Posted on 02/22/2008 11:19:18 AM PST by blam
Ingredient In Yellow Curry Can Reduce Heart Enlargement And May Prevent Heart Failure
Turmeric. Eating curcumin, a natural ingredient in the spice turmeric, may dramatically reduce the chance of developing heart failure. (Credit: iStockphoto/Nilesh Bhange)
ScienceDaily (Feb. 22, 2008) — Eating curcumin, a natural ingredient in the spice turmeric, may dramatically reduce the chance of developing heart failure, researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre of the Toronto General Hospital have discovered.
In a study entitled, “Curcumin prevents and reverses murine cardiac hypertrophy,” published in the February edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers found when the herb is given orally to a variety of mouse models with enlarged hearts (hypertrophy), it can prevent and reverse hypertrophy, restore heart function and reduce scar formation.
The healing properties of turmeric have been well known in eastern cultures for some time. The herb has been used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine to reduce scar formation. For example, when there is a cut or a bruise, the home remedy is to reach for turmeric powder because it can help to heal without leaving a bad scar.
Unlike most natural compounds whose effects are minimal, curcumin works directly in the cell nucleus by preventing abnormal unraveling of the chromosome under stress, and preventing excessive abnormal protein production.
“Curcumin’s ability to shut off one of the major switches right at the chromosome source where the enlargement and scarring genes are being turned on is impressive,” says Dr. Peter Liu, cardiologist in the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and Scientific Director at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research – Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health. However Dr. Liu cautions that moderation is important, “the beneficial effects of curcumin are not strengthened by eating more of it.”
Dr. Liu, who holds the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Polo Chair Professor in Medicine and Physiology at the University of Toronto, says that since curcumin is a naturally occurring compound that is readily available at a low cost, it might be a safe and effective means of preventing heart failure in the future.
“Whether you are young or old; male or female; the larger your heart is, the higher your risk is for developing heart attacks or heart failure in the future. However, until clinical trials are done, we don’t recommend patients to take curcumin routinely. You are better off to take action today by lowering blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, exercising and healthy eating,” says Dr. Liu.
If clinical trials of curcumin support initial findings of heart enlargement prevention, it may offer hope for millions of patients with heart enlargement in a relatively safe and inexpensive manner. Curcumin-based treatments are currently in clinical trials for pancreatic and colorectal cancer patients with promising results.
This study was funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Adapted from materials provided by University Health Network, via Newswise.
Have a look.
Turmeric ping!
If you happen to develop a taste for Indian pickles, they are loaded with all this good stuff. They do go well with American food, imo.
Yup. Me too... and alzheimer's.
Curry is the most popular dish in the UK presently.
I understand that most of the major pharma companies are frantically working to come up with a patentable version of the active molecule. The same is true for the grape extract, resveratrol. The human and animal test results for these two herbs are quite remarkable.
I think you might be thinking of tamarind.
Gotta be careful with that advice. What is commonly sold as Indian food in restaurants is usually Mughal fare, a form of cuisine once consumed by royalty, especially ones who were physically active. Average Indian food is not as rich:
We live near at least three Indian buffets (for lunch). We LOVE this food!
ping!
Turmeric has also been linked to the prvention of Alzheimer’s. Indians have one of the lowest incidences of Alzheimer’s and that has been linked to the use of Turmeric in their diet.
I’ve been taking Tumeric 500mg for months for the curcuminoids (anti0xidants), who knew?
There's a recipe for turmeric tea at this guy's web site: www.iskcon.net.au/kurma/2008/01/11. It sounds pretty weird. I'll have to try it and see if the ginger and maple syrup tame the turmeric and lemon juice.
Tamarind fruit comes in seed pods that look like big castor beans. They're kind of like dates, I would think (I don't eat dates, so not sure, taste-wise.)
When I want to use it for something, I buy a puree or paste of it in frozen concentrated form at the grocery. I've had a drink of it in Mexico and in the Caribbean, which is why I think they have this concentrate here in Houston.
I really never thought of it being in Worcestershire sauce until you brought it up! And I can drink W'shire by the gallon, lol.
Bump
Well, ugh! I did that turmeric thing I found online by other FReepers’ recommendation, in trying to cure the recurring rash I have/had on the tops of my hands.
Bleeccch! It said to drink 1 Tbsp in a glass of water, every so many hours or several times per day. Aaacck, I can still taste it!
It was CLAY, like you would make a mud mask out of for your face! And it tasted like dirt - BAD dirt. Or burning plastic! Not only that, it didn’t work - and I endured that grossness for at least a month, I was so desperate.
I eat curry all the time - at least several times per week - and love it. So I am ingesting turmeric in small amounts, anyway, but never again with the “intense turmeric therapy”! Ptooey! *spit spit*
Thanks, its going in my saved file.
I’ve found that turmeric supplements help my arthritis significantly.
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