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You Are What You Eat: Turmeric is terrific

Posted on Jun 17th 2008 7:02AM by Martha Edwards

Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Being someone who loves to travel, I'm drawn to ethnic foods, tastes from around the world. So many cultures have different forms of curry, but my favourite is a good, spicy Indian curry. Provided it's not loaded with too much cream or sodium, curry is loaded with healthy ingredients like fresh veggies and spices. One of the key ingredients, of course, is Turmeric, and it's one of the main reasons you should eat more curry.

Why? The reasons are almost endless.

Like we've told you before, it's been proven to help slow down the progression Alzheimer's. And with Alzheimer's being so prevalent these days, this is a big deal -- people can't stop talking about it.
It can also help reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
It's a natural liver detoxifier.
It can help prevent several types of cancers, including leukemia, breast cancer and melanoma.
It helps prevent multiple sclerosis.
It's an effective treatment for inflammatory bowel disease.
It also helps ease the symptoms of cystic fibrosis.
It helps speed up metabolism and weight loss.
It helps skin wounds heal.
It makes chemo treatments more effective and it helps reduce the side effects.
It's a natural painkiller.
Plus, there are much more reasons over here.

Pretty impressive for one little spice, huh? So how can you get your fix of turmeric? Simple: Eat curry. Order some at your favourite local Indian restaurant, but skip the greasy naan bread and the fat-laden cream curries. Or make your own homemade curry -- there are lots of recipes out there. Some other suggestions: