Turmeric And Arthritis: What Arthritis?
There’s usually a ‘good’ side to anything and a ‘bad’ side too. That’s one of the neat complexities in life. And also, when it becomes imbalanced, a “good” thing usually starts getting not-so-good.
You know the saying: “Too much of a good thing”? Well, the same is true for our physical bodies! We know that too much sugar will make us gain weight and not feel good. Why? Because when we overdo it, there’s too much of it for our bodies to process at one time and it becomes toxic to our systems. (Not to mention that it’s not good for us to begin with!).
How Does Arthritis Begin Smouldering?
Whenever our bodies are in distress, our immune systems respond by sending out increased amounts of blood and other nutrients to fix the problem. Inflammation is the natural response from our immune system to anything that comes into our bodies that doesn't belong there—or at least that our immune system doesn't think belongs there.
This normal immune response is what keeps us healthy and helps us recover from injuries and illnesses. It’s a little like having our own natural pharmacy right inside! We wouldn’t be able to heal from the simple cold or even a small cut without this inflammation shooting out like a firehose and coming in to do its job in the healing process. You can easily see it around a wound or affected joint in the redness and swelling around the painful area.
Too much of a good thing…
As with anything, imbalances can occur, especially in our health. When our immune system is out of balance, the amount of inflammation in our bodies increases, and this can seriously affect our health in a negative way.
Once inflammation gets out of control, it can attach to a specific joint or area of the body or spread throughout the entire system. There are a variety of causes that result in an imbalanced immune system, leaving one with pain and excessive inflammation. The main ones are:
Diet: Processed foods, sugar, refined flours, and overeating
Stress
Lack of exercise
Chronic infections
Repeated injuries
Food or environmental allergens.
There are also a number of diseases specifically caused by an overactive immune system, resulting in chronic inflammation that is usually quite painful. These illnesses are called autoimmune diseases. There is no established cause for autoimmune diseases as of yet. The general belief is that certain environmental factors simply serve to trigger a genetically predisposed reaction from an individual to the trigger.
Arthritis: The Bonfire
The word arthritis means “inflammation of the joints”, and it can literally feel like a fire burning inside your joints. In fact, there is often heat associated with redness and pain in the affected joints for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Interestingly, any disease that ends with “it is” results in painful inflammation spread throughout the system, or specifically localised to one or several joints. Examples include arthritis, tendonitis, and colitis.
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It comes from a decline in calcium in bones, resulting in shrinking bones that become brittle and break more easily. It occurs most often in women aged 60 and older.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is the most debilitating type of arthritis. Its damage is not limited to joints; it can spread throughout the entire system. Over 1 million adults in the United States have some form of rheumatoid arthritis, and it affects women three times more than men. Almost 300,000 children under the age of 18 have been diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Unfortunately, there is still no cure for arthritis. Symptoms are managed according to severity with traditional oral or intravenous medications. While these medications reduce symptoms and help control the disease, they often come with side effects that cause even more imbalances throughout the body after prolonged use. So, while one fire is being put out, several others are starting in other areas.
Time For Turmeric: The Fire Chief of Herbs
Turmeric is not only one of the most effective Herbs for reducing inflammation and pain; it accomplishes this task with virtually no side effects! Equipping your immune system with Turmeric is like calling in the Fire Chief and the entire team of firefighters to get your burning pain under control and closer to being extinguished.
Many scientific studies have successfully proven the incredibly healing effects that Turmeric and its anti-inflammatory ingredient Curcumin have on the pain and inflammation caused by arthritis.
The results from some of these studies show that:
Bioflavable forms of Curcumin had a greater effect in reducing pain and inflammation in the joints of rheumatoid arthritis patients than traditional medications.
Patients taking Curcumin instead of ibuprofen for knee pain due to osteoarthritis reported a larger decrease in pain while walking long distances or climbing stairs.
There was less residual damage in other areas of the body and organs for those taking Curcumin than for those taking ibuprofen, in osteoarthritis patients.
Even before scientific evidence confirmed the firefighting properties of Turmeric, history and tradition told us that cultures have been using Turmeric for thousands of years to treat various health issues—long before these diseases had names or had been formally studied.
How Can You Add Turmeric into Your Diet to Combat Arthritis?
It is easy to incorporate this wonderful healing Herb into your diet, and you’re in for a treat if you haven’t yet discovered this golden jewel! Many people cook with it by sprinkling it into vegetable dishes, salads, on top of avocados or grilled corn, or into curries, omelettes… really, almost anything!
Creating specialty beverages is one of the best ways to add Turmeric to your nutritional firewall. With the right mixture of key ingredients teamed with your Turmeric, you can make up some tasty and potent hot or cold teas, lattes, and smoothies.
Explore our specialty beverages, all fuelled with organic Turmeric and other natural Herbs and Spices. Each blend is specifically formulated for optimum absorption—and mixed with love! Visit our online tea shop for delicious, 100% organic, ethically sourced, sugar-free, vegan teas and blends.
Yours in loving health,
The Taka Tea(m)
