Geelong's Gym

I believe there’s a great deal of power in understanding what you eat and today I’m going to encourage you to add herbs and spices into your meals, if you don’t already do so, because they have such incredible health benefits for your body.

In the interest of not creating a blog post as long as both my arms,  I’m just going to look at four items today:

Cumin – did you know this is the most popular spice all over the world?  It’s not hard to see why.  It is a good source of iron, promotes a healthy digestive system and, if made into tea, reportedly cures stomach disorders.  It is also said to enhance liver and kidney function, boost immunity and treat skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and dryness, relieve nausea and diarrhea, and many believe, when used as a tonic, it can prevent cancer.  Phew!  That’s a long list of fantastic health benefits from something so simple.  Oh and least I forget, for those trying to lose weight, it makes your metabolism more efficient!

Sage – sage is derived from a Latin word meaning “to save or to heal”, so that’s a pretty good start.  There is an old Arab proverb which says, “Why should a man die when sage grows in his garden.”  And the Romans used it to heal many ailments from snakebites to epilepsy!  Sage has been known to restore failing memories in elderly people and studies have shown that when combined with biloba and rosemary, sage is effective in slowing down Alzheimers.  It can cure sore throats, coughs, liver disorders and upset stomachs.  And, if you didn’t mind carrying it around in your bag, can be used as a breath freshener and tooth cleaner!

Add some herbs to your diet and you might have better luck!

Rosemary – a good source of minerals and iron, it is also a dietary fibre and when applied externally as an oil, rejuvenates the skin and strengthens the capillaries.  In fact, did you know that many cosmetics have rosemary as the primary component?  It has been used to treat headaches, digestion problems, regulation of the menstrual cycle and stimulates hair growth, prevents premature greying and boosts mental activity!  Once again, it can aid in preventing cancer, Alzheimers and bad breath!

Ginger – this wonderful plant contains approximately 1-4% of volatile oils which are responsible for its medicinal value.  It is extremely effective in curing gastrointestinal distress and hence is used in natural travel sickness pills.  It has an anti-vomiting action useful in reducing nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, reduces the pain of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis , relieves dizziness and stimulates circulation of the blood, cleansing the bowels and kidneys.

So why  not add some extra herbs and spices into your diet on a regular basis?  Your body will certainly thank you for it!