Posted on

Cinnamon for Pets

Can you give Cinnamon to your pet animals like dogs and cats? Yes you can use cinnamon for your pets.  It is just as effective as for humans.  Discover how to use Cinnamon for your pets with information on what diseases it addresses, the dosage and possible side effects. According the  ASPA Cinnamon is nontoxic to dogs, cats and horses.

Cinnamon has a storied history of health benefits and increasingly many pet owners are giving cinnamon  to their pets. Due to excessive consumption of processed food and antibiotics our pets are suffering from the same ailments that we suffer from like diabetes, Candida, irritable bowel syndrome and much more.

The problem has gotten worse with advent of pets kept in cramped apartments with virtually zero access to the outdoors especially for small pets who tend to suffer a disproportionate number of illnesses.  The top ten most serious pet diseases include diabetes, arthritis, obesity, dental diseases, all of which can be controlled to a large extent with cinnamon.

According to the CDC keeping your pet healthy might improve your health too.  Called Zoonoses, these are diseases people can get from animals.  Among the list is Salmonella and Campylobacter which some studies show can be fought fairly effectively with Cinnamon.  Even though the studies were done almost exclusively with Cinnamon Oil, the much more concentrated distilled form of cinnamon, regular use of powder maybe work well as a preventive measure.

WHICH TYPE OF CINNAMON FOR DOGS

If you intend to give your dog or cat Cinnamon on a regular basis switch to Ceylon Cinnamon. Regular grocery store cinnamon has high levels of Coumarin (read more here) which can damage the liver in us humans. The same should be true for dogs and cats. Like us dogs and cats can suffer from diabetes, arthritis, cancer and a host of ailments that we humans suffer from.

Some people buy Ceylon Cinnamon powder for their horses come winter time. Usually to keep their bones warm.  There is no indication that dogs, cats and horses have any more allergic reactions to Cinnamon than humans.  Like humans a small minority of pets can be allergic to Cinnamon of course. They key is to test it in increments.

WHICH FORM OF CINNAMON TO USE FOR PETS

It goes without saying; cinnamon powder is the best way to give your pets cinnamon.  You really don’t want your pets to chew on cinnamon sticks because there is always the possibility they can choke on it. But Cinnamon powder is versatile and can easily be mixed with their food. And surprise surprise, it even improves food palatability for dogs and cats. Horses maybe not so much.

Of course if you wish, you can boil some cinnamon sticks and make a Cinnamon Stick Tea for your pets. They might like it. But make sure you cool the tea.  My sister’s pet dog for example only wants iced water and she does like her cinnamon tea too. She won’t drink warm water however. What a spoilt dog. Oh well they are our dear friends.

10 BENEFITS OF CINNAMON FOR PETS

  1. Improves food palatability – Believe it or not dogs get and cats get sick and tired of their food just like us. Us humans have such a variety of food that dogs often do not get. Maybe that is why their life spans so short to begin with.  Cinnamon especially Ceylon cinnamon has this amazing ability to create complex flavors that improves food palatability. Now your pets is going to look forward to a nice meal.

  2. Warms their bones during winter – Especially if you have a dog who is dealing with symptoms of arthritis Cinnamon it will go some way towards alleviating the pain. Cinnamon increases body heat which warms the body especially the bones.

  3. Bone and cartilage development – Cinnamon has good levels of manganese and magnesium which is good for bone and cartilage development.

  4. Removes bad gut bacteria –  Ever seen a cat chew on grass?. This apparently to relieve an upset stomach according to catchow.com. Cinnamon is the perfect spice to help with getting rid of parasites and help with regular bowel movements.  As a powerful anti-bacterial Cinnamon helps get rid of bad bacteria in your pet’s stomach. Of course you should still allow your cat to chew on grass because it helps them regurgitate hair, bones are other indigestible matter. But if you have a house cat with no access to grass, a little Cinnamon will help, but also consider growing some grass in your apartment.

  5. Help with digestion – Like humans dogs and cats especially those exposed to processed foods can have digestive issues.  Cinnamon has this remarkable ability to aid to the digestion process by delaying the gastric emptying process. That helps your pets better absorb nutrients by digesting it properly.

  6. Canine Candida – According to this article dogs suffer from Canine Candida, an organism classified both as a yeast and fungus.  The list of symptoms of Canine Candida is quite extensive according to this article and includes skin disorders, allergies, lethargy, bowel disorders, rashes, overly hungry and or overweight, bloating, intestinal gas, strong doggy odor, dull or dry greasy coat, hyperactivity, genital rashes and itching, chewing of the paws, legs or tail, shaking of the head, bladder and urinary track infections.  Cinnamon is one of the best things to fight Candida in humans and should work perfectly for your pets.

  7. Improves mood –  Is your dog feeling depressed.? Try some Ceylon Cinnamon. Cinnamon improves mood and reduces irritability. My grand mother had a cat who was rather depressed. And grandma being one to try all kinds’ ayuvedic treatments gave some cinnamon to her and all indications are that cat’s mood improved. Not that cats are given  to exuberant expressions of joy but there seems to be a visible improvement in her attitude.

  8. Blood sugar control – Believe it or not even dogs get diabetes according this article.  This is apparently more common in obese or female dogs. Just like humans.  According to bark.com “Though there are no universally accepted definitions of dog diabetes, the United Kingdom’s Royal Veterinary College identifies two forms: insulin-deficiency diabetes (IDD) and insulin-resistance diabetes (IRD). Neither matches any kind of human diabetes exactly “. We feel it is worth a try.  Since cinnamon has about a 3-5% effect on blood sugar levels, there is no reason why it cannot work for your dog or cat.

  9. Dog breath – If you ever smelled the breath of some dogs and cats it can be absolutely foul.  According to this article on webMd “ Bad breath is the result of a build-up of odor-producing bacteria in your dog’s mouth, lungs, or gut. Persistent bad breath can indicate that your dog needs better dental care or that something is wrong in his gastrointestinal tract, liver, or kidneys”.

    If it is related to bad bacteria in the gut, cinnamon will clean up the bad bacteria in a flash. If it is related to dental hygiene issues like gum disease, regular ingestion of Cinnamon stick tea would be the perfect way reduce tooth decay and gum disease and get rid of bad oral bacteria. Some dogs are more prone to oral healthy issue.

  10. Heart Health – While studies on cinnamon for pets is very small, this small 2012 study found that cinnamon had a protective effect on heart performance.

DOSAGE OF CINNAMON FOR PETS

 

  Weight of pet Cinnamon Powder Cinnamon stick tea
  1 -10 lbs 1/16 teaspoon less than 1/4 cup, 1-3 times/day
  10-20 lbs 1/16-1/8 teaspoon 1/4 cup, 1-3 times/day
  20-50 lbs 1/8 tsp ½ teaspoon 1/4-1/2 cup, 1-3 times/day
  50-100 lbs ¼ – ¾ teaspoon 1/2-1 cup, 1-3 times/day
  Over 100 lbs ¾-1 teaspoon up to 1 cup 3 times/day

We based the above recommendations on a combination US Dept of health guidelines for adults and the German Bfr guidelines which says no more than 0.81 per 132lbs if using Cassia Cinnamon. If you are using Ceylon Cinnamon we believe you can easily double this rate without undue risk.

SIDE EFFECTS 

  • Cinnamon powder can create a choking hazard – Make sure the bag of cinnamon powder is not accessible to your dog. If they start playing around with it and ingesting it in large wallops, there is a small chance they might choke.  A friends dog found a piece of Cinnamon stick in the house and started chewing on it. We had a devil of a time prying it off her mouth. Cinnamon sticks can create a choking hazard. So keep it away.
  • Avoid Cinnamon tablets – Cinnamon tablets are not a good idea. We are Meaning cinnamon tablets are full of gunk and fillers, not mention rather corrosive on the stomach lining if not mixed well with food.
  • No Cinnamon oil for dogs and cats. –  Avoid ingesting or breathing in Cinnamon oil for your pets. While there is no reason why Cinnamon Bark Oil cannot bring the same benefits it brings to humans, giving it to your pets may be unfeasible.  Their nostrils are super sensitive to strong smells (especially cats) and it might possible effect their sense of smell adversely.  Even mixed with food and ingested while safe for humans, may not be good for pets.

    CONCLUSION

    We have not cited any scientific studies in this post with the exception of one obscure study for dog  heart health because all the studies on the benefits of cinnamon is for humans. But you can check the human studies on the benefits of cinnamon and draw your own conclusions. The main thing is that Cinnamon is not dangerous for your cats, dogs and horses. Of course we are not sure if it works well for your pet Squirrel, Iguana or Tortoise.  But it should be safe for pet hamsters and mice. That is if the cat does not get the hamster first.
Posted on

Cinnamon to reduce brain damage

Could Cinnamon reduce brain damage and shrinkage? There is increasing evidence that Cinnamon can counteract the destructive effects of sugar on our brain. Cinnamon could be the key to all brain related ailments from Alzheimer’s to dementia and poor exams results for young students. All caused by sugar which has been shown to shrink the brain in the latest research studies. And you thought excess sugar only caused obesity, cancer, diabetes, cholesterol and a host of other ailments. And before you go rushing to buy Cinnamon, make sure it is low Coumarin Ceylon Cinnamon which won’t damage your liver, unlike Cassia Cinnamon.

BRAIN SHRINKAGE AND SUGAR

A current public television show by Dr. Perlmutter cites a direct relationship between the degree of atrophy or shrinkage of the hippocampus and blood sugar measurements. Even subtle elevations of blood sugar, far below the level where one would be labeled as being diabetic, were already associated with brain shrinkage according to the article. When you get a smaller brain you can’t think, it becomes foggy, you lose your memory skills, your reaction times slow down, you can’t solve problems or work effectively.

So what has cinnamon got to do with it you ask? Well, Cinnamon is well known to control your blood sugar levels. According to Paul David at UC Davis in this NPR story of 2013, Cinnamon has a 3-5% effect on blood sugar levels, similar to an older generation of diabetes drugs. There are many other studies listed on our web site that show Cinnamon is effective at controlling blood sugar levels. That makes it a perfect antidote to solve excess sugar in your blood stream. If you have a sweet tooth, even if you are not a diabetic, cinnamon could help to scrub all the excess in your system and keep your brain from becoming smaller.

A new study published in the October 23, 2013, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, says that those with higher blood sugar levels are more likely to have memory problems.  They conclude “Our results indicate that even in the absence of manifest type 2 diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance, chronically higher blood glucose levels exert a negative influence on cognition, possibly mediated by structural changes in learning-relevant brain areas. Therefore, strategies aimed at lowering glucose levels even in the normal range may beneficially influence cognition in the older population .. ”

Coincidentally  in this this study by Dr. Bryan Raudenbush, Director of Undergraduate Research and associate professor of psychology at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, WV. Found that Cinnamon may keep you more alert and decrease your frustration when you are behind the wheel.

It seems that it is Cinnamon’s ability to reduce sugar levels that may make the brain function so much better. Cinnamon may be keeping the brain from getting smaller. Maybe it even increases your brain size. For students cramming for their exams this could be the magic bullet. Perhaps it is time to throw out your sugary drinks especially the famous energy drink that young students seem to consume by the gallons. It may give you an energy rush, but each time you drink an energy drink it might be shrinking that brain of yours. A cup of Ceylon Cinnamon tea maybe a better solution to ace those exams. We think it’s worth a try.

AGE RELATED DEMENTIA CAUSED BY SUGAR

This article from Natural society also cites a previous study published in 2012, which also found that even slight elevations in blood glucose levels can increase your risk of age-related dementia. They conclude by saying some home remedies for high blood sugar may also be excellent for reducing blood sugar levels, while cinnamon for diabetes and blood sugar has also been used as a simple and valuable solution.

USDA RESEARCH ON BRAIN SWELLING

Researchers at the United States Department Agriculture also studied the Effect of Cinnamon Compounds on Brain Cells in this study and discovered that increased brain swelling was absent in a control group exposed to Cinnamon extract.  The researchers caution that table cinnamon compounds may accumulate in the body and should not be ingested consistently as more than a spice over long periods of time. This we believe is related solely to Cassia Cinnamon which has high levels of Coumarin which causes liver damage. Ceylon Cinnamon on the other hand has ultra low levels of Coumarin and has virtually no danger from Coumarin levels.

So if you are taking Cinnamon, make sure it is Ceylon Cinnamon. Still the key is to not to over consume Cinnamon, even Ceylon Cinnamon but make it part of an overall program of a healthy diet and moderate exercise.

HOW NATURAL SODIUM BENZOTE IN CINNAMON AIDS THE BRAIN

Did you know that artificially made Sodium benzoate found in many soft drinks as a food preservative can also be found naturally in Cinnamon? This Livestrong article cites the University of Maryland in saying that Sodium benzoate, a metabolite of cinnamon, helps regulate the levels of ammonia in your blood and prevents it from becoming too high. High ammonia levels damage your brain and nervous system

This June 2013 article on psychology today says that “ the sodium benzoate produced in the body after eating cinnamon induces significant increases in the levels of a variety of chemicals in the brain called neurotrophic factors. These factors stimulate the birth of new neurons in the brain and encourage the survival of existing neurons.  These two processes are critical for the maintenance of a healthy brain. During the past decade many scientific studies have discovered that these neurotrophic factors can prevent, or greatly slow the progression of, a variety of degenerative diseases of the brain, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. “

BRAIN BLOOD BARRIER

There is also increasing evidence that Cinnamon is one of few substances that can penetrate the brain blood barrier and does considerable good in repairing oxidative stress. Essentials oils in general are able to penetrate the brain blood barrier. Try some Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil internally. About 1-3 drops mixed in hot beverage like tea. It is well known to penetrate the blood brain barrier. Do not take too much, maybe 1 drop to start as it can drop blood sugar levels too fast.

The latest finding indicate that two compounds found in cinnamon — cinnamaldehyde and epicatechin — may be effective in fighting Alzheimer’s.  According to a study by Roshni George and Donald Graves in 2013, two scientists at UC Santa Barbara, Cinnamon has been shown to prevent the development of the filamentous “tangles” found in the brain cells that characterize Alzheimer’s.The use of cinnamaldehyde, the compound responsible for the bright, sweet smell of cinnamon, has proven effective in preventing the tau knots. By protecting tau from oxidative stress, the compound, an oil (major component of Cinnamon Bark Oil), could inhibit the protein’s aggregation. To do this, cinnamaldehyde binds to two residues of an amino acid called cysteine on the tau protein. The cysteine residues are vulnerable to modifications, a factor that contributes to the development of Alzheimer’s.

SO WHAT CINNAMON MEANS FOR US ORDINARY FOLK

So there you have it. A cinnamon solution for your brain. The key here is preventing cognitive difficulties from happening in the first place. There is an old Chinese saying “The superior doctor prevents sickness; The mediocre doctor attends to impending sickness; The inferior doctor treats actual sickness “.

So if you are a student, instead of gulping down high sugar drinks to keep you awake, try some of fabulous Ceylon Cinnamon tea infused with Cinnamon Bark Oil. If you don’t want any caffeine (tea has a 1/4 of caffeine in coffee) boil some Ceylon Cinnamon sticks to make a fabulous tea. It could conceivably prevent your brain from shrinking,

If you are an athlete Cinnamon may help you react faster. If you are at beginning stages of things like Alzheimer’s, it could counteract some of the damage  allowing you to live a more productive life. And if you are leading the life of a fast paced executive, Cinnamon could be the key to better work performance without resorting to highly caffeinated sugary drinks or worse drugs.

But we must stress not to overdo it. Never exceed the daily limit of 6g Cinnamon per day for six weeks with a period of rest after that as recommended by the US department of Health.  Starting a Cinnamon habits at a young age and cutting out sugar could be the key to leading a productive and happy life free of debilitating illnesses, especially of the brain. Because to lose your brain is not to live at all.