The Winter Solstice announces Winter is officially upon us, even though it has been quite cold here in Maryland for several weeks now. A very special herb that many of you probably already have in your cabinet is Cinnamon, and it is an excellent herb for Winter or Kapha/Vata season.
Have you ever noticed how prevalent cinnamon is during this time of year? It is in candles, cookies, pies, drinks – and for good reason! Cinnamon reduces Kapha and Vata dosha while increasing Pitta dosha. The characteristically cold, wet weather of winter can increase both Kapha and Vata doshas; Vata and Kapha doshas have a long list of qualities, but the predominant one that they both share is the quality of being cold. When too much cold in the constitution causes unhealthy imbalances (leading to ailments such as the common cold) we want to counteract it with heating qualities. Cinnamon’s ability to reduce both Kapha and Vata while increasing heat (associated with the Pitta dosha) is very beneficial during the winter months.
If you find your fingers or toes getting a little frosty, try adding some cinnamon to your tea. Cinnamon can improve circulation and harmonize the flow of blood throughout the body. It is also a diaphoretic and expectorant herb. In plain language diaphoretic means that cinnamon can make you sweat, which restores circulation and detoxifies the body all at once. An expectorant aids in expelling mucous and phlegm from the body. Both of these actions are very helpful in healing from the common cold or flu.
Cinnamon also promotes agni. Ayurveda speaks often of agni, or biological fire. Put simply, agni can refer to the digestive fire our bodies utilize to digest actual food in our digestive tract, but each tiny cell in our body also has a similar digestive fire. A healthy agni means that we are able to break down and absorb the nutrients our bodies and cells ingest. A weak agni is not efficient and may mean that the body will be unable to absorb all the necessary nutrients, leaving undigested particles that can accumulate as toxins.
Did you ever dream that little jar of cinnamon could do so much? It can also relieve muscle tension and pain – so if your feeling a bit achy try some Ember Glow balm or serum, which has cinnamon essential oil in it in addition to a bunch of other health enhancing ingredients. Cinnamon may just add an extra touch of comfort this season, but don’t take my word for it, try it and see what you think. As always, be present with your body and take note of how it responds. Remember this is fun information for healthy living, not a diagnosis, treatment, or cure; in other words, the FDA has not approved these statements.