Do you have an old jar of turmeric languishing in a dark corner of your cupboard? Perhaps you had a crazy curry night many years ago and haven’t found a need for it since. Well, it’s time to dust off this tub of yellow fairy dust, as the evidence linking turmeric to important health benefits just grows stronger and stronger.
Turmeric is a yellow, aromatic plant from the ginger family often used in Asian cooking, particularly in the Indian sub-continent. Across the region, locals prize turmeric for its peppery, warm and bitter flavour. For centuries, Ayurvedic and Chinese practitioners have prescribed it to help with myriad ailments. Now Western medicine is fully embracing this wonder spice.
Countless studies have found Curcumin, the active substance found in turmeric, helps to ease symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, like pain and inflammation. Although let's be clear, it helps with the symptoms, it's not a cure.
In one study, turmeric worked about as well as ibuprofen in reducing pain. Other compounds in turmeric are said to be anti-inflammatory, and it’s thought these components may act synergistically with each other and Curcumin to impede inflammation.
So powerful is the effect of turmeric that Dr. Randy J. Horwitz, the Medical Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, said:
“Turmeric is one of the most potent natural anti-inflammatories available.”
Our ActiFlex Joint Care supplement features high strength curcumin extract as one of its main ingredients, due to its amazing health benefits.
But you can't have too much of a good thing, so why not also slip some turmeric into your favourite dishes. It's not only healthy, it also gives your food an exciting, exotic look and delicious tangy taste. Think about adding it to a homemade soup, an omelet or a stir fry, always at the start while you are sauteing the early ingredients.
It might only take up a tiny spot on a dark shelf, but turmeric is a hard-working little friend. Show it the light as often as you can.
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Positive Science People understand that, even with the best intentions, getting enough turmeric into you diet is not easy. That is why high-strength, natural curcumin extract is one of the main ingredients in our ActiFlex Joint Care supplement. To find out about other 14 potent ingredients, click here.
