I’m sure you’ve heard of turmeric by now. It’s been all the rage the last couple years with people saying that you MUST get it into your diet. But, is it REALLY all that it’s hyped up to be? The short answer is YES!!
The Health Benefits of Turmeric
Turmeric is a fantastic herb because it has proven to have a lot of valuable properties.
- It’s Anti-inflammatory: by drinking “golden milk” or adding turmeric to your tea or taking turmeric / curcumin supplements, you can usually begin to get relief from inflammatory pain. If course, it needs to be used on a regular basis in order to have the greatest benefit though.
- It protects the Brain Health: in societies that have a high turmeric consumption – like India and other Asian countries – it was noticed that the incidences of Alzheimers and other brain disorders were much less than other countries. It was discovered that some of the reason was because of the neuroprotective effect of turmeric eaten in high amounts on a very regular basis.
Antioxidants Galore! The high levels of antioxidants helps your body perform many of the functions that it needs to perform on a regular basis without increasing the risk of disease and further damage. MANY of the disease complications and progressions are because of the oxidative damage that occurs in the body. This is one of the antioxidants that can help decrease with daily use.- Decreases Heart Disease Risk: Turmeric protects the lining of the blood vessels and can reverse some of the damage of heart disease.
- Decreases Arthritis Pain: Many people have found that taking a daily amount of turmeric or curcumin (one of the active ingredients in turmeric) helps them move better because the arthritis pain is decreased. A big part of this is the anti-inflammatory nature of turmeric. It may also have something to do with the level of antioxidants that will help decrease the damage done with oxidation.
- Improves Liver Function: A primary function of the liver is to detoxify and clean out the blood. Turmeric can help the liver do its job without becoming damaged itself.
- Anti-Aging: Turmeric is NOT the fountain of youth! But it can slow down the look and feel of aging. Much of what we see as “getting older” is really oxidation and malnutrition. When cells are protected and fed, they don’t age as quickly.
How should Turmeric Be Used?
My FIRST line of “therapy” will always be to eat it! By eating it, you decrease the risk of over-consuming it, you can get it in regularly, and it’s used as a whole food. When taking supplements, you are getting a higher concentration of the active ingredients – which can be useful for a LOT of reasons, but it’s not whole. You’re still missing something.
You can use either the whole, fresh root or you can get turmeric powder from the the spices aisle at the grocery. Her are some ways to get it in are:
There’s no shortage of ways to get more Turmeric in your diet. You just have to open your mind and let your palate explore new flavors.
If you need more ideas or would like some guidance on ways to incorporate Turmeric into a holistic health plan, Let’s Chat! CLICK THE LINK and let me know your concerns. We can set up a time to talk.