This native Indian plant from the ginger family is mostly known for its use as a spice in various foods, but this spice is more than just a spice. It’s a nutritional powerhouse.
Turmeric is also considered one of the world’s healthiest herbs. The reason for this is due to the fact that for thousands of years people from Asiatic countries have used turmeric to treat all sorts of health related conditions.
Here are a few things that can happen if you consume Turmeric regularly:
#1 Brain Optimization
One of turmeric’s main compounds is curcumin. Researchers have found that curcumin has the ability to enhance our ability to learn and even process in different environments. There’s also some research that suggests that curcumin could help fend off neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia or Alzheimers.
Researchers studied rats for a 12 week period. They fortified their diets with curcumin. They found that the rats had an enhanced spatial and non spatial memory. Also, there were some hints the curcumin may aid in neuroplasticity ( the development of new brain connections).
Let’s dig a little deeper into this neuroplasticity thing.
Science used to believe that neurons weren’t able to divide and multiply after our early childhood. We now know that that’s not the case.
(BDNF) , or brain – derived neurotrophic factor, which is a type of growth hormone that functions in our brain. It is one of the main reasons our brains neurons can continue to multiply and divide after early childhood.
Many of our commonly known brain disorders like Alzheimers and depression report having decreased levels of BDNF hormone.
This means that curcumin may be effective in delaying or even reversing many brain diseases.
Also, curcumin may make you smarter. Basically, curcumin boosts BDNF levels which in turn increase the growth of new neurons. This process fights various neurodegenerative processes in our brains.
#2 Improves Heart Health
Curcumin can help with ensuring a healthy heart. Plaque builds in our arteries, and that build up can lead to us having heart attacks and strokes. Curcumin has been shown to help aid in plaque removal.
LDL aka, bad cholesterol is reduced with the use of curcumin. Turmeric can also help prevent blood clots. Conversely, turmeric may interact with certain blood clot medications,- so please be sure to check with your doctor.
Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in the world. There are various factors that contribute to heart disease.
Here’s an interesting benefit of curcumin when it comes to heart disease. Curcumin has been shown to improve the function of the endothelium; (the lining of your blood vessels)
Endothelial dysfunction is a major culprit in the heart disease game. If the endothelium is not working properly, it can’t properly regulate blood pressure, blood clotting and various other functions.
There are studies that show that using curcumin can improve endothelial function. One study from the Dept of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, show that curcumin works as well as the drug Atorvastatin. Note: Patients took 150 mg of curcumin twice a day for 8 weeks.
To add to this, curcumin reduces inflammation and oxidation in the body, which also contributes to heart disease.
#3 Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation has a bit of a bad reputation. It’s commonly associated with pain and illness. Funny thing is, that inflammation actually helps our bodies fight foreign invaders and has a role in repairing damaged cells. If we didn’t have inflammation, pathogens like bacteria could easily take over our bodies and kill us.
While short term inflammation is good. You get a cut, it hurts, and the body’s inflammation process goes to work. Inflammation becomes a problem when it becomes chronic. The phrase, “Too much of a good thing”, comes to mind.
Did you know that it is commonly believed in medical circles that chronic low level inflammation is at the root of almost every disease.
Now here’s some good news. Research has shown that curcumin has been shown to match the effectiveness of some anti- inflammatory drugs, without the harsh side effects.
All in all Tumeric is a powerful ally to have in your health arsenal. I use it often because I put my body to the test and I want to make sure that I am giving myself the best chance to not only recover properly, but also, to live optimally. If you want to know the type of Turmeric that I use, I placed a link below. It has 300 mg of curcumin in it, which has been found to be effective in studies. Plus, it has collagen and some other good stuff in it. It doesn’t hurt that it doesn’t taste bad either.
