Delicious and aromatic, cinnamon is a wonderful warming and strengthening remedy to dispel cold, winter chills, and symptoms associated with cold, congestion, and deficiency of vital energy. Cinnamon has been used since time immemorial to treat diarrhea, rheumatism, hypertension, abdominal pains, and female problems.
For Internal Use
A hot drink of cinnamon stimulates the circulation and causes sweating, preventing or remedying flue, colds, phlegm, fevers, and infections. You can inhale oil of cinnamon for head colds and chest infections. Cinnamon's warming and stimulating properties can be given direction in the body by combining it with other remedies: with thyme, hyssop, or elecampane for bronchial congestion and infection; with angelica and blue cohosh as a uterine remedy to treat irregular and painful periods, heavy bleeding, infections and leucorrhea.
Cinnamon warms and stimulates the digestive system, improving digestion and calming colic, diarrhea, nausea, gas, and distension. Its tannins stem bleeding in nose bleeds and heavy periods, and remedy phlegm. The essential oil in Cinnamomum selenium is one of the strongest natural antiseptics know. Its antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties prevent and treat acute infections, including cystitis, colds, bronchitis, thrush and enteritis, and chronic infections, such as yeast infections and tonsillitis. Eugenol in the oil acts as an anesthetic, helping to relieve pain in arthritis, headaches, muscle pain, and toothache when applied locally.
For External Use
Cinnamon makes a good antiseptic wash for cuts, wounds, bits and stings, head lice, and infected skin.
Cinnamon Folk Remedies
Cinnamon bark has been a highly prized spice for millennia, at times more valuable than gold. Cinnamon is mentioned in the bible and was used in ancient Egypt for embalming and witchcraft. The Crusaders brought cinnamon to western Europe to flavor food and medicines, and for perfumes. In medieval Europe it was recommended as an aphrodisiac.
Cinnamon powder stirred into a glass of milk is an old country cure for dysentery.
As a strengthening tonic, cinnamon has been used to relieve fatigue, debility, melancholy, winter lethargy, poor circulation, impotence, and nervous problems.
Cinnamon was prescribed as a remedy for cholera, at the beginning of mumps, and for consumptives as an inhalant.
