| The Power of Turmeric
Turmeric is a powerful and ancient herb with an abundance of
health benefits including supporting healthy joint function, promoting
radiant skin, improving digestion, and promoting your immune system
among many more.
There's some debate about the timing of turmeric's first use
as a healthy spice. But one thing is certain. Thousands of years
ago, people in India and China used the spice. In fact, some stories
suggest usage dates back 10,000 years in India when they say Lord
Rama walked the earth.
And the ancient Polynesians carried turmeric with them on their
incredible voyage across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. Today, Hawaiians
still use this spice -- known to them as Olena.
While in China, Marco Polo in 1280 AD recorded information on
turmeric in his diary:
"There is also a vegetable which has all the properties
of true saffron, as well the smell and the color, and yet it is
not really saffron."
So, turmeric has been used as a substitute for saffron (an old
world spice) in Europe for over 700 years.
One of the main healthful ingredients in turmeric is curcumin
(a curcuminoid), which as I said, gives turmeric its yellow color.
Western scientists first isolated the curcumin molecule in 1815,
obtained its crystalline form in 1870, and determined its overall
structure in 1910.
Curcumin can potentially benefit you by:
* Promoting your immune system
* Helping you maintain your healthy digestive system
* Supporting your healthy bones, joints, and overall skeletal
system
* Helping you maintain good cholesterol levels
* Promoting your healthy blood and liver functions*
How Turmeric and Curcumin Provide Antioxidant Nutrients
Oxidation by free radicals can damage cells and organs -- and
thus impact your aging process.
Antioxidants are also key nutrients in:
* Supporting your memory function
* Promoting your heart health
* Boosting your immune system
Turmeric's antioxidants help protect your cells from free radical
damage.
The antioxidant content within turmeric comes from active compounds
called curcuminoids.
These curcuminoids deliver antioxidants that may be:
* 5 to 8 times stronger than vitamin E -- and also stronger
than vitamin C
* 3 times more powerful than grape seed or pine bark extract
* Strong enough to scavenge the hydroxyl radical -- considered
by many to be the most reactive of all oxidants*
How Turmeric Enhances Your Outer Beauty
Speaking of antioxidant nutrients and their potential to impact
the aging process, some of the first aging signs you may see as
you get older are changes to your skin.
Believe it or not, the organic ingredients found in turmeric
can help promote your healthy skin. How, you ask?
Curcuminoids support important blood and liver functions, healthy
joints, and your overall well-being,* which in turn helps promote
radiant, supple skin.
Turmeric has been considered to be ‘skin food' for thousands
of years in India and other cultures.
Turmeric helps:
* Cleanse your skin and maintain its elasticity
* Provide nourishment to your skin
* Balance the effects of skin flora
So, turmeric can act as your one-two punch against normal aging
with its skin promotion and antioxidant capabilities -- outer
beauty plus inner purity.
Your Triple-Action Cellular Booster and Adaptogen
Another potential advantage from turmeric usage involves the
smallest living things within you -- your cells.
Turmeric can assist your cells in three ways, by:
* Helping neutralize substances that can cause cellular stress
* Maintaining your cells' integrity when threatened by occasional
environmental stressors
* Providing the antioxidants you need to help support your cells
against excessive oxidation and free radicals
Turmeric is also recognized as an adaptogen -- helping to support
your body against stress and providing immune system support.
How this Ancient Spice has Become
Embedded in India's Ayurvedic Practice
Turmeric, like other herbs and spices, is a principle herb
in Ayurveda -- India's ancient holistic health system. Ayurveda
means "knowledge of life" -- with herbs lying at the
very heart of Ayurvedic practice.
Turmeric Ayurveda PracticeTurmeric has multiple uses within Ayurveda,
including blood cleansing and maintaining healthy skin.
In Ayurvedic terminology, turmeric includes the following:
* Verdana sthapana -- promotes your healthy nervous system and
helps you with occasional discomfort
* Sangrahani -- supports your absorption of vitamins and minerals
* Anulomana -- helps you in purging out wastes and building healthy
blood
* Rakta stambhaka -- promotes the wellness of your circulatory
system
And this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Ayurvedic
turmeric uses.
What does this mean to you?
Simply, turmeric has been used in Indian culture for thousands
of years for a multitude of health-promoting reasons. An estimated
500 million Indians still use the spice today.
Reference Sources 116
December 10, 2009
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