In Your Cupboard - Good For You, Cinnamon

Just the name 'Cinnamon' immediately brings to mind it's warm sweet fragrance.

While Cinnamon has traditionally been used to flavor side dishes and desserts, modern research has also shown it to be antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral, a mood leveler, and blood sugar stabilizer.

Another unique property is that it enhances any sweetener. By adding a small amount of Cinnamon to a recipe, you can use less sugar, stevia, honey, etc., and the end results are still sweet tasting. And I like to use it to freshen stale air and drains and repel pests.

To freshen stale air:
Fill a 3 qt. pan half full of water, bring to a boil, lower to simmer & add 1/2 tsp Cinnamon. Let simmer uncovered 20-30 minutes, turn burner off, and let sit til cool. (Many Real Estate agents do this to make a house seem more 'warm & inviting'.)

To freshen drains:
Pour cool Cinnamon water (from above) down drain; or pour 'old' Cinammon into drain & flush with hot tap water for several seconds.
Note: while it may take several years for a spice to lose it's odor, it can begin to lose potency within 3-6 months. It's also recommended to store any spice away from direct light, heat, & humidity.

Pest control:
Whether by itself or mixed with Cayenne, Cinnamon helps repel ants and other bugs. (Simply sprinkle a thick layer on/around areas of infestation.)

My personal favorite 'Cinnamon' recipe, see directly below Reader Request.

Reader Request: Please take a few seconds to share, in the Comment Box below, what you know about Cinnamon. This can be anything from using it to brush your teeth to a recipe. Other readers appreciate this, and so do I! I post a public MAHALO (thanks) and/or link (on both Facebook & Twitter) back to those who leave good comments, suggestions, and/or recipes.

Spiced Rice
2 c liquid (this can be: water, chicken or vegetable broth, plain/unsweetened soy, rice, almond, or coconut milk)
1 c rice (long or short grain; brown or Jasmine is best)
3/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/8 tsp Ground Ginger
1/8 tsp each Cumin and Turmeric (or 1/4 tsp mild powered curry blend)
pinch of Saffron threads (optional)

Options: Spices can be increased/decreased to personal taste. Cumin and Turmeric can be substituted with other spices such as Cardamom, Allspice, Corriander, Cayenne, Chili/Taco blend, or Five Spice. Common add-ins are 1/2 cup of: raisins, currants, dried cranberries, Goji berries, shredded carrots, baby peas, drained crushed pineapple, shredded coconut, or chopped nuts. (Any of these can be added individually or your favorites mixed together for a more unique signature dish. If concerned about over cooking fruit/nuts simply add them right before serving.)

Put the 2 cups liquid in 3 qt. pan and bring to a boil. (Milk of any kind can burn on high/medium high, so stir if necessary.) As soon as liquid comes to a boil add rice, spices, and add-ins (if desired) & turn heat down to simmer. Cover and let simmer (without stirring) for about 35 - 40 minutes, or until rice is done. When done, stir to blend ingredients (if needed), then serve.

This dish goes well with any type of cuisine - American, Asian, Indian, Mexican, and even Greek & Italian*. Leftover Spiced Rice can be used as breakfast cereal, stuffed into baked squash, fried, added to meatloaf, made into fruit & rice salad, or rice pudding. It can also be cooled & drizzled with chocolate sauce or frozen to use another time, as it's great reheated. (*Substitute Greek or Italian spices for Cumin/Turmeric, add 2 cloves crushed garlic and 1/2 cup chopped olives.)

Note: Cinammon is a pungent and warming spice, therefore too much can affect certain sensitive individuals, including children. Areas usually involved are: the mouth, esophogus, stomach, intestinal tract, and liver. Besides using smaller amounts, it's generally suggested to drink dairy or vegetarian milk, rather than water, to soothe the burning/irritating sensation.


References: www.wikipedia.org, www.webmd.com, www.healthinfo.com, and www.nih.gov

This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat, or cure any known or unknown disease.

All rights reserved. All blogs and photos on this site are copyrighted, and may not be stored, retrieved, copied, or sold in any form without express permission.


The information contained on this site is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat, or cure. Nor is it intended to replace the advice of your primary care provider. No liability is assumed by the owner of this site, the author, or editor for the use or misuse of the information contained herein.

You're So Sweet!! (D-Ribose)

Sugar - something we'all like - even when it's gotten a bad rap. However, there's a very valid, innate reason our bodies like sugar, and why we have a "sweet tooth". This is because we're wired to use sugar for ATP (energy production) and make/use oxygen, among other things. However, there's a whole lot more to the story, especially about D- Ribose.

One is, D- Ribose is star stuff. That's right. It's precursor (ancestor) is a sugar called glycolaldehyde, found in the center of our Milky Way. This startling discovery verified what former famous astronomer, Carl Sagan, meant when he said "We're all star stuff."

Finding a "sugar" in the center of the Milky Way had profound implications. These ranged from how it was involved with making stars, the galaxy, light, oxygen, proteins, energy, and etc., right on down to human RNA. (DNA might contain all the proteins/info on how to replicate things, but RNA tells DNA how to do the job.)

We now know D-Ribose does all these things, and maybe even more. And while Ribose isn't considered "essential" (because our body can make it from glucose), many people do have an imbalance with it. This is evident by those who have: metabolic sugar errors (diabetes, hypoglycemia); don't eat a balanced diet that contains enough fruits and vegetables; are in starvation mode; fasting; have an illness; or taking meds that interfere with glucose metabolism.

So what to do? One, make sure you eat a balanced diet that contains several servings of fruit/veggies per day. The second option is (after consulting your primary care provider, local nutrition consultant, or doing a bit of research), take a D-Ribose supplement. (Caution: D-Ribose also occurs naturally in "nutritional yeast", plus Ribose supplements are from fermented corn syrup. If you are sensitive to either of these, you may want avoid them & eat a bigger variety of fruit/veggies instead.)

Athletes take D-Ribose to help with recovery time after hard training sessions, or major events. In the past, it's been questioned if, or how much Ribose helps athletes, but since we now know it's involved with energy production, oxygen utilization, and protein synthesis, it's obvious to see why they do. (Plus it's not a steroid.) More importantly, though, research has shown D-Ribose to help with other, more serious health challenges/imbalances.

These are: congestive heart failure, fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, allergies and asthma (and other breathing/oxygen related disorders), and DNA/RNA disorders. Interestingly enough, most of these involve either oxygen, protein, or endurance problems. Research is also looking into other health imbalances/dis-eases to see how much D-Ribose can play a part in treating them.

These range from treating bacterial infections to cancer, or other viruses. And it would stand to reason that D-Ribose can be a part of the treatment, based on what is already know about it. (Even though D-Ribose is considered natural, it's very important that anyone with any health imbalance/dis-ease consult their primary care provider before taking it.)

So this is why we're all so sweet, and like sweet things. It's because all of us have this natural cosmic sugar in each and every cell in our body, and it's in our nature to replenish it to live. This isn't to encourage over indulging in sugar, but instead to see that we get the good healthy sugar/s we need, and let our "Cosmic star light" shine.

References: www.wikipedia.org, www.wikianswers.com, www.webmd.com, www.howstuffworks, www.nasa.gov, www.healthinfo.com, and www.nih.gov


This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat, or cure any known or unknown disease.

All rights reserved. All blogs and photos on this site are copyrighted, and may not be stored, retrieved, copied, or sold in any form without express permission.


The information contained on this site is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat, or cure. Nor is it intended to replace the advice of your primary care provider. No liability is assumed by the owner of this site, the author, or editor for the use or misuse of the information contained herein.

Vaccines - Part 3 - Ingredients

We've all heard about vaccine ingredients. However, even when handed the glossy brochure at the doctor's office, we still feel we need a translator.

This happens because pharmaceutical companies can use trade, registered, or industry names for substances, rather than common names. They can also use copyrighted names that might refer to how the ingredient was processed, rather than indicate what it is. This all combines to make us inclined to simply toss the handout, and most of us do just that.

To help simplify, and in layman's terms, here's some of the common ingredients used in vaccines.

Live or dead protein like substances: bacteria, viruses, or toxins.
Aluminum Hydroxide or Aluminum Sulfate: metal/mineral.
Animal, Human, or Bird Albumin or Serum: horse, beef, pork, human, chicken, etc., proteins, DNA, RNA, or fluids.
Polysorbate 80: humectant/attracts H2O and preservative.
Amino acids: protein building blocks, especially to prevent allergic reactions.
Formalin: formaldehyde.
Sodium chloride: salt.
Sucrose, xylitol, etc.: sugar.
Thimerosal: mercury.
Trace*: any substance, less than .05%, usually residue from manufacturing.
Other Ingredients: preservatives and/or substances related to particular type of vaccine.

Vaccine ingredients can be, and are changed frequently, as stated by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) on their web site. "...manufactors may change product contents before information is reflected here." They can also easily become contaminated by unclean ingredients, equipment, improper storage, or handling.

If you are faced with the decision of being vaccinated, check out the CDC's web site and consult with your doctor. Take a print out of the particular vaccine contents and review your and your family's medical history. If you feel apprehensive about a vaccine, ask/insist an allergy or blood test be done to alleviate fears about reactions, and that you be given a copy of your chart, noting your concern, and any test results.

*Trace - each substance can be less than the .05%, however if there are a number of them, the total % can be much higher. Trace elements are said to be "biologically inactive" at the low (allowable by law) %. However, there is no information available as to the effects of total trace amounts when combined with other vaccine ingredients, and/or other medications.

Sources: www.wikipedia.org, www.webmd.com, and www.cdc.gov.

All rights reserved. All blogs and photos on this site are copyrighted, and may not be stored, retrieved, copied, or sold in any form without express permission.

The information contained on this site is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat, or cure. Nor is it intended to replace the advice of your primary care provider. No liability is assumed by the owner of this site, the author, or editor, related to use or misuse of any information contained herein.