Healing Properties of sweetners and spices

HONEY & CINNAMON

Our ancestors for thousands of years recognized the healing properties of honey and cinnamon. Our Grandmother used them to help heal childhood ailments. Today, western scientists affirm that honey and cinnamon can cure many diseases. Honey does not age but I believe there is a more potent potential during the first six months after the bees extracts the nectar from the flower. The good news for us, though is that honey does NOT harm diabetic patients when taken in the correct dosage.

Ayurveda, India’s 5,000 year old science of Life recognizes the healing value of both honey and cinnamon. In prior articles, I discussed the energy constitutions of the human body. Select foods either aggravated or enhanced the energy systems. Therefore, Instead of banning honey or cinnamon completely for specific physical structure, they recommend adjusted quantities for ailments pertaining to VATA, PITTA, or KAPHA constituion. Ayurvedic specialists state:

HONEY

Indians and Egyptians utilize honey for a variety of conditions. One way for promoting healing is applying a poultice directly to wounds. Being a volatile sweet in the presence of heat, it breaks down when used externally. It is best, therefore, to use honey cool or at room temperature. When the honey is young--less than six months old--it is healing to the PITTA constitution. Kapha people consume honey best. Vata individuals benefit from occasional use since its dryness aggravates the Vata energy when over used.

CINNAMON

In many cultures, cinnamon is used in curry or main dishes instead of deserts as we do in Western Society. Cinnamon warms and sweetens and is an effective digestive aid. Cinnamon is valuable for all three energy constitutions. Just as honey does, cinnamon also has warming properties. Therefore, PITTA constitutions use Cinnamon occasionally.