Maintain Your Health with Cooking Spices

Going back a couple of years I reviewed a book called Secrets from a Healthy Asian Kitchen.

This book  advocated  making foods healthier by substituting ingredients such as green tea for water when cooking. I loved the simplicity of the idea.

In recent months I've started adding another health enhancing trick to my repertoire.  I am adding healing spices to many of the foods I eat. My mainstay is turmeric which helps fight against the development of tumors; when coupled with pepper turmeric is said to be especially potent.When I add these two spices to things like my homemade salad dressing on a regular basis I know I'm adding a little more health insurance to my food.

Here are some other spices that are being shown to help your body:

Rosemary - The carnosic acid found in rosemary has been shown to reduce stroke risk in mice by 40 percent, according to a study published in the Journal of Neurochemistry. It can also protect against degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and the general effects of aging.

Cinnamon, turmeric, basil, oregano, thyme, and sage can all protect your brain from inflammation, according to neurologist Eric Braverman, M.D., a clinical assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College.  Dr. Braverman recommends  3 to 7 teaspoons of any combination of these spices each day. I always include basil when I'm having tomatoes, such as in a salad or a sandwich.

Cinnamon also helps the body process sugar. It's natural compounds improve insulin function lowering blood sugar with as little as 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon a day. It has also been found to help cut triglycerides and total cholesterol levels.

Oregano and cinnamon both have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Oregano oil is available in a tincture as well and is often used as a bacterial fighter.

Cilantro enhances the bodies ability to detoxify heavy metals. Since I have a history of high levels of lead and mercury in my system I regularly eat cilantro, it's also available in a tincture. After first taking chlorella to protect the stomach from the metals that it may pull from your body cilantro is good to take before getting a massage, using a sauna or participating in other activities that make you sweat or get your lymph working. It will enhance the detoxifying effects of these activities. It is also a digestive aid and is used as a tea to calm diarrhea.

Speaking of detoxing, last spring I did the 21 day Clean protocol recommended by Dr. Alejandro Junger. According to Dr. Junger the body needs 12 hours after it's last meal of the day to fully detox for the next day. He recommends a 12 hour window overnight before you eat the next day. I thought that sounded pretty interesting and matched my tendency to get hungry about 12 hours after my last evenings meal. I've found I feel much better on days when I follow that guideline. I recommend the Clean experience, particularly if you suspect you have food allergies. The Clean "diet" is a great way to identify foods you're sensitive too and it has a great Clean support site on the web. The site includes a lit of healthy recipes too!

The book is available here Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body's Natural Ability to Heal Itself

There are plenty of  books on healing spices available if I've piqued your interest. I love simple tricks to increase my chances of living a long healthy life, and this is certainly one of them!