Ease Muscle and Joint Stress With Curcumin
Curcumin is the active medicinal element in the common spice Turmeric (Curcuma longa) that is general used to flavor curries and other South Asian dishes. It is also curcumin that gives turmeric its bright yellow hue. However this tasty spice is also a powerful anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agent and a potent antioxidant that is the scourge of free radicals that can damage body cells. Any nutrient that is anti-inflammatory in nature can help you work out longer and recover faster from post-work out pain.
Turmeric is a vegetable that is a member of the ginger family. The anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric have been expounded in the Ayurvedic texts for a millennium. In many Asian countries turmeric is used as a dietary supplement to aid with digestion. However besides being able to settle an upset stomach it also has many more therapeutic uses including the ability to clear toxins from joints and muscles and increase blood flow. This helps prevent heart disease and keeps you healthy.
Curcumin can also help fight oxidative changes in fats (lipids) and proteins that injure cell membranes, weaken blood vessels, affect immune cells and modify protective enzymes. These injuries to cell DNA alter cell functions and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer and brain disease. However a powerful antioxidant and anti-cancer agent such as curcumin can halt this chain reaction in its tracks.
A powerful antioxidant, curcumin can halt the growth of free radicals that are produced whenever oxygen is burned by cells to produce energy. It can prevent the replication of damaged cells after the body is subjected to disease, stress or trauma… If left unchecked these radicals cause a destructive chain reaction that can cause lowered immune function and chronic inflammatory disorders. The anti-inflammatory properties curcumin may also help relieve some of the severity of rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disorders.
Consuming large doses of cucurmin are not recommended in cases of gallstones, obstructive jaundice, acute bilious colic and toxic liver disorders… Do not exceed 1,800 mg daily. However you could try juicing the raw vegetable which is sold in Caribbean and Indian grocery stores. It is also a plentiful source of Vitamin A.
To consume more of this without taking supplements eat more yellow curries. This is found in many cuisines including Middle Eastern, Jamaican, Indian and Ethiopian ones. Chances are if you do not eat a lot of ethnic food you probably do not ingest a lot of this healing spice on a daily basis.