How To Use Ginger And Turmeric
There are plenty of ways to add ginger and turmeric to your diet to enjoy the many health benefits each has to offer.
The two ingredients work well together in salad dressings, stir-fries, and sauces to add a surge of flavor and health benefits to your favorite recipes.
Fresh ginger can also be used to make ginger shots, brewed into a cup of soothing tea, or added to soups, smoothies, and curries.
Ginger root extract is available in supplement form as well, which has been shown to be most effective when taken in doses between 1,5002,000 mg daily .
Turmeric, on the other hand, is great for adding a pop of color to dishes such as casseroles, frittatas, dips, and dressings.
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Turmeric supplements can also help supply a more concentrated dosage of curcumin and can be taken in doses of 500 mg twice daily to reduce pain and inflammation .
Supplements that contain both turmeric and ginger are available as well, making it easy to get your fix of each in a single daily dose.
You can find these supplements locally or buy them online.
Summary
Turmeric and ginger are both easy to add to the diet and are available in fresh, dried, or supplement form.
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What Are The Side Effects Of Turmeric On The Body
Turmeric side effects on the skin and body. by benaifer. The health benefits of turmeric are numerous. Yellow herb soothes the digestive system, is a powerful antiseptic and antibacterial agent, detoxifies the body, relieves arthritis and respiratory pain, and can prevent heart disease, cancer and other diseases.
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Reduces Joint Pain And Swelling
Curcumin in turmeric is known to possess potent anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. In a pilot clinical study on patients of rheumatoid arthritis, patients were either given 500 mg curcumin, or 50 mg diclofenac sodium, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or a combination of the two. The patients in the curcumin group showed the maximum improvement in terms of number of swollen joints, levels of inflammation markers in the blood, pain, and function.2
Another study on people with osteoarthritis saw a face-off between turmeric and ibuprofen. Those who took a 2 gm dose of turmeric every day reported lower pain levels while climbing stairs than those who took the ibuprofen. The pain level while walking improved as did knee function.3
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More Effective Than Placebo
In another study, published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers at the University of Australia in Tasmania assigned 70 participants, over age 40, with knee osteoarthritis and swelling diagnosed by ultrasound, to receive either 1000 mg per day of turmeric or a placebo.
After 12 weeks, the randomly controlled placebo trial found that an extract of turmeric was more effective than a placebo in reducing knee pain in people with knee osteoarthritis.
Those taking turmeric reported significantly less knee pain at the end of the study, according to the standardized questionnaire.
Researchers emphasized that more research is needed, and the only limiting factor of their study was the small number of participants.
This research also received funding from Natural Remedies PVT Ltd, a company that offers Ayurvedic medicines and herbs.
While this may indicate a conflict of interest, previous research also supports this spices effectiveness for pain relief.
Medicinal Uses Of Turmeric
Turmeric and its active ingredient curcumin is the most powerful natural anti inflammatory supplement. Here is the most common Medicinal Uses of Turmeric for arthritis, particularly Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis, as well as most other types of arthritis. It has so many benefits that taking it for arthritis can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimers, cancer, blood pressure, cholesterol and boost your immune system naturally.
For Individual dosages of turmeric for arthritis relief, just follow the individual label of the powder, capsule or liquid extract. They vary depending on whether it is an extract or pure powder. Extract are highly concentrated so you need a lot less, this is great when you cant handle the spiciness of turmeric root or raw turmeric powder. Capsule form is best if that is the case.
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Cloves May Help Ease Pain And Inflammation
According to an article published in 2017 in the Royal Society of Chemistry, cloves contain eugenol, a phytogenic bioactive component that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. To incorporate cloves into your diet, Massey suggests the following strategies:
- Add two to four whole cloves to a pot of hearty soup or stew for both health and good flavor.
- Use several whole cloves to infuse both flavor and nutrition into hot drinks. Be sure to take out before consuming.
Turmeric Can Combat Infection In Arthritis
Septic arthritis can be a result of fungal infection like Candida and Aspergillus as well as bacterial infection by superbug MRSA.
Also, certain medicines recommended for arthritis treatment can increase risk of developing serious infections in arthritis.
Curcumin has a broad spectrum anti-microbial activity- it inhibits the growth of bacteria, viruses and fungi. It also has a synergistic action with antibiotics and potentiates their activity.
This property could be beneficial in reducing sepsis in arthritis.
What does this mean?Curcumin has broad spectrum anti-microbial properties and immune boosting properties that help reduce risk of infection in arthritis.
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Does Turmeric Help With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Though rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are separate conditions, they affect the body in very similar ways, largely by causing pain and inflammation around the joints. However, its unclear whether turmeric is as effective for people with rheumatoid arthritis as it is for people with osteoarthritis. Speak to your doctor or a pharmacist if you have either of these conditions and are thinking about taking turmeric.
What To Know Before Taking Turmeric
Curcumin and turmeric are generally safe. Talk to your doctor if you are interested in taking curcumin supplements. While there are no reports of severe effects from high doses of curcumin, its still possible for side effects to occur.
Curcumin may also interact with prescription drugs. This can make your medication less effective and impact your health if you have certain conditions. Check with your doctor before taking turmeric if you take medicine for:
Some supplements may contain piperine, which also interferes with some medications, including phenytoin and propranolol .
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Health Benefits Of Turmeric
Turmeric in supplement form has higher levels than the spice used in cooking. Its a great addition to an anti-inflammatory diet. The anti-inflammatory properties make it a popular remedy for conditions, including:
- Kidney Problems
Recent studies show turmeric helps prevent and reduce joint inflammation. This reduces pain, stiffness, and inflammation related to arthritis.
For digestive relief, pay close attention to the amount of turmeric in a supplement. High dosages can cause an upset stomach.
Turmerics health benefits may include lower cholesterol levels. Research done on animals to date produced encouraging and consistent results. Its reasonable to think it can lower cholesterol in humans, too.
Turmeric And Lemon Grass
Lemongrass contains anti-inflammatory properties which suppress the activity of cyclooxygenase-2, an enzyme which is responsible for joint inflammation and pain.
- Pre-heat your oven to 150 degrees.
- Melt 2 cups of coconut oil and then pour it into a glass oven dish.
- Mix 5 tablespoons of turmeric powder, 5 tablespoons of cayenne pepper, and 1 ounce of dried lemon grass into it.
- Bake for 3-5 hours, then remove from oven and let cool.
- Strain with cheesecloth.
- Store the solution at room temperature in an airtight container.
- Apply this solution to painful joints whenever required.
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Turmeric For Arthritis: 6 Reasons You Should Use This Natural Painkiller
You may know turmeric as an oriental spice that gives Asian food color and flavor, but did you know it has an illustrious history of use in traditional medicine as a remedy for everything from wounds and acne to bronchitis and arthritis? The basis for these uses lies in turmerics anti-inflammatory properties, mostly attributed to a chemical called curcumin.
Arthritis is an umbrella term for disorders of the joints. Of the nearly 100 types of arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout are the most common. While the symptoms for all three are pain and stiffness, the causes are different. While osteoarthritis is caused by an age-related wear and tear of the cartilage in the joints, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition. Gout or gouty arthritis is caused by the accumulation of urate crystals in the joints due to high levels of uric acid in the body. Research shows that its beneficial to use turmeric for arthritis since this herb sometimes works as efficiently as standard drugs.1
The Appeal Of Natural Medicine
Turmeric is the powdered form of the underground stem of Cucurma longa, a member of the ginger family. Like ginger, you can peel and chop the fresh root, or use it dried in spice form. The vivid-colored stem gives yellow mustards and curry their bright colors, and boosts their flavors. This spice is used both orally and topically, to treat things like bruises and wounds, in traditional medicine in Southeast Asia, China and India.
For many, the traditional and natural designation adds appeal to turmeric. In a push toward better health, dietary supplements are tempting little shortcuts. Natural health products are easy to find in the grocery or drugstore. Theyre accessible, whereas visiting a doctor for a prescription takes money and time. They also pose a potentially way to soothe achy knees or other ailments, without the side effects of aspirin and other Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs . Combined with high health care costs today, people look for promising ways to prevent cancer, dementia and heart disease, or find a path toward a restful nights sleep.
The term natural has its own appeal, too, when it comes to the realm of minerals, vitamins or dietary supplements. But researchers advise to approach with caution. People make a mistake in thinking something is safe because its natural. Remember, all poisons come from nature, says Ikhlas Khan, director of the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi.
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Can Prevent And Fight Gout
Turmeric can bring down high levels of uric acid, which causes a painful condition called gout. Curcumin lowers uric acid levels by inhibiting the enzyme xanthine oxidase which catalyzes the transformation of xanthine into uric acid.10 In one study with patients of non-alocholic fatty liver disorder, curcumin could bring down the levels of uric acid as well as the harmful LDL cholesterol.11 In another study, researchers also looked at the effect of a purified curcumin extract on symptoms of gout and found that 17 out of 19 patients noticed improvement within 48 hours. In the same study, 41 out of 62 patients of fibromyalgia also showed improvement.12
Turmeric For Arthritis Pain
Turmeric, a yellow-colored spice found across the world, from American yellow mustard to spicy Indian curries, is one of natures most powerful anti-inflammatories. In fact, Dr. James Duke, a world-renowned ethnobotanist found that turmeric does a better job treating chronic inflammation than many current pharmaceuticals and it has very few side effects. Turmeric contains over 20 different compounds that fight inflammation with at least six acting as direct COX-2 inhibitors. Since the COX-2 enzyme causes inflammation leading to swelling and pain, turmeric can reduce these symptoms by blocking the COX-2 enzyme. Several studies have shown turmeric and curcumin to be effective in treating pain from all forms of arthritis. Turmeric may also help to prevent Alzheimers disease and certain forms of cancer. Turmeric can also help with pain from fibromyalgia.
Turmeric is usually taken as a dietary supplement with a dose of 500mg twice per day. For those of you that are a bit more adventurous, try brewing turmeric tea watch the video below to learn how. For more information of treating your arthritis, visit a board-certified Austin pain management doctor at Capitol Pain Institute.
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Turmeric And Black Pepper
Peperine present in black pepper makes the curcumin more absorbable by the body. As per some studies, curcumin absorption increased by 200% when consumed with peperine.
- Combine 1/3 cup of honey, 2 1/2 teaspoons of ground turmeric into a paste. Store this mixture in a jar for 2 weeks.
- Into a cup of hot water, add 1 teaspoon of the mixture and mix well.
- Now add lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
- Stir well and consume while it is still lukewarm.
- Repeat the process once in a day.
Note: You can replace black pepper with cayenne pepper.
Is Turmeric Really Any Good For Arthritis
Turmeric is not listed as an arthritis treatment by the NHS, and therefore is unlikely to be prescribed by your GP. However, there issome evidenceto suggest that it can be an effective treatment for arthritis symptoms.
Historically, the spice has been used by alternative healers to treat pain and swelling. This is because it contains a substance called curcumin, which is thought to possess anti-inflammatory properties.
One study of 107 people found that daily consumption of curcumin had an effect comparable to commonly used anti-inflammatory medicines. However, evidence is still limited, if youre thinking about taking turmeric, we recommend you speak to your GP or a pharmacist.
While more research needs to be carried out into curcumin and its effects on the body, in clinical trials turmeric has been safe to take in doses of 1-10g a day.
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How To Take Turmeric For Pain
Turmeric in Indian and Asian cooking is a long-standing tradition.
A typical Indian diet supplies 2,000 to 2,5000 mg of turmeric per day. That equals 60 to 100 mg of curcumin. If you ingested the same quantity of turmeric as an extract it would be 1,900 to 2,375 mg of curcumin.
The spice has about 3% curcumin. Turmeric extract has 95% curcumin. Adding turmeric to your food provides some benefits, but not as much as a supplement.
Most studies use a turmeric extract. The typical study dose of 500 to 2,000 mg of turmeric per day had potential benefits. The exact dose depends on the medical condition.
The Arthritis Foundation suggests taking turmeric capsules 3 times per day. Another option is to take a half to three grams of the root powder every day.
Further studies revealed one gram of curcumin per day helped arthritis patients.
One issue with turmeric is its hard for the body to absorb the spice by itself. Nutritionists suggest mixing the spice with black pepper and olive oil to help your body absorb it.
The amount of turmeric used in normal cooking is safe. But dont assume more is better. High doses can cause nausea, diarrhea, and dizziness.
The World Health Organization found 1.4 mg of turmeric per pound of body weight is okay for daily intake. Its not advisable to take high doses of turmeric for long periods of time. There isnt enough research to guarantee safety.
Should You Try Turmeric Or Curcumin For Arthritis
NCCIH recommends checking with your health care provider before using a nutraceutical to treat arthritis. These supplements are not regulated or tested by the Food and Drug Administration and may have ingredients or contaminants not listed on the label.
Turmeric can be very effective against arthritis however, it should not be overdosed because it contains large doses of oxalate, a chemical that can combine with calcium in the body, causing kidney stones, says Daniel Boyer, MD at the Farr Institute. In addition, the FDA also warned against the use of turmeric from Bangladesh due to their high concentration of lead mental, a great health hazard.
The best dose for turmeric or curcumin to treat osteoarthritis has not been established. Research studies have used about 1000 milligrams of curcumin, which seems to be safe. Although rare, both curcumin and turmeric can have side effects that include mild diarrhea, nausea, or heartburn.
One of the problems with turmeric and curcumin is that not much is absorbed from your digestive system when you take it orally, called bioavailability. That is one of the reasons they have been difficult to study. Look for supplements that include some black pepper, which makes curcumin or turmeric more bioavailable.
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Summary Of Included Studies
A total of 10,293 studies were found in the initial electronic searches from PubMed, Embase, WANFANG, CNKI, RISS, KISS, and IndMED, and 28 duplicates were removed. From the remaining 10,265 studies, those potentially not related RCT studies about curcumin and arthritis were removed and the details of the removed studies were as follows: 176 in vitro studies, 7367 animal experiments, 1198 no relation to arthritis, 1325 no relation to turmeric or curcumin, and 150 nonarthritis orthopedic-related studies . Further evaluation of the full texts resulted in the elimination of 8 studies with lack of data and 33 studies due to non-RCT. Finally, eight RCTs met the inclusion criteria . The eight RCTs were used for the systematic review.1618,2024 The subject characteristics and intervention strategies of the included RCTs are summarized in Table 1 and intervention results and adverse events are organized in Table 2.
Benefits Of Turmeric In Arthritis
Arthritis is a medical condition characterized by swollen and painful joints. It affects children as well as adults irrespective of age.
There are many types of arthritis some common ones are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, infectious arthritis, gout etc.
The common features of this disease include:
- Stiffness of joints
- Inability to use the limb
- Loss of flexibility
Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are the two common forms of arthritis that are commonly observed.
Osteoarthritis that is caused due to wasting of bone cartilage is commonly observed in people above fifty years of age.
Rheumatoid arthritis develops due to attack of own immune system against the joints.
Gout occurs as a result of deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints leading to inflammation. Septic arthritis occurs due to infection in the joints.
Old age can also make you susceptible to these diseases, but that is not the case always as even children can develop arthritis.
Generally, steroids and NSAIDs are used. But, they cause severe side effects.
Patients are unable to tolerate the side effects of drugs search for natural remedies for arthritis. Use of turmeric for arthritis alleviates symptoms such as tenderness, swelling, and pain in joints.
Turmeric is a rhizome similar to ginger and is obtained from the plant Curcuma longa. Turmeric plant is a perennial herb that is native to Asia.
It is cultivated widely in China and India for its medicinal value.
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