You probably have an array of spices decorating the shelves of your kitchen, including black pepper, salt, cinnamon and garlic powder. They help add flavor to your dishes and enhance the overall taste of your food. However, a pinch of this or a teaspoon of that can actually help improve your health. Home remedies using spices have been used for centuries to treat conditions – from inflammation to high blood pressure.
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Home Remedies Using Spices
Browse your spice cabinet and take a good look at your supply. There are home remedies using spices that could treat an array of health concerns. To get you started, consider the following options that you probably already have in your possession:
a) Cayenne:
You can say ‘thank you’ to the capsaicin found in cayenne pepper, which is behind the health benefits of the spice. This active ingredient is increasingly being found in many prescription and over-the-counter creams, ointments, and patches for arthritis and muscle pain. Over time, capsaicin attacks pain by depleting nerve cells of a chemical called substance P, which transfers pain signals along nerve endings to the brain. Cayenne could offer beneficial results for treating shingles pain and nerve pain linked to diabetes.
When sprinkled on top of your chicken soup, you can enhance the results of this traditional cold remedy because the cayenne helps to shrink blood vessels in your nose and throat. It can also relieve congestion. Cayenne pepper can increase your metabolism and fat-burning ability by up to 25%. The spice helps energize your calorie-burning effort for a couple of hours after eating it. If you don’t have any cayenne pepper, you can use Tabasco sauce as a substitute.
b) Ginger:
Ginger is often linked to offering an effective digestive aid, as it boosts digestive juices and neutralizes acids, as well as reduces intestinal contractions. Ginger can help fight nausea and vomiting associated with morning sickness and motion sickness. The most recent studies have explored ginger’s ability to fight inflammation, reduce pain, and treat swelling in arthritis. Since the spice can reduce inflammation, it may also play a role in preventing and slowing the growth of cancer. Try sipping on ginger tea to ease stomach cramps and other digestive problems.
c) Peppermint [1]:
You can use peppermint to treat gastric and digestive disorders, especially when sipped as a tea. The peppermint relaxes the muscles so that painful digestive gas is allowed to pass. To make peppermint tea, steep one teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves in one cup of boiling water. Leave for 10 minutes, strain, and then cool. Drink this brew four to five times per day between meals.
The main active ingredient in peppermint is menthol, which acts as an effective decongestant. Menthol thins mucus, which helps loosen phlegm and breaks up your coughs. The soothing effect of peppermint helps to soothe and calm irritated throats and dry coughs. Other benefits of using peppermint for your health include easing tension, fighting irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, and treating insomnia.
d) Cinnamon:
some people have used cinnamon to treat a case of diarrhea or upset stomach. The spice is also known for boosting the metabolism. Diabetics can use the spice to improve blood sugar levels when taking as little as ¼ to ½ teaspoon a day. The same amount can reduce triglycerides and total cholesterol levels by 12 to 30%. The heart-healthy spice can even help prevent blood clots, reduce heartburn, and provide the body with fiber. Other benefits to the spice are antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
e) Allspice:
Known as an aromatic stimulant, allspice can also relieve indigestion and gas.
f) Garlic:
The regular consumption of garlic can decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as treat digestion issues and prevent flatulence. A daily dose of garlic can help lower your heart disease risk by as much as 76 %. Research also shows garlic that diabetics can benefit from the use of garlic.
Garlic’s sulfur compounds (what makes it smell so distinct) also appears to ward off cancer, especially when it comes to cancer of the stomach and colorectal region. The compounds flush out carcinogens before they have a chance to damage cell DNA. With powerful antibacterial and antifungal properties, garlic can help fight yeast infections, some sinus infections, as well as the common cold.
g) Turmeric:
Turmeric is the spice responsible for giving curry powder its yellowish color. In India, the spice is used to stimulate the appetite and assist your digestive system. There is an antioxidant in turmeric known to neutralize free radicals, which can help protect against cancer – especially colon cancer and the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma. Other health benefits of turmeric include the reduction of inflammation associated with a handful of conditions, such as psoriasis.
h) Nutmeg:
The eugenol found in nutmeg offers a compound that is beneficial to the heart. In the medical world, there are also strong antibacterial properties linked to the spice, which has proven to kill a number of bacteria in the mouth that can cause cavities. The myristicin in the spice may also slow an enzyme in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Others believe the spice can help counteract depression.
i) Sage:
Known as a memory enhancer, sage has shown in some studies to protect against certain processes that can lead to an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. The spice offers anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and has also been linked to fighting and preventing cancer. Diabetics may also enjoy adding sage to their food, as it seems to boost the action of insulin and reduce blood sugar. There are some researchers that will tell you that sage supplements could even help prevent type 2 diabetes.
j) Alum [2]:
In the pack of your kitchen cabinet, you may have a bit of alum in the back. This old-fashioned pickling salt has astringent powers and when sprinkling over a minor cut, it can stop the flow of blood.
k) Coriander:
For thousands of years, inhabitants of Mexico, Thai, India and Vietnam were using coriander as a digestive aid. When made into a strong tea, the crushed seeds are quite effective. Just remember to strain the seeds before drinking. Some patients with irritable bowel syndrome use the spice to calm intestinal spasms that can lead to diarrhea.
l) Cloves:
With a distinct aroma, cloves offer anti-inflammatory chemicals called eugenol that can treat the symptoms of many medical concerns. The high antioxidant levels of the spice helps fight cancer, protect the heart, and slow the damage of cartilage and bone often associated with arthritis. The compounds in cloves also help to improve insulin function.
It is also well known that cloves can help soothe a toothache. Place a couple of whole cloves in your mouth, and let them soften a bit. Gently bite down on the cloves to release their oil. Clove oil also has a numbing effect and can be used to fight bacteria.
Resources
[1] http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/peppermint-000269.htm
[2] Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things by Reader’s Digest; pg. 310.