They say variety is the spice of life. We agree with that in many ways, especially when it comes to diet, exercise and activities. Having a lot of interests, workouts and different foods can make you feel happy, fulfilled and healthy. But, we want to talk about “spicing” up your health. Many herbs and spices can aid health and your heart in great ways.
Salt can cause heart problems; with too much sodium, your blood pressure can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke and other heart problems. Salt-free seasonings can help you remove the extra sodium from your diet. But the other spice in your kitchen can do more than just avoid harm. Today, we’re looking at turmeric, a yellowish spice found in a lot of Indian dishes.
Turmeric is rich in iron and may aid weight loss. One study showed that women who ate under a teaspoon of it daily lost more weight than women who ate the same diet. It was a small study, but it still makes us excited. Some research has shown it to reduce inflammation in the brain in a way that could help fight Alzheimer’s disease. Its ability to fight inflammation can also ease the symptoms of arthritis. Another study found it to be as helpful against depression as Prozac. That is also possibly linked to its ability to lessen inflammation in the brain. It boosts brain function and increases the amount of a growth hormone in the brain, slowing or reversing age-related cognition problems. This could also improve your memory.
In studies, turmeric lowered LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. It also reduced inflammation and infections. It boasts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may aid cardiovascular disease. It supports the health of the body’s own antioxidant enzymes. It kills as many germs in the mouth as actual mouthwash. Gum disease impacts around fifty percent of Americans and is damaging to heart health.
It can improve the lining of blood vessels, making it function more effectively as it regulates blood pressure and blood clotting. In fact, one study found that it did as much for blood vessel health ad exercise of certain medications. In different research, people who took turmeric after having bypass surgery had a 65 percent lower risk of having a heart attack after surgery.
For these many reasons, it has been referred to as “the golden spice of life.” While diet alone cannot fix health problems, we do like to eat healthily as part of our wellbeing plan. Only a doctor can tell you what’s right for you. However, we will be adding more turmeric into our lives with all this in mind!
