Add a Dash of Cinnamon
The signature smell of fall is cinnamon. From Thanksgiving
pie, to hot apple cider, this robust spice truly is everything nice! While its
delicious taste may have won over our hearts, science has recently supported
that it might be more than just delicious.
With the holiday season approaching, you’ll be cooking up a
storm in the kitchen! Unfortunately, recent research shows that cooking
equipment is the leading cause of home structure fires and fire injuries[1].
So how can you protect yourself? With Life Alert! Any home emergency such as a
fall, health crisis, fire, or home invasion, Life Alert will send help
fast. They can send help even if there
is no response from you. So while you’re busy adding cinnamon to everything,
let Life Alert protect you, your family, and your home.
From the beginning of time, cinnamon has been used as a
natural remedy and now Real Simple[2]
has listed all of the modern-day health benefits of this yummy spice.
1. It Might Prevent Colon Cancer.
The compound that gives cinnamon its color
and scent (cinnamaldehyde) might just inhibit the production of colorectal
cancer—at least in mice, according to a May 2015 study published by University
of Arizona College of Pharmacy researchers in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.
The mice that had cinnamaldehyde were able to protect themselves from a
carcinogen.
2. It May Kill Off Viruses.
A daily dose of cinnamon might just keep
viruses away. Researchers from Touro College in New York City presented their
preliminary findings in June 2015 at the American Society for Microbiology
Annual Meeting. They compared two South Asian spice varieties, from Saigon and
Ceylon, against other plant extracts (onion, garlic, cloves, peppermint, cocoa,
and Spanish saffron). Using an extract containing 10% cinnamon effectively
killed a virus similar to ones that harm both animals and humans, after just 10
minutes. And the results lasted longer than a day. The study authors recommend
sprinkling it over hot chocolate, on pancakes, or in smoothies.
3. It Might Boost Memory.
While the human studies aren’t there yet,
cinnamon has shown promise in boosting the brain in animal research. A 2014
study published in the Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and
Pharmacology evaluated the effect of the spice on mice with dementia. The
scientists gave the rodents 50, 100, and 200 mg doses of Cinnamomum zeylanicum
bark (which cinnamon is derived from), and then had them perform a water maze
and object recognition tests. The mice that took the 100 and 200 mg doses
outperformed the other group in the water maze test and better recognized the
difference between familiar and new objects.
4. It Could Also Control Diabetes.
A 2013 research review published in the
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine suggested that cinnamon could have real
benefits when it comes to Type 2 diabetes, even though some of the human
research results have been mixed. “Despite the mixed results coming from
studies of cinnamon in type 2 diabetic patients, there is promise in its
potential effects. Large, randomized, placebo-controlled studies of cinnamon
need to be completed in order to fully evaluate its efficacy,” the researchers
wrote in their conclusions. “However, due to the significant amount of
favorable studies in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes, cinnamon is a
reasonable treatment option in this population. Cinnamon’s low cost,
over-the-counter availability, and safety profile make it a relatively low-risk
alternative to traditional glucose-lowering medications.” But before you start
dumping the stuff on everything you eat, take note: They say maximum medical
benefits likely come from taking capsules of cassia (Chinese) cinnamon.
5. It Can Relieve Period Cramps.
Good news for those who suffer from bad
menstrual cramps: In an April 2015 study of almost 80 female students from the
Ilam University of Medical Sciences in Iran, women who took cinnamon in
pill-form showed a significant difference in severe symptoms compared to those
who took a placebo. At the start of their cycles, subjects took 420 mg of
cinnamon or starch three times daily. From day one, the spice takers
experienced less pain in 24 hours and almost none by day 3. They even had less
menstrual bleeding and nausea compared to the placebo group.
The signature spice of fall, well, never sounded better!
Luckily, this super spice is available year round and can help keep you strong
and healthy. Also available 24/7 and designed to help keep you healthy and safe
is Life Alert Protection. If you are an aging senior looking to maintain your
independence, you need Life Alert’s emergency pendant! Simply worn around your
neck or wrist, you can push the button on your pendant in the event of a life
threatening emergency, and receive an emergency medical response fast! An
accident can occur at any time, so don’t go through the fall season without
getting Life Alert, in case you fall. Their dispatch team is available 24/7 and
can communicate with you during an accident in order to send help fast. Just
like adding cinnamon to your famous bread pudding to enhance its flavor, you
can add Life Alert Protection to enhance your life! For a free brochure call
1-800-513-2934.
Works Cited:
1.
Ahrens, Marty. “Home Structure Fires.” National Fire Protection Association.
September 2015.
2.
Chisholm, N. Jamiyla. “5 Sweet Health Benefits
of Cinnamon.” Real Simple.
<http://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/healthy-eating/health-benefits-of-cinnamon>.