TURMERIC: The all for one cure for Cancer, Alzheimers and Arthritis?

After reading a few articles on ats as well as some distracted googling while at the office, I am heavily alarmed that several sources are making claims that this commonly available spice can significantly fight Arthritis, Alzheimers and even Cancer. I wanted to round it all up into one informative read.

So I decided to take a peak into the Rabbit hole before jumping in.

Brief history/info
India has known about this powerful ingredient for thousands of years. Grown in South Asia, this herb belongs to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) and was first known in India as Saffron. The root system of bulbous rhizomes boiled and dried produces a product that is then ground into a powder, which results in its somewhat bitter, peppery flavor that is most commonly used in making curry

This BBC news article is claiming that there is evidence that supports the theory that Turmeric is in fact able to kill Cancer cells.

Dr McKenna said: "Scientists have known for a long time that natural compounds have the potential to treat faulty cells that have become cancerous and we suspected that curcumin might have therapeutic value. Dr Sharon McKenna and her team found that curcumin started to kill cancer cells within 24 hours."

This same article states that;

The chemical - curcumin - has long been thought to have healing powers and is already being tested as a treatment for arthritis and even dementia.

How?
Curcumin has anti-inflammatory and disinfecting properties. It also makes a powerful healer for cuts and abrasions and when taken orally, has no side effects that are associated with some modern pharmaceutical medicines (intestinal bleeding, ulcers, and the decrease of white blood cells Herb Wisdom

Turmeric also reduces the buildup of plaque associated with cardiovascular disease. Curcumin in turmeric lowers two inflammatory enzymes, LOX and COX-2. This helps stop platelets from gathering to form blood clots. Turmeric reduces blood sugar levels, a property valuable for helping those suffering from diabetes.

"Anti-oxidants found in turmeric remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals are known to damage cell membranes and cause cell death. They also have ill-effects on DNA."

In this Huffington Post article shows that in recent studies :

- Curcumin seems to delay liver damage that can eventually lead to cirrhosis, according to preliminary experimental research at the Medical University Graz in Austria.

- Researchers from the University of South Dakota have found that pre-treatment with curcumin makes cancer cells more vulnerable to chemo and radiotherapy.

And in this article by the Brain Research Institute

A 2004 study with mice published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry suggested that curcumin might be of help for Alzheimer's patients.

The study, conducted by UCLA and Veterans Affairs scientists, showed that a rodent chow laced with curcumin slowed the accumulation in mouse brains of protein fragments known as beta amyloids. They are considered key to the development of Alzheimer's.

And if you'd like some information on the treatment of Arthritis

So all in all what I have found from this hunt for information was a lot of compelling scientific studies and claims that this really is indeed a miracle spice and that it should become apart of a regular diet in order to maintain optimal health

reply to post by RooskiZombi


Just stay away from the tumeric that has the food coloring added to it. I remember reading about that awhile back. Tried finding the article on it, but not having any luck.....

Very interesting though to be pedantic I have to say that turmeric was never called saffron. Saffron is something else. It was called 'Indian saffron' - not quite the same.
Also read the BBC link and check out the therapeutic dose required. We would have to eat an awful lot of it and turmeric can taste pretty nasty if you overdo it. So supplements or extracts of curcumin are probably necessary.
There is a lower risk of Alzheimer's in those Indian communities where they eat curry every day but I don't think they have so far been able to reverse or mitigate existing Alzheimer's. But here's hoping eh?
www.drweil.com...

I have a skin condition called Hidradenitis Suppurativa and have been taking turmeric mixed in a half glass of milk for two years now.

It hasn't cured it but has made it so managable and less painful. I had slighlty elevated cholestorol before i started the regime, i had a blood test 6 months in and it was back to normal levels. I also think it's helped me shed a few pounds.

I swear by it.

Always fully research these things before trying them. It may just be a spice but even a spice in high amounts can cause issues in some.

On a flight from Europe to the USA I sat next to a woman from India. We got to talking about Aryerveda, and how I liked Triphala.

She mentioned turmeric, and I never followed up on it. Thanks for the links!

I use turmeric almost every day, mixed in while cooking lentils and rice, or while cooking oatmeal. It's only one of the spices I use, and it makes rice into a very nice looking yellow feast. Yummmm.

The use of turmeric - curcuma longa - in the diet of Indian and Chinese cuisine is long established. Over the millennia, from genreation to generation, those who have eaten at least one "curry" type meal a week have built up a strong immune system.

When the researchers first looked at 1) where in the world is the incidence of Cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer's & Parkinson's diseases, along with a whole host of other so called "incurable diseases" almost non existant they went to stage 2) WHY?

It did not take them long to realise that food, and at its root, turmeric, was the reason.

We here in the so called "developed world" are not so lucky. Our diet contains, at the least, an amalgam of cancer, arthritis and other disease promoting "food". Since the end of World War II, when the chemical companies got together in their grand plan to control us all - yes, sorry, but true - we have been and continue to be bombarded with whatever suits their fancy to make us ill. Parabens in skin creams - fluoride and aluminium in water, aspartame and tuerine in just about everything the young ones like. They even tke the goodness out milk to sell it in little posts that cost a fortune - with added fats and excess sugars. This list is endless.

So, we do not have a history of turmeric nor is our environment free of the poisons that cause the so called "incurable diseases". At this point, people like Dr. Bharat Aggarwal at the MDAnderson Centre in Houston, Texas, seriously got into clinically testing curumin as a cure these horrors. Why curcumin? Because turmeric, curcuma longa, contains just 4% curcumin. For us "developed" people turmeric simply is not man enough to help us. We need the full force of Mother Nature to enable our immune systems to get the better of the poisons and illnesses we suffer. So, we need curcumin.

To precis a document Dr. Aggarwal with others, published in 2006, and things have been proven even more so recently, the Conclusions contained the following: "There is no cancer (and other diseases mentioned as above)* that cannot be cured by the use of curcumin". (*The list is as above, with others, including ME, MS, Fibromyalgia. Authors note.)

The clinical documents coming out now quite regularly, most recently from China on so called "incurable" breast cancer, from Germany confirming Dr. Aggarwal's conclusions, from Cork Cancer Centre - confirming breast, throat and other types of cancer, are irrefutable.

But we are denied the use of curcumin - as well as other cliniclly proven natural cures, such as Serrapeptase for all types of pain and inflammation, where your doctor pushes NSAID's at you - by the medical industry. Why? Becuse there is no money in natural cures. So, they continue to use sometimes dangerous and often useless treatments on literally tens of thousands of people, when a course of curcumin will almost certainly be the solution.

I am a naturopath with over 35 years of experience and research. There are very few ailments that Mother Nature doe not have an answer to. (After all, she created the problems, so she has the answers. I am available for any help or information on Curcumin, Serrapeptase - also known as "The Miraculous Enzyme", passiflora incarnata, the natural alternative to Valium - or any other natural remedy. Please contact me through my web site [site removed]. My help is free.

This title sounds a little too good to be true,

I dont doubt that Turmeric may have some health benefits but a "cure" for all the stuff linked in the OP, no.

"Cure" is a stretch but it has done and stiil does many beneficial stuff to the human body.

They use that in like many curry and food preparations.

I think some women use it to get rid of facial hairs.

reply to post by skitzspiricy


I do not know if it is a good idea to take it with milk. Milk coats anything, lessening effectiveness.

There are good curcumin/turmeric supplements out there that you can down with a glass of water.

Thumbs up though for taking it - I do know from personal experience and others' testimonies the many benefits of this great spice.

It just so happens that my relatives alzheimer drugs are bright yellow just like turmeric,but the charge a lot of money for them.

Turmeric/curcumin have absolutely terrible bioavailablity in the stomach due to certain elements in the stomach that block absorption rates.

However, Pepper extract, piperine, shuts off the switch in the stomach that blocks absorption, and allows up to 20 times, or more, absorption rates of taking this as a supplement.

Also pepper extract latches on to fat cells and doesn't allow them to be stored in fat areas. Another plus in my book.

Anyway, I cook with Turmeric all the time and even make myself a drink from it that I learned from an Indian friend's dad.

Take goatmilk, half teaspoon turmeric, add a dab of honey, warm it all up in a pot, and have a nice tasty, healthy drink on the cold autumn/winter nights

HomeCures
The use of turmeric - curcuma longa - in the diet of Indian and Chinese cuisine is long established. Over the millennia, from genreation to generation, those who have eaten at least one "curry" type meal a week have built up a strong immune system.

When the researchers first looked at 1) where in the world is the incidence of Cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer's & Parkinson's diseases, along with a whole host of other so called "incurable diseases" almost non existant they went to stage 2) WHY?

It did not take them long to realise that food, and at its root, turmeric, was the reason.

We here in the so called "developed world" are not so lucky. Our diet contains, at the least, an amalgam of cancer, arthritis and other disease promoting "food". Since the end of World War II, when the chemical companies got together in their grand plan to control us all - yes, sorry, but true - we have been and continue to be bombarded with whatever suits their fancy to make us ill. Parabens in skin creams - fluoride and aluminium in water, aspartame and tuerine in just about everything the young ones like. They even tke the goodness out milk to sell it in little posts that cost a fortune - with added fats and excess sugars. This list is endless.

So, we do not have a history of turmeric nor is our environment free of the poisons that cause the so called "incurable diseases". At this point, people like Dr. Bharat Aggarwal at the MDAnderson Centre in Houston, Texas, seriously got into clinically testing curumin as a cure these horrors. Why curcumin? Because turmeric, curcuma longa, contains just 4% curcumin. For us "developed" people turmeric simply is not man enough to help us. We need the full force of Mother Nature to enable our immune systems to get the better of the poisons and illnesses we suffer. So, we need curcumin.

To precis a document Dr. Aggarwal with others, published in 2006, and things have been proven even more so recently, the Conclusions contained the following: "There is no cancer (and other diseases mentioned as above)* that cannot be cured by the use of curcumin". (*The list is as above, with others, including ME, MS, Fibromyalgia. Authors note.)

The clinical documents coming out now quite regularly, most recently from China on so called "incurable" breast cancer, from Germany confirming Dr. Aggarwal's conclusions, from Cork Cancer Centre - confirming breast, throat and other types of cancer, are irrefutable.

But we are denied the use of curcumin - as well as other cliniclly proven natural cures, such as Serrapeptase for all types of pain and inflammation, where your doctor pushes NSAID's at you - by the medical industry. Why? Becuse there is no money in natural cures. So, they continue to use sometimes dangerous and often useless treatments on literally tens of thousands of people, when a course of curcumin will almost certainly be the solution.

I am a naturopath with over 35 years of experience and research. There are very few ailments that Mother Nature doe not have an answer to. (After all, she created the problems, so she has the answers. I am available for any help or information on Curcumin, Serrapeptase - also known as "The Miraculous Enzyme", passiflora incarnata, the natural alternative to Valium - or any other natural remedy. Please contact me through my web site [site removed]. My help is free.

edit on 9/20/2013 by 12m8keall2c because: [site removed]

First of all, your immune system can only be compromised not strengthened, you don't "build it up by eating curries". (If you did, I would have one of the strongest immune systems know to the universe! lol).
If you make your immune system stronger it will start attacking your own body!
That's what happens in auto-immune disease.

Secondly, both India and China have quite high rates of certain cancers compared with the "western world" notably oral, oesophageal, pharyngeal and stomach cancers... (was it something they've eaten...???).

Thirdly, whilst curcumin has shown some promise in vitro the jury's still well and truly out on it's capabilities in cancer treatment in vivo. At best it has shown some benefit with precancerous cells but nothing more than that.
Unfortunate for both of the above, the amount of curcumin which is absorbed after eating is far too low to have any effect at all (even if you eat a lot and/or regularly).
A fat-soluble curcumin injection has been developed which hopefully will show greater promise in human trials.

As for the old chestnut of there being "no money in natural cures" well naturopaths do okay don't they?
Plus you can patent a so-called natural cure for a specific treatment or patent a derivative of that natural cure.
When you look more closely at pharmaceuticals you see that a very high percentage of them are derived from natural substances (aspirin anyone?).

Curcumin supplements, taken with a meal using fresh-ground black pepper, every day.
Good for what ails ya, and seems like it may be an effective prevention for cancer, and other nasties.

originally posted by: seeker1963
reply to post by RooskiZombi

 

Just stay away from the tumeric that has the food coloring added to it. I remember reading about that awhile back. Tried finding the article on it, but not having any luck.....

Stanford researchers find lead in turmeric

It's not known to what extent, if any, this lead-adulterated spice has been exported from Bangladesh.

Tumeric lattes are all the rage in these parts...

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
On a flight from Europe to the USA I sat next to a woman from India. We got to talking about Aryerveda, and how I liked Triphala.

She mentioned turmeric, and I never followed up on it. Thanks for the links!

I can say from 20+ years in the insurance/medical industry, very few people whose diet consist primarily of India dishes, contract the diseases which ravage so many U.S. residents. Very few hospital stays and medical claims.

Is Turmeric a major contributor to their excellent long-term health?

And don’t forget to add Black Pepper when using Tumeric, it helps release the goodies from it ! 👍

a reply to: scubagravy

I used to take a teaspoon in warm water daily, with a good shake of blavk pepper in it. Just downed it. When I heard about the lead, I begrudgingly stopped. How do I know which is ok (unleaded) and which is leaded?

a reply to: Dominicus

I make this as well. I use oat milk for mine and add in some ginger and black pepper.

You guys mite want to read up on Inda and this so called link .
looks to me as if through lak of screening and lak of general knowing about cancer it is being massively under reported and death artes are 75 % more likely as most NEVER even get screened and breast cancer rates among women are highest of all as INDA has so few devices to do mammograms with .
Be aware beofer you trust in quacks who self prompt natural cures .
This is the BEST example I have ever seen of FACTS vers reality .
Reality is eating right can effect health but in no way does that show it can cure these things .