Sid Sheehan, Chef, Nutritional Therapist and CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine) graduate writes about the medicinal benefits of Turmeric.

Sid offers a range of nutritional advice and gives practical demonstrations on how to implement these changes into your diet at his Cookery School in Listowel Co. Kerry.

More information on him and the courses he runs can be found at http://www.nourishbynature.ie

The Power of Turmeric

Turmeric is one of nature’s most powerful painkillers and anti-inflammatories, or rather the chemical compound Curcumin, which is its key component.

This yellow flowered plant is a member of the ginger family. It is grown in Indonesia, China, India and other parts of the tropics, where the dried aromatic root like stem is ground to form a powder. This deep orange yellow powder is commonly used as a spice and one of the main ingredients in curry powder. Along with being used as a preservative, colouring and flavouring agent, turmeric has been used for over 4000yrs in Indian and Chinese medicine to relieve conditions ranging from flatulence and digestive disorders to menstrual irregularities. It is now widely recognised in the West as a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.

How it fights Inflammation

Inflammation is the body’s attempt at self-protection. When something harmful or irritating affects a part of our body there is a biological response to protect the affected area.

This immune response to a whole host of injuries, infections, illnesses and general disease of any part of the body is characterised by heat, redness, swelling and pain in the affected area. This complex protective mechanism can however become self-perpetuating whereby more inflammation is created in response to the existing inflammation. It is at this stage that we need to treat the inflammation by attempting to reduce it with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Curcumin works as a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants scavenge free radicals, these harmful molecules damage cell membranes and cause cell death. In addition they inhibit oxidative DNA damage and relieve oxidative stress. Curcumin is able to regulate the foundation of nitric oxide which is carcinogenic and plays a key role in inflammation.

As an anti-inflammatory, Curcumin works in a similar way to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) by inhibiting the activity and synthesis of specific enzymes. Clinical trials show that at dosages of 400-1200mg/day, curcumin is comparable to ibuprofen.

Curcumin also acts as a choleretic, that is, a substance that increases the volume of bile and amounts of solids secreted from the liver.

Through its various mechanisms, this spice supports colon health, exerts neuro-protective activity and helps maintain a healthy cardiovascular system by providing significant protection against damage of the inner lining of the blood vessels.

Extensive lab tests have shown that curcumin interferes with melanoma skin cancer cells causing them to self-destruct.

How best to get Turmeric into the diet

If you can manage to get your hands on fresh turmeric root, then that’s fantastic. You can use it grated or finely chopped in soups, stews and curries. Chances are though that you will find it in its powdered form more easily. The bio-availability of turmeric is greatly increased when co-administered with piperine, a powerful component found in black pepper. Always use a good twist of freshly ground black pepper when cooking with turmeric, to enhance its healing benefits. I always add a teaspoon of ground turmeric to a breakfast smoothie in the mornings

 

Recipe for Anti Inflammatory Breakfast Smoothie

200mls coconut milk

1 Banana

½ ripe mango

1 tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp cinnamon

¼” slice fresh ginger (peeled and chopped small)

 

Place all ingredients in blender with some ice and blend until smooth, this will make approx. 500ml smoothie.

 

Beetroot

 

Most people would agree that one of the most prevalent words in nutrition is superfood. One vegetable that is certainly worthy of this title is the humble beetroot. Well known for its purple-crimson colour, beetroot is a highly nutritious food with many long-recognised health benefits.

 

The rich, red colour of beetroot is due to pigments called betalains, of which there are two types – betacyanins and betaxanthins. These pigments possess potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and usually also contain nitrate. Recent studies have found that nitrates in beetroot have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system.

 

The antioxidant compounds found in beetroot are reported to have health promoting properties. Studies have demonstrated beetroot’s ability to increase levels of important antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase, one of the most important antioxidant enzymes.

 

As well as being a rich source of antioxidants, beetroot also contains good levels of many nutrients, including folic acid, vitamin B6, fibre, manganese, potassium, vitamin C and iron. In fact, beetroot and beetroot juice is a traditional home remedy for iron-deficiency.

 

Beetroots are also a source of betaine (known as trimethylglycine or TMG), a substance known for its ability to lower homocysteine levels, thereby supporting cardiovascular and cognitive health. The fibre found in beets has also been shown to support healthy cholesterol levels.

 

The versatile beetroot can be used raw in salads, but is equally delicious roasted or made into soup. It’s become very fashionable to bake with beetroot too – look out for recipes like beetroot cakes and muffins. Using beetroot juice or dried extracts of beetroot are simple ways of getting the benefits of this health-promoting vegetable.

 

• Cardiovascular Health

• Cancer Fighting

• Antioxidant Rich

• Endurance Sports

• Detoxification

Sid sheehan runs nourish by nature cookery school in listowel . Check out their web page, and facebook , twitter

Superfoods Article

 

There’s a lot of hype surrounding so-called superfoods and their medicinal properties. It seems there’s a new study claiming the cancer fighting properties of exotic fruits almost daily. Take away the questionable “miracle working” claims of superfoods and what you’re left with is a group of vegetables, fruits, nuts, meats and fish that are dense with key nutrients that most of us are deficient in because of our imbalanced Westernised diets.

 

What exactly classifies one food over another as being super? Not all superfoods are exotic and expensive and certainly not deserving of the title. Most are everyday vegetables, fruits and nuts readily available at our local farmers market or supermarket. Superfood is an unscientific marketing term used very loosely in various misleading contexts. Claims that a certain food, Blueberries in particular will decrease your risk of cancer or that eating Broccoli daily will keep your memory as sharp as a knife. Such foods do indeed come under a special category of those found in nature, which are low in calories and rich in nutrients. Many are superior sources of antioxidants and essential nutrients compared to any other food – hence the term “Super” foods.

 

None of us can deny the scientific proof that eating a healthy balanced diet correlates directly with increased energy, vitality and overall good mood. Also equally undeniable is the fact that a balanced diet containing these superfoods will decrease the risk of certain cancers, heart disease, strokes, promote brain function, improve fertility and promote an overall healthy lifestyle. But this cannot be achieved from a few berries or nuts alone. If we incorporate plenty of these foods into our diet, increase our vegetable and fruit intake while lowering processed and refined foods, which are high in saturated fats and sugar then our bodies, will thank us in the long run. There isn’t much point in expecting miracles from a few nutrient dense foods fi we continue to smoke and drink to excess and flood our systems with toxins. We must also consider the fact that many superfoods are exotic and probably clock up thousands of air miles and weeks in cargo before finally reaching our shelves. So maybe eating local organically grown fruits and vegetables is every bit as beneficial to us if not better, probably cheaper and doesn’t leave a Carbon Footprint. An example of which is the ridiculously overpriced Goji berry compared to our own humble Blackcurrant, which happens to have a considerably higher vitamin C content.

 

Below is a list of some of these foods and their health benefits and medicinal properties:

 

• Berries – dark red variety in particular are very high in antioxidants which may protect us against cancer, heart disease and slow signs of aging.

• Nuts – in their raw state, not the salted MSG coated variety are said to contain “Heart Smart Fat” and keep us satisfied and full for longer than carbohydrate based snacks like crisps, crackers and rice cakes.

• Oily Fish – salmon, mackerel, tuna and herring are a great source of protein and are high in Omega 3 fats which are vital for heart disease prevention and good for the skin and brain because of their inflammation reducing properties.

• Legumes – family including beans, peas, lentils, and soy beans are extremely dense in many key nutrients providing plenty of protein, iron, potassium, selenium, magnesium, zinc and B vitamins while also being devoid of saturated fats and cholesterol. Beneficial in the treatment of diabetes, lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol and cancer prevention.

• Dark leafy greens – cabbages, kale and spinach are all nutritional powerhouses packed with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Probably the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They provide us with iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamins K C E and many of the B vitamins but also beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin which protect our cells from damage  and our eyes from age related problems among many other effects.

• Kelp and other Seaweeds – all packed with unspoilt minerals straight from the ocean. Used in many forms from supplements to powders or in its fresh state in salads, soups and breads. It’s a powerful source of iodine essential for thyroid balance especially hypothyroidism.

 

• These are just a few of the many powerful medicines from nature’s edible pharmacy. so whatever we choose to label them, be it superfood or other just remember that we don’t have to travel around the world to  a rainforest to obtain them when many of them are growing in our own back gardens.