Turmeric or Haldi (Curcuma longa) is an essential ingredient in Indian cooking. Turmeric has been used for thousands of years not only for cooking but as a medicine too because of it’s incredible healing properties.
Turmeric has powerful antioxidant, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagen and anti-inflammatory properties.
Indian Ayurveda and Chinese medicines use turmeric to treat a range of health problems since ages.
1. Natural Anti-Inflammatory
Inflammation helps your body fight foreign invaders and also has a role in repairing damage.
Bacteria could easily take over your body and kill you, if you have no inflammation. Acute, short-term inflammation is beneficial but it will be a major problem when it becomes chronic and inappropriately attacks your body’s own tissues(autoimmune diseases).
Curcumin compound found in turmeric has strongly anti-inflammatory properties.
2. Useful in Arthritic Pain
Arthritis is a common disorder occurred by joint inflammation. For treating Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis turmeric is considered very beneficial.
Many studies show that curcumin can help treat symptoms of arthritis. It does not stand as a substitute for medication, however it helps in natural recovery.
3. Useful in Alzheimer’s Disease
Unfortunately, there is no good treatment is available for Alzheimer’s yet, but studies show that curcumin can help clear these plaques created in Alzheimer’s disease. Research still goes on, hopefully we will get positive results.
4. Helpful in Liver Detox Process
Turmeric is known to increase the production of the vital enzymes, which is necessary for food to broken properly.
Those enzymes detoxify our blood in the liver by breaking down and reducing the toxins.
5. Boost Immunity
This is where Turmeric really shines -Turmeric has anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal agents, those helps stimulate the immune system. Lipopolysaccharide – a substance found in turmeric has all these properties.
Take a teaspoon of the turmeric powder in a glass of warm milk daily (yellow /golden milk),and you will see the difference.
6. Cardiovascular Benefits
Endothelial dysfunction is a major part of heart disease and involves an inability of your endothelium to regulate blood pressure, blood clotting and various other factors. Several studies happened for turmeric benefits suggest that curcumin compound leads to improvements in endothelial function.
One of the study found that it’s as effective as exercise.
7. Beneficial herb in cancer treatment
There are evidences that turmeric may prevent cancer from occurring in the first place, especially cancers of the digestive system like colorectal cancer and colon cancer. Some of cancer cells appear to be affected by curcumin supplements. It will also helpful for slowing down to spread the cells.Still there studies and research going on,which will be helpful for world.
8. Improved Brain Function
Other than curcumin ,there is one more compound found in turmeric called aromatic turmerone or ar-turmerone.
Studies have found that this compound promotes repair in the stem cells of the brain, that can help in the recovery from neurodegenerative diseases like stroke and Alzheimer’s.
9. Treating depression
Studies suggests that taking curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, twice daily for 6 weeks is as effective as the antidepressant medication fluoxetine in people with depression.
10. Anti-aging supplement
Because of the healing properties of turmeric and so useful in so many ways it’s being used as anti-aging supplement.
Turmeric is widely available as turmeric powder, rot and capsules. To consume the Curcumin or turmeric supplements take them with piperine, a black pepper constituent.
You can turmeric or curry powder in your cooking with black pepper to increase the absorption.
If you’re considering the use of turmeric supplements for any health issues, make sure to consult your physician before starting your supplement regimen.