Turmeric Nature's Inflammation Fighter

Turmeric Nature’s Inflammation Fighter

Can you believe that we have something natural to fight this dreaded inflammation? Turmeric!  With having psoriatic arthritis, I fight inflammation every day.  So finding out this information was a revelation.  Currently I have an itchy inflammation on the palms of my hands which drives me crazy. And along with that, an aching hip.  The mission is to discover how Turmeric can help me.  But it helps more than those with auto-immune issues.  Anyone with inflammation can find relief including anyone with joint issues, type 2 diabetics, or those with chronic conditions or skin problems.   Inflammation is when the body sends cells to defend against an irritant. It is a key aspect of the body’s immune defense.  Sometimes, the body can get confused and go into over-drive, attacking itself.

Native to southern India and Indonesia, Turmeric (Curcuma longa), comes from a perennial, herbaceous plant of the ginger family.  The rhizome has a pepperlike aroma and a somewhat bitter warm taste and has a strong staining orange-yellow color.  Added to dishes, tea or drinks, or in pill form, taking up to 1 tablespoon of turmeric daily seems to be safe when used for up to 3 months. Turmeric usually doesn't cause serious side effects. In higher doses, some people can experience mild side effects such as stomach upset, nausea, dizziness, or diarrhea.

Of course, consult your doctor before trying any natural health therapy.  But let’s say we are ready to try Turmeric to mitigate our inflammation.  There are three ways to do it.   You can use it as a spice to your cooking, by adding it to soups, stews, vegetables and rice.  Use up to a teaspoon per day.  Apparently, adding black pepper to it can boost absorption by 2000%, so apply pepper liberally. You can make a tea.  Drinking a nice cup of tea in the evening is a great way to relax anyway.  Take 1 ½ teaspoons of Turmeric, 1 teaspoon grated Ginger and honey to taste.  Pour boiling water over the ingredients and allow to steep for 5 minutes.  Strain into your cup and sip away.  The third way to get the benefits of Turmeric is by taking capsules of it.  There are many supplements on the market today, but to ensure dosage and quality, it is easy to make your own much cheaper.  Purchase 000 capsules.  Fill them and keep on hand.  Three capsules equal 1 teaspoon of the herb.  It is best not to take on an empty stomach.

There we go.  We have choices.  If you have had experiences with Turmeric, please let me know.  And I’ll keep you all apprised of my journey too.