This Holiday Spice Turns your Food into Medicine

Cinnamon!  It's not just for pumpkin pie and coffee cake. This spice has been used in Chinese Medicine for thousands of years for it's many healing properties.  It is a primary ingredient in hundreds of herbal formulas that treat everything from upset stomach to insomnia.

According to the Materia Medica, it's physiological actions include: promoting circulation, warming the body and extremities, generating fluids and moistening dryness, warming the blood, unblocking a stifling sensation in the chest and together with other herbs, it can improve your resistance to seasonal illness.

Some of cinnamon's most often medicinal uses are for:

• The common cold
• Joint pain, arthritis
• Chest pain and palpitations
• Upset stomach, nausea, vomiting
• Painful periods or lack of periods
• Anxiety
• Poor circulation
• Hot flashes, spontaneous sweating

So use Cinnamon freely this holiday season- it will warm you from the inside!

Try making some Chai Tea at home: 

1. Combine: cinnamon sticks, cloves, black peppercorns, sliced ginger and cardamom. 

2. Add water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes. 

3. Remove from heat and steep 2 black tea bags for 4-5 minutes.  

4. Stir in some sugar and milk (can also use an alternate milk of your choice.) 

5. Then strain and enjoy!