Health Benefits of Curcumin and Turmeric

Scientific studies have been ongoing since 2004, but the spicy plant called turmeric has been used since ancient times to treat a variety of different ailments, including arthritis, digestive disorders and infections. In the later half of the 20th century, researchers found that the compound within turmeric having pharmacological activity is curcumin.

Researchers have been looking at a variety of different antioxidants that naturally occur in plants, because antioxidants scavenge free radicals. Free radical damage, within the cells, causes mutations that can lead to cancer.

They are also investigating the health benefits of curcumin as a natural anti-inflammatory, because chronic inflammation plays a role in cancer development, heart disease and many other age-related diseases. The drugs that we have are ineffective against these kinds of diseases.

If we can learn to prevent free radical damage and chronic inflammation, we will start to see a healthier society. Those of us that are aware of these things are already doing everything within our power, in an effort to achieve that goal.

If you are looking for a single ingredient that does more than any other, you won?t find it. When you hear recommendations from cautious healthcare practitioners about eating a variety of different plant foods and drinking a variety of different beverages, they are saying that because they want you to have the benefit of the compounds found in the plants, but they are wary of suggestion supplementation.

But, eating curry or turmeric is not the best way to get the health benefits of curcumin. The impact that this compound has on cells is enormous. In laboratory studies, it has been shown to kill cancer cells, without causing damage to healthy cells. 16 separate studies have shown a reduction of cancer in animals that have been given a carcinogen.

In the bloodstream, it inhibits the accumulation of plaques in the arteries and the brain. These plaques are responsible for arterial diseases and Alzheimer?s. The problem is this. How do we get it into the bloodstream?

If you want the health benefits of curcumin, you need to choose a well designed supplement that includes an enteric coating and piperine, a compound present in black pepper. The enteric coating protects curcumin from digestive acids, while piperine enhances its bioavailability.

When turmeric is eaten, it is changed by digestive juices and very little gets into the bloodstream. This is true of many other nutrients including SAM-e and resveratrol.

The best supplements on the market contain SAM-e, resveratrol, piperine, turmeric and a wide range of other nutrients, including essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Regardless of healthy and varied your diet may be, it is not possible to get all of the beneficial nutrients found in the natural world, without supplementation. You can get the health benefits of curcumin and much more, if you choose the right supplement.

Valerie Rosenbaum has spent several years researching anti aging vitamin supplements and natural skincare products. As a result of that effort she has found what she believes to be the best anti aging supplement available on the market today. Learn about what she discovered at her website NaturalBalanceSupplements.com

Article Source: Health Benefits of Curcumin and Turmeric

]]>

View the original article here

What is the Recommended Daily Dose of Turmeric For Optimal Health Benefits in Anti Aging Supplements?

The turmeric spice is one of the plants that were used in Ayurvedic medicine, the traditional practice in India that is still present to this day. Scientific evaluation has shown that the ?active? components of the spices are the curcuminoids, most notably curcumin.

Curcuminoids are responsible for the yellowish orange color of the root. Researchers have learned that the compounds responsible for the various colors of plant foods act as antioxidants in the human body. Some of them have other activity, as well.

That brings us to the turmeric health benefits and recommended daily amount. Laboratory testing has concluded that curcumin has chelating, antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-arthritic, anti-amyloid, anti-ischemic, anti-coagulant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-cancer activity. It all sounds good, but there?s a problem.

As a medicine, it was traditionally used to for stomach ailments, such as ulcers, heartburn, irritable and inflammatory bowel. It was also believed to ?strengthen? the liver, which has been supported by some modern studies. All of the other things that are currently being investigated require that curcumin gets to the bloodstream, but it is quickly degraded by stomach acid. Researchers have concluded that high doses, as much as 10 grams or 10,000 mg do not significantly increase the amount of curcumin in the bloodstream.

Researchers refer to this as low bio-availability and it is one of the reasons that the turmeric health benefits and recommended daily amount of intake are uncertain. You might think that a higher dose would be better, but high doses are accompanied by unwanted side effects, including nausea and stomach upset. There are other unwanted side effects that I?ll get to in a moment, but first, let?s look at the answer to bioavailability.

The actual answer is to take a moderate dose, 50-100mg, add an enteric coating to protect it from stomach acid and include other plant compounds that increase its bioavailability. An enteric coating reduces the risk of stomach upset, as well.

Taking any anti-coagulant is accompanied by risk, particularly if the dosage is too high. For example, daily aspirin intake is often recommended for people that have had heart attacks, because of the anti-coagulant effect, but the recommended dose for an adult is about what you would find in baby aspirin.

That?s one reason that there are questions about the turmeric health benefits and recommended daily amount. Anti-coagulants prevent the blood from clotting when there is an injury. Another risk has to do with the chelating activity. Chelating agents help the body rid itself of toxic heavy metals, but can also interfere with iron metabolism, which could cause anemia, in susceptible individuals.

There is no doubt that there are turmeric health benefits and recommended daily amount of intake that does not exceed 50-100mg is safe. Anything higher is risky. The best supplements contain this amount, along with a variety of other plant extracts, as well as basic vitamins and minerals.

Valerie Rosenbaum has spent several years researching every anti aging supplement available. As a result of that effort she has found that it is critical to include the correct turmeric daily amount for an anti aging supplement to be effective. Learn more about what she discovered at her website www.NaturalBalanceSupplements.com

Article Source: What is the Recommended Daily Dose of Turmeric For Optimal Health Benefits in Anti Aging Supplements?

]]>

View the original article here

Turmeric Health Benefits, Can a Spice Stop the Aging Process?

Currently, the US National Institutes of Health are conducting studies concerning the health benefits of turmeric for treating cancer, Alzheimer?s disease and liver disorders. When news of these studies was reported, supplement sales increased by 35%. We all want to feel better and reduce are risk of chronic diseases.

Some of the known turmeric health benefits concern its antibacterial activity. Many plant compounds have anti-bacterial activity. Turmeric, and the curcumin that it contains, is just one of the more active varieties.

Some of these plants act as antioxidants, which is why they may be beneficial for preventing or treating cancer. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, preventing them from turning a cell into a cancerous growth.

Many plant extracts have natural anti-inflammatory activity, which is important because chronic inflammation plays a role in cancer development and heart disease, as well as general aging. Some of your favorite food may cause chronic inflammation.

Fighting inflammation and acting as an antioxidant are two of the turmeric health benefits. If this all sounds good, there are other beneficial nutrients and plant extracts that may sound even better.

Green tea extract, for example, has been shown to reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancer, stomach cancer and throat cancer. It is believed to explain the Japanese paradox, lower than expected incidences of heart disease, despite a heavy smoking rate. Thus, it may help to prevent heart disease.

Gingko biloba extracts have been shown in numerous trials to increase the oxygen content of the brain and other bodily tissues. It promotes mental clarity, alertness and concentration, without acting as a stimulant.

You can get the health benefits of turmeric, green tea, gingko biloba and many others, if you choose a supplement that contains a variety of different ingredients, instead of just one. Most naturopaths and other practitioners feel that striving for optimal nutritional intake is one way to live a longer, disease-free life. There are some good supplements on the market that provide the minimum daily requirements of standard vitamins and minerals, as well as many plant extracts, like those mentioned in this article.

You can also get more of the turmeric health benefits by suing it as a spice for cooking. The flavor is similar to ginger. It is available in the fresh and powdered form and is the primary ingredient in curry.

Many people want the health benefits of turmeric, but don?t like the flavor. That?s why the supplement sales have increased recently, but some of the better companies have been providing the turmeric health benefits, along with others, for many years.

Look for a supplement that was developed by a doctor of naturopathic medicine for your specific age group and physical condition. Focus on eating a varied diet and try to eat more fresh, rather than processed foods. If you follow a healthy lifestyle whenever possible, then you are more likely to see the health benefits of turmeric in your own life.

Valerie Rosenbaum has spent several years researching anti aging vitamin supplements and natural skincare products. As a result of that effort she has found what she believes to be the best anti aging supplement available on the market today. Learn about what she discovered at her website NaturalBalanceSupplements.com

Article Source: Turmeric Health Benefits, Can a Spice Stop the Aging Process?

]]>

View the original article here