It can be tough to stay on track with a plan for wellness during this time of year. (Trust me, I'm struggling with it myself.) So what do I do when I'm struggling with something? I head to the internet!
Sometimes, that's a giant backfire waiting to happen- but other times, I stumble on to a gem. This is one of those times! While browsing Pinterest a week or two ago, I discovered a recipe for Apple Cinnamon "Day Spa Inspired" water. It touted itself as a detox drink, and I thought, "I'll take all the help I can get!"
So I followed the pin, a couple of different blogs have their take on this, but the two most popular I found were Lose Weight By Eating and Running Away? I'll Help You Pack!
They each have their take on it, and here I'll share mine.
Here's what I use:
2.25 Quart (approx 1/2 gallon) pitcher
1/2 Washington Honeycrisp Apple (my personal favorite, you can pick whatever kind you like)
1 stick of Cinnamon
Slice the apples into thin slices, add the cinnamon stick, fill the pitcher about 1/2 way with ice, then add your water. Leave it sit for a while in the refrigerator, approximately 10 minutes or so. The water needs some time to absorb all the apple-cinnamon-y goodness!
It's also nice to hold back a slice or two of apple for your glass. It's a refreshing change from plain old water, and everyone knows getting plenty of water is a staple for a healthy diet.
What you might not realize are all of the health benefits that apples and cinnamon bring to the table!
Apples have been shown to:
- Lower LDL (bad) Cholesterol
- Protect/strengthen bones
- Help prevent several types of Cancer
- Assist in weight loss
- Boost exercise endurance
Cinnamon has been shown to:
- Regulate blood sugar levels
- Boost cognitive function and memory
- Act as an effective natural remedy for headaches and migraines
- Inhibit bacterial growth and food spoilage
- Reduce the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cells
With these kinds of benefits, it seems like upping your daily intake of apples and cinnamon is a no-brainer!
To learn more about these and other health benefits of apples and cinnamon, visit the following links:
