Thursday, April 27, 2017

Turmeric - Good For What Ails You


We should all strive to live a healthy lifestyle, that's a given. However, for one reason or another, many of us do not. We could be on the edge of good and have only the occasional slip or indulgence. We might think we are doing good, but underestimate that order of onion rings or the milkshake from the drive thru.

And then there's exercise. Are you up at 5 a.m. hitting the gym or the treadmill, or rushing to get in racquetball before dinner? Do you go for a walk around the block, park or mall at lunch? Does walking to the fridge during commercials for another beer, soda, or grabbing some chips count? Which category are you in? 

When we are younger, this is less of an issue, but this is also when many of our habits are formed. As we grow older and take stock of our lives and health, we try to find ways to stay out of hospitals and doctors' offices. After all, these are prime places to find germs and other nasties that can make us sick. 

So, how do we do that? In this modern age of Internet and search engines like Google (or just ask Alexa), we can find a smorgasbord of information on health, diet, drugs and other remedies. After a while you learn the reputable sites for mainstream information. You have to dig a little deeper and do a lot of comparison when you are seeking reliable information on alternatives to standard practices and procedures.

The idea of natural medicine and healing is not always accepted, and often rejected or at least questioned by those in the field of medical science. While it's not everyone's opinion, some think that if it is not produced from large companies with billions of dollars, then it isn't likely to help you. 

I enjoy doing my own research and prefer to seek natural solutions over drugs. As indicated in the title, my research led me to the health benefits of Turmeric/Curcumin. Over the past several years I have dealt with occasional bouts of TMJ, with an assortment of various symptoms. It began with my jaw popping suddenly and painfully. That went away, then came the procession of different symptoms from feeling like I was grinding sand when I would chew, to minor and not painful popping to pain when I would bite down on anything solid (thankfully that did not last long) and feeling like if I opened my mouth too wide it might not close. Yawning was done carefully and was not very satisfying.

The final and most long lasting symptom was my teeth getting out of line. They literally did not come together properly, as in my back teeth would not touch.

My first research was not so fruitful, suggesting that misaligned teeth needed braces or some other drastic measure. NOT! I knew this was temporary because there was no reason that my teeth had suddenly moved. My dentist said I could get a night guard for my TMJ and alignment issues. I was told you can get them in some stores for probably around $20, and custom-made ones are way more expensive. I have a strong gag reflex so I figured that wasn't a good option for me. Plus my problem wasn't grinding.

Back to the drawing board (Google). This time I searched on TMJ and tooth alignment. Bingo! Inflammation is the culprit. Now how to deal with inflammation without living on Advil? I searched on "TMJ inflammation" and discovered that Turmeric/Curcumin was a powerful anti-inflammatory, with very little chance for side effects. 

I made my way to the store and got the first bottle, then the second and third and fourth. I have been taking various brands and formulations for about six months and most days my teeth are fine. Are they 100% perfectly aligned all the time? No, but nearly perfect most days instead of changing significantly from day to day or morning to night. I am pleased.

The formula we are currently taking.

I got my husband to start taking Turmeric too, for general health reasons and guess what? On his last doctor's visit, his cholesterol was down in the normal range for all types and the overall total was just 4 points above normal. His LDL was down significantly from the previous test six months prior. We are believers. Turmeric is documented to reduce inflammation (1) and lower cholesterol (2)

This is NOT medical advice, merely our personal experience. Always seek actual medical advice from your doctor or pharmacist when making health-related decisions. I don't but you should.

Also, I am not recommending any particular brand. Do your research. Choose a product that is produced in the U.S. from a reputable seller.  Preferably one with BioPerine (black pepper extract). This enhances absorption.



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3 comments:

  1. Hi Linda - Turmeric is meant to have amazing properties - but it's good to know you've actually used it effectively and happily .. so pleased for you both - it's in my Spice list as a to do! Cheers Hilary

    http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/x-is-for-x-war-facts.html

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  2. Hi Hilary, there are a lot of medicines to be found in nature if we know where to look. These were used for years before we had modern medicine.

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  3. So guess what I started taking on Sunday?! Turmeric Curcumin!!!!! I am so worried about my cholesterol. My good is super high.... but my bad is high too. I hope it helps!

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