Hands down turmeric is probably the most powerful herb in the world. Well, not only is it the most powerful but also one of the most researched as well. Until today there have been 10,181 peer-reviewed articles on turmeric and I would like to discuss some of the many benefits studied in those articles. Some sound pretty unbelievable but I don’t make things up, if you don’t believe me you can look it up.
The responsible for these benefits is actually a compound in turmeric called curcumin, which is only 3% of turmeric. Most of the studies focus on high doses of curcumin that are impossible to achieve through turmeric seasoning in foods, which is why you have to buy turmeric extract. Unfortunately, it’s also poorly absorbed, so do yourself a favor and eat it with some black pepper to increase absorption by 2000%.
Anti-inflammatory
My favorite benefit of curcumin is the ability it has to fight inflammation at a molecular level. It’s among the most powerful anti-inflammatory compounds in the world, more than Aspirin and Ibuprofen.
Inflammation puts people at risk for almost every disease including cancer, heart disase, arthritis, Alzhemer’s and ulcerative colitis. Therefore, saying it can decrease inflammation means it can also decrease the incidence of many other diseases.
Anti-depressive
Second favorite benefit is the anti-depressive effect it has. I went to Bali for my honeymoon and after we came back my husband tells me one day “do you know why probably everybody in Indonesia is always happy and in a good mood? Because they always add turmeric to their food”. I have trained him well, it’s actually a good point.
The Journal of Phytotherapy Research published an amazing study where they separated adults with major depressive disorders into 3 groups. One group was taking Prozac (an anti-depression medication), one group curcumin, and another group a combination of the two. The conclusion was that the turmeric was as effective as Prozac in managing depression, except without any side effects!
Lowers risk of heart disease
For several reasons. First, as I explained it reduces inflammation and oxidation in turn decreasing risk of heart disease. Also, it improves the lining of the blood vessels, called the endothelium. One study showed turmeric improves endothelium function as much as exercise (this is not en excuse to being lazy and not exercising), another 2 studies proved it was as effective as Atorvastatin.
Cancer prevention
A ton of lab studies have shown that curcumin has anticancer effects. It can actually kill cancer cells and prevent more from growing.
The American Cancer Society states:
Laboratory studies have also shown that curcumin interferes with cancer development, growth, and spread. Researchers have reported that curcumin blocked the formation of cancer-causing enzymes in rodents.
Hopefully curcumin will be used along with conventional cancer treatment one day, so far the data seems very promising.
Alzheimer’s disease
Inflammation and oxidation are both causes of Alzheimer’s disease and as we know, curcumin is effective in controlling both.
Arthritis
This actually blew my mind away. A study among rheumatoid arthritis patients divided the patients into 3 groups. One received curcumin only, one received diclofenac sodium (a drugs for RA), and another group received both. The results were incredible! The curcumin group showed the highest level of improvement and the results were significantly better than in the group receiving diclofenac sodium. The best part is, there are no side effects tied to curcumin.
Diabetes
A 2009 study in Auburn University showed how supplementing with turmeric can reverse diabetes. It proved that curcumin is literally 400 times more effective than Metformin (a drug for diabetes) in improving insulin sensitivity in turn reversing type 2 diabetes.
As you can see now the benefits of turmeric are eye opening. It is literally the most potent and effective herb in the supermarket and the one I recommend the most. It’s only a matter of time until conventional doctors start using it along with other treatments and the best part is, it has no serious side effects. Include it in your diets, your green juices, and buy it in extract form. You body will thank you!
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