My dear LSAT prep friends, in my pursuit of keeping your minds and bodies healthy, energized and harmonized in preparation of the LSAT, I thought I'd educate you a bit on the amazingly magical powers of the long-loved spice, cinnamon. You mean that spice I have sitting in my cupboard has elusive powers that can help me raise my LSAT score!? Why, yes, reader, it can!
Cinnamon is a very old spice. It was imported to Egypt as early as 2000 BC. There are even mentions of cinnamon in the Torah: Moses is commanded to use sweet cinnamon in a holy oil. Cinnamon was highly prized in ancient times. People thought of the spice as a gift fit for monarchs and even for the gods. Cinnamon is native to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Malabar Coast of India and Burma. There are stories that say the Roman Emperor Nero burned a year's worth of the city's supply of cinnamon at the funeral of his wife, Poppaea Sabina, who died in 65 AD.
Harvesting cinnamon takes two years. The tree grows for two years and then it is chopped down. The next year dozens of shoots will emerge from the cut down tree's roots. Only the inner bark of the tree is used. It is prised out in long rolls, which becomes the cinnamon we know.
Alright, so now that you know a brief history of cinnamon as well as how and where it comes from, let's get to the important stuff: How will cinnamon help you during your LSAT prep?
- A ½ tsp of cinnamon per day can lower your bad cholesterol.
Studying for the LSAT raises all of our blood pressure, stresses us out and downright makes us unhealthier. So why not fight against the unhealthiness that LSAT stress may bring you by making sure the rest of your health vitals are in tiptop shape? Right? Right! - Cinnamon can help treat Type 2 Diabetes by lowering sugar levels and increasing the amount of insulin production in the body.
Please refer to the explanation in reason number 1. - Combining honey and cinnamon together has been found to relieve arthritis pain.
Though the pain in your hands from constant pencil holding and Logic Game setups may not be arthritis, mixing some cinnamon and honey in hot tea and drinking it can relieve your cramps and aches! And, come on, that sounds so cozy! - When added to food, cinnamon inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative.
Therefore, if you make more of your food with cinnamon, you can make your food in bulk and not have to take time out of your LSAT prep to cook for yourself or others! - Just smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.
Umm hello? Do I have to spell this out? Spell more cinnamon! - Cinnamon has been found to be an effective natural remedy for eliminating headaches and migraines.
Want to rid yourself of those stress migraines or those headaches from lack of sleep? Pour some cinnamon in your oatmeal or in your tea or heck, on your chicken!
I have made my case. The great thing about cinnamon is that it goes with almost everything, both sweet and savory! You can sprinkle some on your popcorn, or put some in a stew. Cinnamon bread, cinnamon bacon, cinnamon cookies, the options are endless! Another handy trick is to wrap cinnamon sticks around a candle and light it. The warmth of the candle will begin to release the natural oil of the cinnamon into the air! Okay, hope that was a nice little distraction.
Happy Studying!
