The Amazing Health Benefits of Turmeric
If you’ve ever eaten an Asian dish, or Middle Eastern fare, then you’ve probably tasted turmeric. But what you might not have known is that you were getting health benefits at the same time from this popular spice! In addition to its purported ancient healing properties for everything from cuts and bruises to digestive distress, recent research has shown that turmeric may also be instrumental in such things as lowering blood pressure and even warding of certain cancers. Keep reading to find out more of the amazing health benefits of turmeric.
Turmeric is a spice that is found in many foods, and is even used in some cosmetics, sunscreens and as a dye. But that’s not all! This powerful spice that is found in Middle Eastern and South Asian cuisine is proving to be very effective at staving off various illnesses.
A recent study performed by Cambridge University indicated that Turmeric was effective at lowering blood pressure. Of the 40 participants in the study with moderately high blood pressure, 20 were given a placebo while the others were given turmeric tablets. More than 70 percent of those who took the turmeric tablets had decreased their blood pressure after the 6 week study, as opposed to 30 percent of those who took the placebo.
Scientists have been researching the benefits of turmeric for years. In addition to the effectiveness of lowering blood pressure, turmeric is thought to ward off certain types of cancer. The cancer connection with turmeric is still being studied, although people who consume foods that contain this spice on a regular basis tend to have less instances of colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer death in men, third in women. In some countries, however, where people eat the spice of turmeric, the instances of colorectal cancer are low.
Many in the medical community also believe that turmeric also aids with the immune system. Doctors and scientists are researching the effects the immune system has on the body as well as how it may or may not affect the development of cancer cells. Some doctors believe that your body clears itself of cancer cells routinely and that cancer is a result of a weakened immune system. This theory has not been proven inconclusively in the medical community, but is certainly plausible. It would explain why some people who are exposed to the same toxins and even have the same genetic background get cancer and others do not.
You can purchase turmeric in any grocery store or health food market, as well as online. You can also find recipes for turmeric dishes online. If you do not like the taste of this spice, you can take a turmeric supplement in capsule or tablet form that will work towards boosting your immune system as well as helping with your blood pressure.
While the full health benefits of turmeric are not in, the initial results look promising. And, even though doctors caution that you should not consider using turmeric to replace blood pressure medication or treat yourself with this spice quite yet, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have it in your life.
