Lifestyle

Spice of Life: Have We Accidentally Found a Fountain of Youth?

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Purveyors of fine herbs and seasonings will often expound the virtues of their products with respect to the flavors they exude. How certain seasonings affect your meal has long been a discussion topic on many a popular cooking show and food blog. As any good Texas pitmaster knows, the secret is often in the seasoning. However, thanks to the power of the internet, social media shares, and inquiring minds looking for healthy alternatives to mainstream medications, some folks think we’ve found the next best thing to a fountain of youth in our modern-day spice markets.

The Spice of Life: Have We Accidentally Found a Fountain of Youth?

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Spices, as a part of our everyday living improvements, are finally getting the attention they deserve. Some folks extoll various spices as anti-inflammatories, pain relievers, and improvers of our organ functions. Turmeric, as an example, is touted by many as the spice that sits in the back of our cupboards, allegedly having the power to help and to heal, but it’s all too often overlooked. In the spice world, it’s the equivalent of “always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” A number of reports are floating out in the world wide web that illustrate its possible effectiveness as a nutritional supplement. If you’re interested in a quick rundown of what this super spice is said to do, Healthline has provided a 10-point list of positives here. As with anything, however, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. So before you jump on the turmeric bandwagon, ensure that you speak with your physician, talk to a naturopath, or do your own online digging to ensure you’re not adversely affecting your body.

The Spice of Life: Have We Accidentally Found a Fountain of Youth?

Photo: Pexels

Garlic is claimed by spice fans to be another golden boy of health and immune system improvement. Again, a quick online search will lead you to a wealth of sourced information on its capacity to amp up a meal. Whosoever discovered its skill in bringing out the best in steak has our vote! But the real story lies in its ability to do so much more! It’s been used as a bug repellent, as a key ingredient in homemade antibacterial remedies for scars, and to somehow remove splinters! Yet, its most impressive supposed powers go far beyond that, with some people even claiming it can help with cancer prevention and heart disease.

The Spice of Life: Have We Accidentally Found a Fountain of Youth?

Photo: Pexels

Although the list of powerful and potent spice remedies and health benefits could go on considerably, we’re going to give a special shout-out to cinnamon before ending this article with some food for thought. Unbeknownst to parts of our population, this baking behemoth is a medicinal dynamo which is being studied for the impact its antioxidant properties might possibly have on Alzheimer’s disease, H.I.V., and cancer. The opportunity to simply mix it into your food prep plan or put a teaspoon of it in your coffee pot basket with your regular grind is fairly easy. As potent as it is, there are warnings with respect to possible side effects depending on the level of consumption, so please consult a physician before making drastic changes to your diet using cinnamon.

The power is out there to improve our health, and it might even be growing in your own backyard.