Turmeric: Doctors Say This Spice Is a Brain Health Miracle
by Joshua Corn
Are you concerned about maintaining the health of your brain as you age? You're not alone. Losing one's memory and mental abilities to cognitive decline is something we all fear, and the current statistics on the prevalence of cognitive decline in this country are not pretty. By age 65, sadly 1 in 8 Americans will suffer from severe cognitive decline, and by age 80, an astonishing 1 in 2 will.[1]
Researchers have been working for years to develop an effective treatment. But one "miracle" drug after another has failed to live up to its promises, and it's becoming more and more apparent that pharmaceuticals are not the solution. Unfortunately, the medical establishment is so narrowly focused on finding an elusive "cure" that scientifically proven prevention strategies are often ignored.
There are a number of natural brain protectors out there, but did you know that one herb has shown more promise when it comes to supporting your neurological system than any other medical finding to date? It's a scientific fact that curcumin, an antioxidant compound found in the root of the turmeric plant, is one of the most powerful natural brain protecting substances on the planet! It continues to amaze scientists with its remarkable cognitive health benefits.
You may be familiar with turmeric as the bright yellow spice that is commonly found in curry powder. Turmeric has a long history as a healing herb and culinary spice in India. Interestingly, India has the highest per capita consumption of turmeric AND the lowest incidence of cognitive decline worldwide![2]
Your Brain on Curcumin
The hallmark process associated with certain types of cognitive decline is the formation in the brain of abnormal protein structures. Normally when malformed proteins are formed within the brain, the immune system sends out cells known as macrophages, which engulf and destroy the proteins. If this ordinary function fails, defective proteins accumulate in the brain and cognitive decline can follow.
Recent research is showing that curcumin encourages the immune system to send macrophages to the brain. A landmark clinical trial involving people with severe cognitive decline measured the effects of curcumin. Amazingly, the participants taking curcumin had significantly higher levels of dissolved abnormal proteins in their blood compared to those in the placebo group. This study showed that curcumin has the ability to effectively pass into the brain, bind to beta-amyloid plaques and assist the body in their breakdown.[3] Curcumin is one of the only substances known to have such a profound protective effect on the brain.
Curcumin Combats Dangerous Inflammation
You may have heard about the dangers of "silent" chronic inflammation. It has made headlines in publications such as Newsweek and Time. It's important to know that low-grade inflammation is rapidly becoming recognized as the root cause of the development of cognitive decline, as well as a wide range of serious health problems.[4]
Unfortunately, most people don't do anything until the initial symptoms, such as muscle aches and joint discomfort, appear. When this happens, their gut reaction often is to go see a doctor, who is unlikely to correctly diagnose the problem, and more than likely will prescribe drugs that are far from safe and only provide short-term benefits.
But the initial symptoms of pain are just the beginning. If left unchecked, chronic inflammation can damage your body in many ways. One of the worst examples of this is cognitive decline, which can ravage your memory and severely impact your quality of life in what should be your golden years.
Cutting-edge science is showing that curcumin is one of the most powerful, natural anti-inflammatories ever studied. Curcumin is so effective because it is a potent inhibitor of the body's most powerful inflammation-causing chemical, called Nf-kappa beta. Miraculously, curcumin has been shown in numerous studies to tame joint pain and muscle soreness, protect the brain, support cardiovascular health, bolster immunity and more.[5,6,7,8,9] If you have a lingering health problem that no doctor can resolve, you may be suffering from chronic inflammation and curcumin may be just the natural solution you've been looking for.
Scientific References
| 1. | https://www.alz.org/downloads/facts_figures_2012.pdf |
| 2. | Neurology. 1998; 51(4): 1000-1008 |
| 3. | J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2008 Feb;28(1):110-3. |
| 4. | Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2005 Feb;37(2):289-305. |
| 5. | Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2009; 41(1): 40?59. |
| 6. | J Neurosci Res. 2004 Mar 15; 75(6): 742-50. |
| 7. | Nutrition. Sept 2009, 25(9): 964-972.) |
| 8. | J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2007 May; 321(2): 616-25. |
| 9. | Biochem Pharmacol. 2005 Sep 1; 70(5): 700-13. |
| 10. | Planta Med. 1998; 64(4): 353-356. |
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 Joshua Corn, Editor-in-Chief of the Live in the Now newsletter, is a health freedom advocate who's been involved in the natural health movement for over 15 years. He's always been dedicated to promoting health, vitality, longevity and natural living. Josh is currently writing a book on natural remedies and is gearing up to launch the Live in the Now radio show. In addition to his work in the natural health field, Josh is an avid outdoorsman, organic gardener, animal lover and enjoys "living in the now" with his wife and two sons. |
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