Submitted by support on Wed, 04/18/2012 - 21:30
TUMERIC aka Curcuma longa, Haldi,
Tumeric is a fascinating herb. Most of us are familiar with putting tumeric into all the different curries using it as a culinary delight but are you aware of how many other uses there are for tumeric?
Tumeric has been used in Asian cultures, both Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years, as a medicinal herb. The healing capacities of tumeric are well recognized and well integrated into their healing modalities, as different as they are.
Unfortunately Western cultures, with their focus on allopathic medicine and pharmaceutical recognition, are way behind. Western herbal medicine, however, was way ahead of allopathic medicine and recognized the capacity of tumeric. Finally Harvard, University of Cincinnati, Michigan State University, UCLA and various other universities and laboratories started looking at the various molecules in tumeric and how effective they were. The most studied molecules in tumeric are the group called curcuminoids. Lets take a look at some of the healing capacities of these molecules.
Curcumin promotes the synthesis of glutathione – one of the most important molecules of every cell in the body. Gluathione is involved in almost every process in every cell of the body and from this standpoint alone, Tumeric is hugely beneficial to a wide variety of mechanisms throughout the entire body
Curcumin is a carminative, ie., it helps to eliminate gases from the stomach and intestines; sooths muscle cramping in patients with chronic digestive disorders
Curcumin is a hepatic (liver) bitter/hepatoprotective, and like all bitters, is very effective for liver issues
Curcumin is also a detoxifier and therefore good for the liver, the GIT, and skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and acne in general but also on a cellular level – probably because it promotes glutathione
Curcumin has shown to promote neurogenesis in the hippocampus – meaning that it promotes growth of new neurons – enabling better mental capacities, ie., memory, learning, concentration, etc
Curcumin also promotes BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) in the hippocampus and frontal lobes – again both maintaining and promoting new neuron and nerve growth. As such it was found to compensate for the reduction of BDNF as a result of stress, anxiety and depression.
Curcumin is also a MAOI – a type of anti-depressant (also contained in Xocai chocolate)
Curcumin is also astringent and therefore aids with: bronchitis, colds, asthma,
Curcumin is an antispasmodic so it soothes muscle cramping during the menstrual cycle
Curcumin is a topical/internal anti-biotic – and therefore used to prevent infections also been studied to eliminate various infections such as Staphylococcus aureus.
Curcumin is also an anti-tumor/cancer – it promotes apoptosis – (automatic preprogrammed cell death – tumeric turns it on again in cancer cells) and so like chocolate and various other foods – it promotes death in cancer cells
Curcumin is an anti-arthritic – due to its anti-inflammatory mechanisms
Curcumin is an anti-inflammatory herb – primarily due to the effect of curcumin and its inhibition of eicosanoid synthesis – and works on the mucous membranes (line the throat, lungs, stomach, intestines). Also used for conditions such as: Crohns, Colitis, Diarrhea, Post giardia or Post salmonella conditions
Curcumin is also a blood thinner – therefore should not be used along with blood thinners like warfarin and plavix – although if you work with a medical practitioner you may want to use it instead of pharmaceuticals
Curcumin is an anti-oxidant and inhibits the oxidation of LDL (only a “bad” cholesterol if it becomes oxidized) and prevents oxidative damage to the DNA; and perhaps for the same reason it was found to reduce neurodegeneration, oxidative damage, diffuse plague deposition, and clearance of beta amyloid infusion (published in 2001)
Curcumin is also an anti-amyloid therefore prevents almyloidosis
Curcumin has peperine in it which provides a transport system for both the curcumin in tumeric and resveratrol, an anti-oxidant found in chocolate and red wine
Curcumin helps to keep the arteries clean – due to its capacity for reducing oxidative stress & stabilizing cholesterol
Curcumin should NOT be used if you have gallstones – as it will aggravate the problem
For more information, contact: Dr Holly at holly@choicesunlimited.ca
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References:
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curcumin#Demonstrated_medical_uses
http://curcuminresearch.org/PDF/Anticancer%20potential.pdf
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/turmeric-000277.htm
http://www.kneepaintreatment.com/knee-pain/special-turmeric-extract-bene...
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