The Golden Spice for Head to Toe Protection

The Golden Spice for Head to Toe Protection

Turmeric is the golden-orange spice that gives curry its distinct color. But the benefits of turmeric extend well beyond its ability to add a sunny hue and spicy kick to foods. Thanks to a powerful compound called curcumin, turmeric is one of the most healthful and bioactive foods known to man.

Curcumin is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.

In fact, research shows that the effects of this phytonutrient are comparable to the steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like COX inhibitors) that people take for the pain and swelling associated with arthritis... but without the serious side-effects.

Research published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism found that injections of turmeric almost completely eliminated joint swelling in rats that were bred to develop rheumatoid arthritis. Another study, this time in people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, the administration of curcumin resulted in shortened duration of morning stiffness, increased walking time, and reduced joint swelling.

The researchers noted that these results were comparable to the benefits seen with the prescription drug phenylbutazone (which was actually been taken off the market due to serious adverse side effects).

But curcumin doesn't just reduce inflammation and free radical damage in the joints...

Sprinkle on a Cellular Cancer Shield

The active compounds in turmeric help to guard cells throughout the body by preventing the mutations that can lead to cancer as well as destroying existing cancer cells.

Dr. Bharat Aggarwal of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center says:

"Curcumin acts against transcription factors, which are like a master switch. Transcription factors regulate all the genes needed for tumors to form. When we turn them off, we shut down some genes that are involved in the growth and invasion of cancer cells."
And not only does curcumin turn OFF the genes that promote cancer, but it also turns ON the genes that boost your body's most powerful cancer-fighting agent - glutathione. It's no wonder that curcumin has been found to be protective against many types of cancer cells, including those of the prostate, colon, breast, lung and skin.

However, the most impressive capabilities of turmeric might lie in its unique ability to defend against dementia...

Guard Your Memory with the Golden Spice

More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease. What's more, nearly 8 million are projected to have the disease by 2030.

The good news is that what you eat (and what you don't, like sugar) can play an important role in protecting yourself from the dementia epidemic.

Scientists began investigating turmeric's effects on the brain because Alzheimer's rates are astoundingly low in India, where curry is consumed frequently. Research published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry found that curcumin may actually help to break up the beta-amyloid plaques that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's.

While the verdict is still out on how much curcumin is needed to protect against dementia, adding turmeric or curry to your diet is a wise idea.

Maximizing Turmeric's Power

Fresh, whole turmeric root is the best source of curcumin. The roots can be sliced, grated or chopped or blended and added to your food. But you can also benefit by using the ground and dried spice.

To get the most inflammation-fighting, cancer-preventive and neuron-protecting power out of turmeric, be sure to store it in a cool, dark place. And use or replace your supply every six months. When you do use turmeric, you can increase its power by doing these two things:

1. Combine it with black pepper. A compound in pepper called piperine has been shown to boost turmeric's power by 2,000%!
2. Enjoy with some oil or healthy fat. Because the active constituent of curcumin is lipid-soluble, eating it with foods that include fat will enhance the body's absorption.

With that, here are some simple and delicious ways to get the benefits of turmeric in your everyday meals:

• Add the dried powder to to scrambled eggs, omelets and frittatas
• Mix into free-range chicken or egg salad
• Make a flavorful curry marinade for your grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, wild salmon or shrimp
• Make an Indian-spiced dressing (try avocado oil, turmeric, ginger, garlic and pepper) to drizzle over steamed veggies or use with stir-fries
• Sprinkle turmeric over just about any savory foods, stir it into teas, or add it to soups, sauces and coconut milk curries for powerful protection.

This is a powerfully protective spice that can help reduce oxidation and inflammation and may protect your mental muscle, as well.

To Your Health,

Kelley Herring
Editor & CEO
Healing Gourmet

==========

Millions of People are Killing Themselves to be Healthy
(Because they Don't Know Any Better)...

Are you absolutely certain about the ingredients in your multi-vitamin? Did you know that most multi-vitamins are made by the big drug companies and include synthetic ingredients (some of which are even derived from petroleum)?

Shocking exposé reveals harmful ingredients found in most multi-vitamins...

==========

References: Tze-Pin Ng, Peak-Chiang Chiam, Theresa Lee, Hong-Choon Chua2, Leslie Lim and Ee-Heok Kua. Curry Consumption and Cognitive Function in the Elderly. American Journal of Epidemiology 2006 164(9):898-906. Journal of Biological Chemistry, online Dec. 7, 2004. Antunes LMG, Araújo MCP, Darin JD`AC, Bianchi MdeLP. Effects of the antioxidants curcumin and vitamin C on cisplatin-induced clastogenesis in Wistar rat bone marrow cells. Mutat Res. 2000; 465:131-137. Arbiser JL, Klauber N, Rohan R, et al. Curcumin is an in vivo inhibitor of angiogenesis. Mol Med. 1998; 4:376-383.Chan MM-Y. Inhibition of tumor necrosis factor by curcumin, a phytochemical. Biochem Pharmacol. 1995; 49:1551-1556. Huang MT, Newmark HL, Fenkel K. Inhibitory effects of curcumin on tumorigenesis in mice. J Cell Biochem Suppl. 1997; 27:26-34. Kang BY, Song YJ, Kim KM, et al. Curcumin inhibits Th1 cytokine profile in CD4+ T cells by suppressing interleukin-12 production in macrophages. BR J Pharmacol. 1999:128:380-384. Kawamori T, Lubet R, Steele VE, et al. Chemopreventive effect of curcumin, a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory agent, during the promotion/progression stages of colon cancer. Cancer Res. 1999; 59:597-601. Ramiré z-Tortosa MC, Mesa MD, Aguilera MC, et al. Oral administration of a turmeric extract inhibits LDL oxidation and has hypocholesterolemic effects in rabbits with experimental atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis. 1999; 147:371-378. Tze-Pin Ng, Peak-Chiang Chiam, Theresa Lee, Hong-Choon Chua2, Leslie Lim and Ee-Heok Kua. Curry Consumption and Cognitive Function in the Elderly. American Journal of Epidemiology 2006 164(9):898-906. Journal of Biological Chemistry, online Dec. 7, 2004. Funk JL, Frye JB, Oyarzo JN, Kuscuoglu N, Wilson J, McCaffrey G, Stafford G, Chen G, Lantz RC, Jolad SD, Sólyom AM, Kiela PR, Timmermann BN. Efficacy and mechanism of action of turmeric supplements in the treatment of experimental arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2006 Nov;54(11):3452-64. Kakarala M, Brenner DE, Korkaya H, Cheng C, Tazi K, Ginestier C, Liu S, Dontu G, Wicha MS. Targeting breast stem cells with the cancer preventive compounds curcumin and piperine. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2010 Aug;122(3):777-85. Epub 2009 Nov 7. Shoba G, Joy D, Joseph T, Majeed M, Rajendran R, Srinivas PS. Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers. Planta Med. 1998 May;64(4):353-6. Dickinson DA, Iles KE, Zhang H, Blank V, Forman HJ. Curcumin alters EpRE and AP-1 binding complexes and elevates glutamate-cysteine ligase gene expression. Faseb J. 2003;17(3):473-475. (PubMed) Zheng S, Yumei F, Chen A. De novo synthesis of glutathione is a prerequisite for curcumin to inhibit hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation. Free Radic Biol Med. 2007;43(3):444-453. (PubMed)