DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a 74-year-old male, in good health and not taking any medication. I am physically active and walk five miles a day. I am considering using cinnamon and honey but wonder if it is actually good for the body and if it has side effects.
According to information I found on the internet, cinnamon and honey is a cure for diseases of all kinds. I have included two of the paragraphs from the fact sheet.
“It is found that a mixture of honey and cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a ‘ram ban’ (very effective) medicine for all kinds of disease. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of disease. Today’s science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada, on its issue dated Jan. 17, 1995 has given a large list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists.”
“Cholesterol: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient were found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10% within two hours. If taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information in the said journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol. By the way, if you are taking cholesterol medicine, STOP! They all contain STATIN which weakens your muscles, including your heart and none has been shown to stop heart attacks or strokes!”
DEAR READER:
After some extensive research and confusion, I am able to answer your question. If you are a regular reader of my column, you may remember a couple of questions I answered about bottled water (frozen or left in a car) and plastic in the microwave. You may also remember that these were email or internet based, and were primarily over-exaggerated lies and half-truths; essentially, hoaxes. The article you have quoted is another one of these instances.
While researching the basis of this article I came across a few websites and articles that were nearly all identical. One of these websites even had an author who appears to have taken bits and pieces of the original and claimed it as her own. Shortly after finding that article, I discovered what appears to be the original online version on www.Snopes.com that started circulation sometime in 1995 which explains the date in the excerpt. It appears to have found a revival on several websites, forums and in spam emails.
This email and the original article that appeared in the Weekly World News (U.S. supermarket tabloid, similar to the National Enquirer, and includes headlines such as “Hilary Clinton Adopted Alien Baby” and “Fountain Of Vermouth Discovered”) claim that cinnamon and honey is a “ram ban” cure (a term I never heard in medical school) for everything from the common cold to cancer.
Like the water bottles and plastic in the microwave, there are some truths to the article but the vast majority contains unsupported claims. Both cinnamon and honey have some medical value. Cinnamon may help control diabetes and honey is good for healing wounds and soothing coughs. But claims that the two combined will cure cancer in one month, acne in two weeks and other disorders as well, is simply nonsense.
Now the claim that all cholesterol medicines contain statin is also false. Statin itself is not an ingredient, but rather a class of medications used to lower cholesterol levels. Many cholesterol medications are indeed statins and muscle weakness is a side effect, but certain brands, such as Lipitor, have proven to lower heart attack and stroke risk. I am also curious to know what complaints of cholesterol are. High cholesterol is a silent disease, causes no symptoms but can lead to plaque and artery build-up which can result in stroke and heart attack. A doctor would not be able to diagnose the condition without laboratory testing.
With all that being said, since you appear to be healthy, take no medications and are physically active, if you choose to drink a glass of tea (eight ounces) with honey and cinnamon once or twice a day, it will not harm you. It is simply a tasty drink. And remember, just because you read it online, doesn’t mean it’s true. Be sure to research the source of the claims and look for reliable websites from places such as Mayo Clinic or the National Institutes of Health for confirmation. Also, tell your doctor about all alternative remedies you are taking, regardless of how safe they may seem.
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