By Brent Hauver

Owner, Sage Health and Empowerment

Fall is finally here. The weather is cooler, the leaves are changing, and there is a much anticipated increase of delicious foods containing cinnamon. It’s fantastic! The distinctly fragrant, sweet, warm taste of cinnamon is the perfect spice in the cooler months, but the benefits of cinnamon extend beyond being delicious.

Cinnamon is one of the oldest known spices with quite a medical background. It was mentioned in the Bible and ancient Chinese text. It was used in ancient Egypt as a beverage flavoring, medicine, and embalming agent. In fact, it was so highly treasured that it was considered more precious than gold. Cinnamon’s popularity then continued through history becoming one of the most relied upon spices in Medieval Europe. So you see, since the beginning of recorded medical history, cinnamon has found a place among the greats. Modern science is not discovering the benefits of cinnamon, it is only providing the proof.

Anti-Clotting Actions – Cinnamaldehyde, an essential oil in cinnamon, has been well-researched for its effects on blood platelets. Platelets are the blood cells that clump together to form scabs and stop bleeding under normal circumstances.Cinnaldehyde helps prevents excessive clumping by inhibiting the release of inflammatory fatty acids.This action puts cinnamon in the category of an “anti-inflammatory” food.

Anti-Microbial Activity – cinnamon isbeing studied for its ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi, including the commonly problematic yeast, Candida. In laboratory tests, growth of yeasts that were resistant to the commonly used anti-fungal medications were often (though not always) stopped by cinnamon extracts. Cinnamon’s antimicrobial properties are so effective that recent research demonstrates that cinnamon can be used as an alternative to traditional food preservatives.

Blood Sugar Control – Cinnamon may significantly help people with type 2 diabetes improve their ability to respond to insulin, thus normalizing their blood sugar levels. Both test tube and animal studies have shown that compounds in cinnamon not only stimulate insulin receptors, but also inhibit an enzyme that inactivates them, thus significantly increasing cells’ ability to use glucose.

Cinnamon’s Scent Boosts Brain Function – just smelling the wonderful odor of this sweet spice boosts brain activity! Research of the Association for Chemoreception Sciences, found that chewing cinnamon flavored gum or just smelling cinnamon enhanced cognitive processing. Specifically, cinnamon improved tasks related to attention processes, virtual recognition memory, working memory, and visual-motor speed.

Calcium and Fiber Improve Colon Health and Protect against Heart Disease – cinnamon is an excellent source of the trace mineral manganese and a very good source of dietary fiber, iron and calcium. The combination of calcium and fiber in cinnamon is important and can be helpful for the prevention of several different conditions. Both calcium and fiber can bind to bile salts and help remove them from the body. By removing bile, fiber helps to prevent the damage that certain bile salts can cause to colon cells, thereby reducing the risk of colon cancer. In addition, when bile is removed by fiber, the body must break down cholesterol in order to make new bile. This process can help to lower high cholesterol levels, which can be helpful in preventing atherosclerosis and heart disease. For sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome, the fiber in cinnamon may also provide relief from constipation or diarrhea

So this fall when you smell the warm waft of cinnamon carried on the air or taste it on your tongue, take a small moment to enjoy and pay some respect to this ancient spice. You are not alone. Cinnamon has been delighting and benefiting man since time unknown. Here’s to you, Cinnamon, a versatile spice that flawlessly combines medical utility with palatability.

Brent Hauver is a Holistic Health Researcher who owns and

operates Sage Health and Empowerment Center in Overton, NV.