I have some healthy tips on how to warm your body up from the inside out before you even walk out the door. These five delicious spices not only warm you up, but they all have health benefits too.
Cinnamon: is known for its ability to help with enhancing the flow of circulation. It is also rich in antioxidants that helps reduce inflammation in the body. This super spice comes to the rescue and reduces the risk of heart disease by reducing levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and also lowers blood pressure.
Try it:
- Add a teaspoon or two to a morning smoothie or morning oatmeal
- Add to an apple for an afternoon snack
- Add a dash to tea or black beans, stews or soups
Cayenne Pepper: Capsaicin, the substance that gives cayenne its spicy taste is known as a circulatory stimulant. Capsaicin is a powerful decongestant. It stimulates the release of mucus from respiratory passages and opens your airways.
Try it:
- Add a teaspoon to soups, eggs, and meat marinades
Turmeric: A mild Indian spice that is an essential ingredient in curry powder. Turmeric has been used medicinally for centuries. The spice is a good source of fiber, vitamin B6 and iron and is known for its yellow color.
Try it:
- Mix with butter to drizzle on steamed veggies; make a side dish of yellow rice by adding turmeric; add to chicken soup to enhance color and flavor.
Ginger: is an invigorating spice and is known as ‘the universal medicine’ for its versatility and healing properties. It also improves circulation to all parts of the body. You can buy it in its natural root form or pre-chopped.
Try it:
- Add ginger to your morning smoothie for some zing; grate fresh ginger into your salad dressing; mix some into your soup.
Cardamom: has a peppery vanilla flavor. In some parts of the world it is used as a natural remedy to treat colds, flu and respiratory issues because it is a known expectorant.
Try it:
- Add to lentils, tea, coffee. You can also marinade chicken in honey, pepper and ground cardamon
The best part about adding these spices to your daily life is that they all help the body rid itself of mucus and assist in boosting the immune function…all things we need extra help with in the winter.
