Turmeric: nature’s answer to aching joints
Most often, joint pain comes down to inflammation, and diets devoid of nutrients and today’s ubiquitous processed food tend to be at the root of the problem. As we approach middle age – and increasingly even younger - the deteriorating health of our joints can impact our day-to-day living. But the key to relief could lie in your cupboard…
Turmeric is the bright yellow Indian spice that's used to make almost every curry. Over 100 different components have been identified in it, and in Ayurvedic medicine, it’s been used to heal just about everything from coughs and sinusitis, to allergies and anorexia for over 3,000 years. It’s little wonder that in Indian philosophy, turmeric is called 'one who is victorious over disease'.
The healing powers and health benefits of turmeric come from the dried powdered roots of the Curcuma Longa plant. But amongst all those compounds, one, in particular, stands out: curcumin.
Curcumin found in turmeric is a polyphenol, one of the thousands of plant compounds that can change your body's chemistry just as well - and sometimes better than - the pharmaceutical drugs that try to mimic its effects.
Curcumin has been scientifically proven to be ‘one of nature’s best anti-inflammatory remedies’ in a variety of recent studies. A 2014 study published in PLOS ONE (a peer-reviewed scientific journal), showed that curcumin dramatically shut down the body's inflammatory reaction process.
