Suffering From Chronic Inflammation? Try Turmeric!
Trending now: turmeric lattes. Instagram and other social media sites are currently teeming with colourful photos of turmeric lattes from local cafes. Not only are they delicious, the latte’s beautiful, rich, vibrant yellow colour makes it incredibly appealing to the eye. Have you ever wondered where turmeric gets its colour from? The ingredient curcumin is responsible for staining everything your turmeric touches yellow, from stove tops to fingertips, but it can offer way more than just a pleasing Instagram photo.
What exactly can turmeric and curcumin do for your body?
Their main benefits are in their anti-inflammatory properties. Although inflammation in small amounts is actually important to bodily function — it helps repair certain damages and fights foreign bodily intruders — too much prolonged (or chronic) inflammation can cause painful long-term problems and is linked to many illnesses including heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. That’s where turmeric and curcumin come in. Ask any herbal specialist about turmeric and they’ll likely list it as an excellent anti-inflammatory ingredient, although to truly reap the benefits of curcumin, adding turmeric to your drinks and meals may not be all that effective since the amount of curcumin in turmeric is only about 3 per cent by weight. The best method of consumption is via supplements.
Inflammation of the joints is the main cause of arthritis and joint pain. Whether you’ve suffered from an injury like a bone fracture; dislocation; torn ligament or torn tendon; or have developed osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis or gout, trying to internally soothe the inflammation is one of the best ways to reduce resulting pain. This is where curcumin and turmeric come in. Some studies have been conducted that showed curcumin to be as potent as anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical drugs.
Aside from inflammation control, turmeric and curcumin are also known for increasing the antioxidant capacity of the body. You may be familiar with the term free radicals, but do you know what they are? In scientific terms they’re highly reactive and short-lived molecules having unpaired valence electrons. Most of their damage occurs when they react with important cellular components like DNA which can cause cells to function poorly or die completely. The only way our bodies can fight free radicals is with antioxidants, most of which we obtain externally or through our diets.
Curcumin is an excellent addition to your diet for protection against free radical damage since it’s considered an incredibly powerful antioxidant. Not only is curcumin itself an antioxidant, but it actually helps to boost the body’s own antioxidant enzymes. It’s a two-fold, antioxidant machine of sorts, to keep your body’s antioxidant levels sky-high.
If you’re looking to introduce more turmeric and curcumin to the body, try the NutriStart Difference. We offer JointStart, a supplement containing turmeric and curcumin to help ease joint pain caused by inflammation. we also have our innovative new Lipsomal Curcumin/Resveratrol, which is a anti-aging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory powerhouse!