Food For Health - Turmeric

Chances are pretty good that you may have the best remedies or "cures" possible for most of what ails you, right in your fridge or spice cupboard! Natural food is natural medicine. Although turmeric is not the most common cooking spice in our country, if you've got some, you've got a great natural remedy on hand. It is grown in India and other warm climates of Asia. Recently, we Westerners are becoming more and more aware of what Asians have known for centuries.

The health benefits of turmeric are found in the active ingredient curcumin, which is the potent compound that gives it the bright color, strong flavor and healing abilities it is known for. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant, anti-cancer, antibacterial, anti-inflamatory and digestive aid. In India's traditional Ayurvedic medicine, it is used for liver and digestive problems as well as infections, fevers and arthritis. Chinese physicians have used it to treat liver and gall bladder problems, congestion in the lungs and to stop bleeding. Because of it's many healing properties, it has a long list of both known and possible health benefits. Here are some of them:

• Natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatiod arthritis
• Natural painkiller
• Natural potent liver detoxifier
• Natural antiseptic - clean cuts, scrapes, burns
  
• Natural antibacterial - kills infections
• Potent natural anti-inflamitory - sores, swelling, post surgery,
• Weight loss/management - metabolizes fats
• Speeds healing of wounds
• May help with inflamatory skin problems, psoriasis
  
• Digestive aid - stimulates flow of bile
• Fights disease
• Improves circulation
• Protects and strengthens the heart
• Relieves dysentery
• Treatment for jaundice
• Lowers fevers
• Helps with menstual cramps
• Aids in clearing congested lungs
• Strengthens liver
• Protects liver from toxins like alcohol
• Stimulates the adrenal glands
• Eases arthritis pain and inflamation
• Has been found to destroy certain types of cancer cells, like leukemia
• Shows positive effects on multiple myeloma
• Shown to slow or stop tumor growth
• Chinese treatment for depression
• Positive studies on pancreatic cancer
• Slows multiple sclerosis
• Has been shown to prevent and stop growth of prostate cancer when taken with cauliflower
• May prevent or slow progression of Alzheimer's
• Reduces side effects of chemo while boosting it's effectiveness
• Mix with lemon to cleanse skin and keep it soft, moisturized and healthy
• Use as face wash to help with acne
• Controls dandruff - hair rinse
  

Now that's some healthy flavor! I buy turmeric by the pound and put it in capsules. When we feel a cold or flu coming on, we take some turmeric along with our herbal tea and other remedies. Turmeric is one of the main ingredients always found in curry powder. We love curry in our house and use it often in soups, rice, casseroles, chicken, stir fry, on scrambled eggs or in egg salads. So add a little color to your cooking (hope you like yellow!) and feel good.