Build Your Immune System with Spices

Do you like cinnamon toast? How about enchiladas or hot cocoa? Did you know the spices that flavor these foods can help build your immune system?

The immune system is a complex system of organs and glands that guards against diseases and cancer. But it can only do its job when it is nourished and strengthened. Although there are many ways to build up your immune system, one can be as easy as spicing up your meals! Common spices that may be sitting in your pantry do more than just flavor bland meals. Traditional cultures have used these spices for thousands of years to help with digestion. These spices can also help prevent cancer, but the big pharmaceutical companies don't research this because they cannot patent natural substances. If you want to take charge of your health and boost your immune system add these 4 spices to your meals:

· Cinnamon is used for sweets, meats, squashes and more. It prevents insulin resistance and also improves memory and attention. And it's great for stopping Candida too. How many doctors have told you this? Cinnamon is high in manganese. Manganese is a mineral that helps keep bones strong, helps your thyroid gland and your nerves!

· Cumin is a seasoning in enchiladas, tacos, soups and beans. As it flavors your food it also aids in digestion. Cumin is also used for chest ailments and coughs. Wow, I wonder if doctors would prescribe cumin for cough? I would love a prescription for enchiladas. Cumin is high in iron and a good source of manganese.

· Oregano is used in garlic bread, pizza and omelets. What a tasty way to prevent colon cancer or ease colds, flu and fever. This spice also aids digestion. Oregano is an excellent source of Vitamin K and a good source of manganese.

· Cayenne is added to hot cocoa or beans and soups to stimulate and improve circulation. I added a bit of cayenne to my hot cocoa and did not taste it until it hit my throat. It felt tingly and warm. I think it would be great for sore throats! And for First Aid here are two important emergencies to use cayenne for: wounds and heart attack. For a cut, put directly into the wound to stop bleeding. For a heart attack, cayenne used with CPR helps revive the patient better than CPR alone. Just mix in a teaspoon of cayenne into a glass of water and have the patient drink it down. Adding cayenne to the diet will help heart and high blood pressure conditions. Cayenne is an excellent source of Vitamin A and also a good source of manganese.

This is only scratches the surface on how these and other spices boost the immune system. As more research is done we discover health benefits our ancestors already knew. So add more spice to your life and continue a tradition thousands of years old.

©2009 Shanna Ohmes
Want to know more about how to boost your immune system? Traditional diets and how to prepare them, healthy fats, herbal remedies and debunking health myths are some of the subjects covered in The Natural Living Site Newsletter at http://thenaturallivingsite.com