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Is Turmeric More Effective Than Medication?
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Inflammation, as it happens, is another area where turmeric shines
Inflammation is a natural physiological response to injuries and certain illnesses and is not necessarily a bad thing. The problem is that the modern Western diet is filled with sugar and has a heavily imbalanced ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The combination of these factors leads to chronic, low-level inflammation throughout much of the population, which is a major contributing factor to all manner of diseases.
There are many prescription and over-the-counter drugs designed to treat inflammation, such as ibuprofen, naproxen and more. Popping pills may be convenient, but science is revealing that there may be a more natural way to treat inflammation that produces comparable results.
A study conducted in 2004 found that the curcumin compound in turmeric was effective in reducing inflammation as well as combating the growth of tumors.
Finally, turmeric appears to be useful for alleviating depression as well. A study on rats and mice at the Government Medical College in Bhavnagar, India, found that supplementing patients with curcumin derived from turmeric produced neurochemical results similar to those of antidepressant medications.
Now, you might be thinking, “That’s great that it makes rats feel better, but what about humans?”
Well, a study on 60 human patients living with depression seems to show that it works on people as well. A study published in Pythotherapy Research found that patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who took 1,000 milligrams of curcumin daily for six weeks experienced comparable results to patients taking Prozac, according to the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. This was a small study involving only 60 patients, and more research needs to be done. But is quite promising for people living with MDD who want to avoid the side effects associated with some prescription antidepressant medications.
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More and more studies are coming out every year proving what people have known for centuries: turmeric is an amazing food with powerful healing properties. Add some more turmeric to your diet, or talk to your doctor about curcumin supplementation to see how it can benefit you.
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