Mother Nature Loves you with Herbs and Spices-Turmeric

I love Indian curry. There is no other food like it. This evening we are having some from our favourite take away. My boys had curry even while I breast feed them and it is still one of their most favourite dishes. Sometimes I would make some homemade curry, but there is that special taste when you buy it from people who have cooked it all their life. Curry is one of the most complete dishes there is as it combines all the flavors in this amazing and nourishing dish. One of the most important ingredient is turmeric.Turmeric and Cinnamon are powerful antioxidants that continue to gain acceptance as natural nutrients able to assist human health and prevent chronic disease.

Here are just 7 of the health benefits of turmeric 

1.In India, where turmeric is called Holy powder , has been used for centuries to help treat various health conditions while, at the same time, it is also widely used in Chinese Medicine. In a recent study conducted at Michigan University, it was found that curcumin, the bright yellow pigment present in turmeric, can help boost cell health by improving the behavior of their membranes.

2.Turmeric is a good source of vitamin C and potassium.

3.  Ayurvedic medicine recommends turmeric  fro treat a variety of ailments, including digestive issues, menstrual problems, arthritis, infections, jaundice, coughs and rheumatic pains.

4.Epidemiological studies of people who have a high dietary intake of turmeric show a lower incidence of cancer among them. as curcumin also helps create the master anti-oxidant glutathione.

5.Turmeric’s  powerful antioxidant effects make it a popular, natural, therapeutic agent for diseases such as arthritis, where free radicals cause joint inflammation and eventual damage to the joints.

6.Turmeric also contains vitamin B6 which is needed to keep homocysteine levels from getting too high. High homocysteine levels damage blood vessel walls and are considered a significant risk factor for blood vessel damage, atherosclerotic plaque build-up, and heart disease.

7.Evidence is mounting that turmeric may afford protection against neurodegenerative diseases through its ability to cross the blood brain barrier. Alzheimer’s disease is thought to occur when a fragmented protein accumulates in brain cells producing oxidative stress and inflammation, and forming plaque between nerve cells in the brain that disrupt function. Curcumin may prevent this oxidation and inflammation.

P.S This is day 24 of  Word press Challenge to make a post every day. There are 215 days left of 2012.