Sickness... Honey & Cinnamon

OK, so I got hit with the flu Friday afternoon (it's Monday night now) and i'm definitely on the mend. I've been using a trick for years now and figured i'd share it in a place that I can send people for reference.

Disclaimers:

• First off, i'm not a medical doctor, have no clue what the hell i'm talking about, so don't frickin sue me or anything. Duh. 
• Second, everything in here is based on PERSONAL experience and is all anecdotical, so do whatever you will. 
• Third, research stuff before you try stuff. Obviously.

Backstory:

So back in Kansas I used to get sinus infections roughly every season change. I had it down to a process... for roughly fifteen years, I would feel my breathing get warm, notice headaches/congestion, and would check the time of year. If it was a season change, I would call my doctors and get an appointment set for roughly three to four days later. I would do the normal Day/Nyquil, Claritin, 12 hr Sudafed, and Aleve as the sickness ramped up. I'd hit the doctors office, confirm the diagnosis, get on antibiotics, and then go from there. 

Roughly five years ago, a former client/friend (who was a Naturalpath) told me about the Cinnamon and Honey trick. I thought it was crap, did some research, and found out it had some scientific backing. Short version... it's been used since ancient times for multiple things, but immunity boosting is one of the biggest. I've tried to find some good (i.e. reputable) articles, and the best I found so far is www.stylecraze.com. I can only speak to #2 (boosts immunity), so judge the article for what you will. 

Based on the advice, I started mixing two(ish) tablespoons of good quality LOCAL honey (it helps with allergies) and one tablespoon of good quality ground cinnamon (from your local market). I made it into a paste and just licked it off a spoon. The trick was that when I started feeling the downward spiral begin, I would start the cinnamon/honey regiment. 

• When I suspect sickness was in the neighborhood, I would start the regiment by doing the paste three times a day for the first three days.
• As the sickness came on, i'd back off to two times a day as I'd normally supplement with vitamin C and other meds. 
• As the sickness faded, i'd be down to just once a day. 

While this regiment never PREVENTED me from getting sick (at least that I can prove), this was basically the only change I made in my life. The last two years in Kansas, I didn't have another sinus infection. After I moved to Washington, I haven't had one sinus infection. Outside of unique situations, I haven't been on antibiotics since I started this. The way I normally describe this is that while I haven't been fully "hit" by the flu/cold/sinus infection, I've only been clipped while skipping down the sidewalk. 

So, hippie pitch aside, I have discovered a pretty cool alternative that makes this whole process considerably easier. I found a really awesome cinnamon tea that I could add honey too and get the benefits of a hot tea (on a sore throat) and still get the cinnamon/honey. The thing I like most about this particular tea is that they come in "sachets" rather than normal tea bags, so they have a bit more bang for the buck. I've got a mega 20 oz coffee mugs, and I do two sachets plus a tablespoon or two of honey (I like it STRONG).

Assuming I do this right, here is the link to Amazon*.

It's an awesome tea anyway, but it definitely helps. Again, while I can't attest to anything scientific, I will say I have managed to almost recover from a full blown flu in two and a half days. So... check it out if you want!

M

*Quick additional disclaimer. I have a business account set up with Amazon and do receive a consideration for anyone that purchases through the link above.