, guessing that you have a dozen medication bottles next to the bed and that your health is quickly deteriorating. How could it be that a man who’s going on 111 and taking no medication, who simply eats fresh vegetables, olive oil, honey, cinnamon, garlic and chocolate, can bounce around his kitchen like he’s half his age?

When Bernando LaPallo of Mesa, Arizona tells his secrets of longevity and vitality, your jaw drops to the ground, wondering how he avoided all of the “ABCD’s” of those “senior years” – you know, Alzheimer’s, brittle bones, cancer and/or diabetes. Could it be that Western Medicine has it all wrong, and all we ever needed were raw veggies, super-foods, raw nuts and berries, and some barley soup? Maybe Medicare and Medicaid should broker a deal with the makers of power juicers and call it “Universal Healthcare.”

This August, 2012, Bernando LaPallo will turn 111 years of age, and he still has no problem walking at least a mile daily and receiving phone calls from people all around the world who want to hear how he’s done it, and how to make their own lives better. This author and role model keeps it so simple, you don’t need a recipe book or health guide to live to be 110 or better.

Here’s the (fountain of youth) breakdown and just a few of the raw food “natural medicines” you can turn into your own daily regimen, so your mind, body, and spirit can thrive well into triple digits:

• High quality, organic, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil: use on the skin as lotion; use as salad dressing; known to lessen risks of colon cancer and heart disease.

• Dark, organic chocolate: reduces stress; helps with depression; lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

• Organic garlic: helps fight coughs and colds; considered nature’s antibiotic; helps with digestion and intestinal problems.

• Organic cinnamon: antibacterial and antifungal; reduces proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.

• Organic honey: helps you lose weight; nature’s energy booster; has antioxidant and antibacterial properties.

• Juice organic raw vegetables: A decent juicer costs less than $100.

Click here for the full report.

Raw Foods Fight Pain

November 14, 2011

Natural News

By Michelle Bosmier

“Instead of reaching for ibuprofen for your pain, try some raw food. What have you got to lose? Is your headache really that bad to begin with?” –KTRN

Sometimes you’ve exercised too much and your muscles hurt. Sometimes, you’ve got a terrible headache – perhaps you’ve slept too much, or too little? And sometimes, you’re tired, weary, and desperately in need to rest your sore, tired body after a long day. Pain is something we cannot avoid, no matter how healthy our diets and lifestyles are. But that doesn’t mean that pain should be lived with – research shows that there are some everyday foods that work like a charm to ease pain and replenish our systems.

Let’s start with bananas… if you have cramps, then this is the fruit for you. Cramping is usually the result of an imbalance in the body’s potassium supply. Because bananas are potassium-rich, including as little as one banana in your diet a day can help to replenish your daily needs and reduce cramping.

Ease arthritis and joint-pains with a few dashes of cinnamon. Researchers from the Nanjing University in China have discovered that cinnamon is highly effective in reducing inflammation, and also uric acid – the prime culprit for arthritis flare-ups.

Spice it up with Ginger and Turmeric. These two glorious spices have the same analgesic properties as aspirin or ibuprofen – without savagely attacking your stomach line or putting too much pressure on your kidney functions. On the contrary… both ginger and turmeric’s analgesic properties are amongst many of their favorable health benefits: the most important being that they will actually protect your digestive system, from oral to renal.

Get rid of that headache with a handful of cherries. Researchers from Michigan State University say that eating around twenty of these delightfully sweet little fruits will ease a headache. What’s more is that cherries have been discovered to ease muscular pain after a bout of weight-training.

Click here for the full report from Natural News.

The Top 7 Fat Burning Foods

November 8, 2011

DrAxe.Com

By Dr. Josh Axe

Weight loss is almost always a topic of discussion. With the holiday season just ahead of us, eating, weight loss, and how to shed those unwanted holiday pounds comes up in many conversations. In fact, according to an article in the New York Post the average person gains about one pound during the six week holiday season. Doesn’t sound too bad until you take a closer look at the whole picture.

According to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine that one pound gained in the short six week period is never lost and accounts for more than fifty percent of the weight the average person gains all year. What’s more is that it was reported in a study out of Tufts University for the USDA that overweight or obese people gain even more weight during the six week holiday season averaging in at five pounds.

You can stop worrying about your waistline when you add these seven amazing little fat burning foods to your daily diet. Of course that doesn’t mean you should give up exercise or eating a diet of mostly ‘real’ or ‘live’ foods. It also doesn’t mean you should overeat.

What it does mean is if you want to maintain the perfect weight for you then adding these seven essentials to your diet is key. When you give your body the right nutrients in the correct amounts it will reward you with a vibrant, youthful body inside and out. The body is created perfectly to balance itself, heal, and live at a healthy weight. Our job is to provide it with the nutrients it needs to do so.

Top Fat Burning Food #1: Cayenne Pepper

Touted by the likes of supermodel Giselle Bundchen and pop star diva Beyonce as weight loss secrets, cayenne pepper or capsicum has been used medicinally for centuries. Originally used by natives of Mexico and Africa this spicy pepper helps the body’s diet induced thermogenisis or production of heat. Studies on cayenne pepper also indicate that it aids in the increase of lipid oxidation. Lipid oxidation is when fat is burned for energy – a highly desirable action for weight loss.

But cayenne pepper’s connection to weight loss doesn’t end there. Cayenne peppers have been linked to decreased appetite and retarding or slowing the growth of fat cells. All of these are important factors in losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight.

Top Fat Burning Food #2: Cinnamon

The smells of cinnamon take me to a place of comfort and warmth. This spice was once more valuable than gold and the medicinal uses for cinnamon date back to the days of the Egyptians.

When it comes to weight loss and cinnamon, new research out of a Maryland USDA research center revealed a surprise. Cinnamon was found to lower blood sugar levels. As this discovery was ‘accidental’ the team went on to further investigate cinnamon and blood sugar.

In a separate study conducted on sixty adults diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes the researchers found that taking as little as one-quarter to two teaspoons a day of cinnamon dramatically changed the sufferers blood sugar levels and insulin output. High blood sugar levels are closely associated with weight gain and obesity.

Add this spice to your coffee, tea, and sweet snacks for added flavor and a health boost.

Top Fat Burning Food #3: Ginger

Ginger is traditionally associated with the pickled type you get with sushi. However there’s a lot more to ginger than cleansing your palate. Ginger was once so popular in Europe it appeared on every dinner table as does today’s salt and pepper.

Ginger is a known metabolic activator and has been thought to increase metabolism by as much as twenty percent. Some people swear by ginger’s appetite suppressing abilities too. Although there is no scientific data on ginger and weight loss specifically, adding this to your daily diet is a powerful way to help balance your body. A balanced body is a healthy body.

Ginger can also help improve digestion and even soothe an upset stomach.

Click here for the full report from Dr. Axe.

Five Health Enhancing Foods That Don’t Seem Like Health Foods

September 26th, 2011

Natural News

By: Mike Adams

When observing the typical diet of American consumers, with all the fried foods, aspartame-laced “diet” products and pasteurized, hormone-ridden dairy products that typical people consume, I sometimes ask myself a question that perhaps you’ve pondered, too: What on Earth is keeping all these people alive?

The answers may surprise you. Hidden inside the typical western diet of highly-toxic processed foods are gems of natural medicine that you’d never suspect are really health foods. So here, I’ve assembled a short list of the five most powerful health-enhancing foods that don’t seem like health foods but which are quite possibly the one remaining source of natural medicines for mainstream consumers.

#1 – Mustard

Mustard, believe it or not, is a medicinal paste made from the seed of the mustard plant. It’s a superfood that’s been around for at least 5,000 years, and it’s one of the few common sources of cancer-busting selenium, a trace mineral often missing from over-farmed soils. (http://www.naturalnews.com/030916_m…)

Mustard is known to help in reducing migraines, and it’s a natural anti-fungal and antiseptic. Another benefit of mustard is that it’s never made with MSG or yeast extract. Mustard products — even conventional products from non-health-food companies — are still very healthful to consume.

You can also make your own mustard using nothing more than a Vita-Mix blender. Check out this handy video where Annmarie Gianni shows you how to make raw mustard:
http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=8…

(Jump to 2:45 to skip the crowd socializing part…)

As Kevin Gianni explains in this video, you can get bulk mustard seeds from Mountain Rose Herbs, one of the top suppliers of bulk natural products: www.MountainRoseHerbs.com

#2 – Cole Slaw

Cole slaw is made out of one of the most powerful natural medicines in the food kingdom: Raw cabbage. (http://www.naturalnews.com/032377_c…)

Raw cabbage is a proven cure for stomach ulcers. It’s also an amazing anti-cancer food with that can help prevent (or even reverse) many types of cancer. Throughout the history of the civilized world, cabbage has been one of the most medicinal foods ever consumed. It’s also good for you when cooked (cabbage soup) or fermented (sauerkraut).

Check out this story we recently published about the astounding health benefits of fermented cabbage: http://www.naturalnews.com/033659_s…

Cabbage is rich in indole-3-carbinol (I3C), one of its many anti-cancer nutrients. Click here to read more about I3C: http://www.naturalnews.com/023081_i…

It’s best to make your own cole slaw at home, but if you purchase store-bought cole slaw, be sure to avoid processed ingredients often used in cheaper cole slaw recipes such as high-fructose corn syrup and canola oil (which is often GMO).

#3 – Cinnamon, cloves, rosemary, paprika and other spices

Nearly all the pungent cooking spices are actually powerful medicines.

Cinnamon, for example, helps regulate blood sugar in diabetics (http://www.naturalnews.com/031133_c…). Cloves are the No. 1 source for the highest density of antioxidants found in the entire food supply. (Yes, they have a higher ORAC value than any other food or spice.) (http://www.naturalnews.com/028518_c…)

Rosemary is a powerful digestive tonic and internal detoxification herb. Ginger is legendary as an immune-boosting, circulation-enhancing tonic herb that’s also fantastic for beating winter colds and flu. Ginger even works to relieve muscle pain! (http://www.naturalnews.com/029986_g…)

If you’re into curry, then you’ll be glad to know that turmeric, the main ingredient in curry, is also an amazing source of natural medicines. It’s a powerful anti-cancer as well as an anti-inflammatory medicine. If you really want great pricing on curry powder and other spices in bulk, visit a Middle Eastern food store in your local area, where these aromatic spices are often sold at the best prices in town.

In Southern and Midwestern cuisine, barbeque sauce is a surprisingly good source of bitter alkaloids and health-enhancing spices (often including mustard and paprika), but this is only true with the rich, homemade sauces, not the processed “Kraft Foods” sauces (which are usually loaded with sweeteners and highly processed ingredients).

Nearly all the common spices you find in grocery stores are medicinal foods. But avoid common table salt (or white “sea salt”) because it’s just a processed, refined combination of two poisons. The only salt you should regularly consume is a full-spectrum salt that’s off-white in color, such as Celtic salt or Royal Himalayan Pink Crystal salt (http://store.naturalnews.com/index….).

#4 – Raisins

Raisins may not sound super cool, but if you think about what they really are, it becomes obvious how powerful they can be as natural medicine. Raisins are dried grapes, of course, meaning they contain all the natural medicine of grape skins.

Remember: Most of the medicine in grapes is found in the skin (and the seeds, but most raisins are made from seedless grapes). This is why it’s so important to buy only organic raisins, because grapes sprayed with fungicides have low levels of resveratrol. Organic grapes have the highest levels of resveratrol, which is one of the most miraculous natural medicines in the world (http://www.naturalnews.com/033349_r…).

Raisins are also very high in naturally-occurring antioxidants, making them a fantastic overall source of nutrition. When consumed with nuts, their glycemic index is slowed, so I recommend eating raisins with things such as pecans or walnuts (both of which superfoods in their own way, as you’ll see below).

#5 – Common nuts: Walnuts, pecans, peanuts and more

Once again, nuts may not be on your list of the “coolest” foods, but they probably should be: Walnuts are an amazing natural medicine that helps reduce the risk of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. They’re very high in natural antioxidants and also help reduce the risk of prostate cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/028584_w…).

Pecans boost brain protection and also help lower cholesterol levels (http://www.naturalnews.com/031815_p…). Almonds are now being widely used to make almond milk (a natural anti-cancer milk beverage), and even peanuts are now making a comeback as a health food (http://www.naturalnews.com/024925_p…).

Just remember: When you buy nuts, raw is best because heat processing destroys the natural medicine found in foods. Avoid “salted” nuts because they’re almost always salted with toxic sodium chloride (simple table salt). Avoid “flavored” nuts because they almost always — yes, nearly ALWAYS — are made with MSG flavor enhancers such as yeast extract or autolyzed proteins.

Just look for plain, simple, unsalted nuts… then find ways to work those into your recipes or smoothies. I like to blend cashews into smoothies to give them a creamy milk-like flavor!

The five common health foods in review

So there you have it, the five health foods that you probably didn’t even know were health foods!

The good news about these is that they’re available in virtually every grocery store in North America (and around the world). Once again, they are:

• Mustard
• Cole Slaw
• Common spices: Cinnamon, cloves, paprika, etc.
• Raisins
• Walnuts, pecans, almonds and other nuts

Eat more of these (and less processed junk food) and you’ll be healthier as a result!

Click here for the full report from Natural News

Cinnamon, Ginger and Apple Cider Vinegar Are Great Natural Heartburn Remedies

February 22nd, 2011

Natural News

By: Celeste M. Smucker

The terms heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) describe a chronic condition that is both painful and expensive – costing our economy as much as $10 billion annually in medical care costs and lost productivity. Standard interventions of medication and surgery also include over the counter remedies for which there is a huge market. Fortunately, there are many effective alternative and traditional solutions. Some of the simplest such as apple cider vinegar, cinnamon and ginger are readily available in most kitchens.

GERD is caused when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), opens inappropriately to allow acid from the stomach to flow up into the esophagus. This can cause inflammation often experienced as heartburn. Other symptoms of acid reflux disease may include chest pain, a dry cough, sore throat, laryngitis, dental caries and even asthma and lung problems depending on the individual. Chronic GERD can also lead to narrowing or ulceration of the esophagus and to cancer. Individuals who suffer from this condition experience increased absenteeism, reduced work productivity, and sleep disruption.

The causes of GERD are varied. It has been linked to fatty or refined foods as well as coffee and alcohol. It is also associated with smoking, stress and overeating. A recent review of 20 studies of GERD and obesity found that overweight people are 50% more likely to experience acid reflux than are those who are normal weight.

Treatment for acid reflux includes medications to reduce stomach acid followed by (if these are not effective) surgery. Unfortunately, long term suppression of stomach acid can lead to digestive problems and deficiency diseases. In addition, there is increased susceptibility to infection due to over growth of bacteria normally controlled by stomach acid. Headache, diarrhea, abdominal pain and fractures of the hip, spine, forearm and wrist as well as blurred vision and pneumonia are some other potential medication side effects. As a result, it makes sense to consider natural solutions, many of which are cost effective and well established in folk medicine with few if any side effects.

One of the most highly recommended acid reflux remedies is apple cider vinegar. Sip a tablespoon of the unfiltered, unpasteurized variety in 8 ounces of water during meals. Why does this work? There are two theories. One is that many people actually have insufficient stomach acid. In this case, the LES (which is pH sensitive) may open when it shouldn’t allow stomach acid up into the esophagus. Acidity in the vinegar communicates to the LES to stay shut keeping stomach acid where it belongs. An alternative theory is that the vinegar dilutes stomach acid somewhat (since it is less acidic), mitigating reflux symptoms but not enough to impair digestion.

In addition to directly affecting digestion, apple cider vinegar provides an array of vitamins and trace minerals and promotes a more alkaline environment in the body while it helps destroy harmful bacteria. The result is better health including improved digestion.

Cinnamon is another natural remedy for digestive problems including GERD. It works in part by reducing stomach acid, but it also has antibiotic and antifungal properties which facilitate digestion. Other folk traditions rely on ginger for acid reflux since it helps calm stomach acid and relax the muscles of the esophagus. Try sipping a tea made with fresh ginger root and a pinch of cinnamon as a restful way to relieve GERD symptoms. Alternatively enjoy an interesting Korean remedy made from cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger root, sugar and dried persimmons; recipes for which are readily available online.

Click here for the full report from Natural News

Cinnamon Promotes Weight and Blood Sugar Control

February 4th, 2011

Natural News

By: Alex Malinsky aka RawGuru

Studies have shown that cinnamon, the common kitchen spice frequently sprinkled on breakfast oatmeal and included in sweet potato pie, lowers blood glucose levels. Along with the benefits that it brings to this area, additional testing and folklore say that cinnamon also has fat-burning properties that will aid in weight loss. Cinnamon use dates back to ancient history and is well respected across cultures.

Published in 2003 in the journal Diabetes Care, a study concluded that in people with Type 2 diabetes, consuming daily low levels of cinnamon that is between 1 to 6 grams (or approximately 1 to 2 teaspoons) reduced blood sugar levels. How cinnamon effects this result is still to be determined but the study also showed that the results lasted in the individuals even as long as twenty days after ceasing to use cinnamon. In 2009, a Scandinavian study showed that in healthy individuals 3 grams of cinnamon per day lowered blood sugar levels after eating a meal. Higher insulin levels lead to less use of excess blood sugar (and sugar is stored in the body as fat), so a reduction in insulin after a meal is significant. If cinnamon can help control the level of blood sugar and, by offshoot, fat levels, then that is corroboration of what some have said regarding its weight loss potential.

Regarded as even more precious than gold in the Middle Ages, cinnamon was so highly prized that the Dutch-Portuguese war of the 17th century was fought in part to control the nation of Ceylon, now the country of Sri Lanka, for its abundant and sweet variety that grew there. Ceylon cinnamon or “real cinnamon” still carries its ancient name today. Cassia cinnamon is another main variety and it is often called “bastard cinnamon.” It is not as highly prized but it is certainly more commonly used and easier to obtain than “real cinnamon,” which is more expensive. Ceylon and cassia are both ancient. Cassia is mentioned in the Bible to Moses in a command of ingredients to mix for anointing oil. The Egyptians used cinnamon in the embalming process and as a food flavoring.

Cinnamon grows in many varieties all with varying flavors of sweetness and boldness. It has been used for its antiseptic properties to cure athlete’s foot, has been inhaled to improve memory, and has been used as a tea to soothe stomach ailments and indigestion. It should be noted that cinnamon also creates excess heat when it is ingested. The body will then counter this heat by creating heat of its own to balance homeostasis in a process called thermogenics. During this process fat is burned.

One of the most pleasant spices to use, cinnamon can enhance of a variety of foods: teas, pies, cakes, ice creams, soups, dumplings. It can even be used to cure raw meats. Important to note, you can inhale your cinnamon choice to test it. A pungent and sweet aroma will indicate its freshness. However, if the flavor is not somewhat bitter or if it is very easy on the tongue, throw it out because this means it is weak and will not yield desired weight-regulation results. Mixing cinnamon with other foods is what helps to bring out its aroma, so freshness is important in preventing the spice from being overpowered by other ingredients.

Overuse of cinnamon has not, so far, shown any lasting harmful effects. However, contraindication advice from a physician is necessary for those already on a diabetic or cholesterol medication protocol. Otherwise, cinnamon has tested to be a viable alternative weight loss aid and aid in blood sugar control.

Click here for the full report from Natural News

Eating a Variety of Functional Foods Works Best to Prevent Disease

October 19th, 2010

Most food and dietary supplement studies evaluate the effects of a single item on health, which ultimately fails to properly identify how different foods works together with one another to promote health. But a new study out of Lund University in Spain has found that eating a variety of health-promoting foods has a synergistic effect on preventing disease and promoting wellness.

Inger Bjorck, professor of food-related nutrition at Lund and head of the University’s Antidiabetic Food Centre, and colleagues fed 44 healthy, but overweight, people a specific food regimen for four weeks. The diet consisted of antioxidant-rich, low glycemic index (GI) foods like omega-3-rich oily fish, blueberries, almonds, cinnamon, vinegar, and certain whole grains.

Each of these foods is known in isolation to perform functions like reducing bodily inflammation, lowering blood pressure, and preventing type-2 diabetes, but researchers wanted to know how each of these worked together with one another to promote health. What they found was that overall, bad cholesterol levels were reduced by 33 percent, blood lipid levels dropped by 14 percent, and blood pressure fell by eight percent.

“The results have exceeded our expectations!” said Bjorck. “I would like to claim that there has been no previous study with similar effects on healthy subjects.”

In her book Food Synergy: Unleash Hundreds of Powerful Healing Food Combinations to Fight Disease and Live Well, Elaine Magee explains that nutrients work together with one another at the molecular level to provide health benefits.

“We now know that synergy does exist at the micronutrient level, in various combinations of vitamins and minerals,” she explains. “These nutritional partnerships also explain, in part, why some research that has focused on only one nutrient may not have had the expected health results.”

Click here for the full report from Natural News

Cinnamon Reduces Risk Of Diabetes, Heart Disease

August 27th, 2010

Natural News

By: Jonathon Benson

A recent study headed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has identified a link between cinnamon intake and reduced risk of diabetes and heart disease. According to the research, water-soluble cinnamon extract, which is high in antioxidants, helps to decrease glucose levels in the blood as well as reduce oxidative stress in the body.

Richard Anderson, a chemist with the USDA and study lead, and his colleagues evaluated 22 participants who were obese and considered to be “pre-diabetic” based on their cells’ interaction with insulin. The team divided the participants into two groups, one of which received a placebo, and another that received 250 milligrams (mg) of dried, water-soluble cinnamon extract twice a day for 12 weeks. Follow-up tests revealed up to a 23 percent increase in antioxidant levels among those taking the cinnamon.

Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, and the cells that would normally accept insulin from the pancreas in order to lower these levels begin to reject it. If not addressed quickly, pre-diabetes can quickly develop into full diabetes.

Based on the study, cinnamon is a viable, natural treatment for maintaining healthy blood glucose levels and preventing the onset of diabetes. Other studies have also shown that cinnamon plays a vital role in maintaining healthy circulation and energy levels in the body.

“Recent studies show that cinnamon stimulates circulation and boosts the ability of insulin to metabolize glucose and carry it into cells for energy production,” explain Stephen Sinatra, M.D., and James C. Roberts, M.D., in their book Reverse Heart Disease Now: Stop Deadly Cardiovascular Plaque Before It’s Too Late.

Click Here For The Complete Article

Cinnamon Helps Prevent Diabetes

October 5, 2009

Natural News

By Mike Adams

When it comes to health care reform in America, if we hope to make real progress, we’ve got to consider safe, affordable solutions that really work to prevent disease. There’s hardly a better example of this than cinnamon and its ability to help regulate blood sugar and prevent diabetes.

Here, you’ll find an amazing compilation of expert quotations and testimonials about cinnamon, as published in some of the best natural health books ever written. Perhaps this information should be read by someone in Congress, huh? Enjoy this collection of research… (and pass it on)…

About 5 years ago, we heard from a reader that cinnamon might help lower blood sugar in someone with type 2 diabetes. That was news to us, but a little sleuthing did turn up some interesting animal cell research. Studies showed that cinnamon made cells more responsive to insulin, which theoretically would lead to better glucose control. Since then we have heard from many readers that a little cinnamon does indeed help them keep their blood sugar in check.
- Best Choices From the People’s Pharmacy by Joe Graedon, M.S. and Teresa Graedon, Ph.D.

Cinnamon lowers blood sugar and cholesterol. People usually enjoy the taste of cinnamon when it’s added to apple cider or baked goods. Putting a small amount of cinnamon in foods or taking cinnamon in capsules can significantly improve blood-sugar levels. Be warned, though: eating a Cinnabon, which has 144 grams of sugars and carbs and 730 calories, won’t do anything good for you. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and their counterparts from Pakistan tested the effects of cinnamon-containing capsules on 60 people with diabetes.
- Stop Prediabetes Now: The Ultimate Plan to Lose Weight and Prevent Diabetes by Jack Challem

Cinnamon has been shown to reduce lipids and have anti-inflammatory and platelet-adhesion properties. The results of a study demonstrated that intake of small amounts of cinnamon per day (no more than six grams or one-fifth of an ounce) reduced serum glucose, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes. In an animal study, male rats who were given an extract of cinnamon had lower blood glucose levels. A human study found that giving cinnamon extract to type 2 diabetics significantly reduced their blood sugar levels.
- 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life! by David W. Grotto, RD, LDN

Cinnamon is an insulin substitute in Type II diabetes. Cinnamon itself has insulin-like activity, increasing the effectiveness of insulin. Cinnamon also has a bio-active component that has the potential to prevent or overcome diabetes. It also increases vitality, balances energy, improves the digestion of fruits, milk, and other dairy products and helps reduce bloating and gas. Where to buy it: At the grocery store. If you have access to purchasing on line, you can purchase cinnamon in bulk very inexpensively. My favorite is www.mountainroseherbs.com.

Click here for the full report from Natural News