Does your back hurt in the morning?
Is your knee stiff right before it rains?
In short, do you need to take ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatory drugs to help you deal with daily pain?
What if the solution to your pain is not in your medicine cabinet, but on your spice rack?
The spice turmeric is a proven inflammation fighter which has provided pain relief to millions throughout the world.
The biggest problem with using spices to help with medical issues is getting the dosage correct.
The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. In double-blind studies, its anti-inflammatory properties have been proven.
The problem with curcumin is it is not easily absorbed by itself, so keeping it in the turmeric makes sense.
It becomes better absorbed when mixed with black pepper, so if you are using it as a spice, you might want to consider combining them.
DOSAGE
For a standard anti-inflammatory effect, consider starting off with 500 milligrams of curcuminoids a day which should keep minor annoying daily pains away, as well as possibly helping promote gut health.
For those who are dealing with chronic pain, then consider 2,000 milligrams.
This is fairly easy to do if you are using a pill. Most turmeric labels will tell you how much curcumin is in the spice.
If you are just using the spice, the common rule of thumb is that there are 200 milligrams of curcumin in one teaspoon of fresh or ground turmeric.
The good news is that there doesn’t seem to be a downside to large doses of the spice.
In one study participants were given 8,000 milligrams per day, and no toxic effects were found.
And in another study participants received 3,600 to 8,000 milligrams a day and were tracked for four months.
Some reported some mild nausea, but there were no long-term effects noted.
Compare this to the known side effects of anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen and it is worth investigating this herb.
According to WebMD, the most common side effects are:
- Rash
- Dizzy
- Feel Like Throwing Up
- Heartburn
- Stomach Cramps
The Infrequent Side Effects are:
- Itching
- Ringing in The Ears
- Water Retention
- Conditions of Excess Stomach Acid Secretion
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Easily Angered or Annoyed
- Gas
- Head Pain
- Indigestion
- Loss of Appetite
- Nervous
- Throwing Up
And the more serious side effects:
- A Rupture in The Wall of The Stomach or Intestine
- Abnormal Heart Rhythm
- Abnormal Liver Function Tests
- Acquired Decrease of All Cells in The Blood
- Acute Inflammation of The Pancreas
- Allergic Reaction Causing Serum Sickness
- Altered Mental Status
- Anemia
- Bleeding Not Related to Menstrual Period
- Bleeding of The Stomach or Intestines
- Blind Spot in The Eye
- Bloody Urine
- Blurred Vision
- Bronchospasm
And you can get serious liver problems from the use of these anti-inflammatory drugs.
So, ask your doctor about switching to a more natural alternative without all the side effects.
One other interesting good effect of curcumin is it might make you happier.
In controlled studies, it is shown to be just as effective as antidepressant medications only available by prescription with their own side effects.
To learn more see this article: This Could Replace your Antidepressant
