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Turmeric's Healing Power: A Physical Manifestation of Compassion?

Few, if any, plants have been revered as thoroughly -- by the religious and scientific community alike -- as a healer of the human body, mind and soul, as beautiful turmeric
Few, if any, plants have been revered as thoroughly -- by the religious and scientific community alike -- as a healer of the human body, mind and soul, as beautiful turmeric It could be written off as an overly imaginative cultural oddity that ancient Indians understood turmeric to be the physical essence of the Divine Mother -- a botanical embodiment of compassion and healing. After all, nothing in the known biochemistry of this common spice plant lends itself to so gratuitous a characterization, does it? It turns out that even modern science now confirm that this 'curry' spice has therapeutic properties relevant to well over 600 different health conditions, and may therefore bestow on those who take it significant protection from many common causes of human suffering. Some of the more amazing examples are its ability to reverse aspects of dementia (Alzheimer's disease), replace Prozac, prevent type 2 diabetes, produce cardiovascular benefits as significant as exercise, including preventing post-bypass heart attack by 56%, heal the diabetic liver, kill lethal pancreatic cancer, and help kick painkillers to the curb for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, while giving at least a dozen more pharmaceuticals a run for their money. While these examples are not proof of 'divine' benevolence, they certainly raise some interesting questions, not the least of which is how any substance could be so well suited for improving human physical and mental health with such a...
04-25 2014
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500 Reasons Turmeric May Be the World's Most Important Herb

There is a medicinal spice so timelessly interwoven with the origins of human culture and metabolism, so thoroughly supported by modern scientific inquiry, as to be unparalleled in its proven value to human health and well-being
There is a medicinal spice so timelessly interwoven with the origins of human culture and metabolism, so thoroughly supported by modern scientific inquiry, as to be unparalleled in its proven value to human health and well-being. Indeed, turmeric turns the entire drug-based medical model on its head. Instead of causing more side effects than therapeutic ones - which you can read any drug insert to see is a universally true phenomenon and which ensures the infinite expansion of the pharmaceutical market and all the associated medical services - it has several hundred potential side benefits. While no food or herb is right for everyone, and everything has the potential for unintended, adverse side effects, turmeric is truly unique in its exceptionally high margin of safety vis-à-vis the drugs it has been compared with, e.g. hydrocortisone, ibuprofen, chemotherapy agents. Furthermore, nothing within the modern-day pharmaceutical armamentarium comes even remotely close to turmeric's 6,000 year track record of safe use in Ayurvedic medicine.[1] Despite its vast potential for alleviating human suffering, turmeric will never receive the FDA stamp of approval, due to its lack of exclusivity, patentability and therefore profitability. Truth be told, the FDA's "gold standard" for proving the value of a prospective medicinal substance betrays the age old aphorism: "he who owns the gold makes the rules," and unless an investor is willing to risk losing the 800+ million dollars that...
07-02 2012
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Turmeric May Repair and Regenerate Diabetic Liver Function

Groundbreaking new research published in the Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand found that curcumin, the primary polyphenol in turmeric, is capable of repairing and even regenerating the liver tissues of diabetic rats
Groundbreaking research published in the Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand found that curcumin, the primary polyphenol in turmeric, is capable of repairing and even regenerating the liver tissues of diabetic rats The research was performed at Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok, Thailand. The administration of curcumin to diabetic rats, whose livers showed the characteristic pathology and destruction of liver tissues and microvasculature, resulted in significant reversal of the condition. They noted: "Fascinatingly, liver microvasculature in curcumin treated group developed into regenerate and repair into healthy and normal characteristics." They concluded: "These results optimistically demonstrated the potential use of curcumin as a novel therapeutic agent in liver pathology of diabetic rats. Curcumin is actually one of the world's most thoroughly studied and well-characterized natural compounds, with over 5100 references in peer-reviewed publications. Over 1400 of these have been selected for inclusion in our database, and indicate its value in over 500 health conditions. Considering its remarkably wide range of therapeutic benefits, it is not surprising that curcumin has been researched to either prevent or treat, liver disease. For example, you can view 36 studies on curcumin's anti-liver cancer properties here: curcumin liver cancer. Perhaps even more impressive are these 78 studies on curcumin's liver-protective properties: hepatoprotective...
10-03 2012
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Turmeric Compound Reduces Post-Bypass Heart Attack Risk 56%

A new clinical study on the turmeric spice compound curcumin indicates that this ancient spice may soon be elevated to a cutting-edge medicine, as it was found capable of reducing post-bypass heart attacks by 56%.
A remarkable study performed at Chiang Mai University, Thailand and published in the American Journal of Cardiology last July, found that the administration of curcuminoids, natural phenols within the spice turmeric, reduced the frequency of myocardial infarction (heart attack) after coronary artery bypass in a group of 121 patients randomly selected to receive a placebo or 4 grams a day beginning 3 days before the scheduled surgery and continued until 5 days after surgery.[i] According to the study, "it is well established that myocardial infarction (MI) associated with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) predicts a poor outcome. Nevertheless, cardioprotective therapies to limit myocardial injury after CABG are lacking." The researchers hypothesized that since preclinical research shows curcuminoids decrease proinflammatory cytokines during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery and decrease the occurrence of cardiac cell death, they may provide a much-needed therapy. The primary end point was the incidence of in-hospital myocardial infarction, which was found to be decreased from 30.0% in the placebo group to 13.1% in the curcuminoid group --  a 56% relative risk reduction. The secondary end point was the effect of curcuminoids on C-reactive protein, plasma maondialdehyde, and N-terminal pro-B-type naturietic peptide levels, all of which were lower after treatment. The study authors concluded: "we demonstrated that curcuminoids significantly decreased MI associated with...
10-19 2012
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Turmeric Extract Puts Drugs For Knee Osteoarthritis To Shame

Millions take anti-inflammatory drugs every day for arthritis and related conditions, but are completely unaware that far safer, and at least as effective, natural alternative already exist -- and are as easily accessible and inexpensive as the spices found in your kitchen cupboard.
Millions take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) daily for arthritis and related inflammatory conditions, but are completely unaware that far safer, and at least as effective, natural alternatives already exist -- and are as easily accessible and inexpensive as the spices found in your kitchen cupboard. Human research on the health benefits of turmeric is sparse, mainly due to the lack of capital available to fund expensive clinical trials.[i] Despite many decades of investigation as a lead drug compound, and the availability of thousands of preclinical studies indicating turmeric's therapeutic value, few yet realize that this common kitchen spice may provide a suitable drug alternative for common health conditions. The latest human study to clinically confirm turmeric's medicinal value was published in the Indonesian Journal of Internal Medicine in April, 2012 and found the curcuminoid extract of turmeric was able to reduce inflammation in patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis. Researchers compared the effect of a curcuminoid extract to the NSAID drug diclofenac sodium in reducing cycloxygenase -2  (COX-2) secretion by synovial fluid's monocytes in two, randomly divided, groups suffering with knee osteoarthritis. The synovial fluid is an egg yolk-like liquid within the cavities of the synovial joints, which serves to reduce friction between articular cartilage during movement.  In knee osteoarthritis, a condition that afflicts 1 in 2 people by...
12-19 2012
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Science Confirms Turmeric As Effective As 14 Drugs

If ever there were an herb that puts existential fear into the bottom line of pharmaceutical companies, its turmeric. Here are a few thousand reasons why...
If ever there were a spice that puts existential fear into the bottom line of pharmaceutical companies, its turmeric. Here are a few thousand reasons why... Turmeric is one the most thoroughly researched plants in existence today. Its medicinal properties and components (primarily curcumin) have been the subject of over 12,000 peer-reviewed and published biomedical studies. In fact, our five-year long research project on this sacred plant has revealed over 800 potential preventive and therapeutic applications, as well as 250 distinct beneficial physiological effects. This entire database of 2,666 ncbi-hyperlinked turmeric abstracts can be downloaded as a PDF at our Downloadable Turmeric Document page, and acquired either as a retail item or with 1 GMI-token, for those of you who are already are members and receive them automatically each year or month, depending on your membership plan. Given the sheer density of research performed on this remarkable spice, it is no wonder that a growing number of studies have concluded that it compares favorably to a variety of conventional medications, including: Lipitor/Atorvastatin(cholesterol medication): A 2008 study published in the journal Drugs in R & D found that a standardized preparation of curcuminoids from Turmeric compared favorably to the drug atorvastatin (trade name Lipitor) on endothelial dysfunction, the underlying pathology of the blood vessels that drives atherosclerosis, in association with reductions in...
07-12 2022
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Turmeric's Cardiovascular Benefits Found to be as Powerful as Exercise

Nothing can replace exercise, but turmeric extract does a pretty good job of producing some of the same cardiovascular health benefits, most notably in women undergoing age-associated adverse changes in arterial health
Nothing can replace exercise, but turmeric extract does a pretty good job of producing some of the same cardiovascular health benefits, most notably in women undergoing age-associated adverse changes in arterial health Despite the general lack of interest by conventional medical practitioners in turmeric's role in preventing heart disease, there is a robust body of published research on its remarkable cardioprotective properties, with three dozen study abstracts on the topic available to view on our database alone: turmeric's cardioprective properties. A few years ago, we reported on a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology that found turmeric extract reduces post-bypass heart attack risk by 56%. Now, we would like to bring attention to a remarkable study published in the journal Nutrition Research in 2012 that revealed that curcumin, the primary polyphenol in turmeric and which gives the spice its golden hue, is as effective in improving vascular function in postmenopausal women as a moderate aerobic exercise training regimen. [1] The 8-week long study involved 32 postmenopausal women who were assigned into 3 groups: a non-treatment control, exercise, and curcumin. Researchers ascertained the health of the inner lining of their blood vessels (known as the endothelium) by using ultrasound to measure flow-mediated arterial dilation, a well-known indicator of arterial elasticity and therefore endothelial function. A disturbance of the endothelial function is...
05-24 2013
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Turmeric Produces 'Remarkable' Recovery in Alzheimer's Patients

Turmeric has been used in India for over 5,000 years, which is likely why still today both rural and urban populations have some of the lowest prevalence rates of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the world. A study on patients with AD found that less than a gram of turmeric daily, taken for three months, resulted in 'remarkable improvements'
Turmeric has been used in India for over 5,000 years, which is likely why still today both rural and urban populations have some of the lowest prevalence rates of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the world. A study on patients with AD found that less than a gram of turmeric daily, taken for three months, resulted in 'remarkable improvements' Alzheimer's Disease: A Disturbingly Common Modern Rite of Passage A diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), sadly, has become a rite of passage in so-called developed countries. AD is considered the most common form of dementia, which is defined as a serious loss of cognitive function in previously unimpaired persons, beyond what is expected from normal aging. A 2006 study estimated that 26 million people throughout the world suffer from this condition, and that by 2050, the prevalence will quadruple, by which time 1 in 85 persons worldwide will be afflicted with the disease.[1] Given the global extent of the problem, interest in safe and effective preventive and therapeutic interventions within the conventional medical and alternative professions alike are growing. Unfortunately, conventional drug-based approaches amount to declaring chemical war upon the problem, a mistake which we have documented elsewhere, and which can result in serious neurological harm, as evidenced by the fact that this drug class carries an alarmingly high risk for seizures, according to World Health Organization post-marketing surveillance statistics.[i][2] What the...
06-10 2013
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900 Reasons Turmeric May Be the World's Most Important Herb

There is a medicinal spice so timelessly interwoven with the origins of human culture and metabolism, so thoroughly supported by modern scientific inquiry, as to be unparalleled in its proven value to human health and well-being
There is a medicinal spice so timelessly interwoven with the origins of human culture and metabolism, so thoroughly supported by modern scientific inquiry, as to be unparalleled in its proven value to human health and well-being Indeed, turmeric turns the entire drug-based medical model on its head.  Instead of causing far more side effects than therapeutic ones, as is the case for most patented pharmaceutical medications, turmeric possesses hundreds of potential side benefits, having been empirically demonstrated to positively modulate over 281 different physiological pathways in the mammalian body. While no food or herb is right for everyone, and everything has the potential for unintended, adverse side effects, turmeric is truly unique in its exceptionally high margin of safety vis-à-vis the drugs it has been compared with, e.g. hydrocortisone, ibuprofen, chemotherapy agents. There is compelling evidence, in fact, that turmeric may be at least as effective as 14 common conventional drugs, the latter of which carry quite serious adverse effects.  Furthermore, nothing within the modern-day pharmaceutical armamentarium comes even remotely close to turmeric's 6,000 year track record of safe use in Ayurvedic medicine.[1] Despite its vast potential for alleviating human suffering, turmeric will likely never receive the FDA stamp of approval, due to its lack of exclusivity, patentability and therefore profitability. Truth be told, the FDA's "gold standard" for...
10-15 2023
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Why Turmeric May Be the Diseased Liver's Best Friend

New research reveals that as little as 3 grams of fermented turmeric powder daily can significantly reduce elevated liver enzymes within 12 weeks. And this is far from the first study revealing this amazing spice's ability to protect and repair the damaged and diseased liver.
  You know turmeric has health benefits, most notably reducing inflammation, but did you know it may also protect and heal the damaged and diseased liver? A new clinical trial published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine is shedding light on turmeric's remarkable liver protective and regenerative properties.[1] South Korean researchers at the Clinical Trial Center for Functional Foods, Chonbuk National University Hospital, tested their hypothesis that turmeric may improve liver function by administering a fermented form to subjects, 20 years old and above, who were diagnosed mild to moderate elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, a maker for liver damage and/or dysfunction. Sixty subjects were randomized to receive 3.0 g per fermented turmeric powder (FTP) or placebo 3.0 g per day for 12 weeks. The treatment group received two capsules of FTP three times a day after meals, for 12 weeks. What were the results? Not only did FTP significantly reduce ALT levels in subjects but also reduced serum aspartate transaminase (AST) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), two additional enzymes which when elevated are commonly associated with liver damage. The effects were maintained as long as the subjects remained on the treatment. Also, FTP was well tolerated and without significant adverse effects. This study adds additional weight to a rather vast body of preclinical research that has accumulated over the past two decades confirming turmeric and...
07-12 2013

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