Seventy-five percent of health care dollars in the United States are spent on patients with more than one chronic health condition. Many of these can be prevented, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, lung disease, high blood pressure and cancer. The National Center for Health Statistics reported that ten years ago, 40 million adults stated that they needed medical care, prescription medicines, mental health care, dental care or eye glasses but did not receive the care due to the cost.(1)
Seventy-five percent of U.S. health care dollars are spent on patients with more than one chronic health condition that could be prevented
A recent survey found that one-third of American’s utilize alternative medicine or health care. Utilizing supplements, food, chiropractic care, massage, and yoga have all become more accepted in today’s society.(2)
One-third of Americans are utilizing alternative medication or health care
If you desire to increase your alternative medical treatment, start small and slowly build in new transitions. Supplementing turmeric into your diet is a small change that can produce big results. Turmeric is a spice found in curry but is also the most powerful herb on the planet. Currently, there are 6,235 peer-reviewed research articles stating the health benefits of turmeric. (3)
Ten health benefits associated with turmeric
The health benefits of turmeric go beyond prescription anti-inflammatory medications, anti-depressants, chemotherapy, anti-coagulants, pain killers, diabetes medication, arthritis medication, inflammatory bowel disease medication, cholesterol medication and steroids. (3)
- Anticoagulants: Anticoagulants slow and prevent blood clotting but side effects of prescription or over the counter medications can include excessive bleeding, hemorrhage, pain or headaches. Several studies from the 1980’s show that turmeric is a better alternative for those with vascular thrombosis and has no known side effects. (3)
- Anti-depressants: A study published in the Phytotherapy Research journal reported that turmeric was just as effective as Prozac. Research supports that it could be beneficial treatment for those who suffer from mild depression. (3)
- Anti-inflammatories: A study published in Oncogene reports that the anti-inflammatory compounds found in aspirin and ibuprofen were least effective when compared with turmeric. This could be beneficial for those suffering from ulcerative colitis, arthritis, high cholesterol and chronic pain. (3)
- Arthritis: One study conducted on 45 rheumatoid arthritis patients found that turmeric was a better alternative to arthritis medication and reduced side effects such as leaky gut and heart disease. The study divided participants into three groups and found that the turmeric group had the highest percentage of overall improvement. (3)
- Cancer treatment: Several studies have shown that turmeric has anticancer effects and is able to kill cancer cells and prevent more from developing. Studies show that it has the highest success rate on breast cancer, bowel cancer, stomach cancer and skin cancer.(3)
- Diabetes management: A 2009 study found that turmeric is 400 times more potent than Metformin in activating AMPK which helps to improve insulin sensitivity and can therefore reverse type 2 diabetes. (3)
- Gastrointestinal treatment: Prescription medication can tear up the mucosal lining and destroy the stomach flora. Turmeric has been shown to help manage inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Many patients in studies were able to stop prescription medication such as corticosteroids because their condition dramatically improved following turmeric supplementation. Participants were then able to introduce probiotics to heal and reestablish a healthy gut flora. (3)
- Cholesterol: The primary reason people develop heart disease is due to excessive blood sugar. Diabetics and non-diabetic can suffer from oxidative stress which damages the blood vessels. As a result, cholesterol begins to build up in order to patch up the damaged areas. A study completed that Drugs in R & D found that turmeric was equal or more effective than prescription medication at reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in the treatment of high cholesterol. (3)
- Painkillers: A study published in the European Journal of Pharmacology found that turmeric activates the opioid system. This natural process can trigger the body’s natural pain-relieving response. It is also much safer and non-habit forming and can be utilized to help relieve chronic or temporary pain.(3)
- Steroids: Corticosteroids are often prescribed to treat psoriasis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and chronic pain. A 1999 study found that turmeric was able to cure chronic inflammation in the eye. Historically, steroids were the only treatment found effective for this type of inflammation. The list of side effects of prescribed steroids is endless including acne, asthma, cancer, diabetes, glaucoma, indigestion, mood disturbances and so many more. Utilizing turmeric is a safe and effective way to avoid treatment via steroids. (3)
Sources included:
(1) http://www.healthpaconline.net/health-care-statistics-in-the-united-states.htm
(2) http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/11/health/feat-alternative-medicine-study/
(3) https://draxe.com/turmeric-benefits/
