Does Spicing up Your Life Improve Health?

news you may not know

Take Two Cloves

And

Call Me In The Morning...

It seems rather surreal but, given their success, who are you to judge? Grandpa Henry has been looking great lately. Grandma Martha says his cholesterol is down, his energy is up and that nagging sore throat is a thing of the past. He's back to his old self, up at 5:30am, out for a brisk walk and back home for a hearty breakfast and the morning paper. He's even back to singing his favorite tunes from the twenties and thirties. Martha says she couldn't be more thrilled - well, she really could do without the singing.

Still, it's strange...

Grandma Martha and that hippie-looking gal from the health food store, out on the back porch for hours at a time, drinking herbal tea and passing around roots and bark and spices and... All the time laughing and chuckling and saying, "Oh, here - this will take care of his stiffness," and " Brew this up twice a day and his throat will feel great." You just don't know what's gotten into her. She used to be so much more sensible when Grandpa was sick all the time...

Is the future of medicine a return to the ways of the past?

Oddly enough, Grandma Martha and the "hippie-looking gal from the health food store" may have a great deal in common. They may also be on the cutting edge of a return to medicine's "roots." Researchers are showing growing interest in the medicinal uses of spices and herbs - something both grandmothers and modern day naturalists know a good deal about. Scientists, in an attempt to catch up with history, are setting about the task of quantifying the beneficial effects of spices and herbs in controlled studies.

In the meantime, here are a few commonly-accepted-non-double-blind-study medicinal uses of herbs and spices:

Cinnamon: Helps control blood sugar and lower cholesterol.

Ginger: Calms the stomach and alleviates motion sickness.

Garlic: A natural antibiotic, fights infection and helps lower both cholesterol and blood pressure.

Chamomile: Ah, a soothing cup of chamomile tea always calms the nerves.

Sage: Often used as a remedy for colds and sore throats.

Cayenne: Feel the burn! Aids digestion and improves circulation.

Turmeric: Antioxidant that may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's - the lower incidence of Alzheimer's in India, where turmeric is widely used, has captured the attention of researchers.

OK - now you know what to do. Sashay back to the porch, pull up a chair in between Grandma Martha and that hippie-gal, and make your feelings known. Look your granny straight in the eye and tell her, "You know, I've been having this pain in my lower back for the last couple of months..."

To read more about the medicinal use of spices, see this from eSSORTMENT.