Inflammation helps your body fight invaders but becomes problematic when it becomes chronic because it prevents the body’s natural functions. Turmeric will help to combat this chronic inflammation.
The benefits of reducing inflammation help to prevent a lot of the most common American diseases, such as heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Time to stock up on turmeric.
Turmeric will keep your skin young and glowing. Antioxidants are good for a lot of things, but by preventing some of those oxidizing agents (known as free radicals) from destroying the integrity of the skin is just one
Turmeric will also help protect you from harmful UV rays, the part of the light that can directly damage the DNA in your skin. We suggest adding it to food while following a strict sunscreen regimen.
Turmeric is full of antioxidants, which do more than just keeping your skin looking healthy. In fact, antioxidants can benefit almost every area of your body, from your eyes to your prostate.
Turmeric is great not just because it contains so many antioxidants, but also because it stimulates the body’s antioxidant mechanisms. Any extra antioxidants you can get is a bonus.
Your immune system is impressive, but it has a lot of work to do. It could use all the help it can get. When it’s busy fighting off different sicknesses, it can become sluggish.
Luckily, turmeric can help stimulate the system, getting it back up to full speed. This, coupled with turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties, can do wonders for your health.
Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory abilities can also do wonders on the brain. Depression is a physical condition in our brain, and inflammation can inhibit dopamine and serotonin from function how they should.
In fact, some studies have shown that turmeric may be more effective at treating depression than Prozac. While this definitely is NOT a reason to stop taking your medication (always consult your doctor before making those kinds of decisions), it's definitely a reason to start taking turmeric!
Everyone wants a healthier heart, and there are so many things we can do to get one. While turmeric won’t give you one just by itself, it sure can help. One way it does this is by strengthening the lining of the blood vessels.
This lining is important because it regulates blood pressure, blood clotting, and more. In fact, turmeric is so effective that some people believe it could even be as effective as exercise.
While the connections are still being examined, early tests have shown that turmeric can prevent precancerous cells and organs from developing into cancerous ones. It can reduce the spread of cancer, possibly even stopping it.
Some tests even suggest that it will often prevent the growth of cancerous cells in the first place. Turmeric does this all on the molecular level. On the cellular level, it can reportedly prevent blood vessels from growing in cancerous tumors.
At this point, it looks like Turmeric can help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s is a disease that causes severe memory loss because of the build-up of protein between neurons and tangled proteins elsewhere.
Turmeric is believed to help prevent these tangles and breaking up the plaques. It hits Alzheimer's in the most important areas.
Because Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and stimulates the immune system, it can help fight both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Subjects with osteoarthritis in long-term studies experienced improved joint function.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who take turmeric may actually experience more positive results with the spice than they do with their medicine. (This does not mean people shouldn’t take their medicine, just that turmeric may be extremely effective.) In general, it seems to help with joint-related problems.
Between 20 and 30 years of age, your bones will absorb the most calcium they can, making this the strongest they will ever be. After 30, your bones can no longer absorb calcium, so they get weaker.
Turmeric can increase the mineral density in bones, making them stronger for a longer period of time. It should be consumed regularly to get the full benefits. One dosage every now and then won't do the job.
If you’re looking to shed a few pounds, try to incorporate turmeric into your diet. While turmeric alone won’t get you down to your ideal weight, it can certainly help.
According to the National Institute of Health, it can promote weight loss and reduce the likelihood of obesity-related diseases. It limits the growth of fat cells, overall cholesterol, and especially bad cholesterol.
Turmeric is great for your liver, that organ that keeps your blood clean. Turmeric can reduce irritation and stress-hormones in the liver.
It will also detoxify the liver, which will help detoxify your body, all by improving bile flow. It can even help to undo the negative effects alcohol has on your liver.
Viruses are tricky things. They can make us sick, but they themselves aren’t alive, so they are very hard to get rid of. While practicing proper handwashing techniques, eat a little more turmeric.
Turmeric is anti-viral, further helping our bodies fight those finicky infections. Every little bit counts, right?
Turmeric can help people when it comes to type 2 diabetes, both in prevention and treatment. Turmeric does this in a lot of ways, some of the most notable being its ability to lower glucose levels and increase your body’s natural insulin secretion.
Again, there is a debate about whether it could possibly be even more effective than medication. No one should stop taking their medication just because they are consuming turmeric.
Turmeric does a lot to reduce blood clots. Not only do its anti-inflammatory benefits come into effect here, but the spice also prevents platelets from clustering up.
So, turmeric essentially does twice the work to prevent blood clots. Considering the benefits, there's no harm in adding it to your existing medication regimen.
Gingivitis is the inflammation of gums caused by a buildup of plaque or bacteria on the teeth. Curcumin, the main active ingredient in turmeric, has already proven to be great for a lot of things – inflammation being one of them.
This ingredient is also an anti-microbial, which makes it fantastic to fight gingivitis when accompanied by regular dental hygiene. A study in the Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology found that turmeric mouthwash can effectively control plaque while decreasing inflammation. The mouthwash in the test was only 0.1%, so imagine what more turmeric can do!
Ulcers can be caused by NSAIDs or the bacteria H. pylori. Things like stress and spicy foods don’t help, but turmeric certainly does. According to a study in Pharmacognosy Reviews, turmeric helps protect the stomach and coats the inside from the irritants which cause ulcers.
Further studies also proved that curcumin has shown to also protect the stomach against ulcerogenic effects. As if that weren’t enough, turmeric reduces the inflammation in the stomach. That inflammation is what can cause quite a bit of pain and exacerbate ulcer symptoms.
Need help with memory? Turmeric could be the answer you’re searching for. The Longevity Center at the University of California performed tests on adults between the ages of 51 and 84, all of whom had memory issues.
For 18 months, they took 90 mg of curcumin (the main ingredient in turmeric). The results showed that memory began to improve six months into the study. By the end, there was a 28% improvement in the memory tests versus those who took the placebo.
Eczema can be painful to deal with physically and mentally. This condition is when the skin gets dry, itchy, and inflamed. Many treatments are moisturizers, but there could be a natural way to restore the skin’s moisture barrier and get it back to normal.
Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties have a way of decreasing symptom flare-ups. One study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine looked at turmeric as an effective treatment. After four weeks of turmeric-containing cream, there was a 30% to 32% decrease in scaling and itchiness.
Eye degeneration is one of the worst parts of aging, but turmeric can even help slow down these conditions. More studies are certainly needed, but research is looking more and more promising. One study in the Clinical Ophthalmology looked specifically at patients with acute and chronic central serous chorioretinopathy.
In this study, patients were given a curcumin medication and monitored closely. By the end, researchers and doctors discovered that curcumin has “great potential in the treatment of inflammatory and neovascular proliferative diseases of the retina.” Some common neovascular proliferative diseases include diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration due to aging.
For some, PMS is tolerable, but others experience intense and excruciating pain that keeps them from performing daily activities. If you suffer from this, it may be worth it making turmeric tea to reduce inflammation.
One study in Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that two capsules of curcumin for seven days before and after menstruation reduced PMS symptoms by 59%. Much of this is likely due to the inflammatory response during menstruation. This is great news for anyone that suffers monthly from painful PMS.
This one came about through viral trends. Turmeric has been used for ages, so it was only a matter of time before people started exploring what else they can do. A lot of people landed on whitening teeth, and now, it’s become one of the best natural ways to enhance your pearly whites.
Some dentists even encourage it because it is safer than using whitening strips. All it takes is turmeric, coconut oil, and baking soda. It doesn’t turn your teeth instantly white, but it does give them a great polish with fewer chemicals.
If you’re eating Cheerios to lower your cholesterol, you might want to add turmeric to the mix as well. Doctors are now encouraging their patients to consume more because it can decrease their overall levels.
Nutrition Journal took a hard look at turmeric’s effects on cholesterol and found that the active ingredient, curcumin, can lower total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL levels. Speak to your doctor if you think this is a good option for you.
IBS is both embarrassing and painful, but thankfully, turmeric has shown exciting things as far as treatment goes. One study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found a 53% to 60% drop in pain and discomfort when turmeric was consumed every day for eight weeks.
Another study in the Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology looked at curcumin specifically in rats. The research found that the curcumin group’s small intestine had decreased, which suggests that turmeric’s active ingredient can decrease abdominal cramps.
Migraines are something we would never wish on our worst enemy. Instead of synthetic drugs, turmeric could be the answer people have been looking for. A study in 2017 in Immunogenetics found that curcumin could have potential when it was otherwise brushed off because it was poorly absorbed in the body.
However, that’s all changed. Scientists have discovered that, when combined with omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) is absorbed into the body much better than before. It reduced the production of the protein tumor necrosis factor, which is what causes inflammation and pain.
A number of things can cause acne, but it’s often caused by fungus or bacteria. Inflammation only makes things worse as our body attempts to get rid of whatever is causing the problem. Picking doesn’t help either, but there’s something you can do instead.
Well, turmeric is both an anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory. This attacks acne at all sources. Many people have been using turmeric ingested and as masks to decrease their acne. Keep in mind that skin is often sensitive, so test a patch before slathering turmeric all over your face!
This one hasn’t exactly been proven scientifically, but there’s a ton of people that swear by it. Honestly, there’s a little evidence to back it up, although it hasn’t been specifically studied in terms of hangovers.
One of the biggest issues behind a hangover is inflammation, and turmeric has been scientifically proven to help that. Taking turmeric before a night out can reduce the intensity of headaches, joint aches, and all-around crappy feeling. There are even some drinks in Japan that focus solely on turmeric as a hangover prevention.
This one comes out of Australia. A study by the Swinburn University of Technology looked at herbs that could boost concentration and energy. Curcumin was observed along with American and Chinese ginseng, sage, and lemon balm. Out of all of them, curcumin was one of the best.
One of the authors wrote, “Curcumin has sparked widespread interest, with epidemiological studies suggesting that cultures with a diet rich in curries have better cognitive function and a lower prevalence of dementia.” Not only did the participants feel more energy, but they also had more brainpower!
Rosacea can be difficult to live with, but there are many ways you can treat the redness naturally. One of the best methods is turmeric. Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties help calm inflamed skin caused by rosacea.
You can also cook it and eat it, although you may not see as dramatic of an effect. Before applying turmeric to the skin, test a spot to make sure there won’t be any residual irritation. Alternatively, you can purchase lotions or creams with turmeric in them.
Acid reflux is rough to deal with, but there are natural solutions available. Some studies have shown a lot of promise in turmeric due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds. In 2007, a study in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition found that GERD and acid reflux can be caused by inflammation and oxidative stress.
By that reasoning, turmeric would definitely help with that, but more studies were needed. Along came another study a few years later. This one in Alternative Medicine Review found that the anti-inflammatory of curcumin prevented esophageal inflammation, which assisted in relieving GERD.
