Cinnamon steps out of its fragrant box.

Nothing reminds us of the holidays quite like cinnamon does. But why restrict the aroma to Christmas cookies and wreath decorations? Cinnamon is one of the world’s oldest-known spices and is regarded to have healing properties by many cultures. Many of its benefits derive from the spice’s anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant prowess.

Cinnamon is no joke – it’s quite potent and can take your health to the next level. Whether you smell it, ingest it, or apply it, the health benefits of cinnamon are very real and more than skin deep. Try to incorporate it into your everyday routine to reap the most benefits. Not sure where to start? Follow one of the following 20 tips to get you going.

Brain Power Booster

It was found that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory. Carry a cinnamon stick around with you, and take a whiff every so often to keep you focused at work or school. Or, add a few dashes of cinnamon to your morning coffee or cereal to get your day off to a more focused and alert start.

Potpourri

Take a few drops of essential oil of cinnamon and sprinkle them atop dry potpourri. Place the potpourri in a small bowl and station it somewhere that gets good ventilation so that the aroma can spread – in the kitchen, near doorways, or atop the radiator. The room will carry with it a subtle hint of cinnamon that will offer you some year-round comfort.

Cholesterol Reducer

In a Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center study conducted over 40 days on a group of diabetic patients, each of whom were given one-quarter of a teaspoon of cinnamon daily, researchers observed that their triglycerides, cholesterol, and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels dropped.

Pain Reliever

Cinnamon is used to treat pain because it reacts with the hormone-like substance prostaglandin, which contributes to the contraction and relaxation of muscles.

Moth Repellant

Break 3-4 cinnamon sticks and combine them with 1/2 cup of whole cloves and 1/2 cup whole black peppercorns. Fill sachets with 1 tablespoon of the mixture and toss the sachets in your underwear drawer or hang them in your closets to ward off pesky moths.

Diabetes Treatment

In the same Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center conducted a study on diabetic patients, whom were each given one-quarter of a teaspoon of cinnamon over 40 days, researchers observed that patients’ blood sugar levels fell as much as 30 percent. In another study, published by Fertility and Sterility in 2007, researchers gave half of the participants cinnamon extract and the other half a placebo. Over an 8-week period, the women who took the cinnamon extract showed greatly reduced insulin resistance compared to the placebo group.

Weight Loss

Because of cinnamon’s effectiveness in reducing insulin resistance – research by the Human Nutrition Center at Tufts reports that cinnamon triples insulin’s capacity to metabolize blood sugar – the spice can thus reduce hunger and sugar cravings, which leads to weight loss. Especially for those living with diabetes and find it hard to lose weight, cinnamon is a welcome tool.

Menstrual Aid

Cinnamon has been used for centuries to help women with heavy menstrual bleeding, whether it be due to endometriosis, uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, or primary menorrhagia as well as a result of childbirth, miscarriage, or any other fertility condition.

Circulation Booster

Cinnamon is commonly used to thin blood, which in turn increases circulation throughout the body. This not only helps to reduce pain in troubled areas but promises that oxygen is being supplied to the blood cells. Cinnamon is also a great dietary complement for heart attack survivors.

Arthritis Pain Reducer

In a 2008 study published in the journal, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, researchers discovered that cinnamon slowed down the breaking down of bones and ultimately reduced bone damage.

Complexion Enhancer

Due to its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial qualities as well as its antioxidant power, cinnamon is effective in treating acne and skin blemishes. Mix 1 teaspoon of powdered cinnamon with 3 tablespoons of honey, apply to the skin, and let the mixture sit for a few hours or overnight. Wash off with warm water.

Mouth Freshener

Given its fresh and fragrant aroma, cinnamon is commonly used to fight bad breath. You can either chew on small pieces of cinnamon bark or gargle cinnamon water to prepare for a hot date or cleanse the palette.

Light Bulb Diffuser

Here’s a creative, no-fuss way to bring the cinnamon scent to a room. Simply put one drop of essential oil of cinnamon on a cool light bulb. When you turn the lights on, the heat from the bulb will emanate the aroma throughout the room.

Bladder Infection

Urinary tract infections and bladder infection can be avoided with the consumption of cinnamon, which packs an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal punch. Cinnamon is also a diuretic and contributes to urinary discharge.

Digestive Aid

Cinnamon helps to break down fats during digestion. The spice contains volatile oil, which is the main player in this process. Add a bit of cinnamon to a heavy dish and you will be doing your body a favor. If the spice doesn’t complement the dish, a half an hour prior to eating, sip on tea water spiced with a few dashes of cinnamon and a teaspoon of honey. The concoction will sooth your digestive system and get it ready for what’s to come.

Insect Bite Treatment

A mixture of cinnamon and honey applied to a skin irritation will help to alleviate the pain and itching. The duo will disinfect the infected area and moisturize and heal it. No need to layer on the dangerous chemicals when you have this natural remedy!

Cold and Flu Reliever

Cinnamon is commonly used across East Asia and Europe as a warming herb for conditions involving the body to become cold. In these cases, cinnamon is combined with ginger to treat a cold or flu.

Stomach Soother

A combination of honey and cinnamon is known to help relieve stomachache. The pair – which are packed with anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties – not only treats ulcers but also reduces gas in the stomach.

Food Preservative

If you add cinnamon to any recipe, it actually helps to prevent the spoiling of the food by delaying bacterial growth.

Yeast Infection Fighter

Cinnamon can be used to stop medication-resistant yeast infections. High blood sugar levels can lead to candida overgrowth, and cinnamon is helpful in lowering blood sugar levels. Cinnamon’s anti-fungal properties are also helpful in combating the effects of a yeast infection. So if the meds aren’t working, try adding extra cinnamon to your diet.

*Precautions: For those of you who are pregnant or lactating, refrain from using medicinal doses of cinnamon or cinnamon bark. Cinnamon tea should also be avoided by those suffering from ulcers. Essential oil of cinnamon is toxic when consumed beyond a certain amount and is best used topically or on external objects for aroma purposes. And be careful when it comes to applying cinnamon to the skin – some people are sensitive to it. Test a small section of skin prior to any treatment.

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

Images: Baking in Pearls, MadMup, ShellyS, Kastner, Ed Yourdon, Luke Roberts, Gustavo, Rachel Ford James

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Pungent and powerful, garlic has dozens of health and household uses.

Chew up a raw clove of garlic and you might exhale noxious, eye-watering clouds of stink all day, but you’ll also repel mosquitoes (and vampires), increase your immunity, heal cold sores, expel parasites and maybe even get in the mood. Garlic is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, killing bacteria, fungus, viruses and mold, so it’s an important ally for natural health. Check out these 20 unusual and sometimes strange alternative uses for garlic.

Acne

Slice open a clove of raw, fresh garlic and apply it to breakouts as a home remedy for acne. Your skin won’t smell terribly good, but the antibacterial properties of garlic will help lessen the appearance of acne, even those deep acne cysts that can otherwise be difficult to treat.

Pesticide

Whiteflies, aphids, cabbage loopers and squash bugs. All of these creepy-crawlies and more can totally decimate the beautiful organic garden you’ve been tending all season. Ward them off with an all-natural garlic pesticide spray. Mince three garlic cloves and let them sit in two tablespoons of mineral oil for 24 hours. Then strain out the garlic and add the oil, along with a teaspoon of liquid dish soap, to a pint of water in a spray bottle. Spray on infested plants.

Cold sore treatment

These unsightly lesions always seem to pop up at the most inopportune times, like the morning before a big date. Raw garlic may work just as well as commercial medical treatments, though the acidity may cause discomfort at first. Cut a garlic clove in half and place it directly on the cold sore for 10 minutes, several times a day. Garlic supplements in capsule form may also speed up the healing process.

Mosquito repellent

If you don’t mind smelling like Italian dressing, garlic can work wonders in warding off pesky mosquitoes without the use of DEET and other potentially toxic chemicals. Try this oddball garlic mosquito spray: let a few minced cloves of garlic infuse an ounce of mineral oil for 24 hours, strain, and mix the garlic-scented oil with 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Strain again if necessary and pour into a spray bottle.

Glass repair

Did you know that garlic juice is a natural adhesive? While it’s not up to any major jobs, it can be used to fill in hairline cracks in glass and hold them together. Crush a clove of garlic and rub its sticky, viscous juice into the cracks and wipe away the excess.

Weight Loss Aid

Even though it’s potent flavor may make you want to eat a lot of it, garlic actually has weight loss properties, according to some research. Compounds found in garlic send your brain signals of satiety, which will actually help you to feel full faster. It also boosts metabolic function helping you to burn more calories as well.

Athlete’s foot

Garlic is a potent natural antifungal, making it ideal for treating fungal infections like irritating and itchy athlete’s foot. Add a few cloves of crushed garlic to warm water in a foot bath and soak the affected foot for 30 minutes.

Ear infections

A common folk remedy for centuries, garlic can indeed kill the bacteria that cause ear infections. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should shove a clove of garlic into your ear and hope for the best. Crush a clove of garlic with a press and place it in a teaspoon of hot olive oil for five minutes. Strain, allow to cool and drip a few drops at a time into your ear canal. You can also purchase garlic oil made for this purpose at natural health food stores.

Splinter removal

Splinters suck. They’re painful to remove, and sometimes they slice too far into the skin to pull out. Instead of waiting for it to come out on its own, try this odd trick: place a thin slice over the splinter and hold on with a bandage. The garlic should help the splinter work its way out of the skin within hours.

Skin cleanser

It’s not exactly common, but some women swear by using garlic as a facial cleanser to dry out acne and tighten and exfoliate the skin. It will definitely burn, so take care if you have any open wounds. Make a paste of finely mined garlic, olive oil, facial cleanser and sugar; massage into skin in circular motions, then rinse.

Gas prevention

High in sulfur, garlic can be the culprit for uncomfortable stomach-distending gas for some people, but for others, it can reportedly ease it. The trick may be consuming it on a regular basis in order to maintain intestinal health. Garlic kills harmful intestinal bacteria and promotes the growth of beneficial flora, making digestion much smoother.

Yeast infections

At the first sign of a yeast infection, many women around the world turn to a rather unusual natural remedy: raw, peeled garlic cloves (not cut), typically tied in a strip of cheesecloth and inserted with a tampon applicator. Garlic’s antifungal properties go to work on the yeast, supposedly keeping the infection at bay.

Fish bait

Garlic’s strong smell may repel insects, but it has the opposite effect on fish. Yep, that’s right, garlic cloves are recommended by some fisherman as an unusual bait that can attract catfish, carp, trout, bass and other species. Marshmallows or dough balls made from a mixture of crackers and cat food are coated with crushed or powdered garlic and placed on a hook to lure the fish with its scent.

Psoriasis relief

The persistent tightness and itching of psoriasis could be eased or even prevented by garlic’s anti-inflammatory properties. Active compounds in garlic interact with arachidonic acid, an omega fatty acid in the skin linked to psoriasis. Garlic oil may be rubbed directly on affected areas once or twice per day.

Cough syrup

Ease inflammation in the throat and clear up excess mucus by using garlic as cough syrup. Try steeping raw, minced garlic in hot water, straining it after five minutes and drinking the liquid as tea; you can add ginger and honey to make it more palatable.

Mole removal

This method is almost certainly not recommended by dermatologists, and mole removal is best left to medical professionals, especially since skin doctors can tell upon excision whether the mole shows signs of malignancy. However, many people choose to go it alone, and garlic oil – applied several times per day and covered with a bandage – is an oft-repeated DIY route.

Cold banisher

Can garlic cure and prevent colds naturally? It’s been in use for this purpose for centuries, and there’s a good reason for that. Researchers believe that allicin, the main biologically active component of garlic, could block enzymes that may impede bacterial and viral infections. Eat three to four cloves of garlic per day, preferably raw and crushed, adding them to soups, stews, pasta sauces and salad dressings.

Road de-icer

Garlic is among the oddball solutions that many towns across the nation have been dreaming up to de-ice roads in winter. Ankeny, Iowa smelled awfully savory in 2008 when winter transportation crews spread garlic salt on the streets in advance of snowstorms. The salt, apparently unfit for human consumption, was donated by a local spice producer.

Hair loss help

Whether you’ve over-dyed your hair to the point of constant shedding or you’re just going bald, garlic may be worth a shot before you resort to more drastic measures (or just buy a lot of hats.) Some people believe that massaging the scalp with garlic oil stimulates hair growth.

Parasite killer

Many alternative health practitioners advise using raw garlic to expel intestinal parasites. Recommended as part of a cleansing diet that also includes raw honey, lemon juice, pumpkin seeds, carrots and beets, garlic consumed in quantities of about three cloves per day may help clear nasty organisms out of the digestive tract.

Aphrodisiac

Does garlic turn you on? You may not like the smell of it on someone else’s breath, but it may incite lust once it makes its way into your stomach. Garlic has been used as an aphrodisiac since ancient times, and modern medical knowledge may have an explanation: it aids circulation, pumping blood to your extremities. This effect might even increase men’s endurance in the bedroom.

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Photos: CarbonNYC, grongar 1 + 2, SantaRosa

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