Turmeric

Also known as Curcuma longa, Curcuma zedoaria.

Turmeric is the bright yellow of the spice rainbow and a powerful medicine that has long been used in the Chinese and Indian medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat a wide variety of conditions, including bacterial infections, flatulence, jaundice, menstrual problems, bloody urine, haemorrhage, toothache, bruises, chest pain and colic.

It can provide an inexpensive, well-tolerated, and effective treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) such as Crohn’s disease, prostate cancer, arthritis, neurological disorders, liver disorders and ulcerative colitis.

Curcumin, the major constituent of turmeric that gives the spice its yellow colour, can correct the most common expression of the genetic defect that is responsible for cystic fibrosis.

Curcumin has very powerful antioxidant effects and regular consumption of turmeric leads to lower rates of breast, colon, lung and prostate cancer. Even when breast cancer is already present, curcumin can help slow the spread of breast cancer cells to the lungs. Prostate cancer is a rare occurrence among men in India, whose low risk is attributed to a diet rich in brassica family vegetables (cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi and turnips) and the curry spice, turmeric.

Studies found that both phenethyl isothiocyanate and curcumin greatly retarded the growth of human prostate cancer cells. The combination of cruciferous vegetables and curcumin could be an effective therapy not only to prevent prostate cancer, but to inhibit the spread of established prostate cancers.

As an antioxidant, curcumin can neutralise free radicals that are chemicals that can travel through the body and cause great damage to healthy cells and cell membranes. This is important in many diseases, such as arthritis, where free radicals are responsible for the painful joint inflammation and eventual damage to the joints. Turmeric’s combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects explains why many people with joint disease find relief when they use the spice regularly.

Turmeric is also beneficial in the treatment of measles and has also been scientifically proven to be more effective at treating depression than many common anti-depressant drugs.

Treatment of brain cells, called astrocytes, with turmeric has been found to increase expression of glutathione and protect neurons exposed to oxidant stress. Increasing turmeric in the diet can increase the levels of the amino acid glutathione in the body which can be beneficial for a huge range of diseases and disorders as it is present in every cell of the body and has an important antioxidant role.

White turmeric root (Curcuma zedoaria), bulrush tubers and Chinese rhubarb root are used in Chinese medicine to reduce flatulence and remove uterine fibroids. This can also be used to treat bladder and kidney stones, coronary heart disease, ectopic pregnancy, hemiplegia after a stroke, malignant tumours, pelvic inflammatory disease and thrombosis.

What are the nutrients in turmeric?

A sprinkle of pure organic turmeric powder or grated fresh root can be added to many types of foods daily such as chilli, curry, eggs, fish, milk, potatoes, rice, salads, stews and vegetable dishes to provide protection against the many health issues listed here.

NOTE: Turmeric must always be consumed with a little oil or fat to allow the absorption of its fat-soluble nutrients. Add a dash of cold-pressed olive oil or butter to dishes that contain no fat.

Cauliflower spiced with turmeric recipe

This recipe provide protection against cancer especially prostate.

Ingredients

• One cauliflower cut into florets
• One tablespoon of turmeric
• Olive oil
• Himalayan pink salt crystals
• Ground peppercorns

Method

• Cut cauliflower florets in quarters and allow to stand for10 minutes; this allows time for the production of phenethyl isothiocyanates, which form when cruciferous vegetables are cut, but stops when they are heated.
• Then sprinkle with turmeric and sauté on medium heat in a few tablespoons of vegetable or chicken broth for five minutes.
• Remove from the heat and top with olive oil, Himalayan pink salt crystals and ground pepper to taste.

Turmeric arthritis tea recipe

Turmeric makes a strong anti-inflammatory and antiseptic tea that is a bacterial killer, blood purifier and effective treatment for bruises, colic, inflammatory bowel diseases, haemorrhages, hepatitis, ulcers and yeast infections. It is also helpful as an aid to restful sleep if drunk before bed.

It can be used internally and externally to heal wounds, relieve pains in the limbs, break up congestion and as a restorative after the loss of blood from childbirth.

Ingredients

• A cup of filtered or bottled mineral water
• Half a teaspoon of turmeric
• A pinch of ground black peppercorns
• Three cardamom pods (optional)
• One cup of milk
• A pinch of nutmeg (optional)
• Two tablespoons of cold-pressed almond oil
• Honey to taste

Method

• In a saucepan, place a quarter of a cup of water, half a teaspoon of turmeric, a pinch of black pepper and three cardamom pods.
• Simmer for five to seven minutes.
• Then add one cup of milk, a pinch of nutmeg and two tablespoons of almond oil
• Bring just to the boiling point (but do not boil).
• Add honey to taste.
• Sip slowly as a hot tea.

NOTE: Avoid cumin, ginger and turmeric if taking anticoagulants (blood thinning medication), or hormone therapies and contraceptive pills or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen, have heart problems or during the first three months of pregnancy or are breast feeding.

Related subjects

• A-Z of natural foods and remedies
• A-Z of nutrients
• Bacterial infections
• Bone and joint disorders
• Cancer
• Depression
• Flatulence (gas, wind)
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Kidney disorders (bladder and kidney stones)
• Liver disorders
• Menstrual problems
• Pain and inflammation
• Respiratory disorders
• Teeth and gum disorders