The goddess of turmeric brings color in life
It is the ornament of married woman
And any woman who puts turmeric in her purse
Her purse will never be empty.
– Old Indian Folk song
Turmeric.
Magical … mystical … medicinal?
… yes! That’s right! Ancient Indian culture prizes turmeric more – far more – than just “a spice.” Sure, it has a distinctive flavor and a gorgeous yellow coloring. And sure ancient Indian culture values it for its ability to attract good luck, robust, vital health and beauty.
And Ayuvedic medicine long ago knew and used this spice for its most amazing anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving powers. But we westerners … we’re a little more suspicious and quite frankly needed some proof.
In India, turmeric sits on every kitchen shelf of every household, according to Vasant Lad, an Indian trained practioner of Ayurvedian medicine, in New Mexico. “It is our daily spice.” But there’s more than seasoning behind their reasoning!
A relative of ginger, turmeric provides not only Ayurvedic medicine but also Siddha, Unani and other traditional systems of medicine in India with a reliable natural health-providing substance.
While it has many medicinal uses, perhaps its greatest potential lies in its ability to reduce inflammation due to osteoarthritis – those everyday aches and pains in the joints that affect more than 12.1% of the American population. In other words, more than 21 million Americans older than age 25 is affected with some degree of arthritis.
And in this “post-Vioxx” world, many people are more attuned than ever to the potential deadly side-effects of prescription drugs. That means more people than ever before are searching for more natural solutions to the constant joint pain of arthritis.
Turmeric … enter stage right …
Turmeric, a relative of ginger, is medicinally effective, says its proponents, because of the curcumin it contains. This ingredient fights a variety of disease through its ability to shut down the potent protein in our bodies that promotes an abnormal inflammatory response. This inflammation is one of the components arthritis pain. Turning down the inflammation can help to turn down the pain, according to Gregory Cole, professor of medicine and neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Cole is somewhat of an expert on the subject, having conducted many studies on turmeric.
Turmeric is believed to work its wonders on arthritis pain by inhibiting prostaglandins, in a similar manner as the non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS do. It appears to especially effective in the wrists and hand joints. This makes it an especially inviting choice for those suffering with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Unfortunately, few controlled studies have been conducted on this herb. One study though indicates that a combination of turmeric, the herb boswellia and zinc decreased the pain of osteoarthritis.
Two other studies discovered that turmeric, when used with a blend of boswellia, ginger and aswangandha, another potent herb used in Ayuvedic medicine, relieved both the pain and inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
In its native India, curcumin is a standard anti-inflammatory medication. Is it the right supplement for you? Only you and your health care provider can decide that.
If you do decide to a turmeric-based supplement, you should look for one that can give you between 500 and 1,000 mg up to three times daily.
Are there any adverse side effects? Some people complain of stomach upset and some health care experts say that servings this large may contribute to a heightened risk of stomach ulcers.
Reference:
- For more information on arthritis and its impact on American society go to www.naims.nih.gov. Information on alternative medicine can be found at:www.herbmed.org
