It’s common knowledge that spices can add serious mojo to your meat loaf and zest to your spaghetti, but Family Circle magazine reports how these seasonings may hold the answers to everything from sleep and memory problems to chronic coughs. Among them:

Cinnamon

A few shakes of cinnamon could significantly lower your cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar.

Kitchen RX: Shoot for 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon twice a day. Sprinkle it over oatmeal or in coffee before brewing, put a few dashes in cocoa or apple cider, or even add it to meat loaf. You can make cinnamon tea by adding spice sticks to hot water.

Warning: As with any food, some individuals in rare cases may be allergic to cinnamon.

Fennel

This licorice-flavored spice prevents gas, heartburn and upset stomach.

Kitchen RX: Chew 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds after a meal, or enjoy a cup of fennel tea. For the latter, boil 1/2 to 1 full teaspoon of crushed seeds in one cup of water from 10 to 15 minutes. Cool, strain and drink up to three cups per day.

Warning: Fennel seeds are very safe, but do not ingest fennel oil. When taken in doses greater than a teaspoon, the oil may cause nausea, vomiting and possibly seizures, and in pregnant women, miscarriage.

Nutmeg

It can take the edge off nerves, calm muscle spasms, induce slumber, and increase the duration of sleep.

Kitchen RX: Instead of counting sheep, add a pinch of nutmeg to warm milk before going to bed.

Warning: Don’t overdue it. Excessive doses – one to three “nuts” or even fewer can bring on such symptoms as nausea, swelling, hallucination and shock.

Sage

A dose of sage may give your memory a slight boost.

Kitchen RX: Use sage when preparing fish, pork or sausage or in salads. Or you might use it to make tea by adding 1 teaspoon to 1 cup of boiling water. Cover, steep for five minutes, strain and drink.

Warning: Avoid using if pregnant or if you have high blood pressure.

Thyme

This warming, drying herb is a traditional cough medicine; it acts as an expectorant by loosening phlegm.

Kitchen RX: Thyme has a lemony flavor. Add it to salads, soups, sandwiches, meat, fish or poultry, or make tea with the fresh herb.

Warning: Rely on the spice, not its oil. The latter can be toxic when ingested – causing headache, nausea, vomiting, thyroid impairment and heart and respiratory depression.