Prevention & Treatments
We all know prevention and maintenance is the best route to health. With the right knowledge, a little understanding and mindful practices, we can all find our path to vitality.
Using high-quality turmeric provides the body with enough of its powerful healing component, curcumin – making turmeric one of nature’s most powerful spices. For centuries, it has been used to treat an array of illnesses. Today, science and society have found further ways in how this powerful spice can benefit our health. Read on to discover how.
We are seeing an epidemic of inflammatory diseases. In fact, nearly every modern disease, from autoimmune diseases, heart disease and cancer, to obesity, diabetes and dementia, is caused by an inflammatory process in the body.
Whilst acute (or short-term) inflammation can be beneficial and is very normal – forming part of the body’s defense mechanism, working to naturally destroy pathogens such as bacteria or repair damage – chronic (long-term) inflammation can be detrimental to your body and destroy tissue.
Therefore, anything that can help stop the cycle of chronic inflammation is of potential importance in preventing and even treating these diseases.
Curcumin naturally inhibits inflammation by targeting multiple steps in the inflammatory pathway, at the molecular level. It works to block NF-kB – a molecule that travels into the nuclei of cells and turns on genes related to inflammation.
Unlike synthetic drugs, which typically work against only a single inflammatory pathway, natural curcumin reduces inflammation through its effects on multiple pathways.
Inflammation is also the cause of autoimmune diseases such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, which is chronic inflammation in the central nervous system.
The hallmarks of osteoarthritis are cartilage destruction and inflammation – two conditions that curcumin is able to prevent. An interesting property of curcumin is its ability to protect chondrocytes (specialised cells found in joint cartilage) from being broken down by inflammatory compounds (IL-1beta, MMP3) in the body.
In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the body’s own immune cells attack and destroy the lining of the joints (synovium). This chronic, painful, and debilitating condition is characterised by inflammation throughout the body, warm and swollen joints, and even joint destruction.
With autoimmune conditions, the body attacks itself by deploying immune cells and inflammatory chemicals. The anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin can help in preventing this by acting as an immune modulating agent, preventing interaction between autoantibodies and autoantigens (auto means your body’s own components).
Daily exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle – for most of us!
Curcumin can help us recover faster, both in our normal recovery post-exercise and in the case of injury. Curcumin prevents delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) from getting in our way, with its anti-inflammatory properties.
Strenuous exercise often causes the body to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). This can cause damage to cells, impairs the immune system (making us more prone to disease and illness) and delays our ability to recover from exercise. Curcumin has antioxidant properties and can therefore neutralise ROS and reduce its harming effects. It achieves this also by increasing blood antioxidant capacity.
These are the joints and muscles that will be walking us into old age, it’s time to take care of them. The healthier our joints, the more we can exercise with ease.
Endothelial dysfunction is a major driver of heart disease and involves an inability of the endothelium (the lining of the blood cells) to regulate blood pressure, blood clotting and various other factors. Perhaps the main benefit of curcumin, when it comes to heart disease, is improving the function of the endothelium.
In addition, curcumin supports healthy cholesterol levels, by inhibiting cholesterol. Curcumin is widely believed to slow the formation of fatty tissue by affecting the blood vessels needed to form it, preventing that “bad” cholesterol from forming.
Curcumin also modulates the metabolic pathway involved in cholesterol absorption, thereby reducing and regulating cholesterol levels in the blood.
Curcumin is one of the most powerful antioxidants known in the plant kingdom. Antioxidants are a natural antidote for reactive oxygen species (ROS), responsible for destroying the healthy cells in our body, making us more prone to disease and illness. Curcumin has the ability to fight off ROS at its source as well as stimulate your body’s natural antioxidant system.
Human bodies low in antioxidant capacity are believed to be prone to premature aging, everything from wrinkled skin to stiff joints, to decreased collagen levels and age-related chronic diseases.
Curcumin has been shown to prevent heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's, as well as protection of the immune system and brain function. Coupled with its antioxidant properties, its all-round protective properties are of obvious benefit for longevity.
A strong immune system is the holy grail of good health – it can fight colds, cough and chest congestion, and also helps keep you away from bigger, more serious diseases and infections.
Turmeric is most commonly taken to fight colds, due to the antiviral and antibacterial properties from the curcumin contained in the spice. In addition, its anti-inflammatory properties help to relieve the symptoms of respiratory tract infections.
Curcumin has also been found to boost your white blood cells – the cells that help your immune system fight off bacteria and viruses. And as we now know, white blood cells are extremely important in the body’s fight against cancer.
Just imagine then, if you took a daily dose of Golden Life Turmeric Blend to boost your immune system from the very start, that you could prevent that first sniffle from ever surfacing.
Blended with ginger and cinnamon, which themselves are great cold busters, Golden Life Turmeric Blend can help maintain an efficient immune system, which is the basis for preventing much more than just the common cold.
A healthy, well-balanced colon is essential to gut health, comfort, and the growth of beneficial bacteria – all of which are key to continued immune support and prevention of disease.
One of the regulatory aids of curcumin is how it supports digestion, by relaxing the smooth muscles of the digestive tract and gently pushing digested food through the intestines. It also discourages gas and bloating by stimulating the production of bile in the body, which assists with the processing of fat.
Curcumin facilitates the balance between the microbiota (normal flora in the colon) and the immune response in the colon. It encourages the colonic crypts – glands on the inner surface of the colon – to regenerate and heal. This can be especially beneficial when leaky bowel or hostile organism overgrowth is present.
With its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, studies have also found curcumin may be helpful in treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Diet, stress, poor sleep and changes in gut bacteria may all trigger symptoms in IBD sufferers, and curcumin has already been proven to assist with all these symptoms individually.
As IBD can typically be managed by an immediate change of diet, including curcumin into that lifestyle change is a very easy and effective measure.
The fight to cure cancer is the elusive dream of modern science.
Recent studies have discovered that turmeric, and its important compound curcumin, can aid the body in the protection and fight against cancerous cells.
Curcumin interferes with several important molecular pathways involved in cancer development, growth and spread, as it has the ability to modulate genetic activity and expression – both by destroying cancer cells and by promoting healthy cell function.
We already understand curcumin boosts antioxidant levels and improves the immune system, which are important factors in the body’s fight against cancerous cells, and studies now tell us it also promotes antiangiogenesis – meaning it helps prevent the development of additional blood supply necessary for cancer cell growth.
Further studies are ongoing, but understanding the fundamental benefits of turmeric and curcumin are leading scientists to discover further, far reaching uses.
A healthy lifestyle means the health of your body, mind and soul.
For many, depression is often left untreated for fear of stigma. Fortunately, through recent studies, curcumin has now surfaced as a natural antidepressant, as it can treat some of the root causes of depression without the side effects of prescription drugs.
Inflammation in the brain is known to play a major role in the development of depression. Therefore, it seems logical that the anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin may be useful. In addition, curcumin is able to modulate the levels of brain neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine) that influence mood, behaviour, appetite, emotions, and even sleep and memory.
With the many ways we understand curcumin to be of benefit to the body and mind, this is a welcome addition.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the world and a leading cause of dementia. Unfortunately, the treatment for Alzheimer’s is limited, so working to prevent the onset is of utmost importance.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein that plays a pivotal role in neuronal health. The health, vitality, and, perhaps most importantly, functionality of each one of your brain cells is intimately influenced by BDNF.
BDNF regulates not only the growth of brain cells, but also their ability to make connections to other brain cells, a process fundamental to our capacity to create a more powerful brain. As we age, so too does our body’s ability to produce the important BDNF hormone. This is one of the factors linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
The anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin, along with its ability to boost production of BDNF, have been cited as possible aids for degenerative brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s.
It is believed these two factors may be effective at delaying or even reversing many brain diseases and age-related decreases in brain function. As curcumin stimulates the production of BDNF, there is also the possibility that it could help improve memory and make you mentally sharper – at any age!
In the treatment of diabetes, curcumin can assist to moderate insulin levels. It also improves glucose control and increases the effect of medications used to treat diabetes. Another significant benefit is curcumin’s effectiveness in helping reduce insulin resistance, which may prevent the onset of Type-2 diabetes.
Given their blood sugar-regulating abilities, when curcumin and cinnamon are combined they become a powerful tool that manages diabetic symptoms, preventing the dangerous highs and lows in blood sugar that can be threatening for diabetics or those at high risk of developing diabetes.
Curcumin can be very helpful in maintaining an ideal body weight. As we have mentioned, curcumin aids with your cholesterol levels by preventing the formation of fatty tissue, and it also increases the flow of bile – an important component in the breakdown of dietary fat.
Furthermore, the spice is believed to stimulate your metabolism, aiding the body with this natural process.
Our modern world exposes us to an increase in environmental toxins, pesticides, processed foods, and heavy metals. This puts our livers under significant strain to detoxify our bodies. The liver detoxifies the blood through the production of enzymes and curcumin increases production of these vital enzymes, ensuring the liver performs its natural function.
Curcumin has also been found to stimulate the gallbladder to produce bile. Our liver uses bile to eliminate toxins, so curcumin can help your body with bile production to assist liver function.
Finally curcumin is also believed to invigorate and improve blood circulation, all of which support liver function – and a healthy functioning liver is vital to overall body health.
Curcumin not only protects skin with its ability to eradicate free radicals (believed to be responsible for aging and skin damage) and reduce inflammation, but it has also been shown to improve collagen and ensure the blood flow to carry nutrients needed to repair damaged tissue, promoting healing.
Did you know curcumin is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, and can be used as an effective disinfectant? If you have a cut or burn, sprinkle curcumin (turmeric) powder on the affected area to speed up the healing process.
Sufferers of skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema can use curcumin as both an oral and topical treatment for their condition.
The importance of a good night’s sleep is often outweighed by our busy modern lives. Lack of sleep, or irregular sleep, can have detrimental long-term effects. Apart from feeling irritated and lacking concentration, it can cause depression, weight gain, high-blood pressure and will put excessive stress on your body, leading to serious heart problems.
At its base, curcumin reduces inflammation, lowers your blood sugar levels, helps your liver to detoxify, boosts your immune system and eases your digestive system – all of which help you to get to sleep faster, to sleep better, and to wake up feeling refreshed.
Curcumin is a well-known remedy for insomnia as it can increase serotonin levels in the brain – the chemical associated with relaxation, calm moods, and sleepiness. A comforting cup of Golden Life Turmeric Blend before bed can be a simple way to a good night’s sleep, whilst also aiding your body to recover from the trials of the day.
With so much publicity around this healing spice, it’s important to remember that not all turmeric is of the highest grade needed to experience its healing benefits, or comes prepared with the perfect balance of complementary ingredients to ensure absorption.
That’s why we created Golden Life Turmeric Blend. We use premium ingredients, free from preservatives and artificial flavours, blended through science to provide optimum wellness.
Always consult with your medical practitioner when considering the suitability of our blend to your specific medical condition or circumstance.