Used for thousands of years for its healing properties, turmeric has recently enjoyed great – and, we would add, more than justified – interest. The growing attention towards natural ways to take care of oneself and one's well-being has in fact made this spice a protagonist: perhaps for its scent that recalls exotic worlds, perhaps for its color that brings to mind sunny summer days, giving a touch of cheerfulness to every dish, whatever the reason, turmeric is undoubtedly among the most loved products both in the kitchen and in the field of phytotherapeutics. But how much truth is there in this? Can the use of turmeric really be useful for dealing with ailments that affect the quality of life in a more or less significant way?
Turmeric Phytotherapeutics: The Effects on Well-Being
The use of medicinal plants is the very root of pharmacology: the ancients already studied the healing properties of the natural resources they had available to use them for the benefit of man. Turmeric could not be missing from the roll call: a powerful antioxidant , this root has in fact direct effects on the pain cascade , which is why it has always been used in particular to soothe and prevent both joint, arthritic and arthritic pain, and for example with regard to dysmenorrhea, that is, pain related to the menstrual cycle, as well as other painful conditions attributable to a more or less widespread inflammation.
Precisely these anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties mean that turmeric is increasingly used in a growing number of pathologies, but also for preventive purposes to help people maintain (or recover) a state of well-being. Let's look specifically at the different and various properties of turmeric.
Anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric
Turmeric, as mentioned, has strong anti-inflammatory properties: this is why it is indicated for example for arthritic pathologies of various types. This ability comes from a particular substance, curcumin , which is able to block the enzymes responsible for inflammation and also to reduce the production of free radicals , in particular within the cartilage (this is why it is particularly indicated when talking about pathologies affecting the joints).
The anti-inflammatory property of turmeric is also associated with its antispasmodic and sedative properties, which are particularly useful for combating disorders related to the menstrual cycle and those of premenstrual syndrome.
Finally, this link with the activity on inflammatory states seems to be also linked to the ability of turmeric to positively influence the onset of tumors, as chronic inflammatory states seem to be correlated to the development of neoplasms.
Pain Relieving Properties of Turmeric
Linked to its anti-inflammatory properties is also the possibility of turmeric to act as a pain reliever: in particular when dealing with chronic pain , especially if related to the joints, or in the case of painful menstrual cycles, the use of turmeric can be an indicated solution. This is also because these are situations in which the use is constant (in the case of chronicity) or in any case cyclical and prolonged even over several days (dysmenorrhea).
Properties of turmeric on the liver and metabolism
The antioxidant properties of turmeric are also the basis of its positive action in favor of the liver , especially at a preventive level, to help it perform its job at its best and to support the - already amazing - regenerative capabilities of this organ. Be careful only if you have already known liver pathologies or gallstones: in these cases, turmeric supplementation is neither discouraged nor prohibited, but it is best to consult your doctor for a better evaluation of your specific state of health.
Last note (even if on turmeric and the studies that prove its thousand properties) is the one regarding metabolism : it seems in fact that this root can have positive effects also on weight loss, in cases of obesity and in the prevention of diabetes. Also from this point of view, a fundamental role is played by its anti-inflammatory properties: excess fat is not a simple "covering" of the body, but works as a real organ that among other things produces a chronic low-grade inflammatory state that in turn is crucial in the development of an infinite series of pathologies.
The extra edge of phytocomplexes
Once the properties of turmeric have been established, it is however necessary to evaluate the quantity and method of intake: in short, how much do we need to take for it to have a significant effect on our well-being ? Is the quantity we use to color dishes and give them that exotic touch that makes them more appetizing enough or do we need to consume much more? And again, is it enough to integrate it in the acute phase or should it be taken on a daily basis?Adding it to dishes during an Indian evening with friends and family will have the only significant effect of making the evening more cheerful and tasty. Even consuming it regularly in our diet will not bring us much more: the quantities of turmeric needed to have beneficial and noticeable effects on our well-being are much higher than those we can achieve through simple diet.
Attention: this does not mean that we should stop using it or that it is useless. It simply will not be enough to give us the desired results: let's continue to consume it on our table, simply taking care to add it at the end of cooking so that the heat does not deteriorate its properties. To give it "an extra boost" we could also add some pepper (assuming that there are no problems of intestinal inflammation that advise against the use of various peppers) which facilitates its assimilation.
If we want to use turmeric for our well-being, we will have to think about an ad hoc integration of this precious gift of nature : but even here, one supplement is not as good as another. Although the popularity of this root has led to a very varied offer, with various proposals among which it is often difficult to orient oneself, the very precious turmeric has immediately placed researchers in front of a difficult situation: on the one hand, as mentioned, simple food supplementation is not enough. On the other hand , the integration of the active ingredient, even with the addition of piperine, does not seem to have the same effects as taking the root as a whole , as it is not correctly assimilated by the body. So, what to do?
Fortunately, research has found the answer and the available solutions are increasingly effective from all points of view. Where? In phytocomplexes . In short, since the plant is insufficient and the active ingredient is not effective on its own, why not try to enclose the entire plant in a tablet? This is precisely what phytocomplexes are: the plant, with all its properties and components, to the nth degree.
What are the advantages? Two, essentially, and both of fundamental importance. The first concerns the ability of our body to absorb the active ingredient, therefore ensuring that what we consume can truly have positive effects on our well-being. The phytocomplex , which contains all the properties of the plant, is in fact absorbed much better at the intestinal level and therefore has an efficacy that the active ingredient alone could hardly achieve.
Furthermore, even the formulations designed to be better absorbed by the human body actually contain only one of the active ingredients of turmeric, curcumin 1. However, if we look closely, the root also contains two other active ingredients, curcumin 2 and curcumin 3 : and so in the phytocomplex, being what we could call a "faithful reproduction" of the plant, we can find everything that makes this root with precious properties so special.
Phytotherapy is a complex and fascinating field, which allows us to discover how in nature there are precious substances that can have important effects on the quality of life: from curiosity and the desire to develop increasingly advanced methods so that we can draw the greatest benefit from them that new generation phytotherapeutics are born.
