See Part 1 for Introduction
E. Curcumin Stimulates Improvements Which Some Say Lower Your Risk of Heart Problems
Heart disease runs high on the list of medical problems worldwide.
Scientists are beginning to understand better why this happens.
Many studies tell them that heart problems are incredibly complicated and there are various things that contribute to it.
Curcumin in turmeric may help reverse some of the factors in the process of heart disease.
One benefit of curcumin in regard to heart disease, is improving the lining of the blood vessels which is called the endothelium.
Researchers tell us that endothelial dysfunction is a bad actor in heart disease and causes an inability of the endothelium to control blood pressure, blood clotting and other related functions of your body.
Studies suggest repeatedly that curcumin can cause improvements in endothelial function. There is research showing turmeric’s curcumin is as effective as exercise, some testing shows that it works as well as the drug Atorvastatin, and that without the side effects of that drug.
Also curcumin reduces inflammation and oxidation (as discussed elsewhere), which are also an important factors in the progress of heart disease.
In one study, 121 suffers of clogged arteries, who were to have coronary artery bypass operations, were chosen to either have placebo or 4 grams of curcumin per day, a several days before and after the surgery.
The ones receiving curcumin experienced a 65% decreased risk of heart attack while in the hospital and on curcumin.
F. Turmeric Can Help Prevent (And Perhaps Even Treat) Cancer
There are different kinds of cancer, but several things that are common about the appear to be affected by curcumin of turmeric with supplemental usage.
Researchers, like those a M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, have researched curcumin in cancer therapy. This herbal compound can alter cancer’s growth, development and spread at the molecular level.
Studies have shown that it can reduce growth of new blood vessels in tumors, which is called angiogenesis, spread of cancer which doctors call metastasis. It even contributes to the death of cancer cells.
Many studies show that curcumin can reduce the growth of cancer in the laboratory animals.
Whether high-dose curcumin (preferably with an absorption enhancer like pepper) can help treat cancer in humans has yet to be tested properly. But what could it hurt.
Research M.D. Anderson suggests that it makes no difference if you take a high dose or low. It is just getting curcumin into the body and the body does the rest. They use turmeric as an add on to treatment of skin cancer which is an inflammation related cancer.
Beyond this, there has been evidence gathered from research suggesting that supplementation of this herb may aid in preventing cancer from occurring in the first place. This is especially true of cancers of the digestive system,like colorectal cancer.
There is a study which used 44 men with colon lesions that were expected by the doctors to turn cancerous. Each day 4 grams of curcumin where taken for 30 days, and the number of lesions reduced 40%.
Maybe curcumin will be used along with conventional cancer treatment one day more extensively.