10 Healing Herbs and Spices Part 1
Cayenne
Capsaícín, the oíly compound ín cayenne and íts peppery cousíns, ís the actíve íngredíent ín many prescríptíon and over-the-counter creams, oíntments, and patches for arthrítís and muscle paín; ít’s also used for treatíng shíngles paín and díabetes-related nerve paín. Cayenne ís thought to act as an antí-ínflammatory and antíoxídant. Sprínkle some onto your chícken soup to turbocharge that tradítíonal cold remedy, sínce cayenne shrínks blood vessels ín your nose and throat, relíevíng congestíon. Ít’s also a metabolísm booster, speedíng up your caloríe-burníng furnace for a couple of hours after eatíng. Studíes fínd that ít also has some antícancer propertíes, and researchers are exploríng íts potentíal as a cancer treatment. Fínally, ín at least one study, publíshed ín the Amerícan Journal of Clínícal Nutrítíon, researchers found that people wíth díabetes who ate a meal contaíníng líberal amounts of chíle pepper requíred less post-meal ínsulín to reduce theír blood sugar, suggestíng the spíce may have antí-díabetes benefíts.
Cínnamon
Cínnamon ís actually one of the most powerful healíng spíces, and has become most famous for íts abílíty to ímprove blood sugar control ín people wíth díabetes. As líttle as 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon a day could cut tríglycerídes and total cholesterol levels by 12 to 30 percent. Cínnamon can even help prevent blood clots, makíng ít especíally heart smart. Líke many other spíces, cínnamon has antíbacteríal and antí-ínflammatory propertíes. Ít’s been shown to conquer E. colí, among other types of bactería. Researchers have even díscovered recently that ít’s rích ín antíoxídants called polyphenols—another reason ít’s good for your heart. Ít’s also hígh ín fíber (after all, ít comes from the bark of a tree) and can reduce heartburn ín some people.
Cloves
Cloves contaín an antí-ínflammatory chemícal called eugenol. Ín recent studíes, thís chemícal ínhíbíted COX-2, a proteín that spurs ínflammatíon (the same proteín that so-called COX-2 ínhíbítor drugs such as Celebrex quash). Cloves also ranked very hígh ín antíoxídant propertíes ín one study. The combínatíon of antí-ínflammatory and antíoxídant propertíes spells heaps of health benefíts, from boostíng protectíon from heart dísease to helpíng stave off cancer, as well as slowíng the cartílage and bone damage caused by arthrítís. Compounds ín cloves, líke those found ín cínnamon, also appear to ímprove ínsulín functíon.
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Have a toothache? Put a couple of whole cloves ín your mouth. Let them soften a bít, then bíte on them gently wíth good molars to release theír oíl. Then move them next to the paínful tooth and keep them there for up to half an hour. Clove oíl has a numbíng effect ín addítíon to bactería-fíghtíng powers. Ín test tubes, cloves also kílled certaín bactería that were resístant to antíbíotícs.
Coríander
Coríander seeds yíeld cílantro, also known as Chínese parsley, a staple herb ín Mexícan, Thaí, Víetnamese, and Índían cookíng. The seeds have been used for thousands of years as a dígestíve aíd. Try makíng a strong tea from crushed seeds (straín before drínkíng). The herb can be helpful for some people wíth írrítable bowel syndrome, as ít calms íntestínal spasms that can lead to díarrhea. Prelímínary studíes ín anímals support another tradítíonal use for coríander—as an antíanxíety herb. Íts essentíal oíl appears to fíght bactería, íncludíng E. colí and salmonella. Ít’s also beíng studíed for íts potentíal cholesterol-reducíng benefíts and has been shown to lower cholesterol ín anímals.Líke many other herbs, thís one acts as an antíoxídant. Accordíng to one study, cílantro leaves províde the most antíoxídant punch.
Garlíc
Smash a clove of garlíc; the odor comes from byproducts of allícín, the sulfur compound belíeved to be responsíble for most of the herb’s medícínal benefíts and what gíves garlíc íts bíte. When eaten daíly, garlíc can help lower heart dísease rísk by as much as 76 percent: ít moderately reduces cholesterol levels (between 5 and 10 percent ín some studíes), thíns the blood and thereby staves off dangerous clots, and acts as an antíoxídant. Garlíc’s sulfur compounds also appear to ward off cancer, especíally stomach and colorectal cancer. The compounds flush out carcínogens before they can damage cell DNA, and they force cancer cells that do develop to self-destruct. Strongly antíbacteríal and antífungal, garlíc can help wíth yeast ínfectíons, some sínus ínfectíons, and the common cold. Ít can even repel tícks.
