Cinnamon (Cinnamonum zeylanicum) Last updated: Jul 22, 2008

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  Cinnamon (Cinnamonum zeylanicum)  
 

 

 
 

Research shows that cinnamon does more than just ward off diabetes and heart disease, it also makes you smarter. That's what a recent study determined after administering cinnamon, both orally and nasally, to adults. Both "real" cinnamon and cinnamon flavored items, such as gum, were effective in enhancing the participants' cognitive function.

Cinnamon also reportedly:

  • Supports digestive function
  • Constricts and tones tissues
  • Relieves congestion
  • Alleviates pain, inflammation, and stiffness of muscles and joints
  • Eases menstrual discomfort
  • Stimulates circulation
  • Kills bacteria, including E.coli. In fact, it was used as a preservative of meats and other foods before refrigeration.
Alan Hirsch, M.D., at the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago reports that cinnamon has scored high as an aphrodisiac for males.

 
 

Cinnamon (Cinnamonum zeylanicum) can help with the following:
 
 
Circulation  Hypercoagulation (Thickened Blood)

Digestion

  Dyspepsia / Poor Digestion

Hormones

  Elevated Insulin Levels
 Cinnamon with each meal helps keep insulin and blood sugar levels under control. The typical 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon dose contains a phytochemical called methyl hydroxy chalcone polymer (MHCP) which improves cellular glucose utilization and increases the sensitivity of insulin receptors in laboratory studies. Personal testimonies indicate that this effect is seen in humans, but further study is required to confirm this.

  Low Sex Drive

Mental

  Poor Memory

Musculo-Skeletal

  Muscle Pains (Myalgia)
  Joint Pain, General

Organ Health

  Diabetes Type II / Risk
 Dr. Richard A. Anderson, lead scientist at the Beltsville, Maryland-based Human Nutrition Research Center, explained that his mostly unpublished research shows that a compound in cinnamon called methylhydroxy chalcone polymer (MHCP) makes fat cells more responsive to insulin by activating an enzyme that causes insulin to bind to cells and inhibiting the enzyme that blocks this process.

While it is too soon to recommend the spice as a regular treatment for type 2 diabetes, Dr. Anderson said patients could try adding 1/4 - 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to their food. "The worst that will happen is it won't do any good and the best is that it will help dramatically" he stated. [Preliminary findings announced by the USDA August, 2000]

A US Department of Agriculture study of 60 type 2 diabetics revealed that one gram of cinnamon taken daily, over a
course of 40 days, improved management of blood sugar levels, as well as triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Some
of the subjects took three grams of cinnamon per day, and others took six grams per day, but none of the subjects in
these two groups showed an increased benefit over the group that took one gram per day. One gram of cinnamon is less than half a teaspoon.

Researchers continued to monitor the study participants after the 40-day trial, and found that the subjects' overall
blood sugar levels began rising when the cinnamon intake was discontinued.

Skin-Hair-Nails

  Cold Hands and Feet
 Cinnamon is warming and improves circulation, so is good to take if you suffer cold hands and feet.

Uro-Genital

  Dysmenorrhea, Painful Menstruation
 
 


KEY
May do some good

If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate. - Thomas Watson, Sr.
The only difference between a diamond and a lump of coal is that the diamond had a little more pressure put on it. - Anonymous





GLOSSARY

Aphrodisiac:  Substance increasing or arousing sexual desire.

Bacteria:  Microscopic germs. Some bacteria are "harmful" and can cause disease, while other "friendly" bacteria protect the body from harmful invading organisms.

Diabetes Mellitus:  A disease with increased blood glucose levels due to lack or ineffectiveness of insulin. Diabetes is found in two forms; insulin-dependent diabetes (juvenile-onset) and non-insulin-dependent (adult-onset). Symptoms include increased thirst; increased urination; weight loss in spite of increased appetite; fatigue; nausea; vomiting; frequent infections including bladder, vaginal, and skin; blurred vision; impotence in men; bad breath; cessation of menses; diminished skin fullness. Other symptoms include bleeding gums; ear noise/buzzing; diarrhea; depression; confusion.