Spices and Herbs like Turmeric Can Promote Better Health
ABSTRACT: Alternative medicine deals with spices, herbs, oils, foods, and natural cures for conditions, prevention and wellness. Turmeric is a great spice to add to your wellness regimen.
For the past several years, there has been a growing increase in the number of people who are interested in a more holistic, natural, healthful and preventative approach to wellness and healthcare. Western pharmaceutical treatment is becoming less the go-to after the fact and a more traditional, natural approach to prevention and healing is a movement in healthcare trends.
I’ve been moving toward an all-natural, as organic as possible, diet and nutritional approach to my healthcare woes, and I have some serious health issues with which to content. I’ve learned so much over the past few years, working with a nutritionist, a cardiologist, and endocrinologist and a pulmonologist, as well as my local pharmacy and hospital, to develop a nutritional and holistic approach to complement my medical treatment.
This has led to the use of vitamins and nutrition, spices, herbs, essential oils and more used to prevent, treat, alter and assist my medical care. One of the best of these alternative treatments is the wonder spice: Turmeric.
Health Benefits of Turmeric
Turmeric is a fantastic spice that, though many don’t cook with it regularly, actually can enhance the flavors of foods in unbelievable ways. I love this versatile spice for any type of food, from Indian Cuisine to just spicing up some bland chicken. But there’s more to turmeric than meets the eye. For example, Dr. Mercola and Dr. Oz both recommend turmeric as a spice that can kick up or boost your metabolism, which means it could even help you lose weight and have more energy.
Turmeric is also believed to:
- Provide antioxidant protection against free radicals
- Promote healthier skin
- Supports eye health
- Provides immune boost
- Aids joint and bone health
- Helps liver function
- Aids digestion
- Supports healthy blood and circulatory system
- Aids stress response
- Helps maintain normal cholesterol levels
- Promotes a healthy female reproductive system
- Helps maintain blood sugar levels
With a list like that, who couldn’t use a little turmeric in their lives? But for me, the one property that is said to help the most is that turmeric, the curcumin in it, helps prevent inflammation, which can lead to pain, tenderness, and other problems. When something as simple as a spice that is so flavorful and healthy can help with pain levels, reducing inflammation and also potentially reducing your risks of cancer, there’s no real reason not to add this spice to your diet as much as possible.
How to Take Turmeric for Health Benefits
Of course, in a healthy individual, adding some turmeric into your foods now and then might provide some benefit, but for those who need an extra boost, who need a little more than just what can be taken with food, turmeric is available in capsule form. However, you don’t have to buy the pre-made capsules and spend a fortune if you don’t want to. Organic turmeric spice available on the shelf can be purchased and you can get your own gelatin capsules and make turmeric capsules from them very inexpensively.
About three home-made capsules, twice per day should be enough to start, and then you can adjust your amount based on your own needs. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to stop using this wonderful spice in your cooking either. Too much of this fantastic spice with its healing properties is impossible. Enjoy it in good health.