Terrific Turmeric & 10 ways to up your intake

Each morning I start my day with this wonderful concoction that makes me feel I’ve started my day well. It’s a simple brew of: 1 slice ginger, 1/2 tsp organic ground turmeric, 1 Tblspn organic apple cider vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, dash of salt, topped up with boiling water.

I’m not sure whether it’s been an acquired taste or the salt and pepper make it more palatable but I actually enjoy the flavour now (I’d love to hear your feedback).

One of my trips to my hometown NSW sparked me to write this post as I saw my loved ones using turmeric in their own special ways: Kris blends her fresh turmeric and ginger up each morning in a smoothie with coconut milk and other goodies. My dad (bless his soul) found turmeric helped with his Alzheimers condition. My amazing mum has passed her 90th and blows me away! We play Canasta for days straight, she scores and gives me a run for my money whilst being her very cheeky self. I always bring mum over a bottle of my Usana Cellsentials and Procossamine which really helps with her joint pain…. guess what’s an ingredient in this – yep Curcumin (and glucosamine)..

How wonderful that we are all tuning in to nature’s wonders! There is is so much evidence to show this wonderful, colourful spice is a powerful healing agent. Turmeric, or more precisely Curcumin which is the  “active” ingredient found in turmeric, reduces inflammation, is a powerful antioxidant. It helps to prevent cell damage by neutralising free radicals (chemicals that cause damage to healthy cells), it also supports, strengthens and stimulates the body’s immune system to work more efficiently and effectively, and its antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents also help strengthen the immune system.

Alzheimer’s

Turmeric helps in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s

• This research showed neurotoxicity caused by heavy metals was prevented and that curcumin actually reduced the formation of beta-amyloid plaques by 40% in the brains of Alzheimer’s sufferers.
• This study shows incredible results “increasing the QOL and Activities of Dally Living” in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Joint Inflammation

Turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and has  been proven highly effective at preventing chronic inflammation being as effective as over the counter pain medicines.

• This study showed curcumin to be clinically effective (and not significantly different compared to diclofenac sodium*) in treating Osteoarthritis  symptoms.
• In this study of Rheumatoid Arthritis sufferers, curcumin showed significantly better improvement  in tenderness and swelling of joint than diclofenac sodium group.

* Diclofenac sodium is an anti inflammatory drugs such as VOLTARIN. With all the side effects of NSAIDs why wouldn’t you try curcumin????

Cancer

There are now SO MANY studies linking turmeric to fighting, treating and/or preventing various cancers, by reducing cancerous tumours from forming and spreading, inducing apoptosis (natural cell death) in cancer cells, protecting the cells from free radicals that can damage cellular DNA, helping destroy mutated cancer cells so they cannot spread through the body and cause more harm, inhibiting vascular epithelial growth factors which build blood supply to the tumour and re-awakening a tumour suppressor gene.

Here are just a few studies on Turmeric and Cancer:

• Overwhelming evidence in these clinical trials suggests that curcumin may prove to be useful for the chemoprevention of colon cancer.
• This Research suggests that curcumin has anti-metastatic potential by decreasing invasiveness of cancer cells in lung cancer.
• This Research Article shows Curcumin significantly inhibits prostate cancer growth and this Report shows how curmumin reduced prostate cancer cells’ production and prompted cells to produce a protein which created apoptosis. Turmeric has been used for over 4000 years in India and interestingly India has one of the lowest incidence of prostate cancer rates in the world.

The more I am researching into Turmeric (into my second day now) the longer my page gets and I am worried how long it will take for you to read. I am trying to make shorthand of it all and leave the research links for you to read further – they are pretty amazing results from good quality studies.

There has been a huge amount of research showing Turmeric to be clinically effective in helping:

• lower blood sugar levels, study here
• reduce the onset of diabetes study here 
• prevent the oxidation of cholesterol research here  and here
• treat heart disease study here
• liver disease study here
• skin diseases study here
• depressive disorders research here
• better eye health research here
• slow aging study here …. and so much more!

I know at times my kids think I’m a little whacko, but surprisingly they are growing up to embrace a few health tips of their own. Connor has told me he uses a specially concocted Turmeric tea to help him concentrate at exam study time.

• This Research shows curcumin significantly lowers levels of both acute fatigue (immediate) and chronic fatigue (ongoing),  improving attention (concentration) and memory after only one hour.

Tips for upping your Turmeric intake

1. Start your morning with my ACV concoction (as above)
2. Make a smoothie (as above)
3. I love steeping a pot of ginger, turmeric, lemon, pepper and green tea. As an added bonus it helps me with my water intake. I often just keep topping the teapot up with boiling water all day. ** Always add black pepper to enhance the bioavailability of the curcumin.
4. I also up my intake of turmeric by having a lovely golden milk Chai tea in the arvo, it is a lovely substitute for coffee and with coconut milk is a very healthy treat to help me with the mid afternoon slump. I love it! Here is the recipe
5. Add to your favourite juice
6. Add a little extra in your curries.
7. Add 1/2 tsp powdered to roast vegetables
8. Grate some fresh into soups, at the very last
9. Add to dressings and salads and marinades
10. If you don’t like the idea of all of this work take a supplement, as I mentioned above, I swear by my Procossamine for my joint health

Warning: Be careful of the staining!!! Use gloves, paper towels and anything that keeps you from having a nice orange smear on your bench top!

Start 2019 with a Freshstart

Of course Turmeric is in many of my recipes in my online 10 Day FresStart Cleanse.  As well as all the many other reasons turmeric increases the production of vital enzymes in the liver that break down and reduce toxins in the body.

The Cleanse is a great way to have a gentle reset/cleanse and even kick start your weight loss. With a full meal plan filled with yummy, healthy, gut nourishing foods plus a Supplements Package option which includes, probiotics to replenish your good bacteria, fibre (with also feeds your good gut bacteria) along with high quality anti oxidants and multi minerals nutritional supplements to enhance the detox process and support your body.

Other ways I can Support You

Subscribe to my fortnightly Newsletter where I share healthy recipes, tips and info on being healthy.

 For Holistic Health info, tips & recipes check out & “like” my Fiorente Health Facebook Page

 If you feel you need a more one none approach and you would like to have a chat to see how I might be able to help you, make an appointment for a  FREE initial consult

I’m looking forward to getting to know each other better