This article was originally published by Sara Tipton at Tess Pennington’s ReadyNutrition.com
Tess is the author of The Prepper’s Blueprint: How To Survive ANY Disaster
Turmeric seems like it just popped into existence within the past few years, however, it is widely used as a spice in both Asia and the Middle East. It also has some proven health benefits that make it an effective supplement.
Many Indian dishes use a heavy dose of curry, which is also recognizable by its distinctive, bright golden yellow color. The main ingredient in curry is the powdered form of the turmeric plant, (which can also be used as a dye) and that’s how the spice obtains that lovely golden yellow. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is from the same family as ginger (Zingiber officinale). Both are tropical plants that originated from India and the roots of both plants are harvested for both culinary and medicinal purposes. India remains the largest producer of turmeric in the entire world.
Turmeric contains compounds that are medicinal, and the people of India are constantly being proven correct about the healing powers they’ve known of for a long time. These medicinal compounds are called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin. Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. Even though it has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant, the curcumin content of turmeric is not that high. Turmeric generally contains only 3% curcumin.
*Note: Most of the studies on this medicinal herb are using turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin itself, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day. Because of this, please keep in mind that it would be very difficult to reach these levels by solely using turmeric powder to spice up your foods. Therefore, if you want to experience the full effects, you need to take a supplement that contains significant amounts of curcumin (such as this one) complete with piperine to help with absorption.
Unfortunately, curcumin is also poorly absorbed into the bloodstream. It can help to consume black pepper with it, though. Black pepper contains piperine, a natural substance that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2,000%. Curcumin is also a fat-soluble nutrient, so it is beneficial to take it with a meal heavier on the fats.
Turmeric, or curcumin, will aid the human body in these 3 powerful ways:
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Inflammation occurs when your body fights off an infection of bacteria or viruses and then again when the body repairs the damages done by those pesky foreign invaders (such as the common cold.) Although acute, short-term inflammation is beneficial, it can become a major problem when it becomes chronic and inappropriately attacks your body’s own tissues. Scientists are now beginning to discover that chronic, low-level inflammation plays a major role in almost every chronic Western disease. This includes heart disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, Alzheimer’s, and various degenerative conditions. Anything that can naturally help fight chronic inflammation without the side effects of drugs could be beneficial and because curcumin is such a strong anti-inflammatory, it could be used effectively to fight chronic inflammation. In fact, it’s so powerful that it matches the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs, without any of the side effects. Curcumin is a bioactive substance that fights inflammation at the molecular level. It blocks NF-kB, a molecule that travels into the nuclei of your cells and turns on the genes related to inflammation. NF-kB is believed to play a major role in many chronic diseases.
LINKED TO IMPROVED BRAIN FUNCTION
Curcumin has been linked to improved brain function and a lower risk of brain diseases. Scientists used to believe that after childhood, brain cells (called neurons) could not multiply and divide anymore. However, now, scientists have seen this happen! Neurons are capable of forming new connections, but in certain areas of the brain they can also multiply and increase in number. One of the main drivers of this process is the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is a type of growth hormone that functions in your brain. Many common brain disorders have been linked to decreased levels of this hormone, including depression and Alzheimer’s disease. Curcumin can actually increase brain levels of BDNF and by doing so, it may be effective in delaying or even reversing many brain diseases and age-related decreases in brain function. It can also help with memory although scientists admit more studies are needed on this particular benefit of curcumin.
HELP PREVENT AND TREAT CANCER
Curcumin has been studied as a beneficial herbal medicine in cancer treatment and has been found to affect cancer growth, development, and its spread at the molecular level. Several studies have shown that curcumin can contribute to the death of cancerous cells and reduce angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels in tumors) and metastasis (the spread of cancer). But the even better news is that there is evidence that curcumin may prevent cancer from occurring in the first place, specifically, cancers of the digestive system like colorectal cancer. In a 30-day study of 44 men with lesions in the colon that sometimes turn cancerous, 4 grams of curcumin per day reduced the number of lesions by 40%. Scientists say that more studies are needed on the effects of turmeric on cancer, but the initial results look very promising. Whether high-dose curcumin, preferably with an absorption enhancer like piperine, can help treat cancer in humans has yet to be studied properly.
While several studies have shown the beneficial aspects of curcumin, it still isn’t a supplement many in the West consider a part of their daily lives. It’s a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and may also help improve symptoms of depression and arthritis. It also may help improve brain function while decreasing the risk of brain diseases. Curcumin has also been shown to have a positive effect on cancer cells, often inhibiting their growth. Even though more studies are needed, why not taste it? Toss some spice in your dinner tonight or try a turmeric tea!
*This article is for information purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease or ailment. Please speak to a qualified medical professional before taking any supplement.
Tess Pennington is the author of The Prepper’s Blueprint, a comprehensive guide that uses real-life scenarios to help you prepare for any disaster. Because a crisis rarely stops with a triggering event the aftermath can spiral, having the capacity to cripple our normal ways of life. The well-rounded, multi-layered approach outlined in the Blueprint helps you make sense of a wide array of preparedness concepts through easily digestible action items and supply lists.
Tess is also the author of the highly rated Prepper’s Cookbook, which helps you to create a plan for stocking, organizing and maintaining a proper emergency food supply and includes over 300 recipes for nutritious, delicious, life-saving meals.Â
Visit her website at ReadyNutrition.com for an extensive compilation of free information on preparedness, homesteading, and healthy living.
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, a MOTHERFUCKING LINK TO AMAZON!!! For fucks sake, they sell Turmeric everywhere, like Trader Joe’s for example, so why advertise for Amazon?!?!
I just can’t understand it, I’m not for or against Trump, but you all know that Jeff Bezos HATES TRUMP?? And he uses your money to buy the Washington Post and let us all know his political views.
If some day you are all slaves of the police state, and there’s a big mural of Mr. Bezos laughing like a maniac, you can look in the mirror for the responsible parties.
JUST BOYCOTT AMAZON!!!
THE PATENTED EISENKREUTZ WEIGHT LOSS METHOD:
1. STOP EATING SO FUCKING MUCH
2. LIFT HEAVY WEIGHTS 6 DAYS A WEEK
I doubt its patented…..
Bear Jew aka Brick Shithouse method —
Eat simple, Paleo foods, to full satisfaction. Lots. You will change your body composition, ie. muscle-to fat ratio. Not your basic shape, and probably not your weight. Like a bodybuilder in the anabolic phase.
Diabetics, restricting their insulin (shaped like some kind of weasel) say that I am overmuscled. Literally fluffy people do not believe that I can weigh more than them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqeEKT60ar0
I have never once seen someone, who can find it, grow it, kill it, and cook it, who has skinny flab, or is ungainly.
I’m a boomer and can lift more than you
I thought it skips a generation. Kudos.
“SHTFplan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com”
A BIG 10-4 !
but..but..but.. it pays Mac a penny a click!
Turmeric as a spice ie very minscule amounts in an Indian meal is likely fine for a pregnant mom. But turmeric as a supplement is likely UNSAFE for pregnant moms as it stimulates the uterus and could trigger a miscarriage.
The most dangerous time for mutagenic effects is in the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, so women of childbearing age and especially one trying to get pregnant should avoid turmeric as a supplement.
On a side note, one of the main reasons for adding folic acid in things like breakfast cereal is to ensure healthy pregnancies and minimize neural tube defects especially in that first eight week period.
As preppers, this health concern for the ladies under your care who MIGHT be pregnant without realizing it, means care in their diet and nutrition and with medicinal herbs.
There is a strong belief that turmeric might have potent power to treat and prevent cancer.
Thanks, I’ll remember that the next time I’m pregnant.
Never mind that it’s been years since I’ve been exposed…..
Well that’s good news! We need to make women eat a shitload of tumeric, it would mean more resources for us to party with!
I’m real funny about drugs.
I drink beer and eat aspirin
for minor aches and pains.
I take an old, pretty safe drug
for congenital muscle shakes,
but that is about it.
Drugs are toxins. Poisons.
Eat a balanced diet of meat, bread,
veggies, and fruit, moderate exercise,
and a good attitude,
will do far more than any weird
toxic drug or herb.
Agreed rellik, but there is a reason some societies have a markedly reduced incidence of some specific disease. Perhaps it is genetic but I have my doubts. I believe that chronic inflammation is a major contributor to degenerative illness and Turmeric has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. The problem with 95% of these products is Bio-Availability. They are too crude or in the wrong form to be absorbed and utilized by the body. A great example is all the absolute junk sold at the gym. Mostly useless crap in large cans. Unfortunately, Turmeric is one of those spices that is very poorly absorbed.
My wife takes it for arthritis, I have read that taking it with black pepper greatly increases the absorbtion rate. Natural news has tons of info on it.
I’ve read the same. Glad she can gag down the raw poundage it takes to get enough in her system to help.
Tumeric is actually good for you, but it makes everything you put it in/on taste like curry, which is gross.
Buy a capsule filling machine and empty capsules (cheap). Then buy bulk herbs and make your own, it is waaaayyyy cheaper than buying it in a store. I have a filing cabinet FULL of bulk herbs (probably 50 different types). 100 00size caps of tumeric probably cost 1.25 at most. 1000 empty 00 size capsules on ebay… 10 bucks. 5 pounds of bulk tumeric… 25 bucks. 2 pounds of spirulina…. 22 bucks. I could go on forever how cheap it is to make your own but you get the picture. I recommend the cap-m-quick capsule filler, it is cheap and works great. No need to eat it raw lol!
I tried turmeric once, taking it daily for several months.
Got zero results, no change noticed after I started it and no change noticed when I quit it.
Maybe it depends on your individual condition, or maybe it depends on something in specific being wrong with you to start with. Statistical results don’t always apply to any given individual. If there are no worrisome side effects I suppose it doesn’t hurt to try it and see.
must take black pepper with it- for tumeric to work
“. . .Turmeric has many miraculous health benefits, but lacks in bioavailability. Fortunately, simply adding black pepper boosts bioavailability. . .”
https://www.google.com/search?q=black+pepper+turmeric&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-1
That’s just it, you’re not going to notice it. The only way to judge the result is that you didn’t die of some malady it was supposed to prevent.
Well, that explains it.
Did you make some kind of food from scratch, or eat it, in the form of a pill?
When I see primitive survivalism, the food is usually somewhat scary, to be honest.
But, they’re walking through a sort of food forest, which has probably been established over several generations.
I think that lifestyle is a factor, in health conditions.
Mostly just took it by adding a teaspoon or so to a half glass of water and swallowing it down. Didn’t taste good that way but it wasn’t too bad to just ignore the taste for a little bit after taking it.
Do you like curry?
Besides the pregnancy concerns I posted earlier…
https://www.rxlist.com/turmeric/supplements.htm
If you are taking any blood thinners, you should not take turmeric as a supplement. It reduces blood sugar amounts so if you a type 1 diabetic who has poorly controlled blood sugar or a type 2 diabetic who is taking prescription medication, you could have a sudden DROP in blood sugar levels. It can interact with acid production so any medication lowering this is going to be adversely affected.
This is why articles on herbs need these kinds of things to be addressed because you never know who is reading them. There is a booming herb market and patients are self-medicating and they reticent to tell their physician that they are taking them.
The Physicians use a PDR for countraindications a drug interactions and the pharmacist also double checks, but herb use is often missed.
A simple disclaimer like “check for drug interactions and pregnancy before use”, then leaves the author and the site in the clear.
Polypharmacy is the largely postmodern practice of patients taking many concurrent pharmaceuticals and thus it is especially vital as many reading are likely post40 and on at least three routine medications. Five is not uncommon.
My Turmeric Story
About three years ago when I was in my early fifties, I was miserable. I used to do all kinds of stuff. Ride dirt bikes, run around in the woods, build things, hunt, etc, etc. But, they say getting old sucks. I could still do that stuff but the next day I would be sore and stiff and miserable. Someone told me that if I would take a certain amount of turmeric every day, it would change me. No more stiffness, muscle aches or bruises (I didn’t bruise much anyways…).
So I tried it. The recipe: 1 level teaspoon of turmeric and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper in 8oz of some drink (I use 2% milk), stir it, gulp it down.
Within a week all joint, muscle or any type of aches and pains of aging seemed less. In two months, GONE! I still questioned it. So, you know I had to really prove it, right?
I love riding offroad motorcycles. Many call them dirtbikes. My son races them. Its called “Hare Scrambles” or “Woods Racing” or “XC Racing”. I thought if I can run a race and wake up the next day without being sore or tired at 55 years old then *THAT* would prove that it works. The track was very rough. I’m out of condition. I was on a bike that was not really designed for this 6 mile long woods track. As with XC racing, I got tangled up with other riders, was thrown off a time or two. Body slammed a hill twice. Frankly, I’m a skilled rider but I was not prepared for the roughness this “race” handed me and the physical demands. I did one lap on that underpowered bike with little more than road suspension. It about beat me to death. After I finished, I was beat. REALLY beat. The next day? FRESH AS A DAISY! No, really, I felt NOTHING!!! All that talk of “Oh, you’re going to feel that tomorrow!” Gone!
I’m now 56. I can run around, climb a tree, strain to lift or pull something, chop wood, roll around under a vehicle with a wrench for 3 hours, run up and down the hills I own doing “run and gunning” and no stiffness, no soreness. NOTHING! Honestly, I feel like I’m 25 again. Its the craziest damn thing. I’m not saying this to brag or to sell anything. I just buy my turmeric and black pepper at Kroger. I’ve even skipped it for a few weeks. It has built something up in me that doesn’t go away quickly.
1 level teaspoon of turmeric.
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
4 to 8oz of 2% white milk.
I can roll around on the ground with the grandkids, act like a complete idiot. Bang into stuff, run, jump, fall. The next day? NOTHING! It seemed to take about 2 months of consistent consumption to get to this level.
Also, my knees were starting to really bother me. I guess that was the main reason I started this whole thing. Thats gone too. No knee pain.
So, there is my testimony. Give it a try. It sure did work for me. I’d really be interested if it helps you. [email protected] put turmeric in the subject and we’ll talk.
I love it in chili.
mix 4 tbs chili powder
3 tbs turmeric
2 tbs cumin powder
1 tsp black pepper
3-4 lbs. lean ground beef (thin or thick)
1 med onion
cook, stir, chop meat together
meat browned (drain grease in old can)
Add 2-3 cans red kidney beans
2-3 med. cans of tomato sauce (favorite brand)
2 small cans of tomato paste
Let simmer for half hour (but, don’t let it burn)
add a little water if necessary.
Serve with Cheezit or soda crackers
For more spice add pepper sauce
or cayenne powder sparingly.
Quite the condescending article; author writes as if talking to a child that has never seen this type of information before; its all over the web, in magazines, and on television programmes.
At 63, I take the curmumin extract w/black pepper in a capsule. Tried it for joint pain.
It works for me.
am getting some good results with boron:
The 12 Surprising Benefits of Boron You Didn’t Know Of
Improves Brain Function. …
Reduces Osteoarthritis Symptoms. …
Prevents and Treats Yeast Infections with Boric Acid. …
Helps Metabolize Insulin. …
Helps with Kidney Stones. …
Supports Metabolic Processes. …
Protects Against Oxidative Stress. …
Prevents Vitamin D Deficiency.
https://www.google.com/search?q=boron+benefits&client=firefox-b-1&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwid6Kz9lvbeAhXM5p8KHVyMC0IQ_AUICSgA&biw=1360&bih=693&dpr=1