3 Spices for Health, Vitality, Longevity & Fat Loss

A few of my favorite spices and herbs for Health, Vitality, Longevity and Fat Loss include cinnamon, curcumin, cilantro, oregano, cayenne, garlic, lemon grass, turmeric and ginger. Not only are these spices high in antioxidants, they have potent anti-inflammatory and anti-aging benefits.

In a study, men who included turmeric, cinnamon, rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, or paprika  in their meals showed a 21% reduction in insulin levels and 31% lower triglyceride levels.

Ginger   Healthy and spicy, ginger is one of the most common medicinal and culinary herbs. It can be added to marinades, fish or chicken, salads, vegetable dishes and some desserts. One teaspoon of ginger has similar antioxidant levels as one cup of spinach. Ginger  is used as a revitalizing herb in tea and soups. I love adding ginger root to my morning juice recipe, or grating some fresh ginger root on my chicken or salmon.

Health Benefits of Ginger

1. Helpful for nausea, motion sickness, morning sickness during pregnancy, and side effects from chemotherapy
2. Reduces Inflammation
3. Prevents and decreases damage caused by free radicals
4. Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol
5. Preserves your body’s glutathione
6. Eases muscle pain associated with exercise by 25 percent
7. Produces bile, making ginger helpful for digesting fats
8. Prevents blood clots and reduces risk of stroke
9. Increases perspiration and elimination through the skin
10. Good for digestion
11. Helpful for the urinary tract and lining of the heart blood vessels because ginger is a great source of the mineral, manganese
12. Beneficial for those with allergies and asthma (acts as an antihistamine)
13. Increases circulation and lymph flow
14. Treatment and prevention of the common cold and cough with anti-viral and anti-fungal properties
15. Eliminates mucus from the sinus area and upper respiratory tract
16. Helpful in removing parabens

Cautions: Best to avoid ginger and garlic 3-4 days before any scheduled surgery because they can make blood platelets less sticky increasing the risk for bleeding. Start up again right after surgery. Ginger can interact with certain medications. Ginger is contraindicated in those suffering with gallstones.

Curcumin is another one of my favorites that comes with endless health benefits. Curcumin is the bioactive compound found in the Indian curry spice turmeric, a member of the ginger family. Turmeric is an excellent source of both iron and manganese. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, dietary fiber and potassium.

Health Benefits of Curcumin

1. Powerful for reducing inflammation and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels
2. Preventative and helpful for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. A study in the Journal of Biological Chemistry found that curcumin prevents the destructive formation of alpha-synuclein proteins, present in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease
3. Potent remedy for liver disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, IBS, Cystic fibrosis, diabetic wounds, runny nose, cough, and sinusitis.
4. Ability to cross the blood brain barrier making it highly beneficial for the brain
5. Anti-cancer properties and suppresses cancer growth
6. Boosts brain health
7. Prevents cellular aging
8. Reduces cortisol and oxidative damage from stress
9. Limits kidney damage in diabetics
10. Promotes healthy looking skin
11. Prevention for memory loss, joint stiffness, osteoporosis
12. Helpful for cataract formation, liver injury, chronic fatigue syndrome, immune function, and the damage that results from heart attack and stroke
13. According to the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy turmeric may be useful in inhibiting Candida

Curcumin is best absorbed when combined with fat, however when you heat the spice during cooking many of the beneficial properties are lost. When the spice is taken orally, it’s poorly absorbed, and the amount required for these health benefits is so high that it would be hard to achieve orally.

I personally use and recommend a high-quality turmeric supplement, Meriva SR (sustained release) or Meriva-500.

Meriva, a curcumin phytosome, improves the bioavailability and absorption. Phytosomes bind an herbal extract to phosphatidylcholine, a key element of cell membranes. This unique phytosome complex easily crosses the gut barrier, unlike common herbal extracts, and results in much higher blood levels than standardized 95% curcumin extract.

Cautions: Best to avoid curcumin  2 weeks prior to surgery because curcumin inhibits blood clotting. Curcumin can interact with certain medications. Curcumin can aggravate those suffering with gallstones.

Cinnamon is another powerhouse spice. One study showed that just a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon daily lowered the blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in people with type 2 diabetes. You can sprinkle cinnamon in your tea or coffee (organic coffee, of course) or one of my favorites is including it in my post workout shake. Spice up chicken breasts with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Or, slice up a green apple, add some almond butter and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Health Benefits of Cinnamon

1. Stabilizes blood sugar by stimulating insulin receptors
2. The scent/aroma of cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory
3. Anti-inflammatory compounds helpful for arthritis and stiff joints
4. Regulates blood sugar and cholesterol
5. Anti-clotting effects on the blood
6. Boost metabolism
7. High in manganese, a trace mineral that helps the body form connective tissue, bones, blood clotting factors, and sex hormones. It also plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation.
8. Supports digestion
9. Anti-fungal properties (helpful for those with Candida)
10. Excellent antioxidant source protecting cells from oxidative damage