8 Health Benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin that has LOTS of health benefits.  It is found in delicous things like curry powder and mustard.  Here are a few of the benefits:

Turmeric is good for your heart

• ​It may keep you from having heart failure.  Two studies done on rats found that those that consumed curcumin had more resistance to heart failure and inflammation than those who didn’t.  Curcumin seems to inhibit the heart enlargement process.
• It may reduce the fatty compounds that clog arteries.  In another study done on rats, scientists found that rats that consumed curcumin had a 26% reduction in fatty deposits in their arteries after 16 weeks.  It appeared that curcumin affected the genetic signaling that causes the buildup of plaque at the molecular level.

Turmeric can help with heart disease, cancer and inflammation.

It can help with cancer and arthritis

• It may stop breast cancer from spreading.  A study done on mice found that combining a chemo drug and curcumin seemed to halt the spread of breast cancer to the lungs, which is often the case with advanced breast cancer.  This combination seems to work well because Taxol, the chemo drug, stomps out the cancer, but can cause the inflammation that spreads cancer to other organs.  Curcumin stops the inflammation, so the combination was very effective.
• It can reduce the inflammation caused by radiation therapy.  Radiation can cause the skin to burn and blister.  A study done with mice found that those that consumed curcumin for five days before they were exposed to radiation had far fewer burns and blisters.  More studies need to be done, but it is recommended that patients undergoing radiation enjoy plenty of curried foods.
• It may reduce arthritis pain and joint inflammation.  It acts similarly to ibuprofen, but to a lesser degree.  Bonus: Turmeric doesn’t have side effects!

Turmeric may help keep you slim!

It may help with Alzheimer's and Osteoporosis

• It may help keep you slim by slowing the growth of fat tissues, the journal Endocrinology reports. 
• It may increase bone density.  Another study conducted on mice found that mice who were on turmeric had a higher mineral bone density than those who weren’t.
• It may be used to treat Alzheimer’s.  In preliminary lab tests it was found that curcumin helps dissolve the plaque in brain cells that leads to dementia and Alzheimer’s.