The Goodness Of Turmeric
Turmeric is a member of the ginger family, no one knows this plant better than the Indians. Historically India has been the major consumer and grower of turmeric, it continues to hold that position until this day. The Indians were aware of the medicinal properties of turmeric thousands of years ago. They make liberal use of turmeric in their cuisine both, as a flavoring and coloring agent. The benefits of applying turmeric externally to the skin and using it to heal wounds, were first experienced in India. Turmeric is also an important part of many religious rituals in the country.
What we are going to talk about in this report is the health benefits of turmeric. The information is not a substitute for professional medical advise, so do not alter any form of treatment recommended by your doctor. Having said that, there is no doubt that nature base remedies can sometimes lower or eliminate the need for stronger chemical based medications. It is a good idea to read about the nature based treatments and then, discuss your ideas with your doctor. The main in ingredient in turmeric is curcumin and it is this ingredient that is widely touted for its medicinal properties.
Anti-Inflammatory: Turmeric is considered to be useful in treating joint aches and pains. Most of these problems are caused by internal inflammation. Most turmeric based supplements use this property as a selling point but, remember that results are mixed. It is not uncommon for conventional medicines to work in some cases and be ineffective in others, the same is true of nature based options. If you are experiencing joint related problems, try to include a spoon of turmeric powder in your food each day. It is always a good idea to work with food options before, evaluating the need for concentrated supplements. Some researchers say that, turmeric and more specifically curcumin can work to reduce the chances of getting inflamed joints.
Helps Digestion: There are encouraging findings related turmeric improving digestion, it might be worth giving it a try. The best way to derive the health benefits of turmeric for digestion, would be to include small amounts of turmeric in your daily cooking. Eating a bit of turmeric in your meals is known to reduce gas and bloating, these conditions are not uncommon and it would be great if turmeric can relieve these problems. By stimulating bile production in the liver, turmeric might also be instrumental in helping the digestion of fats. Remember that lower fat accumulation means lower chances of clogged arteries. We should mention once again that, there is no magical solution to medical problems, so make sure that you do not leave serious symptoms unattended. Consult your doctor for the best possible advice.
Cancer: The medical community after spending millions of man hours and billions of dollars, has not yet fully understood what causes cancer and how to cure the disease. It would therefore be irresponsible to say that, turmeric cures cancer. At the same time we should admit that, any possibility of preventing or treating cancer should not be left unexplored. Ways to reduce the discomfort or pain brought about by cancer and related treatments, are worth a try. There are claims from parts of the medical community that, turmeric when taken internally helps slow down the formation of certain cancer cells. This seems to be more likely in the case of skin cancer. Applying turmeric externally has also at times, been able to reduce inflammation that is seen in patients suffering from skin cancer. You should never try to treat cancer on your own or use methods that you read or see somewhere. Follow medical advise but do not hesitate to discuss your newly acquired knowledge or information with your doctor.
Heart Health: You might hear that eating turmeric helps reduce heart ailments, this is actually linked to the explanation that we provided regarding turmeric and digestion. Turmeric is believed to stimulate bile production in the liver, this in turn helps in the digestion of fats. You have lowered cholesterol levels in the bloodstream and this, lowers the chances of arteries getting clogged. Experts believe that, curcumin in turmeric has blood thinning properties, this eliminates the possibility of blood clots obstructing blood vessels. The constriction of blood vessels by clots, can also obstruct blood flow too and from the heart.
Cholesterol And Sugar: This is once again related to the way in which turmeric stimulates bile production in the liver, when this happens fats get digested and you therefore have lower levels of cholesterol left in the bloodstream. Some doctors do feel that the regular consumption of turmeric lowers sugar levels but, this is more likely to happen if you take supplements that have a high concentration of curcumin.
How To Eat: Many Asian recipes feature turmeric as one of the ingredients, this is catching up in updated menus in the West too. If you wish to check out the health benefits of turmeric, aim for 1 spoon of turmeric powder a day. Remember that this is what a single person should get through the food. It is a good idea to add the turmeric to the cooking pot when the food is nearly cooked. You really do not want to overcook the turmeric as this can remove much of the goodness. In some parts of India, people add a spoon of yogurt and a spoon of honey to plain yogurt and make a drink. This will probably take some time to get used to, so try it if you are interested.
Caution: Like we mentioned right at the start of this report, we have no commercial interest in the health or hospitality sector. We will therefore openly caution you regarding some issues related to the consumption of turmeric. In general turmeric included as a part of your food plan, should not cause any significant problems. However turmeric supplements contain concentrated doses of turmeric or curcumin, you will need to exercise some caution before taking them. Since curumin could lower blood sugar levels, diabetics on medications should talk to their doctor before consuming turmeric regularly. If you happen to be taking statins to control cholesterol levels, ask your doctor if turmeric would cause any issues. Blood thinning medications like aspirin and warfarin, might have an enhanced effect if taken along with turmeric.