The Healing Benefits of CINNAMON & HONEY

written by : Alan Steinfeld
source : NewRealities.com

 

Since the initial posting of the Cinnamon and Honey article, it has become one of the most popular pieces on the whole website.  Besides some of the great testimonials I have received about this simple healing formula there are some additional considerations that have been brought to my attention.  Since I have had so many hits and some very important comments, I decided to take these helpful suggestions and clarifications in order to bring people more updates and accurate information. 

 

First before you start taking this, please note that not all Cinnamon is the same.  There are two types of cinnamon : Ceylon Cinnamon and Cassian Cinnamon.  Cassian Cinnamon has much higher levels of a compound called Coumarin, which can be toxic to your liver in large prolonged doses, please see specifications below.  If you are taking Cinnamon daily you should take Ceylon Cinnamon which has low levels of Coumarin and won't damage your liver.

 

As far as honey is concerned, it is best to get raw never been heated honey.  You can find some great products at your local health food store.  But the honey that is sold in big-chain supermarkets has none of the nutritional value you can get with natural raw honey. Even raw honey is very high in natural sugar and should be used in moderation.  That is the key to this health formula in general.  The best strategy is to take a rest of one week after six weeks of use to give your body a rest... and you can come back to the formula with renewed strength.

 

Here are some other updates : where it says spoonful, it is most logical to use teaspoon sizes not table spoon.

And it is best not to boil honey, it can lose its valuable enzymatic power.  Where it says boil, it means pour boiling water over honey, it does not mean boil the honey. Do NOT boil, but it's ok to pour boiling water over honey.  I hope this helps.

 

One additional confession:  It is true that most of the original posting was mostly taken from a the Weekly World News, January 17 1995.  But just because a lot of what is found in that paper can be considered confabulation, this particular piece seems to have merit and the honey and cinnamon combination as a natural remedy can be found in many other places as a well proven remedy. 

 

Here is the updated article :

 

Folk remedies have been around a long time for a very good reason-- they work! 

Here is another for the folks : CINNAMON & HONEY

Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar.  Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. To do so will kill the enzymes in the honey. Make sure your honey is untreated, unprocessed and not heated. This will have the greatest benefit. Caution : honey is a form of sugar so too much honey of any kind is not good for the body. But a little bit of honey can help some of the following conditions.

The Cinnamon should be organic. Chinese medicine says it is warm and nourishing for the Kidneys.
 
Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it.  It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours.  As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured.  According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.  To make it lukewarm,  place it in a small jar and let it set in warm water for awhile.

HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack.

Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat.  In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS: According to the studies done in  India and  Japan , it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA – FLU: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural 'ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life span also increases and even a 100-year-old might start performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water.  If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

WEIGHT LOSS: Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.
 
SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

CANCER: Research in  Japan and  Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.

BAD BREATH: People in  South America first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts, helps restore hearing.

CONCLUSION:
It is good to take some sort of mixture of cinnamon and honey daily!

 

How to Differentiate Between Ceylon and Cassia Cinnamon

Source : PEASHealth.com

You need to pay attention to a very important fact that not all cinnamon is good. Most people do not know this. There is a lot of discussion on the internet on topics like benefits, uses, remedies, etc of cinnamon. There is either no or little information about the fact that not all cinnamon is good. There is fake and real, good and bad, toxic and non-toxic! In this article, I have explained all about this and how to choose the right one.

Cassia Cinnamon
This is called cassia, Chinese or Saigon cinnamon. Some people also call it fake cinnamon. It is produced in countries such as Vietnam, China and Indonesia. It is very hot and by chewing a piece you can feel the pungent taste sizzle and flame in your mouth. It shares some of the characteristics with real cinnamon like being anti-microbial, anti-fungal, blood regulation etc. The real problem, however, with the fake cinnamon is that it has a high content of coumarin; in fact, nearly 1200 times higher than found in the real herb. Taking large amount of coumarin is highly toxic and a prolonged use may pose several serious health damage.

 

According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in Germany, coumarin can damage liver and kidneys if taken for longer periods. In case of sensitive individuals, only a small amount can cause damage.

BfR further advises that cassia cinnamon contains high levels of coumarin and should not, therefore, be eaten.

Cassia Cinnamon is a lot cheaper than the real or Ceylon variety. Most cinnamon sold in the supermarket is the Chinese or Cassia variety.

Ceylon Cinnamon

This is also called real, sweet or good cinnamon. It is produced in Sri Lanka from the plant called Cinnamomum Zeylanicum. It is light brown in color and thin and soft in appearance. The sticks are filled like a cigar with several folded layers. The amount of coumarin content is only 0.0004% against 5 % found in Cinnamomum Cassia.

 

How to Distinguish Between the Two?
In case of ground cinnamon, it is very difficult to distinguish between the two unless you are an expert, especially at sniffing spices. However, there is no guarantee that the result will be one hundred percent accurate. However, in case of sticks, it is easier to differentiate between the two. The following table and pictures highlight some of the differences which can help you to choose the correct type.

 

Ceylon Cinnamon	Cassian Cinnamon
Soft texture, easily broken	Hard texture, not easily broken
Soft and Sweet aromatic	Pungent and very spicy flavor
Coumarin content 0.0004%	Coumarin content 5%
Generally safe	Toxic if taken in case of prolonged use
Expensive and not found everywhere	A lot cheaper and found in supermarkets
Native to Sri Lanka	Native to China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia
Light brown in color	Dark Brown or reddish in color
Soft in appearance	Rough in appearance
Several folds of layer like a cigar	Only inward folded. Empty cavity

 

Most bottled or packaged ground cinnamon does not mention its type or origin. It is, therefore, difficult to ascertain its type and origin or the country or plant. The best course is to identify the sticks and make sure that you are buying the Ceylon variety. Once you get hold of the real “thing” , use your blender to crush it into powder.

 

 

Suggested Readings :

 

1. Facts on Honey & Cinnamon, Snopes.com

 

2. Honey & Cinnamon Cure - Help or Hoax? Health Scams Exposed

 

3. Honey and cinnamon cures - do they really work? Natural News

4. Honey and Cinnamon: Miraculous Health Benefits Just a Myth? The Alternative Daily

 

 

 

 

taking too many vitamin pills can increase cancer risk

published by : The Telegraph
21 Apr 2015

Taking too many vitamin tablets can increase your heart disease and cancer risk, new research has warned.

Over the counter supplements are promoted for their health benefits but exceeding the recommended daily amount may have a counter effect.

Dr Tim Byers of the University of Colorado Cancer Centre said: "We are not sure why this is happening at the molecular level but evidence shows that people who take more dietary supplements than needed tend to have a higher risk of developing cancer."

Two decades ago research found those who ate more fruits and vegetables tended to have less cancer so Dr Bryers began to investigate if taking extra vitamins and minerals would reduce cancer risk even further.

But the associate director for cancer prevention and control added: "When we first tested dietary supplements in animal models we found that the results were promising.

"Eventually we were able to move on to the human populations. We studied thousands of patients for ten years who were taking dietary supplements and placebos.

"We found that the supplements were actually not beneficial for their health. In fact, some people actually got more cancer while on the vitamins."

Too many vitamin tablets could be bad for your health

One trial exploring the effects of beta-keratin supplements showed that taking more than the recommended dosage increased the risk for developing both lung cancer and heart disease by 20 per cent.

Folic acid, which was thought to help reduce the number of polyps in a colon, actually increased the number in another trial.

Dr Bryers said: "This is not to say that people need to be afraid of taking vitamins and minerals.

"If taken at the correct dosage, multivitamins can be good for you. But there is no substitute for good, nutritional food."

He added most people get the daily recommended doses of vitamins and minerals in their diets by eating healthy meal and warned: "At the end of the day we have discovered that taking extra vitamins and minerals do more harm than good."

The findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2015.


Recommended Readings

1. Vitamin health warning: Too many supplements can 'boost' risk of cancer and heart disease, The Express UK

2. Vitamins & Minerals, Cancer.Net

3. Vitamin supplements and cancer, Cancer Council NSW

4. Multivitamins Linked to Breast Cancer Risk, WebMD

cancer myths & facts

article contributed by : National Cancer Centre Singapore

source : Healthxchange.com.sg

 

April 2015

 

 

Globally, cancer cases may be on the rise, but cancer patients are actually living longer because of early detection and advances in treatment.

 

Patients can now hope to survive common cancers such as breast cancer and prostate cancer, and enjoy a good quality of life. However, cancer continues to evoke fear in many people, and the numerous myths surrounding cancer don’t help. Most of these myths, circulated via email and text messages, and posted on the Internet, concern the cancer risk posed by commonly used items.

 

Dr Faye Lynette Lim, Consultant, Division of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), a member of the SingHealth group, dispels some of these cancer myths and presents the facts related to such items as antiperspirants and hair dyes.

 

Myth 1: Daily use of antiperspirants and deodorants can cause breast cancer.

Fact: Antiperspirants and deodorants are safe to use every day and they don’t cause breast cancer. It is wrongly believed that aluminum and parabens in these personal care products are absorbed through the skin, or through cuts caused by underarm shaving, and cause breast cancer. A study on the use of underarm perspiration products and cancer, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2002), found no link between breast cancer risk and antiperspirant use, deodorant use, or underarm shaving.

 

Myth 2: Wearing a bra can compress the lymphatic system of the breast and cause toxins to accumulate, leading to breast cancer.

Fact: It is completely safe to wear a bra. There is no scientific evidence to link wearing a bra, the type of bra worn (under-wired or non-wired) or the length of time it is worn, with breast cancer risk. The authors of a new breast cancer study on post-menopausal women, funded by the US National Cancer Institute and published in the September 2014 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, said: “Our results did not support an association between bra wearing and increased breast cancer risk among post-menopausal women.”

 

Myth 3: Using hair dye regularly to colour your hair increases your risk of breast cancer, bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukaemia.

Fact: Scientific evidence on the link between personal hair dye use and cancer is mostly inconclusive. Most studies on personal hair dye use and the link to bladder cancer and breast cancer have not found an increased risk. However, some studies do suggest that hairdressers and barbers, who have a high exposure to hair dye and other chemicals, may have an increased risk of bladder cancer.

 

Due to the lack of conclusive evidence from research studies, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, considers hair dye use to be “not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans”.

 

If you are a regular hair dye user and are concerned about your cancer risk, you would do well to carefully follow the instructions when you apply hair dye. Always use gloves and don’t keep the hair dye on longer than instructed. Alternatively, you can use plant-based hair dyes rather than the commonly used semi-permanent and permanent dyes.

 

Myth 4: Excessive use of mobile (cellular) phones can cause a brain tumour and specific types of cancer, e.g. skin cancer and testicular cancer.

Fact: Mobile phones don’t cause brain tumours or cancer. Mobile phones use radiofrequency (RF) waves, to send and receive signals from cellular towers. These RF waves are a form of non-ionizing radiation. There is no conclusive evidence to prove that these RF waves can cause a brain tumour or cancer. The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates the safety of mobile phones in the United States says: “The majority of studies published have failed to show an association between exposure to radiofrequency from a cell phone and health problems.”

 

Myth 5: Artificial sweeteners can cause cancer.

Fact: Artificial sweeteners commonly used as sugar substitutes, are safe to use. Studies have been conducted on the safety of these artificial sweeteners, e.g. saccharin, aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal), sucralose (Splenda), acesulfame potassium (Sweet One, Sunett), and there is no conclusive evidence to indicate that they are associated with cancer risk in humans.

 

Myth 6: Excessive consumption of sugar can worsen your cancer.

Fact: Eating sugar will not worsen your cancer. Studies have not found any link between eating sugar and cancer though a high-sugar diet can cause weight gain and obesity. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing some types of cancer, e.g. colon cancer and pancreatic cancer.

 

Myth 7: Heating plastic containers in the microwave can release toxins which cause cancer.

Fact: All plastic containers which say ‘microwave-safe’ are completely safe to use in your microwave oven. However, it’s important to follow the instructions on the container, e.g. remove the lid before use. Plastic containers which are not labeled microwave-safe should not be used in the microwave since they can melt and leak chemicals into your food.

 

Please note: plastic containers and bottles that contain ready-to-eat foods such as yogurt, cream cheese, mayonnaise and peanut butter are not microwave-safe.

 

Myth 8: Using plastic bottles to store water or freezing them can cause cancer. Disposable water bottles contain a harmful substance called DEHA and re-using them can cause cancer.

Fact: You can safely store water in plastic bottles as long as the bottle is in good condition and can be cleaned with soap and water to prevent the growth of bacteria. This also holds true for disposable plastic water bottles, which can be re-used as long as they are in good condition. According to the American Cancer Society, “DEHA is not inherent in the plastic used to make these bottles.” There is also no scientific evidence to suggest that you can’t freeze plastic water bottles.

 

Article contributed by the Division of Radiation Oncology at:

Recommended readings

1. Common Cancer Myths and Misconceptions, National Cancer Institute USA

2. Rumors, Myths, and Truths, American Cancer Society

3. Popular myths about the causes of cancer, Mayo Clinic

4. Cancer Myths and Facts, WebMD

5. 10 persistent cancer myths debunked, Cancer Research UK

6. 31 Myths and Truths, The Breast Cancer Deadline