Turmeric actually comes from the root of the Curcuma longaplant, which is boiled, dried, and then meticulously ground down to the powdered form you find it in at the store. The Chinese and Indian cultures had the most knowledge of how to use it and the benefits of the spice, and for many years in medieval England, the health benefits of the spice were not understood. The flavor is a bit like ginger, and can be found in many curry dishes in places such as the crowded streets of Bombay and the lush green districts of Darjeeling, where the Himalayan Railway rushes hurriedly amongst the hills.
The chemical compound curcumin is where much of the very powerful healing elements of Turmeric lie, and one very important study by the NCBI found that it has very far-reaching antioxidant properties. Outside of the holistic health community, it has taken quite a bit of time for medical practitioners in the Western world to agree with the benefits the spice has, but the discoveries are fairly amazing. As of late, there have been thousands of scientific articles that clearly outline the benefits of use, and one of the most Earthshaking was that it actually had the power to cure bladder cancer cells. The spice was used by the Chinese to cure infections and many other types of dental inflammations, and here are some other benefits of its use:
The ability to battle cancer:studies have shown that around 2,000 milligrams of curcumin inhibited the enzymes that promote cancer in subjects who were already affected by head and neck cancer.
The ability to kill fungus:It’s not just athlete’s foot that thrives on fungus: candida, other skin infections, and jock itch are all products of fungus that can be very uncomfortable. Turmeric and nutmeg have been found to be the most powerful in the fight against fungus when weighed up against 20 other common spices.
Destroying cells that cause lung cancer:Many who never have even used tobacco products still get lung cancer, and it can be very devastating when you first get the news. Some are surprised to learn that turmeric has been proven to destroy the cells that eventually band together and strike one down with this condition.
Increasing lifespan:This is one attribute that many talk about! It seems these days that everyone is wondering what they can truly do to live longer. Studies have shown that Turmeric not only corrects a key step in the citric acid cycle and helps to release additional energy, but also permanently corrects the morphogenetic process.
Lowers blood cholesterol levels:After giving mice 10% Turmeric extract, it was noted that on the 15th day of a 60-day study, their levels of cholesterol had dropped significantly. While it can vary from individual to individual, this is still quite a breakthrough trait for the spice.
If you just ingest Turmeric by itself for the health benefits, you can mix it with a little bit of black pepper; this helps the body absorb it at a faster rate. We know it may seem strange that this additive to a food from faraway lands has this many health benefits, but it does! Also used for toothaches, colic, jaundice, and general hemorrhage, this is one spice that some say is nothing short of a miracle. Everyone should do their own research before taking the plunge and ingesting Turmeric daily, but we sure were curious about this powder’s powerful potential.
