Turmeric to fight cancer.

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Super Spice Secrets: Can This Miracle Spice Stop Cancer, Alzheimer's and Arthritis? By Dr. Mercola

For more than 5,000 years, turmeric has been an important part of

Eastern cultural traditions, including traditional Chinese medicine and

Ayurveda. Valued for its medicinal properties and warm, peppery flavor,

this yellow-orange spice has more recently earned a name for itself in

Western medicine as well.

Turmeric comes from the root

of the Curcuma longa plant, which is native to Indonesia and southern

India, and is widely used as an ingredient in curry dishes and yellow

mustard. As research into this powerful spice has increased, it has

emerged as one of nature’s most powerful potential healers.

Said Dr. David Frawely, founder and director of the American Institute for Vedic Studies in Santa Fe, New Mexico:

“If I had only one single

herb to depend upon for all possible health and dietary needs, I would

without much hesitation choose the Indian spice Turmeric. There is

little it cannot do in the realm of healing and much that no other herb

is able to accomplish.

Turmeric has a broad

spectrum of actions, mild but certain effects, and is beneficial for

long term and daily usage. Though it is a common spice, few people,

including herbalists know of its great value and are using it to the

extent possible. It is an herb that one should get to know and live

with.â€

Turmeric’s Beneficial Effects in a Nutshell Strengthens and improves digestion

Reduces gas and bloating

Assists in the digestion of protein and with rice and bean dishes

Improves your body's ability to digest fats

Promotes proper metabolism, correcting both excesses and deficiencies

Maintains and improves intestinal flora

Improves elimination of wastes and toxins

Supports healthy liver function and detox

Turmeric helps increase bile flow

making it a liver cleanser that can rejuvenate your liver cells and

recharge their capability to break down toxins

Helps to prevent alcohol and other toxins from being converted into compounds that may be harmful to your liver

Supports formation of healthy tissue

Purifies your blood

Stimulates formation of new blood tissue

Anti-inflammatory: Helps to reduce irritation to tissues characterized by pain, redness, swelling and heat

Contains curcuminoids that fight cancer, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s

Curcuminoids are potent phytonutrients (plant-based nutrients) that contain powerful antioxidant properties

Counteract the damaging effects of free radicals in your body

Relieve arthritis pain and stiffness, anti-inflammatory agent

Anti-carcinogenic: “Curcumin has

been shown to prevent a large of number of cancers in animal studies.

Laboratory data indicate that curcumin can inhibit tumor initiation,

promotion, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis.â€

Supports treatment of

Alzheimer’s disease: “Because Alzheimer's disease is caused in part by

amyloid-induced inflammation, curcumin has been shown to be effective

against Alzheimer's. Clinical trials are in progress at UCLA with

curcumin for Alzheimer's.â€

Curcumin: Turmeric’s Active Anti-Inflammatory “Ingredient†Most

notably turmeric is known for its potent anti-inflammatory properties,

which come from curcumin -- the pigment that gives turmeric its

yellow-orange color, and which is thought to be responsible for many of

its medicinal effects. There are an estimated three to five grams of

curcumin in 100 grams of turmeric.

Curcumin has been shown to

influence more than 700 genes, and it can inhibit both the activity and

the synthesis of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) and 5-lipooxygenase (5-LOX),

as well as other enzymes that have been implicated in inflammation.

Turmeric’s Cancer-Fighting Properties In

India where turmeric is widely used, the prevalence of four common U.S.

cancers -- colon, breast, prostate and lung -- is 10 times lower. In

fact, prostate cancer, which is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in

U.S. men, is rare in India and this is attributed, in part, to

turmeric.

Numerous studies have looked

into this potential cancer-fighting link, with promising results. For

instance, curcumin has been found to:

Inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells

Inhibit the transformation of cells from normal to tumor

Help your body destroy mutated cancer cells so they cannot spread throughout your body

Decrease inflammation

Enhance liver function

Inhibit the synthesis of a protein thought to be instrumental in tumor formation

Prevent the development of additional blood supply necessary for cancer cell growth

As for the

results of research studies, a study in Biochemical Pharmacology found

that curcumin can slow the spread of breast cancer cells to the lungs

in mice.

"Curcumin acts against transcription factors, which are like a master

switch," said lead researcher, Bharat Aggarwal. "Transcription factors

regulate all the genes needed for tumors to form. When we turn them

off, we shut down some genes that are involved in the growth and

invasion of cancer cells."

A second study in Biochemical Pharmacology also found that curcumin

inhibits the activation of NF-kappaB, a regulatory molecule that

signals genes to produce a slew of inflammatory molecules (including

TNF, COX-2 and IL-6) that promote cancer cell growth.

Turmeric’s Essential Role for Your Liver Your

liver’s primary role is to process and remove toxins carried in your

bloodstream. When functioning at its peak, it can filter up to two

liters of blood per minute and easily break apart toxic molecules to

reduce their toxicity. Your liver is also a crucial part of vitamin,

mineral, protein, fat, carbohydrate and hormonal metabolism.

However, poor diet, allergens,

pollution and stress can cause your liver to become sluggish, and this

can impair its vital functions. This is where turmeric can be a very

useful part of your liver support system. Studies have shown that it:

May increase important detoxification enzymes in your liver

Induces the formation of a primary liver detoxification enzyme, glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzymes

Turmeric is also a

natural cholagogue, a medicinal agent that promotes the discharge of

bile from your system. Increased bile flow is important to help your

liver detoxify and to help your body digest fats.

Turmeric for Your Heart, Brain and Overall Health Turmeric

inhibits free radical damage of fats, including cholesterol. When

cholesterol is damaged in this way, or oxidized, it can then damage

your blood vessels and lead to a heart attack or stroke. Therefore,

research suggests that turmeric’s ability to prevent the oxidation of

cholesterol may be beneficial for your heart. It’s also rich in vitamin

B6, high intakes of which are associated with a reduced risk of heart

disease.

Meanwhile,

turmeric appears to be highly protective against neurodegenerative

diseases. In fact, in India levels of neurological diseases such as

Alzheimer’s are very low, and studies have shown that curcumin can slow

the progression of Alzheimer’s in mice. The compound has also proven

capable of blocking the progression of multiple sclerosis.

Further, Professor Moolky

Nagabhushan from the Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, who

has been studying turmeric for the last 20 years, believes that

turmeric can protect against harmful environmental chemicals, and in so

doing protect against childhood leukemia. The research showed that

curcumin in turmeric can:

Inhibit the toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (cancer-causing chemicals in the environment)

Inhibit radiation-induced chromosome damage

Prevent the formation of harmful

heterocyclic amines and nitroso compounds, which may result in the body

when eating certain processed foods, such as processed meat products

Irreversibly inhibit the multiplication of leukemia cells in a cell culture

Turmeric's

volatile oils also have external anti-bacterial action. As such, they

may help prevent bacterial wound infections and accelerate wound

healing. Johnson & Johnson even sells a curcumin-containing

Band-Aid in India!

And the therapeutic potential of turmeric and curcumin do not end there. Evidence suggests the spice may also be beneficial for:

Cystic fibrosis

Type 2 diabetes

Crohn’s disease

Psoriasis

Rheumatoid arthritis

Cataracts

Gallstones

Muscle regeneration

Inflammatory bowel disease

Which Type of Turmeric is Best? For

use in cooking, choose a pure turmeric powder, rather than a curry

powder. At least one study has found that curry powders tend to contain

very little curcumin, compared to turmeric powder. Turmeric is also

available in supplement form and for many this is a more convenient

method to obtain these health benefits discussed above, especially if

they are from a high-quality organic source and if one doesn’t

particularly enjoy the taste of curry.“The world is moving ahead but our lives have become harder.†- Nikheil, small farmer from Kohima, India.

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