Looking for a simple New Year's resolution for health? Add turmeric to your diet.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a culinary spice, a major ingredient in Indian curries, and the source of American mustard's bright yellow color. Used as both medicine and food for centuries, accumulating evidence suggests that this relative of ginger is a promising preventive agent for a wide range of diseases, probably due largely to its anti-inflammatory properties.
The National Institutes of Health lists 24 current studies on the effects of turmeric and its chief active component, curcumin. Such studies raise the question of which is better to take: whole turmeric, generally used as a powdered spice with food; or curcumin, which is usually taken as a supplement? Each has been shown to have health benefits, but unless you have a specific condition such as inflammatory bowel disease, I favor using turmeric (especially in cooking) rather than taking curcumin pills. This reflects my general belief that, until proven otherwise in head to head studies, whole plants are usually a better choice than isolates. On the other hand, curcumin appears to have a more rapid and dramatic effect, and may be the better choice as a therapeutic (rather than a preventative) preparation.
Here's a quick roundup of recent research on both turmeric and curcumin.
And at least one new study suggests curcumin's value for arthritis treatment. Since arthritis is so common and the results so interesting, it's worth a closer look.
This research, from Italy, was a three-month trial involving 50 patients diagnosed by x-ray with osteoarthritis of the knee. The Italian team was investigating the effect on arthritis symptoms of a curcumin-based preparation optimized for better absorption. Participating patients took the formulation in addition to standard medical treatment; those in the second group continued following their physicians' recommendations.
After 90 days, the researchers found a 58 percent decrease in overall reported pain and stiffness as well as an improvement in physical functioning among the curcumin group compared to the controls. They also found, via a standardized testing procedure, a 300 percent improvement in the emotional well being of the curcumin patients compared with the others. And blood tests showed a 16-fold decline in C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation. Patients in the curcumin group were able to reduce their use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs by 63 percent, compared to the other group.
The bottom line that the therapeutic advantages of turmeric and curcumin are almost too numerous to list. An overview published in Advanced Experimental Medical Biology in 2007 states that, "Curcumin has been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities and thus has a potential against various malignant diseases, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease and other chronic illnesses."
If you find this compelling, there are many ways to add turmeric to your diet. Some Americans may find straight turmeric powder bitter or otherwise off-putting, but when a teaspoon or two is added to a pot of soup or stew, the flavor disperses and adds a subtle depth and complexity that most people find appealing. If even that's too much for you, both turmeric and curcumin supplements are now widely available -- just take one along with your daily multivitamin. Note, however, that turmeric and curcumin are poorly absorbed from the G.I. tract. A recent finding is that absorption is enhanced in the presence of piperine, a constituent of black pepper. Indian cuisine commonly uses turmeric and pepper together. I suggest using only turmeric and curcumin supplements that contain piperine or black pepper extract.
If, like me, you love the flavor of turmeric, try this recipe for turmeric tea.
Naturally, there's far more to good health than adding this spice to your meals. But as part of an overall plan that includes an anti-inflammatory diet, regular exercise, stress-reduction and prudent supplementation, a daily sprinkle of turmeric in your cooking can be a valuable addition to your healthy lifestyle, and a great habit with which to begin a happy new year!
Andrew Weil, M.D., is the founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and the editorial director of www.DrWeil.com. Become a fan on Facebook, follow Dr. Weil on Twitter, and check out his Daily Health Tips Blog.
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Turmeric health benefits, recipes, uses and side effects ...
I'm already on a handful of antiseizure meds a couple times a day for the neuopathy. And a few months ago, I broke out in a bad case of hives while I was halfway through a course of methylprednisolone (for an unrelated problem).
I already swear by garlic as a decongestant. While I'm not wild about the bitter flavor of turmeric, I rinsed down about a quarter teaspoon of it anyway since I read your article. I suppose if I can lose my taste for soda pop, I can get used to the taste of that.
Come on Dr Weil or HuffPo editor,,,, link?
http://www.rawguru.com/store/raw-food/golden-spice-elixir.html
http://www.rawguru.com/store/raw-food/golden-spice-elixir.html
On the other mood, I have always governed my dietary practices by eating as many colours as I can. Colors come from the ingredients reflecting light that we see. So it must be some special ingredient that give rise to yellow, orange, purple etc. I eat colors of the rainbow and hope to keep my inner citizens supplied with a masala of good stuff.
Most likely due to the MAOI properties of curcumin.
Let's all take antidepressants!!
I suffer from a progressive, excruciatingly painful and disfiguring skin disease with no known cause, no cure, and no EFFECTIVE treatment: Hidradenitis Suppurativa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidradenitis_suppurativa). I was at stage 3-4 of the disease, and my dermatologist told me it had become "unmanageable" without major surgery, which would have involved skinning my legs, scraping the glands from my flesh, and re-attaching the skin and/or doing skin grafts. The operation had a very high mortality.
I have been taking 2000 mg of Tumeric (capsules) 4 times a day and my disease has gone into remission, and over the last 6 months, my legs have HEALED.
My doctors are AMAZED, and I am amazed and more than thankful.
If you know anyone who suffers from Hidradenitis Suppurativa, PLEASE, tell them about Tumeric. I consider this stuff nothing short of a miracle.
I've heard about tumeric in the past and I get lazy about remember to use it in more everyday ways...it really seems to be a miracle herb!! I'm definitely going to start using it more, especially after hearing your story!!