Cinnamon, Omega 3, Diabetes, Blood pressure

Today's health tip

Gunboy here shares some of his own health concerns, and they struck home.  A few months ago my own doctor, acting on certain complaints, ordered blood tests for Diabetes, Type I or II. In the old days - by that I mean before the bride of satan turned our nation's health care upside down,  he would have drawn blood himself and called me with the results.  No more.  I had to take his chit to a blood checking place, which I did,  Alas, after waiting 10 minutes in a crowded waiting room I said heck with this, and left.  I lost the slip of paper, so I couldn't get it checked without going back.  Of course, today's physicians never follow up on orders, so mine has not missed getting the lab results.  But I digress. It was pretty clear to me that I was at least pre-diabetic, so I took steps to control it holistically. In February I wrote about studies showing  that cinnamon may have a salubrious effect on cholesterol, and diabetes (here, here, and here for Diabetes).  I ordered some - it turned out to be just regular cinnamon in a gel cap, but the caps are convenient. At the same time I began taking on a regular basis Omega 3 (fish oil). Despite not changing my diet at all, last week I noticed that my clothes were getting loose, so I weighed myself.  The results were so astounding that I had my daughter and Mother Superior check the scale for accuracy. It was.  I had lost 10% of my body weight in 2 months.  HFS!  When that happens, something really, really good is going on, or something really, really bad. I know, sick people lose weight too, but I feel better, not worse, so I'm thinking good.  Here's the oddest result. About three years ago I was carrying two bags of cement at a time (about 160 pounds) to a job site, and my knees went South.  Since that time I have been unable to walk without pain, let alone run.  Going up stairs has been a chore.  This week I ran with my dog.  My legs have spring in them. I can run up the stairs.  Wait, there is one more thing I started doing again, which must be thrown into the calculus.  Taking soluble fiber every morning (the results are, uh ... spectacular). Mother Superior began taking cinnamon for a raised blood pressure concern, but she has always had an adverse response to cinnamon (upset stomach) so she takes just one cap a day.  Dr. Gott, the physician who first wrote about this just reported that after 6 weeks of taking cinnamon for his cholesterol, nothing had changed, so it's not an automatic (Although I think a 6 month trial might have been more meaningful). I pass this experience on for what it's worth.  If you want to take Omega 3, make sure it's molecularly distilled (removes mercury).  I've listed my source below, and HFS, they are selling 120 caps of Salmon Oil (the best) for $3.95 a bottle of 120.  We were paying $19.95.  MOLECULARLY DISTILLED PHARMACEUTICAL GRADE Salmon Oil CINNAMON BARK CAPSULES