# Cinnamon and ginger and cloves... oh, my!



## SamanthaNY (Apr 7, 2006)

Even though most health-related posts seem to go on another board, these links aren't related to weight loss or surgery, so I'mma post 'em here. 

This first link describes how two new studies suggest that cinnamon and cloves boost insulin function while lowering cholesterol (either spice might help both pre-diabetic and diabetic patients alike), and may also help alleviate inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. 

This second link offers information that ginger can kill ovarian cancer cells. Though it offers no advice on whether mere consumption of ginger is beneficial, it's still interesting how common foods we enjoy can be extremely powerful medicinal tools. 

Interesting reads, both. So spice up your health! :eat1:


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## olivefun (Apr 7, 2006)

There has to be something to that. 
We all know that ginger and garlic and ginseng has effects on our blood. 
We ingest so many different things, it is not hard to fathom that some of these will be either beneficial or harmful to our health. 

Just the law of averages. 

I can tell you that the other side of it, is that unpronounceable items on the ingredients list of our "foods" have to also have an effect. 
I am cautious about anything I cannot pronounce becoming a part of my body.


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## Tina (Apr 7, 2006)

Oooh, and I love them all! Thanks for the link! Ginger is also a natural blood and mucous thinner, and it's a 'hot' root, which means it can kick up your circulation and also help to clear your lungs out when you're sick.

Hi Sam!! Great to see you.


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## The Weatherman (Apr 7, 2006)

There have been so many studies done throughout the years saying that food x is good for you, and then five years later another study says that it is bad for you. Take the whole debate about Adkins diet, or the recent study that said a high fat diet is good for you. Does drinking wine daily help your heart, or kill brain cells? Does taking 400 mg of vitamin D daily help your bones, or destroy your muscles? The fact is that these people probably don't know what they are talking about, and there is always a hidden agenda behind these studies. Of course the dairy farmers want to say that milk cures cancer, but the soy farmers want to say that it's actually soy, and you should drink more soy milk. Health is so complicated that it's ridiculous to alter your diet based on such news.

Bah. My mom buys into all these fads, so the house is always stocked with gluten-omega3-codliver-and-soy granola bars ... yuck!


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## SamanthaNY (Apr 7, 2006)

And soylent green is... PEOPLE!! :shocked:


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## herin (Apr 7, 2006)

SamanthaNY said:


> And soylent green is... PEOPLE!! :shocked:



Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! :shocked: 
Why God, why???????


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## LillyBBBW (Apr 7, 2006)

Many people extol the virtues of ginger. A woman whose dad was a doctor grew up having ginger ale in the house all the time because her dad claimed that ginger had healing properties good at soothing the stomach. I've also heard for years around the singing community that chewing on a small piece of raw ginger will heal a tattered throat. It's actually recommended as an alternative to throat lozenges and Cepacol spray since it's believed that those things don't help at all and can facilitate further damage. They may be on to something with the ginger theory. It doesn't hurt to try.


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## Donna (Apr 7, 2006)

Great links, Sammiekins! I am so happy to see you here on the boards!

I have to chime in and share the link my PT gave me this week. What started as a conversation regarding natural alternatives to chemical pain medications led to a discussion of nutrition. I shared with him my goal to get healthier and possibly lose a few pounds along the way and shared with me this wonderful site. So much information for anyone interested in natural alternatives.


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## SamanthaNY (Apr 7, 2006)

Hi Tina!!  

Hey Donner!! Great link! I love resources like that... 

Anyone else have similar sources?


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## Tina (Apr 8, 2006)

Sam, I found This link that also talks about ginger as a natural anti-inflammitory, anti-spasmodic (which is why it's great for nausea and airsickness), analgesic and antioxidant.

I'd also like to say something for green tea as an antioxidant, blood-thinner and that has also been shown to reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure. Link here. I've been making green tea sun tea (decaf, though) almost daily. I drink basically nothing else, and my cholesterol levels are normal, even though I eat butter, cream, etc., and have a family history of high cholesterol. I use the Good Earth variety, though, which is very important to me, as EVERY other brand I've tried has a fishy taste and this brand not only tastes kind of like flowers, but doesn't need sweetening.  I get it at Trader Joe's for about $2.65 per box and that box makes about 4 jugs of tea.


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## Jes (Apr 13, 2006)

A good family friend (also a PhD in chemistry) has Parkinsons. He has been, for a long while now, willing to make himself a guinea pig for treatment, sometimes even mixing up chemicals and inhaling them himself! Anyway...he read that PD is much less common in India and Pakistan and there's a lot of thought that a diet high in cumin (and a few other things) might be a reason, and he's been self dosing with cumin tablets for a few years now. When he started, he definitely felt better, though that's not a scientific study by any means.


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## rainyday (Apr 14, 2006)

Jes, it's cumin not curcumin? Just wondering because curcumin (the spice turmeric) is one from India getting lots of attention for other things.

A friend's husband has Parkinson's and I'd like to pass it along.


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## Fuzzy (Apr 14, 2006)

This thread reminds me of one of my very first threads.. if it was still around:

Bengal Spice Tea, by Celestial Seasonings..


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## olivefun (Apr 14, 2006)

Fuzzy said:


> This thread reminds me of one of my very first threads.. if it was still around:
> 
> Bengal Spice Tea, by Celestial Seasonings..



Fuzzy, i love the tea, I send it to school with my daughter in her lunch quite often. She loves it and the attention it gardens because it is so fragrant.

What was the thread about?


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## Jes (Apr 14, 2006)

rainyday said:


> Jes, it's cumin not curcumin? Just wondering because curcumin (the spice turmeric) is one from India getting lots of attention for other things.
> 
> A friend's husband has Parkinson's and I'd like to pass it along.


Damnit, rainy....it's possible you're right. I didn't think anyone would so much care and so I didn't ask before I posted. I can ask...Ron is in England but I think my family will know.


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## Fuzzy (Apr 14, 2006)

olivefun said:


> Fuzzy, i love the tea, I send it to school with my daughter in her lunch quite often. She loves it and the attention it gardens because it is so fragrant.
> 
> What was the thread about?



How much I love this tea!


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