Author Unknown
We all know someone who experiences arthritis pain, swollen painful joints, skin problems and allergies/asthma. I know many of my loved ones also get tired of taking so many pills with little relief and lots of side effects. Many of you know of my prior issues with tendonitis in my wrist due to a fall that resulted in years of steroid shots with only short term relief and potential long term side effects with repeated use. Well I decided to up my anti-inflammatory foods/spices (ginger, garlic, turmeric, yellow curry, cherries, flax seed, etc) and it did help. But it was not until I starting taking turmeric capsules for a skin problem that I was amazed at the relief I found for many other issues. Dear Mrs. Wilson at church told me about the benefits of turmeric capsules for her joint pain. It was not until I was "sick and tired of being sick and tired" that I remembered her sage advice and tried turmeric supplements. I take it twice per day and have not regretted a dime spent. AMAZING!
Of course, nerd that I am, it spurred me on to look into the other health benefits of turmeric capsules and the science behind it. What is turmeric you ask? It is the yellow spice from a root (similar to ginger) commonly found in Indian and Asian inspired dishes such as yellow curry. The curcumin compounds in the turmeric root are powerful anti-inflammatory agents that can help give relief to a host of issues related to inflammation including asthma, allergies, arthritis, and skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis & hidragenitis.
I checked out the scientific data and found good data supporting the anti-inflammatory nature of turmeric and the benefits of supplementation. I always prefer to get my medicine from food sources but I found that turmeric capsules offer added relief I never expected. I now take half the dose of my Allegra and none of the (non-generic $90/month) steroid inhaler I required for the past 12+ years to breathe!!! I still consume turmeric in smoothies, curry dishes and in my vegetables and enjoy fresh ginger tea/homemade ginger ale. However I have found that for me turmeric supplements a tremendous blessing.
If you are too experiencing inflammation issues, I urge you to FIRST talk with your physician or your local pharmacist to make sure turmeric supplements are right for you. There are no know side effects (unless you are pregnant or nursing) but it is a good idea to discuss ALL the medications you are taking to ensure no interactions. You may even be able to reduce or eliminate some medicines.
There are many supplement companies available but I prefer to stick with brands with good quality control with a standard amount of curcuminoids ( curcumin compounds) per tablet/capsule.
You can purchase Turmeric or Curcumin online at amazon.com from any of the brands listed below or find locally
at grocery stores: Nature's Bounty*, Sundown Naturals, Nature's Way (Kroger)
at GNC: Nature's Way, GNC brand
at Whole Foods, Earth Fare, co-ops: Organic India, Nature's Way, New Chapter
* Nature's Bounty brand turmeric contains gelatin. All other brands listed above are vegetarian/vegan.
Sundown Naturals and Nature's Bounty brands are frequently on sale buy 1 get 1 free at grocery stores, and CVS, Walgreens, Rite-Aid and have $1 off coupons on their websites
I am including some scientific references about turmeric below. I chose these because they are good review studies that have free access and a great list of other related scientific papers in the references section.
Henrotin Y, Priem F, Mobasheri A. Springerplus. 2013 Dec;2(1):56. Epub 2013 Feb 18.
Curcumin: a new paradigm and therapeutic opportunity for the treatment of osteoarthritis: curcumin for osteoarthritis management.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3591524/
Gupta SC, Patchva S, Koh W, Aggarwal BB. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2012 Mar;39(3):283-99.
Discovery of curcumin, a component of golden spice, and its miraculous biological activities.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3288651/
Nature Made guide to using herbs includes a short blurb on turmeric as well
http://www.naturemade.com/resource-center/articles-and-videos/immune-health/natural-health-guide-to-herbs
REMEMBER. Share this good new with others. If you have a loved one, buy them some turmeric/curcumin, fresh vegetables and fruit, ground flax seed as a love basket gift for birthday, anniversary or anytime love gift instead of candy and body wash or other things they really don't need. The best gift is one that promotes good health. For those who like the sound of my relief and want to try turmeric/curcumin; first notify you doctor of any new supplements so that together you can make the best decision for your health and that of your loved ones. Be a blessing and share good news about pain relief options to complement exercise, eating well, laughter and prayer stress relief.
Renee Lea-Currie, Ph.D.
www.thetakebacktour.com
The Take Back Tour is the Health Ministry of the Philadelphia 7th Day Adventist Church in Burlington, NC. The contents of this email and the website are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. You are advised to notify your physician, caregiver and pharmacist of any changes to your medications or diet that might affect your health.
"Many times when we are sick, we pray to God for healing.
Sometimes, the miracle of healing is the miracle of our obedience."
- Renee Lea-Currie, Ph.D., www.thetakebacktour.com