Brought to you by The Best Years in Life Health News (NaturalNews) Cinnamon is well known as the world's oldest spice. It has a beautiful warm aroma that makes it an inviting ingredient to add to food. In the past Cinnamon was seen as an expensive luxury that was used as an aphrodisiac, and as it was more expensive to buy than silver, many people simply used it as currency. It is a wonder spice for health and wellbeing. While burning cinnamon may not actually be able to clean out your soul modern day research has found that this most ancient of spices is very good for your health. Sheryl is a kinesiologist, nutritionist and holistic practitioner. Cinnamon is the Wonder Spice for Health and Wellbeing
Friday, June 12, 2009 by: Sheryl Walters, citizen journalist
Apart from its amazing taste and aroma that made it so popular for cooking cinnamon was also used by many physicians to treat colds, coughing and sore throats. Burning Cinnamon in your household was thought to cleanse the air and the people within. Roman Emperor Nero took this literally and after he murdered his wife he ordered a year's supply of cinnamon to be burnt to cleanse him of the crime.
Cinnamon And Diabetes
Studies in to the effects of cinnamon on people with diabetes are at this stage very minimal. But the extremely positive results have the medical community screaming for larger trials. In one study conducted in the Malmo University Hospital in Sweden, results showed that eating a meal laced with cinnamon actually lowered the food's effects on the blood's sugar levels. The test only included 14 people half of whom were given normal rice pudding while the other half had rice pudding with cinnamon. They repeated the test again at a later date and came up with the same results. The researchers led by Joanna Hlebowicz believe that cinnamon may slow down part of the digestion process giving the body more time to break up the carbohydrates, therefore lessening the post-meal blood-glucose concentration.
Cinnamon And Arthritis
Another test conducted in Copenhagen seems to have found that cinnamon mixed with honey can significantly reduce the pain associated with arthritis. The study was conducted on 200 arthritis suffers who were all given a honey and cinnamon mixture before they ate breakfast. All of the patients tested reported some improvement in their pain management while 73 of those seemed to be relieved of all pain within a month. The results have astounded the medical community and brought hope to the thousands of chronic arthritis sufferers in the world.
While these tests are by no means conclusive, anything that may produce a positive result in the battle against these diseases without any nasty side effects is definitely worth trying.
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http://www.organicfacts.net/organic...About the author
Her website www.younglivingguide.com provides the latest research on preventing disease, looking naturally gorgeous, and feeling emotionally and physically fabulous. You can also find some of the most powerful super foods on the planet including raw chocolate, purple corn, and many others.
I have Type II diabetes which I control by diet alone - no meds. I am always looking for ways to help me to control my blood sugar. I ate cinnamon by the teaspoons full with meals for a long period of time, and it never helped a bit.
What I have found that worked for me is to take about an ounce of plain old store bought apple cider vinegar before eating, and that has helped. When I cheat on my diet (as I do from time to time) and have grains, or other carbohydrates and my blood sugar goes over 150 I ingest lots of ACV - 2 to 6 or more ounces and it generally brings the blood sugar right down. Have had levels of 210 from eating the wrong things brought down to 85 in less than an hour by ingesting lots of ACV.
1/4 cup of rice maximum (15 carbohydrates) is what is allowed by the clinic that is see for my diabetes. I've tried brown rice and several other "healthy" things and found that they are worse than ice cream which is my favorite cheat. Ate a bowl of steel cut oatmeal one time which raised my blood sugar levels to 195 after two hours - that is more than ice cream does. Each person is different. Each person should do their own testing and their own experimentation.
The ACV approach was found in a small study done the Arizona State University.
ACV is extremely effective against Diabetes. So is Bitter Melon. let me leave you with the following link:
http://www.tbyil.com/Diabetes.htm
Luella
The very best program for dealing with Type II diabetes (Type I also) by far is: "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars." This is the story and program of a Type I diabetic, married to an MD in the days before home testing. He had to lie in order to purchase a testing device and when he got it, he followed what he ate and what raised his BS by the hour. He learned to control his BS swings through diet and exercise and cut way down on his insulin. He tried to sell what he found to other physicians and they wouldn't listen to him. So, at age 45 he went to med school, became a doctor and they finally accepted some of what he had learned (there are still some who ignore his lessons - but not my clinic). He is the "father" of the blood sugar home testing device. His program is rigid but effective and very few can follow it. He allows only 4 carbohydrates per meal - plus significant exercise.
I walk for an hour or more on a daily basis. I find that if my blood sugar level is high (130 - 150) it comes down to 85 or 90 after the walk. I do walk briskly, in fact just within the past couple of months I've added walking poles and now do Nordic walking exclusively on my walks, which gives me an even better workout.
You may not be able to completely control your diabetes (though I am very close to doing so - my a1c is well within the normal range), but you can limit the effects with low carbohydrate diet and exercise. When first diagnosed though, my suggestion is to record what and how much you eat, and what causes the BS to rise. Then also record your BS levels after significant activities including weight training - which also helps a great deal.
Again, each individual is unique. There is a claim that there is no "one size fits all" but my clinic which limits carbohydrates and has been researching diabetes since 1923 uses the same diet and exercise approach for all diabetics. The American Diabetes Association diet is not the least bit beneficial, in my opinion.
If cinnamon works for you - great!!! But, it does not work for everyone. That's why in previous posts I wrote that everyone has to find what works and what doesn't work for them.
I also control my Type II with diet alone - no medications. I know what does and what doesn't raise my blood sugars and I know what brings it down. Both apple cider vinegar and exercise bring it down. Neither one may work for you.
I've tried many many things including chromium (you can't over do it or it will cause other problems), bitter melon, ginseng, Vitamin E, garlic, MSM, pycnogenols/grape seed extract/pine bark cinnamon, and several others. The only thing that works for me are - ACV and exercise. In fact, if you're Type II and not doing some kind of scheduled exercise you're asking for a lot of trouble.
Again - in the beginning each person should test, test, test, fasting levels in the morning, after meals of all kinds, pre-exercise and after exercise - until you know what you're body is telling you. How I feel has nothing to do with my blood sugar levels and I've had levels as high as 215. Plain steel cut oatmeal with no sweetener or milk raises my blood sugar to 185. On the Yahoo diabetes support group list a person there could eat oatmeal all day and it didn't bother her blood sugar levels but things that don't bother mine, bothered hers. No two people are alike when it comes to diabetes - except, there are programs out there that will help you control it better - and the Bernstein method is best. He touts several natural supplements along with a high protein diet.
Glad you can control your blood sugar levels without meds. I do it too.
You are most welcome Karlin. Cinammon, apple cider vinegar, bitter melon, all have amazing healing qualities and yes! I have heard of all of these reversing diabetes.
My Best,
Luella
I love cinnamon - and put a tiny sprinkle of Saigon cinnamon on top of the coffee grounds along with a small dash of sea salt and single drop of vanilla to start my day off with one of my indulgences. Yeah, I know, caffeine - yippee, just what I need with back pain . . .. I guess we we won't even mention the hazlenut/biscotti creamer. On the other hand, I do add organic goats milk and a teaspoon or less of organic blackstrap molasses along with organic honey.
Cinnamon has many health qualities, but it does however have the tendency to decrease male libido. Not something I have personally noticed or had a problem with (ahem), but it has certainly been reported fairly widely. On the other hand, one of our favorite herbal substances, oleander, often has just the opposite effect. Like cinnnamon, It is also often quite effective against both diabetes and arthritis.
Maybe that is why I haven't noticed any "dampening" effects from the cinnamon. Then again, maybe it is those new floral undies Luella bought . . . .

Tony
Wait......... WHO puts the tiny sprinkle of cinnamon, a small dash of sea salt and a single drop of vanilla on top of the coffee grounds? 
Ummm, I think it is that same woman with the floral undies. Rumor has it that she also makes some killer slightly scrambled organic eggs with minced garlic, slices of fresh yellow squash and zuchinni, occasional chopped jalapeno peppers, dash of tabasco/cayenne, chopped onions, broccoli spears and a side dish of freshly sliced tomatoes with a dash of celtic sea salt.
BTW, WHO taught that particular woman how to make coffee and eggs that way, hmmmm?

"You are most welcome Karlin. Cinammon, apple cider vinegar, bitter melon, all have amazing healing qualities and yes! I have heard of all of these reversing diabetes."
I have tried many alternative routes to controlling my Type II and I find your statement of "reversing" diabetes to be a pretty strong statement. I'm not saying that it can't be done but what that means is that if the disease is reversed then the one who has it can resume the life style and eating habits and activity levels they had prior to Type II diagnosis, and I highly doubt that to be the case. I have read that there are many physicians coming to the realization that Type II is not even genetic, but a learned behavior. That's certainly the case with my family who were raised on sweets and deserts of all kinds at every meal and had it programmed into us and none of us were particularly overweight. It also explains the absolute explosion of Type II in the past couple of decades.
When I was first diagnosed Type II more than four years ago I took classes on how to control my diabetes from the clinic that is my medical provider. In my class of 25 newly diagnosed Type II people, only one person was not overweight. Overweight, obesity, and activity levels are things that I don't believe I've ever seen addressed on these boards in regard to Type II. As the class progressed over a period of months and through following the clinic's guidelines, everyone of those overweight folks lost pounds (myself included as I was about 15 pounds overweight) - except one person who had a rather prosperous life style and didn't seem willing to change. I myself added significant exercise in the form of walking - an hour or more per day, which benefits Type II as well. Even at that I still trash myself at times for not taking up light weight training because by increasing muscle mass you add more cells of flesh which makes the body better able to process the excess insulin.
Perhaps by your definition I have "reversed" my Type II because my blood sugar levels are generally in the normal range and my a1c (the most significant indicator by far) have all been in the normal range - under 6, since changing my eating habits and my life style. Do I consider myself "reversed?" By no means. I find that I have to continue my current life style of both diet and exercise and cannot revert to my previous habits or my Type II will rear its ugly head.
I support alternative approaches to everything but I often believe that some of the alternative solutions are no better than big pharmaceutical solutions because of the medically programmed mind set that all you have to do is to "takes a pill" or a supplement and everything will be all right.
Type II requires significant changes. I've seen several who refuse to do that, and I've watched them suffer significantly.
The methods I describe have been very effective in controlling blood sugar and in many cases, some that I know personally, in reversing diabetes. Now, the word "reversing" has many implications. One must always stay on the proper diet and not stray. Doing anything without nourishing one's body properly serves no purpose. In no way can anyone go back to their prior lifestyle. In fact, everybody should stay away from any harmful foods: Sugar, sweeteners, processed foods, junk foods fast foods, sodas, etc. To follow this type of diet is a guarantee of health problems, be it diabetes or something else. These foods are poison to the system. Period.
While I realize that when the condition is severe, insulin and, unfortunately, medication may be needed, I find it apalling when I see diabetics taking medication while eating anything they want. And some doctors will tell them that it is okay to do this. I have also seen people that had to take certain medications and through the proper diet and alternative methods did reverse their diabetes to the point that they did not need this medication. This in no way means that they could go back to their prior lifestyle because to do so would definitely bring the condition back.
The key is prevention. Those that are healthy should take the appropriate steps to avoid Type II Diabetes and other conditions now.
Pharmaceutical solutions are not the answer. Nature is. The key is to use what nature provides, together with a good diet. I realize that diabetes is a very serious issue. There are times that a person will require medication. However, a vast number of Type II Diabetics can control their condition with the proper diet and supplements. How many people are given a warning that they are on the borderline? It is up to the person to take the appropriate measures to guard their health.
Luella
"One must always stay on the proper diet and not stray. Doing anything without nourishing one's body properly serves no purpose. In no way can anyone go back to their prior lifestyle. In fact, everybody should stay away from any harmful foods: Sugar, sweeteners, processed foods, junk foods fast foods, sodas, etc. To follow this type of diet is a guarantee of health problems, be it diabetes or something else. These foods are poison to the system. Period."
I agree completely. Yet for most everyone that is a change in lifestyle and not a reversal of the disease.
"While I realize that when the condition is severe, insulin and, unfortunately, medication may be needed, I find it apalling when I see diabetics taking medication while eating anything they want. And some doctors will tell them that it is okay to do this. I have also seen people that had to take certain medications and through the proper diet and alternative methods did reverse their diabetes to the point that they did not need this medication. This in no way means that they could go back to their prior lifestyle because to do so would definitely bring the condition back."
I couldn't agree with you more about diabetics taking meds while eating anything they wish. I've seen that several times - including family members. Was going to mention that in my earlier post but it already a long one.
"The key is prevention. Those that are healthy should take the appropriate steps to avoid Type II Diabetes and other conditions now."
Agree there too. I'm real big on Omega 3 supplements because they have been eliminated from our diets and Omega 3 is known to assist in Type II prevention. My clinic has all their patients take fish oil supplements, primarily for improvement of the lipid profile and they specifically target a reduction in triglycerides. (It worked for me. From 350 down to 45.) When I added just two fish oils per day, it helped improve my lipid profile significantly. Since then I've gone to mega doses of Omega 3 - at the levels that have been used in clinical research studies, which is 3,000 mg of Omega 3 per day, minimum. That has further benefited my lipid profile but after three or four months at this level I don't really see a significant change to my blood sugar levels, though there are other benefits. I believe that many of our modern illnesses are from a shortage of this supplement, from psychiatric problems to coronary disease to many others are caused by this shortage. If you've ever read about Dr. Dudley White, president Eisenhower's personal physician, you will find that he graduated from Harvard medical school in 1913 and went directly to work in Boston Hospital at that time and never saw a heart attack until 1921. Something in our lives has changed dramatically and it isn't all loss of activity and introduction of fast foods.
"Pharmaceutical solutions are not the answer. Nature is. The key is to use what nature provides, together with a good diet. I realize that diabetes is a very serious issue. There are times that a person will require medication. However, a vast number of Type II Diabetics can control their condition with the proper diet and supplements. How many people are given a warning that they are on the borderline? It is up to the person to take the appropriate measures to guard their health."
I agree there as well. Each one has to take personal responsibility for their conditions and their actions in all areas, including health. So I agree with most everything that you have written except for the "reversal" part. I am a survivor of tuberculosis from childhood and while it is not reversed (I still have active TB encapsulated within granulomas in my lungs, as do many other people) and though that has never altered my life style, I don't even consider it to be reversed. The reason that I refer back to that is if a person thinks their Type II is reversed it is much to easy to revert to old habits and the old problems will just reappear. That's why everything I've ever read on the topic says that it is controllable, but not reversable.
The number one thing that I see in all newly diagnosed Type II people is overweight and even obesity. From what I can tell, that applies to at least 90% of Type II at diagnosis. Yet in following the boards here regarding diabetes I don't believe that I've ever seen it even mentioned. While some supplements may help, a change in lifestyle - particularly weight loss is a huge, huge factor in controlling the disease. In fact, overweight contributes to numerous conditions on all of these boards yet it is often politely overlooked. Weight loss is generally a struggle. I know. But it can be done and is probably the most important action in taking responsibility for your health and regaining it from any condition. In these support forums when someone posts their new diagnosis and asks for help, the first thing I'd like to see them post is their BMI, but doubt that will ever happen.
We agree on almost everything. That doesn't take away from the fact that everyone is unique in several different ways and part of taking responsibility for our Type II we must test, test, test, and learn what affects our blood sugar levels, both up and down. I don't know if I've mentioned it recently but it's almost bizarre that sweets and deserts of course raise my levels yet sweet melons, cantaloupe and watermelon, actually help to lower them. Other fruits and not so kind to me.
We can take all the medications and supplements we want for diabetes, but this is our #1 U. S. health problem - including Type II. I've seen it, and I know how it affects Type II.
http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=245966
"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 64 percent of Americans are now overweight and 34 percent are considered obese. If current trends continue, by 2015, the percentage of overweight Americans will jump to 75 percent and the rate of obese Americans will leap to a scary 41 percent."
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