Turmeric: a Miracle Herb

-by Sheela Rani Chunkath

Unfortunately for many of us Indians, we need our traditions accepted and validated by the West before we take pride in it or follow it. Thus we had yoga 'given' to us by the West. Maybe soon Ayurveda and Siddha will become really popular in the West and then we will see more Siddha and Ayurveda colleges in India. Today, people in Tamil Nadu clamour for one government allopathic medical college in every district. An equal clamour unfortunately does not seem to exist for Siddha and Ayurvedic medical colleges. So while we have more and more government allopathic medical colleges, there are only two state government Siddha and only one government Ayurvedic medical college in the state. The Ayurveda college was, in fact, inaugurated by the present Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu during her last term in office and was the first of its kind in Tamil Nadu.

So while we wait for people to wake up to our rich traditions, let me quote what Dr. David Frawley, an American Ayurvedic practitioner has to say about turmeric (Curcuma longa), "if I had only a single herb to depend upon for all possible health and dietary needs, I would without hesitation choose the Indian spice turmeric." This has been said many times over in our 5000 year old Ayurvedic and Siddha texts and now we have a white man saying it too.

When I was 16 years old, our family had hosted an American girl under the American Field Service Exchange Programme. She was a very outgoing girl and often visited our neighbours to soak in the Indian culture. One day I remember she came running home saying that our neighbour had jaundice since her face was yellow and that she should be taken to a doctor immediately. Of course it was the turmeric paste she had applied on her face while having her bath. During my growing up years, applying turmeric on the face was quite common and women really did not bother about the slightly yellowish complexion since turmeric was considered an auspicious herb and its use encouraged for a variety of health and cosmetic reasons. For those of us teenagers who were somewhat not reconciled to walking around with a yellow-hued face there was kasthuri manjal (Curcuma aromatica) of the divine smell and which did not leave behind such a markedly yellow colour on the face.

Turmeric powder is an excellent exfoliant and I enjoy using kasthuri manjal with a little chickpea flour or greengram flour with either curd or oil (mustard or gingelly). Smells delicious and snack-worthy! No do not try to eat it as kasthuri manjal is not used for cooking.

For those who have joint pains taking a small pinch (250 to 300 mg) per day of turmeric powder does wonders. Turmeric can be taken with milk or honey if you are not diabetic. It can also be taken in capsule form. I normally get empty capsules, fill it with ground turmeric and swallow it if I am unable to get my daily dose through food.

In addition to being a powerful anti-inflammatory herb it protects the liver. It increases intestinal flora, it eases abdominal cramps and it decreases gas. It is a great antioxidant and protects the lungs. It is said to prevent Alzheimer's disease and is also useful in the treatment of AIDS. Turmeric also has incredible properties in fighting cancer. This is because curcumin the main bioactive ingredient in turmeric has the ability to inhibit the enzyme topoisomerase which is required for the replication of cancer cells. It is also a COX-2 inhibitor. COX-2 enzymes promote carcinogen activity in the body.

So what are we waiting for? Let us take our daily dose of turmeric. A note of caution: try and source fresh organic turmeric rhizomes as the availability of curcumin rapidly declines with age and we also do not want pesticides.

Grow your own turmeric if you can. Turmeric can be grown in small pots. Takes about 8-10 months. Sowing is normally region-specific and is usually between April-June. Do not stock large quantities of ground turmeric as it is photo-labile. Store in lightproof, airtight containers like coloured bottles or stainless steel containers. Consume your daily dose for a healthier, happier you.

 

 

--- The writer was earlier Health Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu and is currently Additional Chief Secretary and Chairman & Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation. She can be reached at Sheelarani.arogyamantra@gmail. com. Earlier articles can be accessed at http://arogyamantra.blogspot.com/