| Various Traditional cultures have always known that | | | | volunteers consumed 500 mg of curcumin per day |
| food can be medicine, when used wisely. For | | | | for 7 days, not only did their blood levels of oxidized |
| instance, the Chinese and East Indian cuisine is loaded | | | | cholesterol drop by 33%, but their total cholesterol |
| with heavenly spices that not only taste good but | | | | droped 11.63% , and their HDL (good cholesterol) |
| are also good for many common ailments. In addition, | | | | increased by 29%! (Soni KB, Kuttan R). |
| science is now suggesting that these very spices | | | | Turmeric and Neurodegenerative Disease |
| may actually prevent many chronic disease as well as | | | | Growing evidence suggests that turmeric may afford |
| possibly some cancer. | | | | protection against neurodegenerative diseases. |
| Turmeric, also known as cumerin, has a long history | | | | Epidemiological studies show that in elderly Indian |
| of use in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Used for | | | | populations, among whose diet turmeric is a common |
| centuries to treat inflammation and swelling, it was | | | | spice, levels of neurological diseases such as |
| incorporated into East Indian cuisine as a major | | | | Alzheimer's are very low. Concurrently, experimental |
| component of curries and spices of the region. Having | | | | research conducted recently found that curcumin |
| a rather strong, pungent, peppery flavor, it is popular | | | | does appear to slow the progression of Alzheimer's in |
| even today in western cultures. Western medicine | | | | mice. Preliminary studies in mice also suggest that |
| has only recently begun to study this yellow spice. | | | | curcumin may block the progression of multiple |
| Turmeric and Arthritis | | | | sclerosis. While it is still unclear how it may afford |
| Turmeric contains curcumin and curcuminoids, which | | | | protection against this degenerative condition, one |
| are powerful anti-inflammatory phytochemicals that | | | | theory is that it may interrupt the production of IL-2, |
| act as natural cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors in | | | | a protein that can play a key role in the destruction |
| the body, and inhibit the production of the | | | | of myelin, the sheath that serves to protect most |
| prostaglandins that cause inflammation and swelling. | | | | nerves in the body. |
| Indian researchers found that tumeric relieved joint | | | | Turmeric and Cancer |
| pain and swelling in people with arthritis every bit as | | | | Epidemiological studies have linked the frequent use |
| well as prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory | | | | of turmeric to lower rates of breast, prostate, lung |
| drugs (NSAIDs) without side effects such as | | | | and colon cancer; laboratory experiments have |
| abdominal bleeding or stomach upset. Unlike the | | | | shown curcumin can prevent tumors from forming; |
| drugs, which are associated with significant toxic | | | | and research conducted at the University of Texas |
| effects (ulcer formation, decreased white blood cell | | | | suggests that even when breast cancer is already |
| count, intestinal bleeding), curcumin produces no | | | | present, curcumin can help slow the spread of breast |
| toxicity. | | | | cancer cells to the lungs in mice. |
| Clinical studies have substantiated that curcumin also | | | | Curcumin, a phytonutrient found in the curry spice |
| exerts very powerful antioxidant effects. As an | | | | turmeric, and quercitin, an antioxidant in onions, |
| antioxidant, curcumin is able to neutralize free radicals, | | | | reduce both the size and number of precancerous |
| chemicals that can travel through the body and cause | | | | lesions in the human intestinal tract, shows research |
| great amounts of damage to healthy cells and cell | | | | published in the August 2006 issue of Clinical |
| membranes. This is important in many diseases, such | | | | Gasteroenterology and Hepatology. |
| as arthritis, where free radicals are responsible for | | | | Previous observational studies in populations that |
| the painful joint inflammation and eventual damage to | | | | consume large amounts of curry, as well as animal |
| the joints. Turmeric's combination of antioxidant and | | | | research, have strongly suggested that curcumin, one |
| anti-inflammatory effects explains why many people | | | | of the main ingredients in Asian curries, might be |
| with joint disease find relief when they use the spice | | | | effective in preventing and/or treating cancer in the |
| regularly. In a recent study of patients with | | | | lower intestine. Similarly, quercetin, an anti-oxidant |
| rheumatoid arthritis, curcumin was compared to | | | | flavonoid found in a variety of foods including onions, |
| phenylbutazone and produced comparable | | | | green tea and red wine, has been shown to inhibit |
| improvements in shortened duration of morning | | | | growth of colon cancer cell lines in humans and |
| stiffness, lengthened walking time, and reduced joint | | | | abnormal colorectal cells in animals. |
| swelling. | | | | Prostate cancer-the second leading cause of cancer |
| Turmeric and Cholesterol | | | | death in American men with 500,000 new cases |
| Curcumin may be able to prevent the oxidation of | | | | appearing each year-is a rare occurrence among men |
| cholesterol in the body. Since oxidized cholesterol is | | | | in India, whose low risk is attributed to a diet rich in |
| what damages blood vessels and builds up in the | | | | brassica family vegetables and the curry spice, |
| plaques that can lead to heart attack or stroke, | | | | turmeric. There is even evidence that a diet rich in |
| preventing the oxidation of new cholesterol may help | | | | turmeric may decrease the risk of childhood leukemia. |
| to reduce the progression of atherosclerosis and | | | | While simply consuming curry, broccoli, cauliflower and |
| diabetic heart disease. In addition, turmeric is a good | | | | onions may not be a diet for everyone to enjoy, you |
| source of vitamin B6, which is needed to keep | | | | can now reap the benefits of turmeric by taking it as |
| homocysteine levels from getting too high. | | | | a supplement. Because it is a spice, it can be safely |
| Homocysteine, an intermediate product of an | | | | consumed in supplement form. |
| important cellular process called methylation, is directly | | | | This spice is delicious on healthy sautéed |
| damaging to blood vessel walls. High levels of | | | | apples, and healthy steamed cauliflower and/or green |
| homocysteine are considered a significant risk factor | | | | beans and onions. Or, for a flavor-rich, low-calorie dip, |
| for blood vessel damage, atherosclerotic plaque | | | | try adding some turmeric and dried onion to creamy |
| build-up, and heart disease; while a high intake of | | | | yogurt. |
| vitamin B6 is associated with a reduced risk of heart | | | | Whether you choose to take your turmeric as a |
| disease. | | | | supplement or a food enhancement, spice up your |
| In research published in the Indian Journal of | | | | life and improve up your health! |
| Physiology and Pharmacology, when 10 healthy | | | | |