The amazing health benefits of turmeric
Aside from the holistic health community,
Western medical practitioners have only recently come on board in
recognizing the benefits of turmeric.
By:
Amy Evans
This bag of gold is helping my Greyhound Emma with her arthritis, just started putting it in her food a 1/4 teaspoon per 10 pounds. I will let you know if I see a improvement in her walking.
Turmeric, an orange-colored spice imported from India, is part the
ginger family and has been a staple in Middle Eastern and Southeast
Asian cooking for thousands of years.
In addition, ayurvedic and Chinese medicines utilize turmeric to
clear infections and inflammations on the inside and outside of the
body. But beyond the holistic health community, Western medical
practitioners have only recently come on board in recognizing the
benefits of turmeric.
Blocking cancer
Doctors at UCLA recently found that curcumin, the main component in turmeric, appeared to block an enzyme that promotes the growth of head and neck cancer.
In that study, 21 subjects with head and neck cancers chewed two
tablets containing 1,000 milligrams of curcumin. An independent lab in
Maryland evaluated the results and found that the cancer-promoting
enzymes in the patients’ mouths were inhibited by the curcumin and thus
prevented from advancing the spread of the malignant cells.
Powerful antioxidant
The University of Maryland’s Medical Center also states
that turmeric’s powerful antioxidant properties fight cancer-causing
free radicals, reducing or preventing some of the damage they can cause.
While more research is necessary, early studies have indicated that
curcumin may help prevent or treat several types of cancer including
prostate, skin and colon.
Potent anti-inflammatory
Dr. Randy J. Horwitz, the medical director of the Arizona Center
for Integrative Medicine and an assistant professor of clinical medicine
at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, wrote a paper for the American Academy of Pain Management in which he discussed the health benefits of turmeric.
“Turmeric is one of the most potent natural anti-inflammatories available,” Horwitz states in the paper.
He went on to cite a 2006 University of Arizona study
that examined the effect of turmeric on rats with injected rheumatoid
arthritis. According to Horwitz, pretreatment with turmeric completely
inhibited the onset of rheumatoid arthritis in the rats. In addition,
the study found that using turmeric for pre-existing rheumatoid
arthritis resulted in a significant reduction of symptoms.
“Raw is best”
Natalie Kling, a Los Angeles-based nutritionist, says she first
learned about the benefits of turmeric while getting her degree from the
Natural Healing Institute of Neuropathy. “As an anti-inflammatory,
antioxidant and antiseptic, it’s a very powerful plant,” she says.
Kling recommends it to clients for joint pain and says that when
taken as a supplement, it helps quickly. She advises adding turmeric to
food whenever possible and offers these easy tips. “Raw is best,” she
said. “Sprinkling it on vegetables or mixing it into dressings is quick
and effective.”
If you do cook it, make sure to use a small amount of healthy fat
like healthy coconut oil to maximize flavor. Kling also recommends
rubbing turmeric on meat and putting it into curries and soups.
“It’s inexpensive, mild in taste, and benefits every system in the
body,” Kling says. "Adding this powerful plant to your diet is one of
the best things you can do for long term health.”
