DIABETES Natural Remedies: CINNAMON

October 16, 2017
Michelle Edmonds, M.A., M.ED
Author/Sr. Nutritionist| CEO
Serenity Weight Loss and Detoxification Program
Sponsor of  Serenity Radio Network (SRN)
www.serenityweightlossanddetox.com

During our Fall Cleanse, our focus is on Leaky GUT and LIVER TOXICITY. Guess what? Both challenges often have their root cause diabetes or what many MD's like to refer to as "Pre-diabetes". SIGH!!!!..If you know me or have read my blog before, then you that  I don't like that term. More on that another day. For now, I just want you to remember that the liver is responsible for many bodily functions since it is the largest internal detoxifying organ. It is responsible for two main functions that are the directly tied to our  Fall Cleanse focus: 

1. Balance of our hormones, be they Progesterone, 

Testosterone, and Estrogen 

2. Balance of glucose levels. The liver maintains our glucose reserves and when we are diabetic, please know that it is your liver that has  failed you, although the focus is typically on the pancreas which is responsible for releasing our natural insulin

Many times we hear about natural remedies and we  buy them with haste; excited about our new find and the promise that we will get well by using something inexpensive, safe and in this case,  tastes good. WE may even tell our MD and get deflated when they scoff at the suggestion that we are NOW using Cinnamon to lower our blood sugar. After all, Diabetes is a serious, chronic disease so why should an individual who trained 8 years or more go along with such foolishess. MD's are scientists which mean they want exactness. Notice your prescription are 1.5 mg 2x's per day or 30 mg of Humilin in the A.M. and 50 mg of Novolog in the p.m. Ver,y very very exact measurements. Then you come along and want them to endorse CINNAMON?? Chile, please!!!

But, you still believe in natural, self-health care techniques because after all, that is how most of us over the age of 25 were raised. Grandma shoved castor oil in your mouth at the first sign of illness. Any Asian,  African native, Latino or Caribbean or Meditteranean born knows about the historical use of this or that remedy that came out of the garden. And so does cinnamon, the focus of my blog post today

My goal is to answer :

What type of Cinnamon? Do we just go to the spice aisle as if shopping for cake ingredients?

NO. There are different types of Cinnamon. We want to be knowledgeable.

Let's  take a look at the four main types of Cinnamon, Ceylon, Cassia, Saigon, Korintje Cinnamon and identify them by color, taste, aroma and appearance. There are hundreds of types of Cinnamon. Only 4 types or varieties of Cinnamon are used for commercial purposes.

With the exception of Ceylon Cinnamon, Cassia, Saigon and Korintje Cinnamon are also classified under the Cassia Cinnamon category because they are very similar to each other with only slight variations in color, taste, shape and Coumarin content.

All Cassia type Cinnamon are hard and have high levels of Coumarin a substance known to cause liver damage, while Ceylon Cinnamon is the only soft and brittle Cinnamon with ultra low Coumarin levels. 

So, now that we have established the TYPE of Cinnamon we are looking for, we now need to know how to use it

1. Cinnamon may help treat Type 2 diabetes.

While it’s true that there’s no cure for Type 2 diabetes, cinnamon can be an effective tool in managing the disease.

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According to Lori Kenyon Farley, a Certified Nutrition Consultant specializing in wellness, fitness and anti-aging and one of the experts behind Project Juice, cinnamon can help manage this disease in two different ways. “It can reduce blood pressure and have a positive effect on blood markers for those with Type 2 diabetes,” she explains. Cinnamon can also reduce insulin resistance, which, Farley explains, “has been shown to lower fasting blood sugar levels by up to 29%, which can reduce the instance of Type 2 diabetes.”

Shane Ellison, MS, a medicinal chemist and founder of the Sugar Detox, explains how exactly this works. “(Cinnamon) works directly on the muscle cells to force them to remove sugar from the bloodstream, where it is converted to energy,” he says. “It’s even shown to work better than most prescription meds.”

The key is in increasing insulin sensitivity in the body, a sensitivity that, while present at birth for those without type 1 diabetes, slowly decreases as we age and consume more sugar. As a result, sugar floats around in the blood, causing diabetes and other health problems. “Cinnamon, which is completely non-toxic, repairs the receptors so they are once again responsive to insulin,” Ellison explains. “In time, sugar levels normalize due to an increase in insulin sensitivity.”

Add to this the fact that cinnamon has a naturally sweet taste that is devoid of sugar, making it a great addition to foods like plain yogurt as a dessert or snack, and you’ll soon see why we suggest it as a staple for the pantries of those with Type 2 diabetes.

2. Cinnamon can lower your bad cholesterol (or LDL).

Even if you do not suffer from diabetes, you may want to include cinnamon in your diet for many of the same reasons as those who do.

As Carina Parikh, MScN, MSiMR, the holistic nutritionist for Kate Naumes ND Holistic Wellness in Dallas explains, the positive impact on Type 2 diabetes symptoms is due to a number of factors, notably “improving serum glucose, lowering fasting blood glucose, and reducing triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol.” These are all benefits that can help even those not suffering from diabetes, including those with hereditary cholesterol worries or problems.

“(Cinnamon) also raises HDL (the “good”) cholesterol,” she explains. HDL cholesterol helps remove LDL cholesterol from the body.

And that’s not all. “Regular intake of cinnamon may also help to mitigate the effects of high-fat meals by slowing the increase in blood sugar post-meal,” says Parikh. This means that when cinnamon is added to your diet, the effects of occasional high-fat choices may not be quite as detrimental to your health as they would otherwise be.

3. Cinnamon has antifungal, antibacterial, and even antiviral properties.

Cinnamon has been proven to fight fungal, bacterial, and viral elements in foods, thus preventing spoilage. It’s no surprise that in the Middle Ages, when food spoilage was far more frequent due to lack of refrigeration, many recipes, both sweet and savory, were flavored with the spice.

But these properties of cinnamon do not extend merely to the foods cinnamon seasons. Consumers of cinnamon can benefit from these properties as well, according to our experts, who say cinnamon can be used as part of a treatment for anything from lung problems to the common cold.

Denise Baron, a wellness educator and director of Ayurveda for Modern Living explains that cinnamon can help with all sorts of lung congestion issues. “It helps clear up mucus and encourages circulation,” she explains, thus lending its powers to everything from a simple seasonal cough to bronchitis, when used in tandem with other remedies.

But perhaps the most surprising use of cinnamon is in combatting viruses, and not just the common cold. “Research shows that cinnamon extract may help fight the HIV virus by preventing the virus from entering cells,” says Parikh. “Therefore, cinnamon extract could potentially contribute to the management of HIV.”

4. Cinnamon can help treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases are two neurological conditions that, for the moment, are incurable. An enormous part of treating these diseases is therefore in symptom management, and this can be boosted with the addition of cinnamon to a regular regime.

“Cinnamon has been shown to help neurons and improve motor function in those suffering from Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s,” explains Farley. These contributions can help sufferers of these two diseases continue their regular routines with far less impediment.

5. Cinnamon may have anti-carcinogenic properties.

Many superfoods are attributed with anti-carcinogenic properties, but it’s important not to jump from super food to super power. Parikh explains why it’s important not to get carried away.

“Evidence suggests that cinnamon may have anti-carcinogenic effects as well, although the research thus far is limited to animal studies,” she says. “These experiments demonstrate that cinnamon extract slows the growth of cancer cells and induces cancerous cell death.”

If these properties do extend to humans, then cinnamon may in fact be able to slow growth and kill cancerous cells. And even if these properties do not extend to a cure or treatment for cancer in humans, other characteristics of cinnamon, including the presence of antioxidants and free radicals, can contribute to its possible anti-carcinogenic effects.

6. Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties.

Consumption of cinnamon can reduce both systemic and specific inflammation. The former is particularly important in the Western world, according to Parekh.

She says that in the West, “Systemic inflammation is a prominent problem that has led to the rise in chronic disease.” By adding cinnamon to a regular diet, this systemic inflammation can be reduced significantly.”

Specific inflammation reduction means that consumption of cinnamon can help treat certain types of pain and headaches, as well as arthritis pain. It plays a double role in this particular type of pain, according to Baron, as cinnamon can also boost circulation. “With circulation problems such as Raynaud’s syndrome or arthritis, this helps stimulate and push circulation to the joints,” she explains.

7. Cinnamon can help manage PCOS.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a problem with numerous symptoms that need to be managed, and cinnamon can be a key element of this management due to a number of characteristics.

First would be the management of insulin resistance in women with PCOS, which can contribute to weight gain. “A recent pilot study found that cinnamon reduced insulin resistance in women with PCOS,” explains Parekh, extending cinnamon’s recommended consumption from diabetes sufferers to anyone with an insulin resistance problem.

“Cinnamon can also help mitigate heavy menstrual bleeding associated with common conditions of female health, such as endometriosis, menorrhagia, and uterine fibroids.”

A health coach does this full-time, so hire a coach to get all your questions answered so that you can practice responsible self-health care. You can always start with this contact form to  reach us: @ https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1tgzlgRo0qZkuNIL3YK_Myk2_nY6-HdDwdCfZY26CprE/edit

What else are we using for our FALL CLEANSE for the Liver ? 

Here is a sneak preview