This is an excellent article on tumeric. I am very against supplements and feel only natural herbs must be taken. There are many firms selling supplements but it is always best to go natural.
Turmeric
LATIN NAME: Curcuma longa
FAMILY NAME: Zingiberaceae
You may recognize turmeric as the spice that's widely used in Indian cuisine. Native to India and tropical areas of Asia, it's what gives curry powder its vibrant yellow hue. It's also the ingredient that makes American-style mustard so yellow.
turmeric is made from the root of Curcuma longa, a beautiful tropical plant with yellow or yellowish-white flowers, luscious fruits, and very large lilylike leaves.
Its exotic fragrance once made the flowers a favorite for making fragrances. And herbal healers have been using it for thousands of years to stop inflammation.
I'm hopeful that taking turmeric and its anti-inflammatory relatives, ginger and cardamom, will help protect me from the type of arthritis that ruined the last decade of my mom's life. The arthritis permanently locked her right arm into a dysfunctional curve, a painful and debilitating condition that eventually repeated itself on her left side.
In her last years, the arthritis robbed her of her independence. This certainly will not do for me, addicted as I am to my guitar playing.
DR. DUKE'S NOTES
In the Middle Ages, turmeric was called "Indian saffron" and was used as a substitute for saffron, a much rarer spice. If you want to color food yellow, choose turmeric over saffron--it is far less expensive. Do wear an apron when using turmeric, though--the stains are almost impossible to wash out.
What Turmeric Is and What It Can Do
The leaves of turmeric generally aren't used. Ordinarily, only the rhizomes, or roots, are used for medicinal purposes and for food flavoring. turmeric is harvested at the end of the growing season and sun dried. Herbalists usually use dried roots, although sometimes they stew them instead. They call this "guisador" in Peru but "azafran" elsewhere in Latin America.
One secret of turmeric's medicinal power is the many antioxidants it contains. You'll recognize some of the more common ones, such as vitamins C and E, along with several carotenoids. It also contains lesser-known, but more effective antioxidants--specifically, curcumin and related compounds called curcuminoids.
Recently, substances called cyclooxygenase inhibitors have won praise as powerful miracle aspirins for blocking inflammation, especially inflammation caused by arthritis and, my own personal affliction, gout (gout is a type of arthritis). turmeric, like its cousin ginger, contains some natural cyclooxygenase inhibitors. Some studies compare it to ibuprofen. Research suggests it works almost as well and with none of the side effects.
In fact, studies also suggest that turmeric can stop inflammation about half as well as a corticosteroid called cortisone. Corticosteroid medications are considered the "gold standard" for stopping inflammation. The problem with these drugs is that their potential side effects, such as fluid retention, high blood pressure, and bone damage, are nearly as impressive as their benefits. Given a choice, I'll go with the more natural (and flavorful) "gold standard" turmeric any day.
FROM MY SCIENCE NOTEBOOK
It makes perfect sense to me that turmeric, with its rich supply of curcumin, works so well as an anti-inflammatory. Research has shown that this compound inhibits the body's production of certain prostaglandins, hormonelike substances of which some play a direct role in causing inflammation.
What's so exciting about turmeric is that it appears to target specific "inflammatory pathways" in the body.
In other words, it targets some prostaglandins, but not all of them. This is important because a targeted approach helps give the benefits with much fewer risks of side effects.
To understand how turmeric works, you have to understand a little bit about the inflammatory process. There are two basic types of prostaglandins: cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). The body needs COX-1 prostaglandins to function normally. Among other things, these substances help blood clot properly. COX-2 prostaglandins, on the other hand, are only produced in response to inflammation, such as that caused by arthritis.
Traditional medications such as aspirin block the body's production of both types of prostaglandins. While this certainly stops swelling, it also interferes with the normal levels of COX-1. This is why people taking aspirin may have trouble with bleeding--the blood isn't able to clot the way it should. This isn't a minor problem. Scientists estimate that about 20 percent of people who could benefit from these drugs can't take them because of the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.
There was a great deal of excitement in the scientific world when researchers developed a medication that selectively blocked the COX-2 pathway. This made it possible to stop inflammation without affecting the blood's natural ability to clot. This is indeed an important medical breakthrough--but herbalists have been getting the same result all along by using turmeric and ginger, which may possibly target the same pathway.
In fact, a variety of herbs and plants do the same thing. On the same day I read the news about the new medication, I also discovered that weedy plantains, traditionally used for inflammation, contain two COX-2 inhibitors, ursolic acid and oleanolic acid. I'll bet that we'll soon hear that most anti-inflammatory herbs contain one or more of these specialized compounds.
How Turmeric Can Help
I'm a big believer in the anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric But it has many other uses as well. That's the great thing about this herb: When you take it for one thing, you automatically afford yourself protection against many other problems, some of them quite serious.
Athlete's foot. I usually prevent this itchy fungal infection by the simple expedient of going barefoot. But should this stop working and I find myself with itchy feet, I apply a paste made from turmeric--or, in some cases, ginger, a close relative of turmeric that may be even more effective. Both ginger and turmeric pastes appear to destroy the guilty fungus. garlic works too.
Speaking of annoying foot conditions, I also recommend turmeric for bunions, those painfully inflamed deformities that occur on the side of the foot or big toe. Its anti-inflammatory action helps reduce the swelling that makes bunions so painful.
DR. DUKE'S NOTES
To prevent and treat athlete's foot, doctors recommend keeping feet dry by going sockless and wearing open-toed shoes. Better still, go barefoot. That's what I do, as often as possible. Watch out, though, for insects, parasites, and stubbed toes.
Cancer. There is good evidence to suggest that turmeric helps prevent colon, breast, and lung cancers as well as melanomas (and you may recall from earlier chapters that I'm genetically targeted for colon cancer). In animal studies, for example, researchers have found that turmeric--or, more specifically, the curcumin it contains--may reduce the risk of colon cancer by 58 percent. One reason it's so powerful is that it interferes with at least four separate links in the cancer-causing chain.
For starters, curcumin appears to literally neutralize some cancer-causing substances. After that, it acts as an antimutagenic, meaning it stops very early changes in cells that can turn to cancer. At still later stages, curcumin appears to reduce the number and size of different types of tumors. Importantly, curcumin also possesses antimetastatic properties.
Digestive complaints. I'm convinced that the curcumin in turmeric exerts a number of beneficial effects in the gastrointestinal tract. Research suggests that it helps increase the mucous content in gastric juices, which can make it helpful for stomach disorders. Some herbalists say that turmeric should not be used by people with gallbladder disease, but I believe there is pretty solid evidence that it can increase bile flow and actually help disintegrate gallstones.
In one study, mice with experimentally induced gallstones were fed modest amounts of turmeric. Within 5 weeks their gallstone volume had dropped by 45 percent, and after 10 weeks, by 80 percent.
Because curcumin increases the solubility of bile, it may help prevent gallstones from forming. If I had gallstones, I would definitely cook lots of curries--and go heavy on the turmeric. But some herbalists would disagree. Not me.
ALL IN THE FAMILY: CARDAMOM
A turmeric cousin, cardamom is an aromatic spice often used to flavor stews and curries. It traces its origins to southern India and Sri Lanka, and it's also cultivated in Southeast Asia and Guatemala.
What Cardamom Is and What It Can Do
Medicinally, cardamom has been used in Asia as an aphrodisiac. In Arab countries, coffee houses often mix some into coffee. I cannot verify its effectiveness in this particular regard, but cardamom does contain a compound called cineole, which stimulates the central nervous system--and I suppose this could give thoughts of romance a little boost. Cineole is often used by aromatherapists as a remedy for fainting. I like to spike my coffee or tea with a couple of seeds.
How Cardamom Can Help
Cineole is an antiseptic that can kill bad breath bacteria, which may explain in part its reputation as an aphrodisiac. Try chewing on a few seeds, then spitting them out.
Like spearmint, rosemary, eucalyptus, ginger, bee balm, peppermint, and other herbs with high cineole content, cardamom makes a great expectorant for people with laryngitis. Make a tea combining these ingredients, and add some pineapple juice.
Cardamom has also been found to be effective for eliminating, or at least limiting, gas. A few sprinkles on a piece of toast may do the trick as well as the cinnamon that my wife uses.
How to Take It and How Much
Cardamom is available as seeds, oil crushed from seed, and as a tincture, standardized to 1 to 2 grams as cineole. A recommended daily dosage of tincture is 1.5 grams standardized as cineole. If you take the proper dosage, you should be free of any health hazards or side effects.
Heart disease. The antioxidants in herbs and foods are among the most powerful tools for protecting the heart. This is because they help prevent the oxygen in the body from damaging (oxidizing) molecules of cholesterol in the blood stream. This is important because cholesterol that's been oxidized may cause plaque and potential blockage, making it more likely to impede the flow of blood to the heart. Since curcumin is a potent antioxidant, I'm convinced that it can help prevent cholesterol from causing the narrowing of the arteries, called atherosclerosis, that's among the main causes of heart attacks.
turmeric helps the heart in another way, as well. It appears to help prevent tiny cell-like structures in blood, called platelets, from clumping together and causing clots.
HIV. The evidence is still preliminary, but I think it is more than worthwhile for people who are HIV-positive to include as much turmeric in their diets as they can stand. Curcumin is believed to have antiviral properties, along with antilymphomic properties that could be useful to HIV patients.
Liver problems. I strongly recommend that people who have been exposed to environmental toxins, such as the pesticide DDT and the environmental pollutants 4-nonylphenol and 4-octylphenol, add a lot of extra turmeric to their diets. turmeric steps up the production of three enzymes--aryl-hydrocarbon-hydroxylase, glutathione-S-transferase, and UDP-glucuronyl-transferase. These are chemical "knives" that break down potentially harmful substances in the liver. turmeric offers similar protection for people who are taking medications such as methotrexate and other forms of chemotherapy, which are metabolized by, or shuttled through, the liver.
While I don't expect anyone to remember these long, tongue-twisting names, I do think it is fascinating that one little herb can strong-arm so many different chemicals. That's the ever-amazing power of the food farmacy.
Skin problems. turmeric doesn't have to be taken internally to be effective. It also helps reduce inflammation, such as that caused by acne, when it's ground into a powder and applied as a poultice to the skin.
Wound healing. Whenever you have a cut, the body responds by flooding the area with immune cells and fluids. While this process helps clean the area and prevent infection, it can also cause painful swelling and inflammation, which slows the time it takes wounds to heal. By blocking this process, turmeric (and the curcumin it contains) can help wounds heal more quickly. In laboratory research at the Center for Combat Casualty and Life Sustainment Research in Bethesda, Maryland, scientists found that animals given curcumin healed much faster than those who weren't given the extra protection.
DR. DUKE'S RECIPES
Universal Curry Spice
Here's a spice blend that works for any curry: Mix 1½ tablespoons minced garlic, 1½ tablespoons minced ginger, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon crushed dried chilies, 1 teaspoon fennel seed, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon coriander, and 1 teaspoon ground cumin. Add a dash of pepper, which may help to synergize the activities of turmeric. This medicinal mix can be melded into sautes, soups, stews, or anything else where you really want to get turmeric's tasty punch. Curcumin curry, I call it.
How to Take It and How Much
I'm all for enjoying turmeric in fabulous food. One of the most palatable approaches to treating arthritis, for example, is with curriesas long as you really load on the turmeric.
Supplements. I like turmeric a lot, but I don't want to eat it every day. For most people it's easiest to take the main active ingredient, curcumin, in supplements. I recommend taking 1,200 milligrams daily, divided into three doses. You can buy capsules that contain 400 to 450 milligrams.
If you really like turmeric, you'll get similar effects by using the herb itself. However, you'll have to take a lot--up to 6 or 8 teaspoons a day. That's an amount most people will find a little difficult to get down.
Dried root. The recommend dose is 1.5 to 3 grams a day.
Oil. To get rid of the burning and itching of athlete's foot, I recommend using oil of turmeric. Dilute one part oil to two parts of water and apply it directly to the affected area, using a cotton ball or clean cloth.
Poultice. An excellent way to relieve the pain of bunions is to apply a teaspoon of fresh, grated turmeric to the bunion twice a day. The poultice acts directly on nerve endings at the site of trouble. It reduces the amount of substance P, a pain-transmitting chemical, that's produced by the nerves. turmeric, ginger, and hot peppers all seem to have an effect on this substance.
ALL IN THE FAMILY: GINGER
Universal Curry Spice
Dioscorides, the "surgeon general" to the Roman emperors Claudius and Nero, wrote that ginger "warms and softens the stomach." More than 2,000 years later, researchers continue to recommend ginger for stomach complaints, especially nausea.
What Ginger Is and What It Can Do
Ginger is an amazing plant. It grows up to 3 feet tall and has thick, knotty underground stems called rhizomes. These gnarled rhizomes, known as ginger root, contain a powerful class of compounds called gingerols. Gingerols appear to give digestive relief by inhibiting intestinal spasms. Ginger's zingibain, a type of enzyme that breaks down protein, may be responsible for its anti-inflammatory properties.
Herb Lore and More
Ginger gets its name from the Sanskrit word meaning "horn-shaped"--a name that won't come as a surprise to anyone who has ever seen the root. It was one of the most abundantly used spices in the Middle Ages; historians say that practically every sauce recipe included it.
Western herbalists use the dried and fresh forms of ginger interchangeably. According to traditional Chinese medicine, however, each form has different uses.
Fresh ginger, called sheng-jiang, is usually recommended for cold symptoms such as coughing, chills, and sneezing. Dried ginger, called gan-jiang, is used for a wider range of conditions, including digestive complaints, menstrual problems, immune disorders, and food poisoning. Apart from the great taste, this is one reason the Chinese use ginger to season seafood dishes. If the fish happens to be contaminated, the addition of ginger may help neutralize its harmful effects.
How Ginger Can Help
When I get a cold, I make lots of strong ginger tea, using a few tablespoons of fresh, shredded ginger root. It's a sensible thing to do, because ginger contains nearly a dozen antiviral compounds. Known as sesquiterpenes, these compounds are especially effective at fighting the family of viruses known as rhinoviruses--the organisms that cause colds.
But ginger has a wide variety of uses, and it's particularly effective for digestive complaints. Its chemical compounds soothe the digestive tract and aid digestion by increasing peristalsis, the wavelike muscle contractions that move food through the intestine. This in turn helps control diarrhea and intestinal cramps. Commission E (a German panel of experts roughly equivalent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approves taking two grams (one teaspoon) of ginger in tea for indigestion.
Perhaps ginger has received the most attention, however, for its role in quelling motion sickness. In one study, 36 people were divided into groups. Those in one group were given 940 milligrams of dried ginger. Those in the second group were given dimenhydrinate, the active ingredient in over-the-counter motion-sickness remedies. People in both groups were then blindfolded and put in a spinning chair. Those given the ginger were able to withstand 5½ minutes in the chair before getting sick. Those taking the medication only lasted 3½ minutes. Ginger, in other words, was 57 percent more effective than medication in forestalling that awful queasy feeling we've all experienced from time to time.
This study was impressive, but other researchers have had mixed results. I think this is because there's considerable variability in the quality of commercial ginger preparations. Evidence also suggests that timing is critical. Ginger seems to be most effective when it's taken at least four hours before a trip.
In addition to its role in treating motion sickness, ginger might be useful for stopping the nausea associated with chemotherapy or the use of anesthesia during surgery.
How to Take It and How Much
There aren't any definitive studies showing how much ginger you need to get the best results. Specialists in herbal medicine usually suggest using 1 to 2 grams of powdered ginger--the equivalent of 10 grams (about 1 tablespoon) of fresh ginger, 2 teaspoons of ginger syrup, or 2 milliliters of ginger extract.
When you're buying ginger supplements, liquids, or powders, look for products that have a standardized dose of 20 percent (about 200 milligrams) gingerol. If you like the taste of ginger, however, it's easy to get all you need by using fresh root or powder. People in India, for example, eat an average of 8 to 10 grams of ginger a day.
Caution: Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects
Ginger is reportedly contraindicated for morning sickness and should not be taken by anyone with gallstones.
Useful Combinations
As useful as turmeric is for so many conditions, it's a little tricky to get enough of it where the body needs it most. This is because the body tends to metabolize turmeric quickly, meaning it uses it all up. Herbalists and pharmacologists have found a few ways around this.
Black pepper. One of the chemicals in ordinary black pepper, piperine, seems to improve the bioavailability of turmeric. In fact, researchers at St. John's Medical College in Bangalore, India, found that combining turmeric with black pepper may significantly increase the body's ability to use it.
The combination of black pepper and turmeric from your friendly spice rack is perfect for people who are on a budget--and these days, I'd say that's just about everyone. Go to an Indian grocery store and choose the yellowest variety of turmeric you can find. I think you can safely guess that the yellower it is, the more curcumin it contains. A one-pound bag should cost between $3 and $5, a lot cheaper than what you'll pay for brand-name versions of turmeric, which usually have a hefty price of $3 for just a few grams. While you're there, get an ounce of fresh black peppercorns. Grind the peppercorns into powder and mix it with the turmeric. You've just created a 10-month supply of anti-inflammatory medicine for around $5.
Take half a teaspoon of the mixture three times a day. Some people mix it in chicken or tomato soup. If your tastebuds can stand it, you can swirl the mixture in a glass of water and slug it down.
For external use, this mixture works great as a poultice on sore joints--if you don't mind that your skin will turn a little yellow. To make the poultice, mix a little of the blend with warm castor oil and soak a cloth in it. Wrap the cloth around the sore joint, then wrap that with plastic wrap. Leave the poultice in place for about 40 minutes.
Isoflavonoids. For preventing cancer, you can't do better than mixing turmeric with foods that contain large amounts of isoflavonoids, some of which have powerful anti-cancer effects. In fact, some breast cancer researchers believe a combination of curcumin and isoflavonoids might be the most potent inhibitor of human breast tumor cells. You can get a lot of isoflavonoids in dried beans and peas, soy, kudzu, and licorice. Curried lentil or bean soups top my list here.
Pineapple. This fragrant tropical fruit is rich in a compound called bromelain . Some experts believe that turmeric and bromelain mixed together have a singularly powerful effect. I recommend slicing or dicing a cup or two of pineapple and larding it liberally with ginger and tumeric. I would also add a little papaya because it tastes great with pineapple. You can eat the spiced fruit as often as you want, keeping in mind that the acids in pineapple can be hard on the mouth when you eat too much.
People who enjoy the convenience of supplements can get similar effects by taking both curcumin and bromelain in capsule form. The recommended dose is 250 milligrams of bromelain and 250 to 500 milligrams of curcumin taken three times a day between meals. This is probably effective, but I always recommend using whole foods whenever possible.
Caution: Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects
I once thought it hard to imagine that anyone would eat enough turmeric to experience significant side effects, but I've since heard from one cancer survivor who had trouble taking it in food and finds the standardized capsules much easier.
Gastrointestinal problems. There are some suggestions in medical literature that people with gastrointestinal problems such as gallstones, stomach ulcers, hyperacidity, or bile duct obstructions shouldn't eat large amounts of turmeric, although I suspect these cautions may have been overstated. The German E Commission (a panel of experts roughly equivalent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) has advised against turmeric only for those people with biliary obstruction.
Apart from this, there's some evidence that having too much turmeric may cause stomach irritation in people who are sensitive to it. The irritation may be merely annoying, or it could lead to ulcers in supersensitive people.
Cell damage alert. Eating very large amounts of turmeric could potentially damage white and red blood cells. As a practical matter, however, there is little likelihood that anyone would ever ingest enough to make this happen.