Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Turmeric and the Hood Rats

I am once again concerned about the neighborhood I live in. As Greg was walking up to the house two men (not guys, not boys) asked him if he had some marijuana. Then they bummed a cigarette from him. Later on they asked my daughter when she went out to her car to get her bag for weed. Moments later they asked her friend Bella for weed as she went out to the car to get her shoes. An hour later they are asking Greg if they can go out and party with them all. You male creatures cannot afford cigarettes of your own. You have asked everyone in my home but me and my 5 year old granddaughter for drugs and now you want to go out with them?  Apparently you can afford crack because you are thinking real crazy!!!! One more thing… quit spilling your margaritas all over my porch you drunk wankers!!!


I was looking at some of the benefits of Turmeric a spice that has been used in the Middle East and India for thousands of years. It is excellent for use as a medical anti-inflammatory. Great! We do not want inflammation. But according to the site I am on we do want some inflammation. To make it simple let me break it down a bit.


A sign of Inflammation is redness, pain, heat and swelling which can lead to a loss of function of the area inflamed.  Inflammation is actually part of the healing process. It is how your body will treat a foreign object to isolate it in an effort to protect your life.  Your body will send plasma and leukocytes (cells of the immune system that defend the body against infection and foreign objects) to the attacked or injured area. The redness and heat are caused by the increase in the flow of blood to the area as it deposits the plasma and leukocytes.  The swelling is caused by the now increased fluids at the injury site. Pain is from a release of chemicals during the combining of the plasma and leukocytes in the area that stimulate your nerve endings sending your brain the message that “hey! Something is wrong here!” 


Inflammation can be immediate or may take a couple hours to accomplish.
Some things that cause inflammation are….
Frostbite
Burns
Stub your toe
Cut your finger while peeling an apple
A splinter enters your skin while you are stacking firewood 

Alcohol and Stress to name just a few.
There is Acute (injury caused) inflammation and Chronic (viral infection, autoimmune reaction). You want acute. You do not want chronic which is associated with heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and several other health problems. Now that you have noticed the painful red swollen bump on your finger you realize there is a splinter sticking its tiny point into your skin. You can remove it, clean it, dress it and be on your way; Spiderman band aid firmly in place.


Without the inflammation, bacteria could enter our bodies wreak havoc, kill us and we would have no idea it was just a nick of a razor while shaving.
Turmeric is a powerful anti – inflammatory and is good for treating chronic inflammation. Chemicals in the turmeric actually seeks out and targets the sneaky little pathways in our system chronic inflammation travels upon and ambushes the bad stuff. An epic battle on a molecular level to rival Flodden commences. In this case we want Queen Katherine’s English troops to win.

                                             Flodden Field by Sir John Gilbert, 1878

Turmeric is also full of antioxidants which means it is also fighting the poisonous and destructive free radicals that roam our bodies looking for ways to kill us. By doing that great job of patrolling and destroying the free radicals it stimulates our own cells to step up their game and our own anti-oxidants become more efficient.

Bonus it increases brain power!!! Eating black pepper with the turmeric increases its effects.

I use turmeric in all my egg, potato and some meat dishes. It is served in abundance in curry.


Hungry now? I am !!!

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