Raw turmeric root
Like its close relative, ginger, turmeric is capable of providing a vast array of health and wellness benefits when used correctly. Most of these benefits come from a chemical called curcumin. Also present in high quantities in ginger, curcumin is responsible for turmeric’s signature bright yellow color and many of the significant health-improving qualities it can supply.
Turmeric is credited as the key ingredient in dozens of homeopathic treatments, and has been an important medicinal root for centuries. You can use it topically to reduce inflammation and relieve the pain caused by conditions like arthritis, or make it a regular part of your diet to improve your heart health and circulation, boost your immune system, and even speed up your metabolism a little.
Turmeric’s powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties make it an essential component of any natural medicine cabinet, and it can go a long way all on its own towards keeping you healthy all on its own.
Known also by its botanical name Curcuma Longa, turmeric is native to India. While in the modern day it has become widespread enough to be present on shelves in supermarkets and natural medicine stores all over the world, it was first used in India as a spice and medicine for hundreds of years. It has also been used to make religious garments and wedding clothes, traded as a commodity, and has served as a brightly-colored and highly valuable dye for centuries.
ANTIOXIDANTS
Turmeric is high in antioxidants, which allow it to rid your body of excess free radicals before they can do much harm. Free radicals occur when a molecule of oxygen separates into two individual atoms with unpaired electrons, which then roam your body in search of another atom to pair with, wreaking havoc along the way. These free radicals can be the catalyst for dozens of different diseases, many of which can be debilitating or even fatal. Antioxidants like those found in turmeric perform the important task of eradicating free radicals and other waste products on a cellular level, keeping you and your cells in a healthy balance. This is a vital aspect of human biology, allowing us to stave off heart conditions, limit our risk of diseases and mutations such as cancer, and slow visible signs of aging.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Like its cousin ginger, turmeric is a surprisingly strong anti-inflammatory agent. It is extremely effective when used to reduce joint pain caused by inflammation and swelling, such as the joint inflammation that comes with arthritis. In some cases, sufferers of chronic joint pain have reported seeing better results with turmeric than with over-the-counter painkillers, although these results may vary from person to person. If you find that standard anti-inflammatory medicine isn’t working for you, you might want to try turmeric and see if you get better results. This can apply to just about any condition that causes pain through inflammation, including anything from a bruise to an infected tooth.
PREVENT BLOOD CLOTS
This next usage for turmeric has the potential to be something of a double-edged sword. Turmeric is capable of thinning your blood almost as strongly as a prescribed anticoagulant, which can help prevent blood clots and keep your arteries healthy and your circulation in good condition. However, you should take great care to avoid using turmeric in combination with other medicine, as it may magnify the effects of other blood thinners or anticoagulants. Too much blood thinner in your system can result in nosebleeds, and even small cuts may bleed heavily and heal more slowly than usual.
WARNING!
Always seek out medical advice from a doctor before turning to homeopathic treatments, especially if you are concerned you may react negatively to the treatment in question.
HEART HEALTH
Keeping your heart in good condition should be one of your first priorities when thinking about your health. Many of our most fatal diseases are linked to poor heart health, blood pressure, and cholesterol—these can all be avoided with the right diet and lifestyle. Because turmeric is capable of preventing blood clots and clearing arteries of potential blockages, it can be a great help in your efforts to keep your heart healthy and your circulation unimpeded. By preventing blockages and keeping your heart going strong, you put yourself at less of a risk for heart attacks, heart disease, strokes, and high cholesterol.
LIVER HEALTH
Because of its natural ability to improve circulation and flush toxins from your bloodstream, turmeric is a perfect way to aid your liver in detoxifying your body. By providing more blood to your liver, turmeric will help your liver process and clean more blood more quickly, as well as aiding in the production of several enzymes that contribute to the repair, efficiency, and upkeep of your liver and kidneys.
CANCER PREVENTION
If you need any one reason to add a healthy dose of turmeric to your diet, the fact that it can be instrumental in preventing cancer should convince you. Curcumin, a chemical that is present in large quantities in both turmeric and ginger, has been shown to help fight cancer cells and inhibit their production. This is a vital aspect of cancer prevention, as minimizing the reproduction speed of cancer cells will slow the growth of malignant tumors, as well as helping your immune system by killing cancer cells throughout your body.
DIABETES
It seems as though diabetes is becoming more and more common with each year. One way you can avoid diabetes is by incorporating turmeric into your diet. Turmeric makes your body more receptive to insulin, helping regulate your blood sugar content and it from reaching especially unhealthy levels. This works best with a healthy amount of diet and exercise, as your body still needs to do some of the work, but turmeric should make preventing diabetes in the first place much easier. The increased receptiveness to insulin may also help those currently suffering from diabetes, but you should definitely check with your doctor first to see if it will interact with other medications you may be taking.
IBS
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is an uncomfortable and stressful condition that can have a pretty severe impact on your daily life. While IBS is largely related to issues with your diet and stress levels, turmeric can help treat the symptoms of pain and discomfort by reducing inflammation in your stomach.
ARTHRITIS AND JOINT PAIN
Like ginger, turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. While this can help with a great number of conditions, its effects are most noticeable when used to treat joint pain caused by conditions like arthritis. Those suffering from arthritis experience severe inflammation in their joints, which can restrict mobility and cause a great deal of pain. Turmeric can help limit that inflammation, contributing directly to a reduction in pain and stiffness. This isn’t a complete cure, however, just a way to manage the symptoms present, so you should not use this as a replacement for other medicines that may be intended to treat the cause.
SLEEP AID
Not getting enough sleep is one of the easiest ways to cause long-lasting harm to your body. Sleep deprivation weakens your immune system, slows your reactions and brainpower, and can lead to weight gain, breakouts, depression, and anxiety. For those struggling with insomnia or having difficulty sleeping, turmeric might be able to help. In a glass of warm milk—soy or almond milk are also options, depending on your preference—combine 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon honey, and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom. This should help you relax and get to sleep better, instead of tossing and turning for hours.
BRAIN FUNCTION
For centuries, we have used turmeric to improve brain functions such as long term memory retention and concentration. Today, these benefits are still recognized. Tumeric increases blood flow to the brain and reduces inflammation, both of which can keep your neural pathways healthy and improve your cognitive function. Eating turmeric daily will help you focus on important tasks and aid memory retention.
DEPRESSION
Depression is a difficult condition to manage, and it can be hard to find the right medication and treatment that works for you. Many people who suffer from depression and anxiety have found that ground turmeric can help boost their mood and give them more energy, reducing the often debilitating symptoms of these conditions. If you can’t find a medication that works for you—or if you don’t feel comfortable using antidepressants—this may be a good route to explore, with the bonus of having little to no side effects.
ALZHEIMER’S
Alzheimer’s disease is a severe, damaging condition that slowly degrades your ability to form and access memories, and is often eventually fatal. One of the main factors that contributes to Alzheimer’s is a buildup of plaque in the brain, which can cause neural pathways to deteriorate and inhibit cognitive function. Turmeric helps limit the formation of this kind of plaque, allowing your brain to continue working as normal, essentially helping prevent the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s also causes inflammation in the brain, which turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties can help minimize.
UPSET STOMACH
Turmeric can be use to settle an upset stomach by improving the production of stomach acid that is necessary for healthy digestion. If the acidity of your stomach is out of balance, eating raw or ground turmeric can help return your digestive system to normal. Some have also found that turmeric can help reduce the discomfort of bloating, heartburn, and gas.
JAUNDICE
Jaundice is an unpleasant condition, but can be treated relatively quickly and easily with a healthy diet, lots of sunlight, and a doctor’s visit if your symptoms are especially bad. One way to speed the healing process along is to put 1–2 teaspoons ground turmeric in your food or drink with each meal. Combined with a dedication to a healthy diet, this should help clear up your symptoms quickly and easily.
INTESTINAL WORMS
This is an especially unpleasant and potentially dangerous condition, and you should certainly see a doctor if you think you might be experiencing it. However, turmeric is surprisingly capable at ridding your digestive system of intestinal worms—try drinking a glass of warm water with a few teaspoons of dissolved turmeric several times a day to help flush out any harmful bacteria lingering in your digestive system. This should not be used as a replacement for conventional medicine, however, unless you are advised to do so by a medical professional.
BURNS
To help reduce the pain and swelling that comes hand in hand with a burn, try mixing turmeric with cooling aloe vera and applying the paste to the surface of your wound. Turmeric has natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, which will help keep minor to moderate burns from becoming infected and minimizing some of your pain. Re-apply this mixture three times every day, and you should see results quickly. The aloe vera should help reduce your chances of scarring by moisturizing your skin and promoting cell reproduction, as well as cooling the burn and reducing pain and redness.
ECZEMA
If you suffer from eczema, you’ve probably already tried just about everything possible to find relief from the uncomfortable itchy, dry skin that it causes. Because turmeric is capable of killing harmful bacteria and reducing inflammation, it has been shown to provide noticeable relief from the symptoms of eczema when applied topically. Try mixing turmeric with coconut oil or aloe vera and spreading it on any areas affected by the rash, or simply rinse your skin with a mixture of ground turmeric dissolved in warm water.
