edited by: Mark Stapleton

Turmeric: The Amazing Spice!

Turmeric is a spice native to India and used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese medicine. It looks similar to ginger root and is used mainly in curries, in food. Modern or Western medicine has studied it extensively and turmeric has been proven to help a wide swath or diseases. It’s thought to do so mainly by combating inflammation. Prolonged inflammation is believed to be the root cause of most of the chronic ailments in today’s modern world.

Turmeric’s main active compound is curcumin, known to be an extremely powerful anti-oxidant. Anti-oxidants scavenge free radicals from the body, which cause diseases like cancer. Turmeric has been used in ancient practices for digestive disorders, skin ailments and wounds, and liver system disorders. It has also been studied for its beneficial effects on cancer. Here are five amazing ways turmeric can help improve your health and change your life.

 

General health

Ayurvedic medicine has used turmeric for 4,000 years. In traditional medicine it’s used for gastrointestinal complaints, skin diseases and periodontal disorders, among others. It has anti parasitic properties and is effectively used topically in countries that practice Ayurveda.

 

Arthritis pain

Turmeric can help with arthritis. Studies have been done for several decades and prove that turmeric is an effective treatment for several forms of arthritis. Osteoarthritis sufferer in one study had a 50% decrease in pain and mobility after taking a curcumin complex. Ayurvedic medicine has also used it to treat arthritis sufferers and it’s used for sprains and swelling so it can be a strong pain reliever as well.

 

 

 

Cancer help

Turmeric is proven to cause apoptosis or cell death in cancer cells. It also prevents the cancer cells from proliferating. The curcumin in turmeric has been shown to help with colorectal, prostate, lung and oral cancers and also multiple myeloma. Its benefit is in prevention of cancer cell creation. Several studies have shown that turmeric can prevent skin cancer and delay the growth of cancer lesions on the skin. Turmeric is even used in some sun screens.

 

Skin health

Studies have shown that creams with turmeric in them have helped skin lesions and cuts to heal faster than normal. It’s also been used effectively for psoriasis, eczema and rosacea. Inflammation is a common symptom and cause of these skin diseases and curcumin has been found to prevent the formation of the molecule that causes inflammation.

Curcumin also purportedly helps improve collagen formation so it’s a useful anti-aging therapy. Dermatology studies indicate that a cream containing turmeric reduced lines and wrinkles by 15% after applying for eight weeks.

Digestive health

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, turmeric is used for abdominal pain and general gastrointestinal complaints. It has been shown to improve digestion and stimulate the body’s ability to digest fats.

In modern medicine, it’s used to treat symptoms of IBS and Colitive disorders. In one study, IBS sufferer had a more than 50% decrease in their symptoms after taking tablets of turmeric extract.

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photo credit: D.Eickhoff Curcuma longa via photopin (license)

photo credit: Vilb1 turmeric—curcuma-longa via photopin (license)

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