Turmeric and the Healing Powers of Curcumin

Turmeric, a rhizome in the ginger family, is one of the ingredients that gives
curry its bright yellow-orange color. For thousands of years it has been used in
India and China as a spice for cooking and as a medicinal for its multitude of
healing properties. Because it stains so readily, it has been used as a dye, and
anyone who has cooked with it realizes this after staining clothes and cookware.
Turmeric has a sharp, earthy and bitter taste. When cooking, it is best to use
small amounts, tasting as you go along. If you have cooked with turmeric, you
know that if you use too much it can taste intensely bitter. But, when combined
with other spices like coriander, cumin, cardamom, black & red pepper, ginger,
mustard seed, nutmeg, clove, caraway, garlic, fennel or fenugreek to make
curry, it is an extraordinary taste sensation!
Curry is one of my favorite spices and, when used in cooking, the aroma fills my
kitchen with a complex delight of smells that tempts the taste buds and reminds
me of the smell of India. It is an added benefit to find out that it also has an
abundance of healing properties.
Curcumin Ancient Ayurveda Medicinal
Western medicine has been very interested in discovering what Ayurvedic
medicine has known through centuries of experience with curcumin. In
hundreds of studies, Curcumin, making up 5-10% of the active component in
turmeric, has proven to be a powerful antioxidant. Other components of
turmeric have proven to be anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial,
antifungal and anti-atherosclerotic (vascular disease). Curcumin has shown
promise in treating liver and kidney toxicity, psoriasis, diabetes, multiple
sclerosis, Alzheimers, HIV disease, septic shock, lung fibrosis, arthritis, and
inflammatory bowel disease. Wow! It doesnt stop there. In the lab, it has also
shown encouraging results in treating a variety of different cancers. Even
though more definitive studies are needed to prove that curcumin heals specific
diseases, these preliminary studies are creating a great deal of buzz in both the
medical and holistic treatment communities.
Anti-Inflammatory
Inflammatory diseases appear to be on the rise, and curcumin has shown
promising results with cardiovascular disease, arthritis pain, diabetes, and
fighting off infection. New research has shown that it is helpful in treating
depression, kidney, lung and gastrointestinal disease by reducing inflammation.
Anti-Oxidant

Glutathione is one of the bodys most powerful anti-oxidants. When glutathione

levels are optimal, many symptoms of disease and oxidative stress are
normalized. Low glutathione is indicted in many diseases including cancer, HIV
and Bi-polar, but when glutathione is taken orally it is destroyed through
digestion. Studies suggest that curcumin increases glutathione, and may be
helpful for patients with low glutathione levels.
Cancer
Curcumin has shown to slow the growth of several types of cancer in some
animal and laboratory studies. In phase one trials with a small group of people,
curcumin has shown that it is highly tolerated and non-toxic, but has low
bioavailability. Phase two trials with a larger group of people, might use
intravenous injection to bypass the stomach to avoid this problem. Because
curcumin has been shown to interfere with chemotherapy drugs, consult first
with your health care provider before taking.
Alzheimers
With baby boomers reaching the age where this dreaded disease strikes, there
is a lot of attention on any substance that might help with
Alzheimers. Curcumin has shown in a test tube study to limit the formation of
the plaque that develops in this disease. In animal studies, where curcumin was
injected, it has shown to decrease inflammation, oxidative damage, plaque and
memory deficits.
Safety
Curcumin has proven to be non-toxic and recognized as safe by the FDA.
Precautions are recommended for anyone taking anti-coagulants like Coumadin,
as curcumin does reduce clotting. If you have gallstones, your symptoms could
become worse. If you are pregnant or under medical supervision, always check
with your health care provider before taking any supplement.
What type of supplement should I take?
Curcumin can be taken in capsules, as an extract or tincture. Since curcumin is
difficult to be absorbed in the stomach, bromelain, piperine (pepper), ginger, or
olive oil are sometimes added in supplements to help with bioavailablity.
Because turmeric is fat-soluble, it needs some oil/fat to dissolve the
curcumin. In cooking curry, there is usually oil or ghee in the recipe, but also
some supplements have olive oil or some other oil to help with making the
curcumin more digestible.

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Turmeric Milk Recipe
Turmeric in warm milk or Golden Milk is an ancient Ayurvedic home remedy that
is not only a beautiful warm color but also an immune enhancer for the chilling
effects of autumn and winter. What I like about this recipe by McKel Hill, MS,
RD, LDN is that she suggests milk alternatives. One inch piece of turmeric root
may be added instead of ground turmeric and gently simmered up to fifteen
minutes, then discarded. This recipe adds pepper and ginger to help with
bioavailability, but you can also add a little ghee or coconut butter/oil.
Experiment and remember to use organic ingredients when available.
With all the truly amazing health benefits of turmeric, this powerful powder
should always be present in your medicine cabinet, as well as your spice rack,
as a preventative and medicinal health remedy.
Gitabai (Colleen) Heater lives with her husband, Panduranga (J.T.) Heater at Ananda
Village, a spiritual community based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, in Nevada
City, California. Together they have written two books on pilgrimage, The Pilgrims Italy and
The Pilgrims France: Travel Guides to the Saints. As owner of MyBountifulHealth.com,
Gitabais goal is to bring health and consciousness into daily life.

Resources
Curcumin Micronutrient Information Summary Linus Pauling Institute
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/phytochemicals/curcumin/
Curcumin - The Miracle of Turmeric - A Therapeutic Overview by James Lee 2013 Kindle edition.
Curcumin has significant therapeutic activity in patients with pancreatic cancer
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/curcumin-has-significant-therapeutic-activity-patientspancreatic-cancer
Curcuminoids enhance amyloid-beta uptake by macrophages of Alzheimer's disease patients
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/curcumin-appears-enhance-clearance-amyloid-beta-alzheimersdisease-patients
Efficacy and safety of Meriva, a curcumin-phosphatidylcholine complex, during extended
administration in osteoarthritis patients http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/complex-curcumin-andphosphatidylcholine-effective-reducing-symptoms-ostearthritis
Evaluation of anti-inflammatory property of curcumin (diferuloyl methane) in patients with
postoperative inflammation http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/curcumin-has-anti-inflammatoryproperties-patients-postoperative-inflammation

Heat-solubilized curry spice curcumin inhibits antibodyantigen interaction in in vitro studies: A

possible therapy to alleviate autoimmune disorders
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mnfr.200900106/abstract
How to Optimize Turmeric Absorption for Super-Boosted Benefits http://naturalsociety.com/turmericabsorption-super-benefits-black-pepper/?utm_source=Natural+Society&utm_campaign=158a64b071Email+254%3A+9%2F19%2F2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f20e6f9c84-158a64b071324070841
Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/bioavailability-study-piperine-enhances-serum-concentrationextent-absorption-and
Possible action mechanism for curcumin in pre-cancerous lesions based on serum and salivary
markers of oxidative stress http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/curcumin-exhibits-anti-pre-canceractivity-increasing-levels-vitamins-c-and-e-and-preventing
Treat your high chloresterol and clogged arteries naturally with curcumin
http://www.naturalnews.com/041306_turmeric_curcumin_clogged_arteries.html

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.