Turmeric Medical Benefits, The NIH Studies and Anti Aging Vitamins

Author: Valerie Rosenbaum

According to the Ayurvedic tradition, the turmeric medical benefits include improved healing and reduced infections. It is a readily available antiseptic for use on cuts, burns and bruises. Ayurvedic medicine is practiced primarily in India and other parts of Asia. Only recently have Western practitioners become interested in the plant.



Turmeric powder is used extensively in Indian cuisine. It makes a pleasant tea that is favored in some countries, including Japan. As a dietary supplement, it is used to improve digestion and help heal a variety of stomach problems. It is thought to be good for the teeth, as it has some fluoride content, although people in the US get plenty of fluoride from other sources.



Scientific research has shown that the plant is effective against some types of bacteria. Plants contain a variety of different compounds, each having different biological activity. The active compound in this particular plant is called curcumin.



So, the turmeric medical benefits are related to the curcumin content, but the content varies from plant to plant. Most supplement companies do not measure the active curcumin that is present in the extract, but the better ones do. An extract with a curcumin content of 98% is the highest that is currently available.



Supplement sales increased by 35% between 2004 and 2005, primarily due to an article published in the Wall Street Journal stating that there had been an explosion of research activity concerning curcumin. The National Institutes of Health currently has four different clinical trials underway to study the benefit of the compound in the treatment of cancer and Alzheimer's.



For a person that is ill, I would recommend seeking the advice of a doctor of naturopathic medicine. They are more familiar with the use of natural remedies, as well as modern treatments and how they may best be combined.



For someone that is looking for a good health supplement, you can get the turmeric medical benefits, along with your daily nutritional needs and a variety of other healthy extracts in a single supplement. There is no need to buy dozens of different supplements and take handfuls of pill every day. You could end up taking something that doesn't work well with something else, either countering its effect of causing an unwanted reaction. Good multi-nutritional supplements are carefully formulated to prevent that type of thing from occurring.



One of the turmeric medical benefits had to do with people suffering from arthritis or other inflammatory diseases. It seems to act like a COX-2 inhibitor. Prescription drugs that act as COX-2 inhibitors have been very effective pain relievers, but they are accompanied by a number of unwanted side effects.



Natural anti-inflammatories that inhibit COX-2 production are not accompanied by these side effects. Curcumin is only one of the known natural anti-inflammatories.



Researchers feel that these natural anti-inflammatories may reduce our risk of cancer and heart disease by countering the effects of inflammatory foods and toxins that we are exposed to on a daily basis. So, one, of the probable turmeric medical benefits, is to help prevent those life-threatening diseases and help us live longer healthier lives.

About the Author:
Valerie Rosenbaum has spent several years researching anti aging vitamin supplements and natural skincare products. As a result of that effort she has found what she believes to be the best anti aging supplement available on the market today. Learn about what she discovered at her website NaturalBalanceSupplements.com

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