I often get asked what the one, easiest, and healthiest “thing” you can add to your diet is. My answer is always the same….turmeric! This is one spice that pretty much everyone has heard of and perhaps already has in their pantries. It’s affordable, it’s easy to incorporate into so many dishes and drinks, and it makes the perfect first step towards having a healthier lifestyle.
Before I get started on why turmeric is my number one go-to for overall health and wellness…I’ll give you the customary background on what exactly it is, for the absolute holistic-newbies out there. Turmeric is a spice that comes from the curcuma longa root and happens to be a part of the ginger family.
The deep orange-yellow color of turmeric comes from its most active compound, curcumin, which is actually what gives turmeric its incredible benefits. This is a spice that is widely used in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking and has also been used for time immemorial in these regions as a natural medicine.
The curcumin, or curcuminoids, in turmeric are what make it such an anti inflammatory, anti aging, anti-microbial, and antioxidant powerhouse. This simple looking powder has the ability to neutralize free radicals while reducing the odds of heart disease, cancer, and other health conditions when used on a regular basis. Studies have also shown that turmeric can be useful in reducing the inflammation caused by Rheumatoid Arthritis as well as can mitigate depression and can even help keep your skin healthy and blemish free.
Impressive, right? Well…there’s more! Turmeric, and the curcumin it is full of, can also boost the brain-derived neurotrophic factor which helps to maintain and increase the brain neurons and neural pathways that positively affect the area of the brain involved in body weight, memory, and learning functions. What else can turmeric do? It can help with digestion, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, help tackle the dreaded weekend hangover, and can help slow down cognitive decline.
Turmeric is also super user friendly, unlike a lot of other health supplements, because it can so easily be added to anything from coffee to tea, smoothies, baked goods, and pretty much any dish. You can even make turmeric gummies for your kids and turmeric dog treats which are perfect for any pup dealing with aging and arthritis. I personally love adding it to my coffee every morning and my kids each get a capsule-full every evening with their dinner. You can even boost this health booster even more, and make it super digestible by taking it along with a pinch of black pepper and a bit of fat (meat, nuts, oils, etc.) to increase its bioavailability.
There’s nothing daunting about adding turmeric to your daily health regimen. It’s easy and accessible to anyone! Probably the most important thing you can do when adding turmeric to your diet is to make sure you are using a high quality powder without fillers or extras. One of my favorite brands is Fiji Joe. Their organic turmeric is sustainably grown in Fiji and packaged in the US. I’ve used many different turmeric brands and this one stands out to me in its purity and overall quality. They also have some of the most delicious and easy recipes on their website to make your turmeric adventure even more enjoyable and healthy!
While some beauty experts advocate using turmeric as a facial mask ingredient, I have to say that that’s honestly not something I’ve tried yet. Turmeric can be staining…as a matter of fact that’s the only complaint I have about this magical powder! When my kids were little, I would open up turmeric capsules to add to their apple sauce or yogurt and would always end up getting it on my fingertips where it would stay for days….so I’m unsure about what it would do to my face ha! I do know that what we eat and drink does greatly affect the quality of our skin and I believe that the fact that I use turmeric every day has greatly helped improve my skin keeping it healthy and supple well into my late 40s.
So….if you are new to the holistic health world, or are just looking to add something to your already existing healthy lifestyle, I highly recommend adding turmeric to your day…every day! I start my mornings with my turmeric latte and end my evenings with more in either my meals or by adding it to my cup of nettle tea with some raw honey. I would love to hear how you use it too!
Cheers to your health!
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