Sharing Some LOVE for Cinnamon
I first learned about the benefits of cinnamon for endometriosis from a fellow endo sister who was quick to express how drinking a cup of cinnamon tea every morning did wonders for her.
As I looked more into the benefits of this beloved spice, I realized why. I thought I’d share these benefits with you today, so hopefully you feel compelled to include it in your daily regime too.
Cinnamon is a very warming spice. It has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to help warm a cold uterus (symptoms of a cold uterus include a literally cold uterus with lower back pain, cramps that respond to heating pads and clotty menstrual blood).
Cinnamon has an anti-clotting effect on the blood and It also helps curb heavy menstrual bleeding. It is also used to help improve circulation (in TCM poor circulation is a common occurrence with endometriosis).
Cinnamon contains a natural component called cinnamaldehyde. Studies show that this element naturally increases progesterone. Yay!
Cinnamon supports the immune system as it has antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
It helps to strengthen digestion as it helps ward off bacteria growth in the gut, especially H. Pylori and candida overgrowth. This means that it is a great natural remedy for yeast infections and urinary tract infections (UTI) and can also be taken as a preventative measure.
It is also an effective remedy for diarrhea.
Cinnamon reduces insulin resistance (common with PCOS) as it slows down the breakdown of carbs in the small intestine. This results in less inflammation in the body and lays a pathway for improved hormonal balance.
Cinnamon is also said to help with headaches and migraines.
The Cinnamon Experiment
I am always on the look out for natural components that increase progesterone and was excited to learn that cinnamon is in this category.
I invested in a small bottle of cinnamon bark oil with the understanding that a little goes a long way.
I added just a drop of it to some warm water with a touch of honey and have been very much enjoying this as my morning tea.
I plan to do this throughout the remainder of my luteal phase and am curious to see how this affects my daily basal body temperatures (which have shown a pattern of low progesterone levels) and its impacts on the annoying spotting I’ve been experiencing prior to my period this past couple of months (another sign of low progesterone).
Cinnamon oil can also be added to a warm bath, to help dissolve into the skin. Only a touch (about half a drop) is needed.
If insulin resistance is a concern, then a couple of drops can be applied over the pancreas.
Remember: Cinnamon is HOT – literally, so if you decide to use it on the skin, then test first. If your skin is sensitive then it can be combined with a carrier oil like coconut oil.
Cinnamon oil can also be added to food and like I said, a little goes a long way!
Of note: Cinnamon oil should not be consumed if you are pregnant.
On the Positive Side?
After reviewing all the benefits of cinnamon for endometriosis what isn’t positive about it?
The cinnamon oil makes it easy to get a daily dose of cinnamon.
The powdered stuff works too for baking or what not. I believe my fellow endo sister who was ecstatic about her daily cinnamon tea just combined the hot water and the powdered cinnamon, or grated cinnamon stick. Why not experiment and find out? 🙂
Do you include cinnamon into your daily regime? Have you noticed any benefits? I’d love to hear from you….
Hey Aubree, I am currently being treated by an ayurvedic doctor for my endo and ovarian cysts, and one of the things I am taking is cinnamon. It is very important for it to be ceylon and not cassia cinnamon. I don’t know if the treatment has effect yet, since I am one of the rare endo cases without pain, but I have had 2 surgeries to remove huge endometriomas. I live in the NYC area and if you want more info about that doctor, you can e-mail me -himigalia-at-yahoo-dot-com. All the best to you and thanks for a wonderful site full of precious advice!
galina
Thanks for the info. I didn’t realize there were different types of cinnamon. Good to know. 🙂
I just started tracking my basel body temp (it’s almost been a full cycle) and I was curious how you see the low level of progesterone cycles? So far I’ve noticed that after I ovulate, my temperature did rise above the base level, but isn’t a big jump like in the examples in the book. Is that the sign? I’m also curious if you have read about low thyroid and basel temp. They say that if your basel temp is below 97.7 (or something) it could be a problem, but in the book all of the women are at 97.3 or so, pre ovulation! Anyways, these are some questions I’ve been having and wanted to talk to a fellow basel tracker about. 🙂
Hi Annalisa. I have a historically short luteal phase (9-10 days) and I tend to spot before my period starts. These are both signs of low progesterone. Also, multiple temperatures in the luteal phase tend to dip below the cover line. I did saliva testing on 7 days past ovulation (where progesterone should peak) and my levels were low.
It will take a couple of cycles to figure out your body’s patterns. As long the temperature rises a couple of degrees (and stays elevated), then your body should be ovulating.
Low or high waking temperatures can indicate thyroid issues. I was able to detect my own thyroid issues this way. My preovulatory temperatures are higher than “normal”, which for me was indicative of Hashimoto’s. The book says if your preovulatory temps measure consistently at 97.3 or higher than 97.8, then you should check your thyroid.
Hope this helps. Always nice to chat with other charters – such a wealth of information from a simple practice 🙂
Hi,
Thank you for this piece.
How long should cinnamon be used for endo, since it has effect on the liver
Thanks for the reply. Tracking is so interesting. I’m onto my second cycle so will be curious what it looks like. What book are you referring to? The one I have (the fertility awareness one) says temps lower than 97.0 pre ov can be a sign of thyroid. Also, did you mean to say lower than 97.3 or actually at 97.3? It’s confusing to me that many examples in the book are lower than 97.3 (pre ov). Lastly, I noticed the time I take it changes the temp. I’ve been tracking at about 6:40 everyday, but if I take it at 6, my temps are lower vs taking it at 8, so then it’s hard to know for sure about the thyroid. Anyways, those are just my thoughts. Thanks!
I was referring to the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. She suggests that temps consistently lower than 97.3 pre-ovulation could indicate thyroid troubles.
However, the later you take your temperature, the higher your temperatures should be. It’s suggested that it should rise a degree with each half hour later. So, I suppose the “97.3” marker would depend on what time…. which she does not specify.
Are you taking your temps orally? I know that vaginal readings can be more precise.
Hello. I am diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis and I am having problem with fertility, leaving IVF my only option. Every month i go through severe pain. In between periods I am spotting. I read your article and wanted to know if cinnamon tea helped you with the pain and the spotting?
You could try it and see. Unfortunately there isn’t an easy answer to that. It’s a combo of lots of things. If you’re looking for more direction/guidance check out Peace with Endo Connect: peacewithendo.com/connect
Hi and thank you.
I just finished reading your book and found it extremely helpful.
I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for healthy fat and protein breakfast recipes using Cinnamon (Since I don’t eat dairy, gluten, sugar, honey and maple syrup I find it hard to include Cinnamon in my diet and I really don’t like drinking Cinnamon tea).
In general I struggle with breakfast ideas, I keep eating an egg on a brown rice cake. Boring…)
Hi Shiri – Thank you for reaching out. I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed my book 🙂
I like to eat nuts in the morning – walnuts or pecans mostly. I like to roast them then add in berries. You could sprinkle cinnamon on top?
I’m also a fan of smoothies – banana and cinnamon mix well in a smoothie combination with nut milk, coconut oil and berries. Or if you want more protein you could mix in an endo-friendly protein powder.
Thank you, great ideas.
I’ll give it a try…
Do you have any suggestions for endo-friendly protein powders? I tend to struggle a bit with getting enough daily protein since I don’t really eat meat anymore (because of the endo) and some beans tend to make me gassy.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Michelle – Suggest trying Nutiva’s Hemp Powder. Though the flavor takes some getting used to – have to find the right flavor combination (fruit, raw cacao, almond butter). You could always try just hemp seeds too.
For beans – it’s helpful to soak them first and/or cook them with Kombu (a seaweed). This helps to break down the phytic acid that can cause gas. You also want to skim off the white foam at the top after cooking them.
I am TTC and have experienced endometriosis my whole adult life.
Quick question I’ve experienced numerous miscarriages due to endometriosis, however I have two children ages 13 and 7, with endomeriosis inbetween those pregnancies that made it so I am aware it is possible; yet dont want to loose another baby.
So this suggestion of cinnamon is ideal for me.
My worry is that if it is sucessful in boosting my pregesterone can it harm a pregnany? Is cinnamon dangerous when pregnant?
Hi Crystal. It is suggested to avoid cinnamon in high doses while pregnant, so I’d avoid the essential oil. In cooking, it should be fine. Best of luck to you <3
what is the cinnamon dosage for endometriosis pain control. and the dosage for enhancing fertility
Yes I would like to know the doses as well… plus I read somewhere that it would be better not to take cinnamon in the lutheal phase, anybody heard about that anywhere?