Turmeric: How Does It Help my Body?
Turmeric: How Does It Help my Body?
Inflammation is the root of all disease—or that’s at least what’s trending within the health sciences community right now. The more we learn about disease, the more inflammatory responses become something worth studying. A focus on inflammation has also increased our understanding of supplements like turmeric.
More than just a spice in your kitchen cabinet, turmeric benefits have quickly distinguished this compound in health circles. As it turns out, the earthy taste of turmeric isn’t just good for seasoning paella—it’s a natural anti-inflammatory, brain booster and fighter of oxidative stress. The next time you’re out shopping for healthy foods in Eau Claire, WI, it’s worth adding turmeric supplements to your cart.
A natural anti-inflammatory
The more we learn about turmeric, the more it entrenches itself at the top of the list of anti-inflammatories. Without getting too deep into the science of turmeric, you need to know that its anti-inflammatory properties actually come from a compound called curcumin. This is what gives turmeric its distinct gold-brown color, and it’s actually a member of the ginger family!
Curcumin is a powerhouse of anti-inflammatory benefits. Studies have shown its ability to help fight everything from metabolic syndrome to arthritis by targeting and reducing inflammation. Combined with black pepper (to increase bioavailability), it’s pound-for-pound one of the strongest natural anti-inflammatories out there.
Fighting back against oxidation
Turmeric is also a powerful antioxidant, which means it has the potential to rid your body of the free radicals that might be responsible for cell oxidation. Oxidation leads to inflammation, which means a daily dose of turmeric could actually be preventative, instead of just a reactive response! This has led many people to start incorporating turmeric into everything from morning smoothies to their oatmeal and scrambled eggs!
Improved brain function
You might be surprised to hear that turmeric—more specifically, curcumin—has been identified as a potential compound worth studying in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. This is because there are links between curcumin and brain health that indicate it could improve memory retention and gray matter health. Studies have concluded that while we don’t quite understand how to leverage curcumin’s benefits properly for brain health, it will assuredly be part of a long-term approach to preserving memory as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
A way to treat and prevent depression
In the realm of depression, turmeric has received recent attention for a few reasons. First is its positive effects on brain function, which can help balance mood and create mental clarity. But, more specifically for depression, turmeric has been linked with improved gut health, and gut health is unequivocally linked with brain health. These connections indicate that turmeric may improve gut health, which then mitigates depression.
While it’s still not yet understood how turmeric benefits gut flora and the gut microbiome, it’s clear there are measurable benefits to incorporating turmeric supplements into your daily regimen.
Turmeric is more than a hot new fad in the health sciences field. It’s a very real, long-studied compound that’s worth looking into if you’re suffering from chronic conditions caused by inflammation. Next time you’re shopping for supplements in Eau Claire, WI, consider adding turmeric or concentrated curcumin to your cart.
Categorised in: Health Tips