10 Health Benefits Of Turmeric And How To Use It

 

 

Turmeric has been used as a herb over the centuries for its anti-inflammatory properties and is also packed with several nutrients, including dietary fiber, sodium, vitamin C, E, K, calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium. Due to all these properties, this orange-colored spice works great in treating lots of different health problems.

 

Here are some evidence-based benefits of turmeric:

1- Speeds up the healing process of wound of your skin due to its antiseptic properties. Mix it with aloe vera gel can be more effective.

 

2- It has been shown to affect cancer growth, and has been used to prevent prostate cancer or even destroy the existing cancer cells when combined with cauliflower.

 

3- It may promote metabolism and help you lose weight as it’s effective in reducing insulin resistance which is the key to weight loss. Turmeric also improves digestion, so add it to your diet if you are looking to lose weight.

 

4- Many spices that with anti-flammatory effects are being used to treat arthritis and one of the most promising of them is turmeric, as it contains chemicals that work similarly to some anti-inflammatory medicines.

 

5- Turmeric can increase the production of bile by the gallbladder, and the liver uses bile to detox the blood, this factor supports good liver health.

 

6- Many studies have proven the turmeric’s effects in preventing Alzheimer’s disease, turmeric contains several agents that block the formation of beta-amyloid, which responsible for the plaques that slowly obstruct cerebral function in Alzheimer’s disease.

 

7- The presence of curcumin makes turmeric good for treating depression, as curcumin may increase the serotonin levels, which does well in the regulation of memory, sleep, mood as well as learning, and it’s clear that these behaviors play a role in depression.

 

8- Turmeric can be used in treating diabetes, particular type-2 diabetes by helping reduce insulin resistance.

 

9- Maintaining cholesterol at a healthy level can prevent many kinds of diseases and turmeric has been shown to reduce serum cholesterol levels.

 

10- Mix one teaspoon of turmeric in a glass of hot water and drink it can make you feel better sooner when you’re suffering from a cold or flu, this is due to the substance called lipopolysaccharide it contains, which is an immunity booster.

 

How to use turmeric:

- Drink it as a tea with honey or lemon for a better taste

- Spice up your food by adding it to anything, such as cooked vegetables, meat, eggs dishes or soups, pasta and rice.

- Take a turmeric supplement daily directly, it’s convenient when you’re unable to cook with it

- For beauty uses, you can mix it with castor oil, this is a great toxin releaser for your skin; And combine it with olive oil, can improve your overall condition of the scalp by dealing with the dandruff.

 

 

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7 Reasons You Should Start Canning

Canning and the purchase of the classic mason jar has skyrocketed. Jarden Home Brands, the biggest U.S. producer of mason jars, reported that mason jars have nearly double since 2001. Jarden credits the renewed interest in canning as part of the larger culture shift away from processed and prepackaged foods. By canning and preserving your own food you are able to avoid the modern artificial additives. Many of which have not been studied for long-term human consumption.

7 Reasons to Start Canning

BPA avoidance – Concern for the long-term negative health effects of BPA continues to grow. In 2010, the FDA official adopted a position “concern” as the data suggests that BPA alters hormone levels which may impair brain and behavioural development in small children and increase the risk of miscarriage.

Environmentally friendly – Canning reduces you environmental footprint on two fronts. 1) Reusing glass jars is even more environmentally friendly then recycling! 2) Less carbon is expelled into the atmosphere as your tomato sauce doesn’t need to be driven a thousand miles to your local store.

Save Money – Today’s modern farming system allows us to enjoy virtually any produce year around but that still comes at a higher price due to the increased cost of growing and transportation from a warmer climate. You can save money by purchasing additional in season produce and pressure canning it for later use when it’s out of season.

Nostalgia – Do you remember the ‘days of innocence’? Did your parents or grandparents can food when you where a child? Taking up this traditional activity is a great way to remember and connect with great family memories.

Gifts – Want to really make an impression with someone special or a work contact? A home canned jar of salsa or jam is a great way to show them how much you care. And have you ever needed a last minute gift? Imagine having a well stocked pantry which can double as your go to emergency gift store.

Hobby – Canning is an interesting and engaging activity that can also double as a new hobby.

Social Connection – Prepping and pressurizing the glass jars can take a few hours. This is a great activity to do with a couple friends. Canning is the perfect mix of activity and down time allowing you to socialize while pressure canning. Canning in a group allows you to make new connections and probably even come home with a wider variety of canned goods!


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Acid Reflux - Three Classic Home Remedies

Acid reflux is a common medical condition in which digestive acids rise from the stomach into the esophagus. This causes the esophagus (the passage between the pharynx and the stomach) to become irritated, resulting in a burning sensation which, in the most acute cases, can last for up to 48 hours.

While acid reflux is rarely a serious issue, it is always an unpleasant one and can ruin the lives of people who suffer from chronic cases. In fact, drugs for acid reflux are a billion-dollar industry in the United States alone. However, these drugs are almost always created from unnatural ingredients and often create more problems than they fix in the long term. Fortunately, nature has provided us with several natural remedies for acid reflux that can treat the condition far more naturally, and gently, than Big Pharma's offerings.

Baking soda

It is hard to find a food product more versatile than baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate. This soluble white compound, which was used as far back as Ancient Egypt, makes an effective deodorant, toothpaste, facial cleaner and even laundry detergent. However, baking soda is also highly effective at treating acid reflux, since its alkaline nature can neutralize excess stomach acid in no time.

To use baking soda for this purpose, dissolve a teaspoon of it into a cup of warm water and drink the mixture slowly. Be prepared for some burping, since adding baking soda to water releases carbon dioxide, causing an impressive fizz.

Apple cider vinegar

It might seem strange to recommend a highly acidic product like apple cider vinegar to treat a condition marked by excess stomach acid, but it really does work. One theory is that the acetic acid in the vinegar reduces stomach acidity (i.e. increases its pH), since acetic acid is much weaker than hydrochloric acid. Another theory is that acetic acid can buffer and maintain stomach acid at a pH level of around 3.0, which is strong enough to continue digesting food, but too mild to aggravate the esophagus.

Interested in using apple cider vinegar to treat acid reflux? Mix two or three teaspoons of it into a cup of warm water and drink it. Some people report that drinking this mixture before a heavy meal can actually prevent acid reflux from occurring afterwards.

Ginger root

The gastrointestinal benefits of ginger root have been known for centuries, and it remains one of the most popular and well known remedies for treating stomach-related conditions such as nausea, indigestion and morning sickness. We now understand that this is because ginger contains compounds similar to the enzymes found in our digestive tracts. However, due to its ability to lessen stomach acid, ginger is also ideal for treating acid reflux.

Although ginger can be consumed "as is," most people prefer to consume it as a tea. To do so, soak the root (or mix ginger powder) into a cup of hot water and drink it once it has cooled. The ginger will reduce the existing acid build-up and also stimulate our digestive enzymes, thereby preventing future build-ups as well.

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Why Detoxification Is So Important and How To Do It Right

To many, the word detox is just one of today's buzzwords--not a means to gain health. Others think of detoxing as a form of starvation. Nothing could be further from the truth--not if you do it right.

We live in a world filled with chemicals. They are in our water, in our air, and in nearly everything we touch. Too many of us bathe and shampoo with products laced with chemicals, then use chemical laden products to shave, to smell good, to soften our skin, to treat our blemishes, and more. Our skin soaks up these chemicals every day.

We pick up parasites from our food and our surroundings that take up residence in our bodies. Our bodies store mercury, lead, and other heavy metals.

All of these foreign materials tax our body's resources and interfere with optimum health. The purpose of a detox is to cleanse the body of these foreign substances along with accumulated waste in order to optimize healthy bodily functions and healing.

We've been taught to regard our brain as the center of our universe. It would be more accurate to give this place of honor to our gut. If our gut is not working well, we do not assimilate vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates or proteins. The focus of a detox is to clean up the gut first, and follow with cleaning out the storage bins (stored fat), the organs, the blood and the lymph.

Cleaning out the gut involves moving out debris while giving the body maximum nutrition that does not require the digestive system to do a lot of work. At the same time, we want to fill our gut with prebiotics, probiotics, and easy to digest foods. This is the reason detox plans ask you to eliminate animal protein (or most animal protein) during a detox. It is hard to digest.

Out with the bad, in with the good

For an optimum detox, we want to ensure our body is not overtaxed or over burdened during the process. This means focusing on easily digested foods and drinking copious amounts of clean water.

Excellent supplement formulas for cleaning out the intestinal tract will move out old waste along with parasites and other substances.

Smoothies, made with vegetables and high quality nutritional powders are an excellent means to flood the body with nutrients while allowing the digestive tract to rest.

Prebiotic foods (raw, organic vegetables!) help the good bacteria in the gut to thrive while probiotics also help increase their numbers.

How to help your body successfully detox

Many toxins are stored in the fat. As they are released into our bloodstream, our bodies deal with a new burden. Therefore, we must give the body a lot of fluids to help it dispose of these toxins. Spring water with lemon juice, cranberry juice, and cayenne powder sipped throughout the day is an excellent addition to your cleanse.

Hot and cold hydrotherapy gets the blood throughout the tissues. This simple, age old therapy is a huge aid to the body during detoxification. And last, but not least, we must get the lymph moving and cleaned out. Movement is a necessity, but you should take it easy during a detox and restrict your exercise to walking and rebounding. Both will help your lymph move. A lymphatic massage will also be a great aid.

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