Turmeric as an Anti-inflammatory
Most people get their cholesterol checked at one time or
another and believe excellent cholesterol numbers will protect them against CVD.
Unfortunately, this is only one risk factor for CVD, and having excellent
cholesterol numbers alone isn’t enough.
Other risk factors for atherosclerosis include high triglycerides and chronic
inflammation. Fortunately, nature
provides many plants with powerful cholesterol-lowering, triglyceride-lowering,
and anti-inflammatory actions. One
of these is turmeric (Curcuma longa).
ONE POTENT SPICE
Used for centuries in
India
,
China
, and
Indonesia
for food and medicine, turmeric root-which has a rich, yellow color-is found in
the Indian spice curry. Traditionally,
turmeric has been used to treat a wide range of ailments.
It has been and still is applied to wounds and burns topically, and
it’s taken internally for liver and digestive complaints.
This plant has many benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant,
anticancer, liver protective, bile excretion, and cholesterol-lowering actions.
A potent anti-inflammatory, turmeric works in two main
ways: It suppresses and enzyme
called cyclooxygenase (COX) that creates pro-inflammatory signals in the body,
and it inhibits a gene that enhances production of pro-inflammatory molecules.
FOR A HEALTHY HEART
The antioxidants in turmeric also prevent damage to
cholesterol, thereby helping to protect against atherosclerosis.
In fact, the ability of the antioxidants in turmeric to decrease free
radicals is similar to that in vitamins C and E.
Since the antioxidant activities of turmeric are not degraded by heat
(unlike most vitamins), even using the spice in cooking provides benefits.
Curcumin, the principle active compound in turmeric, has
also been studied for cholesterol-lowering effects.
Animal studies show that curcumin lowers cholesterol and triglycerides,
another fat that circulates in the blood stream and is a risk factor for
cardiovascular disease.
In a recent study of atherosclerosis, mice were fed a
standard American diet, rich in refined carbohydrates and saturated fat, but low
in fiber. Some of the mice, however,
received this diet plus turmeric mixed in with their food.
After four months on these diets, the mice that consumed the turmeric
with their food had 20 % less blockage of the arteries than the mice fed the
diet without the turmeric. In
another study, rabbits were fed turmeric plus a diet designed to cause
atherosclerosis. Several risk
factors for the disease were improved, including a decrease in cholesterol,
triglycerides, and free-radical damage.
HERB-DRUG INTERACTIONS
There are no known interactions.
DOSAGE: 1.5 to 3 grams of the
root daily.
Natural Health Hut
