Turmeric - A Spice For Life

Prevention and treatment of inflammation in the body is the key to a long and healthy life. And turmeric, with its active ingredient of curcumin, is one of the readily available plants that may help you.

What is inflammation? It is a process by which the white blood cells and chemicals protect the body from infection and substances such as invading viruses and bacteria. You would recognize the symptoms of inflammation such as redness, swelling and heat from a sprained joint or infected cut.

When does this natural defense become dangerous? When the immune system reacts but there are no such invaders to fight off. When this happens, the usually protective immune system causes damage to its own tissues by acting as if danger were present. Conditions caused by this are called autoimmune diseases.

It is now recognized that many diseases of aging are the results of chronic inflammation. These include rheumatoid arthritis, tendinitis or bursitis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, heart disease, high cholesterol, digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, and possibly even dementias such as Alzheimer's.

Turmeric is a plant that is a member of the ginger family. The plants are gathered in tropical South Asia for their rhizomes. They yield a deep orange-yellow powder often used in Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. You would probably recognize it in mustard, where it accounts for the yellow color. It has a slightly bitter taste, a mustard smell and a hot peppery flavor.

What does turmeric with curcumin have to do with inflammation? It has been used for centuries in traditional medicine such as Ayurvedic practices, as a dietary supplement for stomach problems. In Japan, Pakistan and Afghanistan it is used as a tea to promote digestive health and also for wound cleansing and healing.

Curcumin was identified as responsible for most of the biological effects of turmeric in the last half of the 20th century. Research is increasing and supplement sales are as well. The National Institutes of Health have 19 clinical trials underway as of February 2010. Turmeric is currently being investigated for possible benefits in many clinical disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, arthritis and cancer.

More study is needed and will be ongoing, but current research suggests that high cholesterol, indigestion and inflamed joints can benefit from supplementing with turmeric or curcumin. To gain the health benefits of curcumin and reduce your own inflammation, you may want to consider adding this spice as a part of your supplement regimen.

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