Turmeric is an extraordinary herb. An orangey-yellow root that looks something like a riotous ginger, turmeric is beloved in Indian culture for its abilities to soothe the GI tract, reduce inflammation, stop bleeding and fight infection. In China, huang jian “yellow ginger” is used to move qi and blood and to stop internal wind, which means it is a great circulatory tonic while being antispasmodic, valuable properties for arthritis indeed!
By itself turmeric is bitter, dry, spicy, and warming. Dry turmeric is more warming and somewhat less aromatic than the fresh root that I find in Indian grocery stores but both are strongly anti-inflammatory and I find tinctures made with dried root to be stronger.
In the Indian pujas, turmeric was thrown over young brides and devas.
While much of the research on turmeric focuses on curcumin, the orange pigment, the herb itself is less irritating and gives you more for your money, especially if you mix it with black pepper which can increase absorption up to 2000%. While standardized curcumin should not be given to people with gastritis or ulcers, the herb itself protects the mucosa while addressing any infection.
Turmeric is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-infective, antibacterial and antispasmodic. It reduces cholesterol. If you cut yourself while cooking, just reach for the turmeric jar because it stops bleeding (although you will have yellowed skin for a bit.) It interferes with the ability of cancerous tumors to establish a blood supply. It is nourishing, lowers blood sugar, protects the liver, helps stimulate the bile we [...]