The familiar story of magi bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus has been told and retold for many generations. The latter two gifts are precious and powerful resins with distinct medicinal properties. Gold, on the other hand, seems unbefitting for a spiritual teacher who strongly admonished against desire for wealth.
Integrative medicine expert Dr. Sunil Pai indicates that this gift of gold might actually have been the “Golden Spice” — turmeric! Turmeric has a rich history full of cultural and religious implications while being prized for its potent health benefits.
Perhaps the property for which turmeric is most known is its ability to regulate the body’s inflammatory response. While acute inflammation is often simply our bodies’ natural response to injury or imbalance, sometimes inflammation can become excessive and ongoing. Such chronic conditions include bursitis, arthritis, colitis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric largely responsible for the health benefits of this spice. It is also what gives the spice its bright yellow hue. While turmeric’s inflammation-reducing properties have been well studied, there are also many other benefits to the spice. An article published just this month in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy states, “Several evidences have shown the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-angiogenesis, and anti-metastatic activities of curcumin.”
Many studies have indicated that the spice could greatly benefit people with neurodegenerative conditions, namely Alzheimer’s disease, due to its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Curcumin can help prevent neurotoxicity from the accumulation of heavy metals by binding to them and supporting their elimination.
Other neuroprotective effects include reducing inflammation of the neurons and preventing damage from free radicals.
What makes MegaFood Daily Turmeric special?
If you consume pure turmeric powder alone, most of it will simply pass through your digestive tract. By adding black pepper extract (active ingredient: piperine), the absorption of curcumin into the bloodstream is increased by as much as 2,000 percent. This ensures that the health-promoting properties of turmeric are delivered much more effectively to the tissues that benefit most from it.
MegaFood adds a concentrated extract of black pepper (95 percent piperine as opposed to the normal 5 percent piperine content usually in black pepper). This is certainly something to look for when selecting a turmeric supplement.
Not only does MegaFood include piperine for its potentiating effect — holy basil is in the blend as well. Also known as tulsi, this herb has strong protective effects from mental and physical stress. It is a non-specific adaptogen, meaning it essentially fortifies our ability to adapt to stressors in a healthy way.
Research indicates that psychological stress negatively impacts our immune function and increases inflammation — even if there is no infection or injury! Thus, holy basil has an important role in this blend as a promoter of psychological well-being.
Also included in MegaFood Daily Turmeric is tart cherry, which is often taken to reduce muscle soreness and inflammation. This ingredient, along with an additional high-antioxidant blend of blueberry, cranberry, and oranges, helps to protect cells from the free radical damage.
Why use a powder?
Superfood powders can be added to anything! MegaFood Daily Turmeric is easy to mix in with soup or stew, a protein shake, or some juice. Using this synergistic blend of herbs is a convenient way to facilitate a healthy inflammatory response while optimizing cellular health.
Come speak to a whole body specialist at Health Nut Nutrition today to learn more about supplementing with turmeric.