If you are thinking about taking cinnamon you need to be aware that it can cause allergic reactions and if taken to excess can be toxic. In addition it should not be taken by pregnant or nursing women, children under 2 or people will liver disease. In addition the essential oil should not be taken without professional supervision.This article is part of a series giving information about herbs and their medicinal properties. We are going to look and cinnamon in this article. You will find out what this herb is, how you can use it and the conditions that could be helped by cinnamon.

What is Cinnamon?

Cinnamon is actually created from the bark of trees that grown naturally in India and Sri Lanka. This tree has a thick, red-brown bark and small yellow flowers. It is normally harvested and distributed around the world. As well as being a valuable herb for your health it is also commonly used in cooking for a variety of savoury and sweet dishes. Usually every two years the trees are cut back to just above ground level, the bark is harvested from new shoots and dried. The outer bark is stripped away leaving the inner bark which is the part used.

How to use Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a widely available herb and you can pick up cinnamon sticks as well as ground cinnamon in all supermarkets and many small convenience stores. You can use either the powdered version or the sticks to make your own remedies at home. A couple of good remedies are detailed below:

1. Tincture - add 10 tablespoons of cinnamon powder to 250ml of vodka and 250ml of water. Leave this solution to set for a couple of weeks shaking twice a day to ensure the cinnamon is infused in the liquid. You will find that this tincture lasts a longer than you would expect.

2. Soothing Drink - Add 500ml of water, a stick of cinnamon and a few cloves to a saucepan, bring to the boil and keep there for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the juice of a lemon, a tablespoon of honey and 2 tablespoons of whisky. Then leave to infuse for around 20 minutes before drinking.

Uses of Cinnamon

Cinnamon is an exceptionally valuable herb and can be used for a wide variety of conditions and due to its accessibility can be very useful indeed. One of its main properties is as a digestive aid and so many herbalists will prescribe its use for nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and indigestion. It is also thought to be very useful at treating colds and the flu, and the above soothing drink can be used for that purpose.

A number of research studies have shown that cinnamon has a number of properties including antibacterial, antiseptic, antiviral, antispasmodic, and antifungal properties. For that reason it could be useful at treating yeast infections as well as relieving athlete’s foot. In addition studies done in the USA have shown that cinnamon can control the blood sugar levels and so can be helpful for people with diabetes.

Cinnamon bark promotes menstruation. It has been used to treat menstrual pain and infertility. Women in India take it as a contraceptive after childbirth. Other conditions that may benefit from cinnamon include coughs, fevers, bronchitis, asthma, high blood pressure as well as being an aid for the healing of cuts.

Side Effects and Precautions

There are some side effects that you can experience when taking cinnamon including stomach upsets, sweating and diarrhoea. In addition if you take cinnamon in large doses you could experience changes in breathing, dilation of blood vessels, sleepiness, depression, or convulsions. Also if you take too much for too long you could experience red, tender gums; mouth ulcers; inflamed taste buds; and a severe burning sensation in the mouth.

If you are thinking about taking cinnamon you need to be aware that it can cause allergic reactions and if taken to excess can be toxic. In addition it should not be taken by pregnant or nursing women, children under 2 or people will liver disease. In addition the essential oil should not be taken without professional supervision.