Turmeric is a ginger-like root that grows in southern Asia and up until recently was more well known as a food spice that you’ve probably experienced in your local Indian restaurant. It’s what gives curry powder its yellow color.
A few years ago, turmeric made its way into public awareness when a number of scientific studies showed its positive impact on a number of symptoms that have commonly bothered chronic Lyme patients. In fact, the list of potential benefits of turmeric practically line up with some of the more bothersome symptoms that pester Lymies.
Several studies have shown that turmeric has these positive effects:
- It has been proven to be more powerful than Prozac in treating depression (see study)
- It is a powerful anti-inflammatory (see study)
- It is a strong pain reliever (see study)
- It is a very effective anti-microbial and antibiotic (see study)
- It can be used to treat gastric and digestive problems (see study)
- It is also an anti-mutagenic and anticancer agent (see study)
The active ingredients in turmeric is Curcumin, which is one of three known curcuminoids present in herb. You may have seen curcumin supplements in your health food store and you may have already been experimenting with it yourself.
But what you probably didn’t know is that by itself, curcumin is not easily absorbed or metabolized by our bodies. In fact, we can only metabolize about 10% of any portion of curcumin at a time.
What you can do, however, is take adjuvants or substances that increase the bioavailability (ability for your body to better metabolize) of the turmeric. By adding coconut oil and black pepper to your turmeric, you increase the bioavailability of your turmeric by 2,000%! Black pepper slows your body’s liver from filtering out the curcumin, and when you introduce coconut oil (which is a fat) it facilitates curcumin absorption into the bloodstream via your lymphatic system.
Here is more information about the health benefits of turmeric and curcumin.
Probably the most enjoyable way to take turmeric is by making a tea out of Golden Paste… a combination of turmeric, adjuvants and other beneficial spices and herbs.
Here’s my own modified Golde Paste recipe that includes black pepper and coconut oil to increase the bio-availability of the turmeric.
Golden Paste Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 tsps. of ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- pinch of ground clove
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1/2 cup raw honey (or manuka honey)
Place the dry ingredients in a bowl and combine carefully with the honey and coconut oil with a spoon to create a paste. Heat about 8 oz. of water and combine with a heaping teaspoon of the paste to create the turmeric tea. Take as a daily constitutional or when a headache or early signs of a cold come on.
To store, simply cover to keep the dust out. No refrigeration is necessary because honey is practically indestructible and will keep the ingredients from decomposing.
Enjoy and feel the goodness course through your body! You can also give golden paste directly to your dog as a tonic or as a medicine. Golden paste has been reported to reverse cancerous growths in dogs and other pets!
The above material is provided for informational purposes only. The material is not nor should be considered a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.