For centuries, it has been known that various natural things are good for treating a variety of illnesses and health conditions. For example, many tribes of American Indians would use willow bark for things like headaches, fevers, aches and pains and even for upset stomachs. It turns out that willow bark contains the basic compounds that we know today as aspirin. Consider the following:

The oldest written evidence of medicinal plants’ usage for preparation of drugs has been found on a Sumerian clay slab from Nagpur, approximately 5000 years old. It comprised 12 recipes for drug preparation referring to over 250 various plants, some of them alkaloid such as poppy, henbane, and mandrake.

The Chinese book on roots and grasses “Pen T’Sao,” written by Emperor Shen Nung circa 2500 BC, treats 365 drugs (dried parts of medicinal plants), many of which are used even nowadays such as the following: Rhei rhisoma, camphor, Theae folium, Podophyllum, the great yellow gentian, ginseng, jimson weed, cinnamon bark, and ephedra.

The Indian holy books Vedas mention treatment with plants, which are abundant in that country. Numerous spice plants used even today originate from India: nutmeg, pepper, clove, etc.

The Ebers Papyrus, written circa 1550 BC, represents a collection of 800 proscriptions referring to 700 plant species and drugs used for therapy such as pomegranate, castor oil plant, aloe, senna, garlic, onion, fig, willow, coriander, juniper, common centaury, etc.

Over the years, I’ve read many reports that say that studies have proven that the spice cinnamon is very good in helping to lower blood sugar. If you check out many stores that sell vitamins and supplements, you will find that they sell cinnamon capsules. Being a type 2 diabetic, I’ve been taking cinnamon as a supplement for several years and yes it does help lower blood sugar. I also like to slice a honeycrisp apple into wedges and sprinkle cinnamon over the wedges. I call it my diabetic apple pie.

A recent study is revealing another great health benefit of cinnamon:

When it comes to achieving a healthy weight, people are quick to try fad diets and weight loss supplements but underestimate the importance of eating right. It is important to understand that the journey to better health begins from a healthy diet and there is no quick fix for the same. If no amount of sweating it out is helping you lose weight, we suggest going back to basics.

If you have been looking for an all-natural way to lose those stubborn kilos, it is time to include this bitter-sweet spice in your weight loss regime. Flavourful cinnamon is not only loaded with health benefits but can also help you achieve your weight loss goal as well. This aromatic spice has a number of medicinal properties and fighting stubborn fat tops the list.

If you are worried about your bulging stomach, we suggest adding a piping hot cuppa of cinnamon tea to your daily diet. This bitter-sweet spice is known to aid metabolism, regulate blood sugar levels and improve insulin function–all this collectively can help you lose weight.

According to a Japanese study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology in 2012, cinnamon may help in fighting visceral fat in mice.

However, it is important to understand that cinnamon will only help in complementing your regular exercise and a balanced diet. Ultimately, it is essential to start working out and clean eating if you are on a quest to lose weight.

To help with weight loss, they recommended dinking cinnamon tea by boiling a cup of water containing a cinnamon stick. Boil it until the cinnamon stick becomes fragrant. Then add a teaspoon of honey and dash of lemon for taste. You can also add other spices such as ginger, cardamom and mint to help flavor your cup of tea and make it even healthier.

The bottom line is that many cures and treatments can be found in one’s kitchen cabinet spice collection. A little research will surprise and help you and your family.