The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Family Name: Lauracae



Botanical Name(s): Cinnamomum zeylanicum



Popular Name(s): Laurus Cinnamomum, Dalchini



Parts Used: Bark



Habitat: Cinnamon is found widely in Sri Lanka but grows in Malabar, Cochin-China, Sumatra and in Eastern Islands too. It is cultivated in Brazil, Mauritius, India, Jamaica and in other countries also.



Description: Cinnamon is an evergreen tree which grows from 20 to 30 feet. The plant has strong branches and thick scabrous bark which is smooth and yellowish. In colour, the leaves are dark green on top and lighter green underneath. It has small yellowish-white flowers with a disagreeable odour that bears dark purple berries. The fruits are oval and berry like.



Uses: Cinnamon bark is used as a spice. It is employed in cookery as a condiment and flavouring material. It is carminative, astringent, stimulant, antiseptic in action. The essential oil of this herb is a potent antibacterial, anti-fungal, and uterine stimulant. It stops vomiting, relieves flatulence and is useful in diarrhoea and haemorrhage of the womb. Recent studies suggest that consuming as little as one-half teaspoon of Cinnamon each day may reduce blood sugar and cholesterol level. also a good cure for headaches, by helping blood flow and removing extra fluid from the brain.

Black tea is chock-full of astringent compounds called tannins that can help deflate and tighten the bags under your eyes. (Not to mention black tea is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.) Activate the tannins in a tea bag by dipping in a cup of hot water for several minutes. Cool in the fridge, then apply the damp bag as a compress to the closed eye for 10 minutes.

Bathe in your breakfast. Although oatmeal is a centuries-old skin soother, researchers only recently recognized the avenanthramides in oats as the key compounds that calm inflamed, itchy skin. Put whole oats in a clean, dry sock. Seal the open end with a rubber band, and then drop the sock into a warm or hot bath. Soak yourself for 15 to 20 minutes.

Take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of crampbark tincture every 2 hours on the days of your worst cramps. Test-tube studies show that this North American plant works as a muscle relaxant to quickly relieve painful spasms.

Because excess alcohol depletes the body of essential B vitamins (they help break down alcohol in the body), before going to bed, take a B-50 complex supplement, which will ensure the metabolism of alcohol continues apace. Also, rehydrate by drinking plenty of water.

Crush a few fresh strawberries into a scrubbing pulp that you mix with a pinch of stain-removing baking soda and enough water to make a paste. Apply the mixture to a soft-bristled toothbrush and polish for a few minutes once every three or four months. (More often can erode tooth enamel.) The astringent malic acid in strawberries helps buff coffee and red-wine stains from teeth.

A stiff neck results from slowed circulation and lymph flow to muscle tissues. Use contrast hydrotherapy—a quick blast of hot, then cold water—to get the blood pumping again. In the shower, first run hot water over your neck for 20 seconds to increase blood flow, then switch to cold for 10 seconds to constrict blood flow. Alternate three times, always ending with cold. When you get out of the shower, your body will send the blood back out to the skin, which results in a final dilation of blood vessels and—voilà!—a looser neck.

Rub on anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and moisturizing olive oil two or three times a day to soothe, soften, and lubricate. Your lips will feel immediately better, but it will take a few days before they start to heal on their own. Some research suggests that applying extra virgin olive oil to skin after sunbathing may help prevent skin cancer.

Gargle with a small cup of acidic lemon juice to kill odor-causing bacteria. Then eat a bit of plain unsweetened yogurt, which contains beneficial lactobacillus bacteria. These so-called probiotics compete with and replace the reeking bacteria. (They also make you prettier—check it out!) The lemon-yogurt combo instantly neutralizes odor and lasts 12 to 24 hours.

Sip a faux hot toddy. Cut a vitamin C-rich lemon in half and squeeze the juice from one half into a cup. Studies show that vitamin C taken before the onset of a cold shortens its duration and severity. Drop the lemon half shell into the cup. Add boiling water and a teaspoon of organic raw honey, an immunity booster that also coats painful throat tissues. Breathe in the healing vapor to open sinuses, and sip a cupful two or three times daily to fight the bug. (To make a traditional hot toddy, add a half shot of brandy.)

Soak feet nightly in 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water to eliminate odoriferous bacteria. Or take a daily foot bath in strong black tea (let it cool first) for 30 minutes. Tea's tannins kill bacteria and close the pores in your feet, keeping feet dry longer; bacteria tend to thrive in moist environments. You'll see results in a few days to a week. One caution: Only do the soak when your feet are free of cuts.

Take two enteric-coated peppermint capsules (500 mg each) three times daily. Peppermint kills bacteria that cause bloating and relaxes gastrointestinal muscles for smoother, spasm-free digestion. Enteric coating prevents capsules from opening in the stomach and increasing discomfort by causing heartburn and indigestion. The peppermint then releases and goes to work lower in the gastrointestinal tract, where gas-plagued people need it most.

If you grazed your skin with a hot-from-the-oven cookie pan, apply aloe vera gel to the burn as needed. The soothing and anti-inflammatory gel creates a second skin to protect it from air, which irritates exposed nerve endings.

Sip linden flower tea, which works in two ways: It stimulates the hypothalamus to better control your temperature, and it dilates blood vessels, inducing sweating. Steep 1 tablespoon of dried herb (available in health food stores) in a cup of hot water for 15 minutes, then sip. Drink three to four cups a day. If you still run hot after a day of sipping tea, seek medical attention.



For a high fever (above 102°F), take a tepid bath, which simply cools the body to match the water temperature. Bathe until your temperature decreases to 101° to 102°F, then sip linden flower tea to lower it even more.

Indulge in a square or two of dark chocolate. Researchers found that chocolate's theobromine compound is more effective than codeine at suppressing persistent coughs without the side effects of drowsiness and constipation.



To calm a nagging cough that keeps you awake at night, take 2 teaspoons of honey (1 to 2 teaspoons for kids; don't give to children younger than 1), along with 500 mg of Ester C 30 minutes before bed. The vitamin C (nonacidic Ester type won't upset stomachs) boosts the immune system in the early stages of your cough. Research shows that honey works better than either a cough suppressant or no treatment at all for relieving children's nocturnal cough and promoting sleep.

Gargle twice daily with a solution of six pressed garlic cloves mixed into a glass of warm (not hot) water. Follow the regimen for three days. Research shows that fresh garlic juice has antimicrobial properties that fight pain-causing bacteria. The warm liquid soothes inflamed tissue.

Swallow 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar. The dry granules stimulate and reset the irritated nerve that is causing the spasms of the diaphragm. Any coarse substance, such as salt, can work in a pinch, but sugar tastes best.

Try frozen ginger chips. First, infuse fresh ginger in hot water. Strain, then freeze the concoction in ice cube trays. Crush the cubes and suck the icy chips throughout the day to provide your tummy with a steady soothing dribble. Ginger's anti-nausea properties are particularly effective during pregnancy or after surgery.

Aloe Vera: Aloe has an antioxidant effect that benefits your skin and slows aging, while in cold remedies it can clear your sinuses and ease headaches.



Angelica: Angelica is a herb that featured heavily in medieval medicine, used in the treatment of ailments ranging from insomnia to headaches. Today, it is used primarily in the relief of stomach problems and coughs or sore throats.





Cayenne: Cayenne has long been a popular cure for gastro-intestinal problems, including cramps gas and ulcers. Further up the body, gargling with a Cayenne solution will relieve the pain of a sore throat.



Chinese Ephedra: Ephedra is only available in the US in other forms now – as an asthma, cold or allergy remedy. It is also available in traditional Chinese remedies, mainly focusing on lung problems and flu. Despite this, it remains hugely popular around the world and is cultivated on a large scale in China for both domestic use and export markets.





Damiana: Damiana has a long history of use as an aphrodisiac, with the first users widely thought to have been the Aztecs and Mayans in Central America. It has actually been used for a variety of sexual-related conditions, from menopause to male infertility.





Garlic: Garlic is a powerful preventative medicine. By lowering cholesterol levels, regulating blood sugar, lowering blood pressure and boosting the immune system, garlic helps to build up your body and restore its defences against both age and disease.





Ginger: These days, Ginger is used by many herbologists to cure digestive problems, but it has also had success in treating the common cold, motion sickness and arthritis.



Licorice:A favorite of herbologists in ancient times, licorice was an important part of Egyptian culture. Although now more familiar throughout the world as a candy, it still has several uses in modern medicine, especially for colds and respiratory problems.





Slippery Elm Bark: Slippery Elm bark is very effective in soothing sore throats, coughs and respiratory problems such as bronchitis and pleurisy. Unlike many other herbs which are still under testing, Slippery Elm Bark is already currently recognized by the Food and Drug Administration as a safe and effective nonprescription.

Aloe Vera:Aloe Vera’s soothing effects are present in countless skin creams, hair conditioners and shampoos. It can help with an itchy scalp and even dandruff.





Arnica: Arnica is one of the few herbs to have gained official recognition from the medical establishment – the UK authorities recently granted a license to Arnica Gel, used on bruises and sprains. However this herb has also been shown to help with hair loss.





Burdock: Burdock oil is extremely popular in Europe as a soothing scalp treatment. Applying it regularly to your scalp can help reduce hair loss, strengthen hair and ease irritation. It is also excellent at stopping dandruff.







Fo Ti: Fo Ti is a remedy that is vitally important to Chinese herbology. In China, it is named ‘He Shou Wu’ (or ‘Black Haired Mr. He’), after a village elder who took it and was miraculously restored to youthful vitality (and a full head of hair!)