About a year ago I received a FW (you know, those email chain letters) that extolled the virtues of honey and cinnamon. You can see it here. I got the same FW in my email again yesterday. I re-read it. I checked it out with Snopes (the urban myth guys-- I always check the "can-this-be-true?" email jam out with them) and they say that the honey and cinnamon content is "research in progress" issue.... that could mean that someone is actually researching it, or that because of the 'folk lore' quality of the email, they are just blowing us off, so to speak. I thought I would do some independent study, particularly about Cinnamon. Why the cinnamon research? Well, earlier this year we had an alternative health presentation by a very nice young fellow at our church who told us that cinnamon, and other strong spices (nutmeg, cayenne, etc.) are far from being medicinally helpful so much as they are actually toxic and acidify our systems making our bodies into big petry dishes that can rapidly grow cancers and other nasty stuff. Here is what I find about cinnamon in another online article (at www.healthdiaries.com): 10 Health Benefits of Cinnamon 1. Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol. 2. Several studies suggest that cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes. 3. In some studies, cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections. 4. In a study published by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland, cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells. 5. It has an anti-clotting effect on the blood. 6. In a study at Copenhagen University, patients given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder combined with one tablespoon of honey every morning before breakfast had significant relief in arthritis pain after one week and could walk without pain within one month. 7. When added to food, it inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative. 8. One study found that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory. 9. Researchers at Kansas State University found that cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices. 10. It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium. Wow-- cinnamon sounds like something I would want in MY natural medicine cabinet. But let's take a look at the 'contraindications' that are recounted online: The name cinnamon is correctly used to refer to Ceylon cinnamon, also known as "true cinnamon" (from the botanical name C. zeylanicum). However, the related species, Cassia (Cinnamomum aromaticum), Saigon Cinnamon (Cinnamomum loureiroi), and Cinnamomum burmannii are sometimes sold labeled as cinnamon, sometimes distinguished from true cinnamon as "Chinese cinnamon", "Vietnamese cinnamon", or "Indonesian cinnamon.

"[citation needed] Ceylon cinnamon, using only the thin inner bark, has a finer, less dense, and more crumbly texture, and is considered to be less strong than cassia. Cassia has a much stronger (somewhat harsher) flavour than cinnamon, is generally a medium to light reddish brown, hard and woody in texture, and thicker (2–3 mm thick), as all of the layers of bark are used. In many supermarkets in the United States, products labelled as cinnamon may often be cassia.[citation needed] Due to the presence of a moderately toxic component called coumarin, European health agencies have recently warned against consuming high amounts of cassia. This is contained in much lower dosages in Cinnamomum burmannii due to its low essential oil content.

Coumarin is known to cause liver and kidney damage in high concentrations. True Ceylon cinnamon has negligible amounts of coumarin.

(information found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamon) So, before purchasing any cinnamon powder to use in the many delicious ways that are mentioned in the Honey and Cinnamon article, I would be very careful to make sure I was in fact getting true Cinnamon from a trusted source such as here. And then I would use it moderately as a 'natural medicine' and not as an everyday condiment, as alluring as that might be.

If you want to find a natural way to deal with flu, colds, and viral infections without being medicated with antibiotics and the like, here is the stock you need in your Natural Medicine Chest and what to do with it: Immunity Formula I® Baseline Daily Immune Protection: Head to toe nutritional and immune function support.  It's your body's most important defense against disease, infections, and more. In order to keep your immune system strong and in good working order, Immunity Formula I provides the essential nutrients for healthy immune function. Starting with your biggest weapon - your skin - Immunity Formula I provides zinc, vitamins E and C, and beta carotene to maintain the health of this first line of defense. In addition, it protects on the inside with beta carotene, vitamins C, E, B6, B12, and folic acid, as well as mineral support from copper, selenium, and zinc. Full nutrient potency is guaranteed with ShakleeGuard®, a patented blend of antioxidants and rosemary extract.

To guard against flu, colds, and viruses, take 4 per day.

Defend & Resist Complex Extra immune support when you are stressed, fatigued, and feeling that “first tickle.”*  When you first feel that tickle, get the protection you need with Defend & Resist Complex. It gives you not one, but four clinically proven immune-supporting ingredients: echinacea, black elderberry, larch tree, and zinc. Each supports, enhances, and promotes a healthy immune response.*

For an extra immune boost, take 6 per day.

  Nutriferon Would you want anything less than this?  Dr. Kojima, the world renowned immunologist who discovered interferon in 1954, spent 40 years searching for a natural interferon booster.  The scientific and medical communities have identified interferon as critical to healthy immune function.   With its patented combination of four plant extracts, Nutriferon invigorates your natural immune system and increases your resistance safely and naturally.*

Take 2 Nutriferon a day to ensure that your immune system's own interferon is 'on the job'.

Garlic Complex Tablets Studies have looked at garlic's potential for fighting infection and detoxifying the body. The active components allicin and alliin may have anti-infective effects against bacteria and fungi. Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria responsible for many peptic ulcers, is one species of bacteria that garlic has been reported to inhibit.  Garlic may also help in the detoxification of heavy metals from the body, including lead.  Shaklee uses a unique temperature-controlled drying process to create the premium garlic powder that goes into its Garlic Complex tablets. This preserves more of the active and nutritional components of the garlic than other methods of processing; maximizes the potency of allicin (the major active component of garlic); and minimizes any after-odour.

When you are hoping to avoid or overcome flu, colds & viruses, take 9-12 Garlic   Complex tablets daily.

Sustained Release Vita-C® As a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C is a do-everything kind of nutrient, supporting heart health, immune health, and more. But important as it is, our bodies can’t store it. To make it available, we need it at regular intervals. Hour after hour, Vita-C is clinically proven to perform. Shaklee Sustained Release Vita-C was the first C on the market to offer natural plant extracts.

For the Big Boom of Sustained Release Vita-C power, take 10,000 mg. daily

Joint & Muscle Cream This soothing joint and muscle pain relief cream distinguished itself in three ways:  it's applied where it hurts, and it works in minutes.  Shaklee's new Joint & Muscle Pain Cream provides temporary relief from minor joint and muscle pain, including arthritis pain, back aches, sports injuries, sore muscles, and more.  It is so fast, soothing, and effective, you'll want one for your medicine cabinet, purse, and gym bag, too!  This non-greasy, fast-absorbing, deeply penetrating, topical cream soothes in minutes. Alfalfa Tea with Zinc Premium, Chemical-Free Alfalfa & Spearmint: Alfalfa roots burrow deep into the earth to reach minerals that are inaccessible to most other plants. Shaklee Alfalfa contains trace amounts of a wide range of vitamins and minerals. We use premium quality alfalfa, grown in California with no fungicides, bacteriosides, synthetic hormones, growth regulators, or chemicals. There are Over 200 Reasons to Add Zinc to Your Diet That's the number of different enzymes in your body that depend on zinc. Their functions range from making genetic materials, DNA and RNA, to helping with the metabolism of fatty acids. Zinc promotes normal growth and development, and maintains normal immune function. In fact, zinc is clinically proven to help optimize immune function.  Our Zinc Complex is formulated with zinc gluconate, an easily absorbable and well tolerable form of zinc, in a vegetarian base of alfalfa and roasted barley.

Make tea using 2 Cups of filtered water, 5 Alfalfa tabs and 1 Zinc tab, and sip through the day

Raw Onion has a pile of amazing benefits. I just found some notes I had jotted on a small piece of paper and want to get them down to benefit you and your child with the ear ache: Quick and Simple Step #1 Puree an onion in your VitaMix (or other blender or juicer) Strain off the juice. Take a glass ear dropper and suck up the strained onion juice.  Put the 2-3 drops directly into your child's ear and put a small plug of organic cotton wool in the ear.  Onion juice has been shown to be the quickest, most effective remedy to stop pain and fight infection. THE NATURAL MEDICINE CHEST For the child who has had more than 1 incident of ear ache, you will want to have them take this excellent herbal-whole food supplement immunity builder-- Give 1/2 a table to a child under a year and up to six tablets a day to a child 6 - 12 years old to increase their immunity during those times of the year when they seem more prone to ear ache and infection. This highly effective Garlic pill can be crushed with a mortar and pestle (a great set of tools for any parent to have) and mixed in with mashed potatoes or apple sauce so that the child can get the benefits without having to swallow the pill.  For toddlers and infants, crush the garlic tab and put the powder in the child's sock... the benefits will be absorbed through their skin! Use the best, purest Vitamin C with a sustained release over the course of the day.   Crush 3-5 tabs and mix with a 1/2 C. of purified water to be used over the day.  Store this formulation in a light-resistant glass bottle and use a glass eyedropper to give to your child three to four times a day. To replace the good digestive flora that is important to proper bodily functions, soak this little pearl in warm filtered water, mash, and put in your child's food. For recurrent ear aches:

• Get the child off dairy products
• Provide 2 excellent multi-vitamin/mineral pills with Xylitol in them to inhibit the growth of bacteria

Keep your child hydrated during illness with the sports drink that my husband favours above all others.

by Irene King I would like to share a little about my own bout with the Big "C". I was also diagnosed with cancer. In my case, it was breast cancer. My husband found the lemon-sized lump -- I had been somewhat lax in self-exams because I did mammograms faithfully every year. So much for early detection. I was scheduled for surgery and the diagnosis was cancer. I can't even begin to describe the cold feeling you get when the doctor's telling you that you have it. To make a long story short, I went to a master herbalist who had been recommended to me by a very good friend. She put me on an incredible raw food, dry-brushing, cleansing, herbal regimen. When I went in for the lymph-node surgery some six weeks later, in spite of having Level III cancer, my lymph nodes and tumor site were absolutely clear! Needless to say, I feel that cancer was my friend. It woke me up to the priorities in life and made me take my health much more seriously. I'm going to share below the type of regimen, diet, herbs, etc., that I was/have been on. This does not mean that I'm prescribing -- not only am I NOT a doctor, but I don't even play one on TV! One more thing about non-supportive doctors. I went to an oncologist for a preliminary checkup and found him to be the most offensive, holier-than-thou, Nazi asshole I had ever run into in my life. I had already decided that chemo was not an option. That locked it up for me - no way was that idiot going to play with my health! He basically told me I was stupid for being worried about side effects - I thought Larry (my husband, Larry King - not the one on tv ) was going to deck him. Nearly a year later I'm still cancer free and still very much on an excellent diet. I don't plan ever to change, although one does slip from time to time . My desire now is to become even more familiar with herbs and perhaps become a master herbalist. I feel that God has provided a cure for everything. We just have to look to His resources to find them. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to write me and I will tell what I can remember about everything that I did. Believe me, it wasn't easy! And now, the story : I was dragged kicking and screaming to the herbalist. I had already talked with her a couple of times and she insisted that I start IMMEDIATELY on an all-raw, vegan diet. I was totally against the idea of a raw diet. What did that have to do with anything? At any rate, desperate times call for desperate measures and so I went. She put me on a regimen that literally changed and saved my life. First and foremost is that I had to eat an all-raw vegan diet. I learned to like it -- sort of.

Juices I try to drink at least a pint a day -- a quart or more when I can. Each cup of juice should contain at least two of the following: carrots, beets, FRESH celery, ginger, wheatgrass, barley grass (I sprout these myself), parsley, or dark green vegetables. Don't ever use brown, wilted celery. It can be toxic. And it goes without saying that all vegetables should be organic whenever possible. If not, get the freshest you can find and scrub well. I also throw in apples, oranges and lemons (whole) from time to time. I think my tastebuds are permanently traumatized!

Supplements Spirulina with organic sulphur (MSM), vitamin C powder, and organic cayenne. I also add nutritional yeast, Barleygreen, beet powder, and kelp.

During crisis Up to nine garlic cloves (raw) a day. I put in a small food processor with parsley, lemon, and a little sea salt to cut down on smell and make it palatable. Otherwise, two cloves a day when I think of it.

Coenzyme Q 10 - 100 mg once a day (expensive!) Vit. D-3 - 800 IU a day. 1200 during crises. Vit. C - 2000 mg Vit E - 800 IU Selenium - 250 mcg. Melatonin - 3 mg. Colloidal minerals - One tablespoon three times a week

Herbs With any herb, it's good to take a break from them one or two days every two to three weeks. When crisis has passed, it's not a bad idea to go nearly a week or to scale down. Every Sunday is my herb-free day, with an occasional long weekend thrown in. When I first started, though, I went for a straight six weeks with no days off. When my diagnosis came back clear, my herbalist suggested that I begin to take an occasional day off to give my body a rest.

Chaparral tea -- one cup two times a day with 10 drops chaparral tincture. The tea is made by soaking two very rounded tablespoons of the dried herb in a quart canning jar in just enough vodka to cover for about 10-15 minutes. Then fill up the jar with boiling distilled water. Must use distilled because it uses all the goodies that the herbs have. Then let the jar sit for 8 hours, preferably in the sun. By the time it's ready to use, it should be tan and cloudy. Tastes truly nasty! But it smells like the desert after a rain. I call it my herbal chemo! She taught me how to make my own teas and tinctures, so I do a lot of my own stuff now. The tincture is made by filling a jar half full of herb, then adding boiling water enough to just cover. After it cools, fill jar to the top with vodka or everclear grain spirit. It should sit at least a month before use. Shake once daily. I'm drinking the tea now only several times a week. I keep a bottle of tincture available "just in case." This is important - Because it is such a strong and powerful plant, chaparral is NOT a "one size fits all" herb. It has to be used judiciously and only when there is a great need for it.

Echinacea tincture (both kinds of echinacea) - Because of the way she "brews" her tincture, I cannot hope to duplicate it, so I buy from her. During crisis time, three to six dropperfuls a day. It's not cheap!

Astragalus tincture - Make my own. One to two dropperfuls a day. Burdock root and red clover blossom tincture - ditto

Parasite cleansing tincture Use only for one week - maybe once every three/four months. This is strong stuff! Tincture consists of green black walnut hulls, wormwood, garlic, cayenne, ground cloves, and ground pumpkin seeds. Use tincture instructions above and use two dropperfuls a day - one in the evening and one at night. Should also take capsules of ground cloves and black walnut hulls at the same time. Can't use this the way you can use herbal fiberblend. I was pretty horrified at what came out!

Cleansing Stuff During crisis: two enemas a day, some with strong black coffee (cooled down of course!) I still do them from time to time if I'm feeling a little "stove up." Herbal laxative - I think it's the same formula as Dr. Schulze's #1 intestinal formula, except that it worked better. I don't know what she has in it but it's easy to use. It has the same effect as Herbal Fiberblend. Intestinal Flora - I can't remember what I'm using off the top of my head, but it's a capsule a day. Lifestyle

* Dry brushing every day. Natural brushes can be found at Target, Wal-Mart or K-Mart for about six bucks. * Castor oil packs three times a week. Castor oil on a cloth against the skin over the liver to stimulate immunity. Use a heating pad and don't let it get uncomfortably warm. This sounded goofy to me, but it worked! * Warm water with lemon each morning. * Sunshine every day. Twenty minute walks to start - build up from there and make working out a regular part of your routine. I'm planning to walk a half-marathon later this year! * Rebounding - fun when you can't get outside. Because of limited budget, I found a nice little cheapie trampoline for about $20 at Service Merchandise. * Hot/cold baths & showers * Laugh * Spend time on and for yourself. * Pray - a lot. I had to learn how to pray for myself. I think that's the hardest thing for people to learn how to do. Get others to pray for you. My experiences

When using the green food, prepare for unexpected results. Unlike tableted vitamins, they actually work. If you're on Barleygreen you already know what I'm talking about. You get energy, see changes in the skin, etc. I was really skeptical when I started, but my hair started growing faster and my skin cleared up. My skin is as soft as someone in her 20's and I'm 47.

If a cancer patient is drinking a lot of beet juice, be careful. It can be an explosive detoxifier. To say nothing of the fact that it turns bodily fluids various shades of pink and red! You can get a real feeling of illness as your liver tries to cope with the aftereffects of toxins dying off. Look up Herxheimer Syndrome (or Reaction).

I had to start adding some cooked food to my diet after six months because I noticed that I was shedding a lot of hair. After about three weeks on cooked food (rice, steamed veggies, stir-fry, my own home-baked bread, etc.) the shedding stopped. My diet is now about 80% raw and 20% cooked. That's what's best for me. Obviously this is a long and difficult regimen. I can't always do everything every day, but I do my best to do the most that I can. Actually, the supplements, herbs, etc., are secondary. It's the lifestyle changes that are the most significant. Sunshine, fresh air, laughter and prayer are more important than anything! The one thing I can say that I respect the doctors for is that they take cancer very, very seriously. And so should anyone. You have to hit it with everything in your arsenal. I hope you found this interesting. Reading back over it, I can't believe that I was able to stick with any of this! Addendum The issue is that I had two surgeries. The first one was the one that removed the lump. I wasn't worried because there was no history of breast cancer in my family, I had breastfed three children over one year, and lived pretty healthy. So, being the type of person that I am, I asked to see the tissue while still in the operating room. (Warning: gross description following) It was kind of strange looking: sort of a creamy pearl white mixed with brown (I think blood that had changed color from the fluid in the jar), and with blue (yes, blue) swirls entwining around it. I think back now and get a little shudder that I was looking cancer in the eye. That was about the 25th of May of last year. I had already gotten in touch with Barbara Rogers (my herbalist - 702-454-6060) and had sort of started on the raw diet. Five days later I got the news - my large tumor was cancerous. I'd like to take a minute here to rant about mammograms. I was 46 when this was diagnosed. I had mammograms EVERY year since the age of 40. I had even had one when I was 35 that the doctors wanted to use as a "baseline." Yet this huge tumor was completely UNDETECTED until my husband found it on the upper inside of my left breast. I had one more mammo in June - the technicians were told to be "extra careful" to include all surrounding tissue - because even the doctors couldn't believe that something that large had been missed. I still may do another mammogram - maybe when I'm 50, because I sure don't see the use of them. Talking to other women also gave me an interesting insight. Nearly every one who had cancer surgery had also been faithful with mammograms, but yet still found the lump on their own. Needless to say, we are not exactly mammo fans. Well, I got the news on June 1; however, because my surgeon was going to be out of the states until near the end of July, I could only schedule a July 20 surgery date. That gave me over six weeks to do something serious about my health. That's when I buckled down and followed Barb's recommended program seriously. BTW, I had an opportunity to briefly meet a lady who had gone to Barb when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Well, the cancer is now gone. Without surgery. At any rate, I met with the surgeon once before surgery where I was given the choice of a lumpectomy (actually, just cleaning out the area where the lump had been) followed by six weeks of radiation; a modified mastectomy (breast only removal); or a radical mastectomy (where they remove everything but the kitchen sink) with no radiation therapy for these surgeries. He also said that because of the size of the tumor that chemotherapy was highly recommended. Because it seemed that people I knew who died from cancer died because of cancer **treatment** rather than the cancer itself, I was already pretty sure that I wasn't going to do chemo. I opted for the lumpectomy, figuring it would be less traumatic. Since the tests came back with NO SIGN OF CANCER anywhere in my body, I was so relieved that I had gone that route! All the rest of the report is okay. But I wanted to be sure that you (and everyone) understood that I did have two surgeries. Which, since I didn't have surgery that was disfiguring, I don't regret doing at all. It was just peace of mind. I hope this helps to clarify my story. Thanks. Irene King Other related posts you might want to read: Victoria Boutenko's Anti-Cancer Green Smoothie Recipe Fountain of You Big Girls Do Bounce No Mammograms Please Dry Brushing for Great Health Brenda Cobb's "Changing to Conquor" Mp3

The Lone Ranger always used silver bullets, and when he had solved a problem, (ie defeating the bad guys), he would leave a silver bullet as a sign... (Google)

As I think I have mentioned before, Ed and I have ventured down a long trail of alternative health practices through our (almost) 39-year marriage. Our Seventh-day Adventist Christian faith has a strong "health message"that acts as an important life-style guide for us. We believe that we are created in God's image and as such, have a need to experience health on several levels-- physical, mental, emotional, financial, and spiritual (mentioned above). We are complex beings. Our complexity demands that we gain the knowledge and develop the wisdom that is necessary to take care of our health and model that care and its effects for others. We have also "done" the allopathic medical-model of "sick-care" with our babies born in hospitals, prescriptions for antibiotics, a couple of surgeries and a lot of traditional dental work over the years. We are appreciative of the good conventional medical care that is available to us in Canada with providers who have wide knowledge and integrity. We are also really appreciative of the choices that we have in this country-- where we can also tap into the best of 'alternative' and 'complementary' health care. At this time in our life, with gratitude, we choose to emphasize the diverse alternative and complementary health care in maintaining our health and wellness. We are so blessed to have all the information about health a click away and to have the wherewithal to grow and purchase the foods and health supplements that we trust. We are so grateful to be living on beautiful Vancouver Island with a yard that contains fruit trees and a much longer growing season than we knew in the prairies. Come along with us on our journey through 2009-- towards better health! Find us by bookmarking the page using the following tool: