Researchers studying the cause of major diseases have shifted focus…it is now all about inflammation. Multiple studies have shown that chronic inflammation can be responsible for cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Type-2 diabetes. Turmeric, the yellow spice necessary for curried dishes, is a powerful anti-inflammatory.
How many times have we written about, admonished, cajoled, badgered, pleaded and shamed folks about using turmeric daily? Well, here we go again. This spice just may be the nectar of life, the fountain of youth, food of the gods. Too wordy? Turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, may hold the key to staving off disease.
A recent issue of Men’s Health magazine calls turmeric an "immunity super booster". The article mainly addresses studies of turmeric and prostate cancer but turmeric was also shown to be effective in blocking “the biological pathway needed for the development of melanoma and other cancers”.
Turmeric is grown and mostly consumed in India and records show that only 5 out of 100,000 Indian men develop prostate cancer annually, as opposed to 125 out of 100,000 men in the United States over the same period.
Arthritis and asthma, sinus problems and the healing of cuts and wounds are all inflammation related. It seems that the curcumin in turmeric changes the way our bodies produce prostaglandins that are responsible for inflammation: soreness, swelling, redness or pain.
We’re not doctors, we’re turmeric enthusiasts and have been benefiting from this spice for a number of years (and we thought we were just enjoying the freedom from achy joints!). Based on the current findings our enthusiasm is greatly increased. We’re even growing the plants! Check out turmeric.
Turmeric is not an herb I ever use. Maybe I don't cook enough Indian food! Need to change that. Great blog.
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