An Extraordinary Spice…Cinnamon!

This spice is so extraordinary that I carry around a little jar of it in my purse at all times.  Imagine the funny looks I must get when I pull it out of my bag and sprinkle it on my food in public.

Cinnamon is one of the world’s oldest known spices.  The tree is native to Sri Lanka where it was discovered thousands of years ago.  Because of its nutrition and health benefits, it is the best spice available.  It’s unique healthy and healing properties come from the components in the essential oils that are found in its bark.  Cinnamon is extremely high in anti-oxidants as well.  It has also been used as a medicine by other cultures since ancient times.

Since I love Top Ten lists and Top Ten reasons to do anything, below you will see ten reasons to incorporate cinnamon into your daily routine.

1. One study found that it boosts cognitive function and memory
2. May help people with Type 2 diabetes since it can help control blood sugar levels
3. Cinnamon may lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, triglycerides (fatty acids in the blood) and total cholesterol
4. A study released by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland showed that cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells
5. A person suffering from a cold should take one tablespoon of honey with 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.
6. Due to its antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-parasitic and antiseptic properties, it is effective on external as well as internal infections
7. Cinnamon helps in removing blood impurities, therefore, it is often recommended for pimples – An external application of paste of cinnamon powder with a few drops of fresh lemon juice over pimples & black heads could give a beneficial result
8. It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium
9. Honey and cinnamon paste is good for boosting the immune system, removing regular fatigue and increasing the longevity of an individual. It is also known to have anti-aging properties.
10. Cinnamon spice contains anti-inflammatory compounds which can be useful in reducing pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.    A study conducted at Copenhagen University, where patients were given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder combined with one tablespoon of honey every morning had significant relief in arthritis pain after one week and could walk without pain within one month.

So here’s the scoop… or the dash – as it were… Carry cinnamon around with you.  Sprinkle it in your coffee or tea.  Sprinkle it on your oatmeal.  Sprinkle it on your fruit.    It can benefit the immune system, decrease arthritis pain, improve our cholesterol, and much, much more. So try it the next time you have a cold. It might be just the thing you need!

Oh – (not from experience or anything) If you decide to turn it into a paste and put it on a blemish… Remember to wash it off before leaving your house!

Have fun with cinnamon and let me know what you think!

Healthy Soda?

Well Pepsi claims it has one! I can’t get over this! Ok, Let me breathe. Nope! Still mad. It’s enough to make me forget my manners and swear. I’ll try to reign this in and explain my frustration. Pepsi has launched a new cola on Japan that is being endorsed by Japan’s Wellness Department as a healthy drink! As if “diet soda” wasn’t enough of a misleading term, “healthy soda” sends me over the edge. I try to present myself as a professional at all times, but seriously I can’t help but let out an “ew gross.” What are its proposed benefits? Well, it contains a decent amount of dextrin, which is a fiber additive that can act as an appetite suppressant. Do you know what else will do that? The natural fiber content in vegetables, fruits, nuts and beans. But what that natural fiber can’t do for you is something that dextrin does very well. Dextrin will wreak havoc on your digestive system. It causes bloating, cramping, constipation and gas. Charming, I know. But yes, Pepsi. It can trick your body into thinking it’s fuller than it is.

In addition to this dextrin it still contains artificial sweeteners, corn syrup, caramel coloring and all of the other fantastic ingredients typically found in cola drinks, and yet they’re advertising it as healthy. Their ads have implied that you can have a big slice of cake as long as you drink a Pepsi “Special” first to counter act the fat content. So not only do so many people not think there is anything wrong with diet sodas, but now people are going to be convinced that this drink is actually beneficial to your health!

Did I mention that this has only been tested on rats? In essence, releasing the product in Japan is basically asking the Japanese to pay to be product testers! I send my condolences to the Japanese and am grateful that Pepsi hasn’t released their product here. At least I have the opportunity to make a stink about it before it reaches our shores!

Why are people always looking for a processed, packaged, marketed way to lose weight and get nutrients when the purest sources of well balanced nutrition are the least altered foods you can find? That wasn’t rhetorical. If you know the answer please tell me! Eat your vegetables! Eat your fruit! Eat nuts and whole grains! Drink water! You’ll lose weight from the fiber, look better, feel better, have more energy, live longer, reduce your risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease, depression, chronic fatigue, allergies, colds and flus, basically anything that’s not completely genetic. So, what is the healthiest soda out there? The one you don’t drink.

Hemorrhoids, Not A Necessary Evil

Hemorrhoids, a modern day problem.  Why modern day?  Well because ages and ages ago, people were far more intelligent or maybe just didn’t have the wealth and the means to buy so many darned foods devoid of fiber.  Those pesky little hemorrhoids…well not so little, but certainly pesky, seem to be the burden of many.  This is a question that comes up a lot.  So I have decided in true David Letterman form to do a top 10 list.  Now before I get on with the list let me just say a couple of things about hemorrhoids.  They are so, so, so, so preventable!  I must point out that hemorrhoids did not plague our ancestors.  Why?  Well, because quite frankly, they ate their whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes!  So follow the right kind of diet my friends and you will avoid certainly pain, and for heaven’s sake surgery as well.

I have decided to give you the top 10 list of foods sure to keep those pesky suckers away, here goes:

10:  Tropical Fruit (Granadilla)

9:  Beans (Navy, White, French, Kidney)

8:  Sunflower Seeds

7:  Nuts (Almonds, Pistachios, Pecans)

6:  Sun-dried Tomatoes

5:  Dry Roasted Soybeans (Edamame)

4:  Flax, Sesame Seeds, and Sesame Butter (Tahini)

3:  Cocoa Powder and Dark Chocolate (70% cacao)

2:  Dried Herbs, Spices, and Peppers

1:  Bran (Corn, Wheat, Rice, Oat)

Now in  addition to this top 10 list, and you probably know what I’m going to say, make sure that  you are drinking plenty of water.  Oh, and by the way, as far as beans go, black beans have an enormous amount of fiber.  Remember, you don’t need huge quantities, just enough to keep you regular.  Sorry, that didn’t sound as funny as I meant it to.  Oh, and by the way, if you seem to be quite musical after your daily dose of beans, try adding a little fresh ginger.  It might do the trick.

Here’s a tip for everyone who is short on time.  Just to make sure that I always have certain foods available to me at work or at home I try to find a few hours on the weekend and make a big pot of beans (my favorite happen to be black beans and garbanzo beans (chick peas).  These are great with just a little extra virgin olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar sprinkled on.  Or, just add some beans to your meals to ensure you have gotten enough fiber.  Looking for a healthy, high fiber snack?  Bran muffins are a great alternative once in a while.  But please make sure, and you know at this point what I will say, that they are preservative free.  These are great muffins to make at home since they are quick and easy.  Oh, and here’s another good tip, when you eat beans make sure everyone around you eats them!

Have a fantastic, healthy day.

Best Regards,

Vicky