How to Use Cinnamon for Natural Medicine

Introduction

In recent months, cinnamon has gotten a lot of attention as a spice that is great for diabetics because it can help lower blood sugar. The fact is, cinnamon has been used since ancient times for various medical complaints. Anything from athlete's foot to weight control can be treated using this sweet spice.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You'll Need

• Your favorite healthy recipes that include cinnamon
• Cinnamon Sticks
• Ground Cinnamon
• Coffee Grinder
• Your Favorite Tea
• Honey

Steps

1

Step One

Here is a list of some of the medicinal uses of cinnamon:

* Diabetes (lowers blood sugar)
* Weight Loss and Weight Control (With each cup you drink, you can burn up to 90 extra calories)
* Athlete's Foot
* Indigestion
* Cold and Flu
* Helps the immune system
* Memory Enhancer
* Diarrhea
* Menstrual Problems
* Digestive Problems
* Yeast Infections
* Arthritis
* Boosts metabolism

2

Step Two

There are several ways you can take cinnamon. Add a pinch of the ground spice to your favorite tea. Or, add it to the food you eat. Just remember that less is more. You should not consume more than 1/4 tsp. a day or else you could develop problems such as mouth inflammation or digestive distress. You can also try adding a pinch to your morning coffee.

3

Step Three

Fresh ground cinnamon is not only tastier than its pre-ground cousin, but it also is more medicinally potent. One of the reasons why cinnamon is so effective is because of the volatile oil present in the spice. If the cinnamon is old, the volatile oil begins to evaporate. If it is ground fresh, more of the oil is present. You can use a coffee grinder to grind a cinnamon stick down. If you plan on doing this a lot, make sure you have a separate grinder for coffee and a separate one for herbs. Otherwise, the coffee flavor will affect the flavor of the herbs.

4

Step Four

One way that I like to get extra cinnamon is to infuse it into honey. I simply take 2-3 whole cinnamon sticks and add it to a baby food jar. I fill the jar with honey, cover it, and store it in the refrigerator. After a few days, the cinnamon will flavor it with honey. This is one of my favorite cold remedies, but I also bake and cook with it whenever honey is needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to research any herb you take before you make the choice to add it to your diet.
• Consult with a doctor or qualified herbalist if you are planning on using cinnamon for medicine.
• Cinnamon is one of those medicinal spices where less is actually more. If you consume too much, it could be dangerous to your health.