MATTOLE SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROJECT
Benefits of Turmeric
General Altho you can buy turmeric in almost any grocery store, it tends to be
more expensive when purchased in small quantities. The best source that I have found is Eureka Natural Foods (on
Broadway). You can buy it in one pound packages as a special order for about $6.00. ENF also stocks bulk turmeric
powder you can measure out yourself. A one pound package should last you for three months or more (a LOT cheaper
than Advil and without the side effects).
Turmeric is a spice that is the main ingredient in curry powder. It comes from the root of the curcuma longa which
is a tropical plant and is generally available as a powder.
---Ken Young
Use as an Anti-Inflamatory I first read about the use of turmeric as an anti-inflamatory about four
years ago. At the time, I was taking 4 to 6 Advil a day for joint pain associated with running. I had been able
to reduce my Advil consumption from 10 to 12 tablets a day by using glucosamine sulphate but still need some Advil
to be able to run without joint pain. I started taking a teaspoon of turmeric powder each day and stopped taking
Advil entirely, relying entirely on turmeric and glucosamine sulphate. I have been Advil-free for more than three
years now and rarely experience pain in my knees and ankles from running. After the operation on my broken wrists,
the surgeon was amazed to find that I had virtually no swelling. I attribute this to my regular use of turmeric. Altho I take most of my daily dosage of turmeric straight, this may not
appeal to most people. It does taste like dirt (from childhood memories) when taken straight. You can put it into
capsules but you can also add it to a number of foods, including curry (making super-curry). Turmeric is NOT one
of the spices in curry powder that makes it hot. I add turmeric to mashed potatoes which turn a nice yellow or
orange color, depending on how much turmeric I add. It does impart a fairly pleasant taste to the potatoes in addition
to the color. I've also added it to scrambled eggs but was less than satisfied with the results. I imagine one
could add it to rice altho I have not tried that. Dosages depend on the amount of joint inflamation you have. The maintenance
level that I use is one-half teaspoon daily. I increase this to a teaspoon a day when needed. I have never read
of any adverse side effects to taking turmeric and of course, the Indian people have been using this as part of
their diet for many centuries. If you take Advil, Excedrin, aspirin, or any other over-the-counter anti-inflamatory
on a regular basis, you might try turmeric. ---Ken Young
Use to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease Research has shown that turmeric (curcumin) has anti-oxidant and anti-inflamatory
properties that may break up the tangles of amyloid plaques that contribute to Alzheimer's disease. Studies using
mice found that curcumin binds with beta amyloid to successfully block plaque aggregation. Curcumin is widely
consumed in India where Alzheimer's rates are among the lowest in the world. Adding turmeric to your diet is a
very inexpensive way to avoid this common disease and turmeric has many other benefits as well.
---Ken Young
Last Updated: 14 Jul 2005