Turmeric: The Wonder Spice

For the Health of It

Story and photography by Jill McLaughlin.

Published: Monday, September 29, 2008

For the Health of It Jill McLaughlin lifestyle

It seems that everywhere you turn, more and more nutritional guidance is pointing to evidence that keeping inflammation in the body at bay is the key to a long, healthy life, free of degenerative disease. We’re not talking about the swelling and redness you get when your sprain your ankle or burn your hand; we’re talking about “silent inflammation,” a term coined by Dr. Barry Sears, one of the world’s leading medical researchers and experts on the link between inflammation and disease.

If I Can’t See it, Then it Must Not Exist
According to Dr. Sears, “Silent inflammation is simply inflammation that falls below the threshold of perceived pain. That’s what makes it so dangerous. You don’t take any steps to stop it as it smolders for years, if not decades, eventually erupting into what we call chronic disease.” I like to think of it as a bunch of armed outlaws roaming our bodies and robbing us of our health.

I know this is a sobering topic. The good news is that reversing premature aging and halting the onset of chronic disease is pretty easy. You just have to want to do it. There is no strict diet. There are no drugs with sketchy side effects. You can still enjoy your favorite food vices (in moderation).

for the health turmeric spice

Many anti-inflammatory foods are mentioned in a few of my past Presentmagazine.com articles, including Acne – Face it Naturally, Fish Meets Grill, Winter Warming, Go Green, and Gimme Some (Healthy) Skin. In addition to eating an anti-inflammatory diet the majority of the time, there are two supplements that you must take daily – high quality Omega-3 fatty acids and turmeric. Consider them your arsenal.

Omega-3s have gotten a lot of attention these last few years and are essential for reducing inflammation and protecting us against degenerative diseases such as arthritis and cancer and for preventing heart attacks and strokes. Dr. Sears, who taught a class at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I attended school, said, “If you don’t take anything else away from this class, take this…get your Omega-3s every single day. Even if you eat Krispy Kreme donuts every day, you can ward off inflammation and disease by taking your Omega 3s.”