Have you ever heard of turmeric?
Those of us who have been into alternative health for a little while have definitely heard of it!
I first became aware of it a couple of years ago, as something to fight chronic inflammation, which I’ve previously written about here. But lately, I’ve heard or read more beneficial things about turmeric.
Well, tell me what is turmeric?
If you’re unaware, turmeric is a spice, related to ginger, used widely in culinary endeavors. It’s what gives the curry of India its flavor and bright yellow color. It’s also used widely in the US, by the mustard producers, to both flavor and color the mustard. It has subtle flavor, but leans toward being slightly bitter.
I don’t have room on this blog to write down all the health benefits of turmeric. Well, actually, it’s one particular element of turmeric, curcumin that is so beneficial. But I’ll mention just a few of the biggies. Then too, studies are still being done, so a lot of benefits are not concrete just yet. But they wouldn’t have been mentioned in publication if they weren’t reasonably sure of the information derived initially.
Being a very potent natural anti-inflammatory is number one, in my opinion. Chronic inflammation is a big problem to a lot of people. For more information on what all is impacted by chronic inflammation, check out my previous post. But I HAVE to mention Alzheimer’s, which is included in my post on Chronic Inflammation. Did you know that India, where a lot of turmeric is consumed, has less than one quarter of the cases of Alzheimer’s that the US has?
Turmeric (curcumin) is also a natural liver detoxifier. That helps with weight control, not to mention keeping that very important organ fit. WE can’t live without a healthy liver!
Studies are ongoing on just how turmeric helps cancer patients. Early results show that it may help prevent or treat several different cancers—such as prostate, breast, colon and skin cancer. It’s thought that its preventive effects could be because it’s a strong antioxidant and protects cells from damage. Turmeric has demonstrated an ability to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.
I’m looking forward to following the progress of these studies and tests.
We sprinkle turmeric on our food, whenever possible. It CAN be taken in capsule form, but anyone considering supplementing with it should check out all the possible interactions—and there are some. The best way to do that is just Google or Bing turmeric. A plethora of websites are available with all the information needed.
Stay healthy!
Leave a Reply