The Hidden Healing Power of Curcumin

We can all agree that inflammation sucks. It causes pain, swelling, and discomfort, and it can even lead to worse conditions if left untreated.

That’s why it’s really important to treat inflammation–so that it doesn’t lead to any life-threatening complications (like having to remove certain organs or having a heart attack!). 

What if I told you that there was a natural and affordable way to prevent inflammation? Well, there is! Curcumin helps treat inflammation and chronic illness naturally.

Let’s backtrack for a second and define:

What is Curcumin?

You may have never heard of it before, but I’m sure you’ve eaten what curcumin is often found in, at least once in your life because curcumin is a key component of turmeric! So, if you’ve ever eaten Indian curry or taken a wellness shot at a local juice bar, chances are you’ve run into curcumin.

Why should we care about this substance?

Well, currently, there are over 14,400 peer-reviewed studies examining the beneficial medical uses of curcumin (Source). While not every study is a home run, most have shown the curcumin is useful for a wide variety of ailments–everything from diabetes to leaky gut to neuropathy. 

Curcumin is basically a power food for health. 

Curcumin not only gives turmeric its distinct yellow color and flavor, but it gives turmeric most of its commonly-accepted healing properties. 

One study has found curcumin to be anti-inflammatory (Source). We hear this term a lot, but what does it actually mean?

Curcumin is anti-inflammatory… So what?

Well, being “anti-inflammatory” means that curcumin can help reduce inflammation, which is an immune response that can cause swelling, pain, redness, and heat. You’ve probably experienced inflammation if you’ve been affected by any of the following:

The amazing part about curcumin is that it can help with all four of the listed chronic diseases and more. This is because curcumin helps treat the inflammation associated with those chronic conditions, improving the quality of life (and decreasing pain!) for patients diagnosed with issues like Crohn’s, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Cardiovascular Diseases.

Studies have been conducted that have found curcumin to help with other chronic issues such as osteoarthritis (Sources) and diabetes (Source) because of its anti-inflammatory properties. 

Let’s break that down a little bit.

→ What is osteoarthritis and how can curcumin help treat it?

Osteoarthritis happens when cartilage breaks down on a joint. This is usually due to prolonged use (and thus the condition usually correlates strongly with age). 

It can cause pain, joint stiffness, and inflammation, which makes the pain and stiffness worse. 

This is where curcumin comes in. Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties help it fight against the joint swelling and inflammation that goes along with osteoarthritis. So while it cannot replace the lost cartilage, it can make the condition a lot easier to live with.

→ What is diabetes and how can curcumin help treat it?

There are a few different types of diabetes, but they have something in common: diabetes causes high blood sugar because people will diabetes cannot produce insulin efficiently. And insulin is what helps our bodies process blood sugar.

So, how does curcumin treat diabetes?

Just like with osteoarthritis, curcumin helps treat diabetes not through curing the disease but through helping manage its complications. Curcumin helps fight chronic inflammation and oxidative stress through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties respectively, and so it helps heal some of the related diabetic complications (Source).  

How Curcumin can help with gut + digestive issues

Curcumin is antioxidant and antibacterial (Source).  That means that it can help prevent cell damage caused by free radicals and get rid of harmful bacteria.

Because it’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial, curcumin can help alleviate some issues caused by digestive disorders (Source) like gut inflammation and intestinal permeability (i.e., “leaky gut”). This can help alleviate things like malnourishment due to intestinal problems and pain related to your gut’s immune response.

If you thought that was impressive, you’ll love this next part. 

Other (Major!) Uses of Curcumin in Medicine

Curcumin has been found to have an anti-tumor effect, which means it can potentially help treat certain cancers (Source). How amazing is that? 

The future of curcumin in medicine also points to its use in neurological and cardiac issues. 

One study found that it shows promise as a neuroprotective agent (Source). That means that it has the potential to reduce the chance of one’s having a stroke or to prevent further injury in patients with brain tumors (Source). 

Some researchers think that this neuroprotective aspect derives from curcumin’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Regardless of the mechanism behind curcumin’s incredible healing ability, it has still shown promise in helping with conditions like epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, strokes, and even depression (Source). 

Curcumin really does seem to help with a wide variety of medical issues. It was even found to help with cardiac (heart) stress in mice (Source), pointing to a possible future as a protective element for the cardiovascular system. It seems especially useful in cases where the cardiac damage is caused by diabetes (Source). 

It doesn’t just help with the cardiac elements of diabetes. It has been found to help stabilize blood sugar levels, help with diabetes-related liver disease, and prevent diabetic neuropathy (Source). 

The real reason why Curcumin is good for your Health

Curcumin’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor effects yield a host of other positive effects–like being antibacterial, neuroprotective, and cardiac protective. This means that it is a key potential treatment for conditions that carry with them a wide range of related complications, like diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and IBD. Curcumin is thus a holistic treatment for complicated disorders, treating the body as one interconnected system. Taking curcumin as a daily supplement (in the amount suggested by your doctor) can target and help protect against numerous issues at once, including many chronic conditions, particularly if you use supplements with liposomal technology. Liposomal delivery brings the supplement directly to cells, without needing to go through your digestive tract, so it’s perfect for people with a lot of inflammation.

If you struggle with things like IBS/IBD (Irritable Bowel Syndrome + Irritable Bowel Disease respectively) or diabetes, or if you’re worried about developing chronic symptoms and chronic pain, consider adding curcumin to your routine. 

It’s time you ask yourself, should I be including curcumin as a daily supplement? Chances are the answer is yes!

Did you know about all these wonderful properties of curcumin? Share this article to help a friend who could benefit from its healing properties learn more about this amazing nutrient.