Photo Credit Laura Beth Drilling/Demand Media : www.livestrong.com

Welcome back to Wellness Wednesday! Ive been off the grid for a few weeks due to typical life happenings but I’m back and we are going to jump right into this weeks Wellness Wednesday post about the benefits of turmeric. While many of you may already know the benefits, I on the other hand just discovered the capabilities of this spice yesterday. As with many of my topics I do research to see if what I have found is a fad or in fact beneficial to my health and worth incorporating into my diet. The benefits of turmeric seem to be quite impressive and it may be worth adding in a few doses to our meals everyday.

What is turmeric? (Curcuma longa) Turmeric is a root plant related to ginger, native to India. The active ingredient that posts the most benefits to our health is a diarylheptanoid  called curcumin. Turmeric has been used for its medicinal properties dating back to 1900 BCE in the Siddha Medicine System. Turmeric is widely known for its anti-inflammatory properties. After many years in practice, I‘d say it deserves a stamp of approval.

What can turmeric do for me? Glad you asked. It seems that the benefits of turmeric are endless but for the sake of this blog post not being a mile long we will cover the five benefits that struck my interest. First being that turmeric is a natural antiseptic and has antibacterial properties making it sufficient for treating wounds. Also, turmeric does wonders for the liver by aiding in the removal of toxins. Third, when I researched the benefits of turmeric I came across countless blogs and websites dedicated to cancer patients using turmeric to help treat and aid off their cancer. Next I came across a few articles regarding Alzheimer’s disease and the benefits of taking turmeric to suppress the disease. Lastly was the discovery of turmeric and heart disease, and how significantly the curcumin in turmeric reduced the risk of heart disease and reversed damage to the heart.

While I cannot list every detail and discovery I have found today, I can tell you a few things that have stood out while reading that seem to be persistent within the articles. Turmeric can be taken in many forms but it is important to take it with black pepper. Whether you take whole peppercorns and chew them, like some, or find a capsule of turmeric that has bioperine in it, the majority of the curcumin will not absorb into your system unless you take it with the black pepper. Also while reading about the ingestion of black pepper with turmeric, I also read that it is beneficial to take them both with a small amount of olive oil.

I hope this has given you a little insight on the benefits of turmeric and gives you the nudge to research it for yourself. Please remember I am not a physician and do not recommend you start taking anything until you consult with your doctor first. While many of these facts I have read were consistent throughout many articles and websites a few places the information can be found for you to read for yourself are below:

http://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-turmeric/

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/20-health-benefits-of-turmeric.html

http://www.raysahelian.com/turmeric.html

If you want more information simply search in your browser for “benefits of turmeric” and you will find a plethora of information to read.