Turmeric, also known as Curcuma longa, is an herb that has been harvested in Asia for over 5,000 years. It has a history of use as a yellow die and as a spice used in many Eastern dishes. However, the health benefits of this herb are becoming more and more clear. Much research has been done and is underway to verify the wide range of health benefits rumored to be associated with this ‘yellow medicine’. In fact over 90 institutions in the United States alone are studying this amazing herb.
Here are just a few of the possible uses that we have learned of:
- Turmeric has been used as a salve on the skin. It is purported to remove blemishes such as light freckles and other spots. The producers of sunscreens have even been utilizing Turmeric in their protective salves for many years.
- It is a potent antiseptic which can be spread over wounds such as cuts, burns, and bruises to speed up the healing process. Turmeric also relieves the pain and swelling associated with these wounds.
- Some believe that Turmeric could replace other anti-inflammatories. It’s pain killing properties have been compared to hydrocortisone, phenylbutazone, and Motrin. Many of the pain killers currently on the market have some toxic effects such as: ulcer formation, intestinal bleeding, decreased white blood cell count and kidney failure. Turmeric does not have these toxicity problems and thus, may prove to be a safer anti-inflammatory to use.
- An early study showed that Turmeric can correct cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is a genetic disease that affects over 70,000 people worldwide and causes the lungs and pancreas to be clogged with mucous. Turmeric was administered to mice that had been diagnosed with CF. The disease was corrected in these mice so that they were able to live a normal life span. Continued studies are underway to determine whether these results can be duplicated with humans.
- Anyone who has had a relative suffer from Alzheimer’s disease will be happy to hear that Turmeric may be able to prevent this terrible disease and possibly relieve some of the symptoms of current patients. Turmeric prevents the build up of Amyloid plaque on the brain and some believe that this will prove to be an affective preventative treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
- Turmeric’s antioxidant properties have also been connected to possible treatments for cancer. It has been proved that Turmeric improves liver function which helps the body to destroy mutated cancer cells. In a study, again with mice, Turmeric was able to prevent breast cancer from spreading to the lungs. Turmeric was able to inhibit the cancer cell proliferation and thus the tumors were unable to grow.
The Southern Asian people’s have know for centuries, that Turmeric is a strong medicine with many beneficial properties. Some even considered it to be a magical herb because of it’s healing powers. We have only scratched the surface of its usefulness and will surely continue to discover greater uses for it.
