Immediate Physical Effects of Turmeric

As scientists continue to study the healing effects of the spice turmeric in the human body, certain effects occur right away. Turmeric, called "holy powder" in India, has an active ingredient called, curcumin, the bright yellow-orange you see in turmeric and in curries, and when you consume it, the antioxidant effects begin. In fact, once in the body, curcumin enters the cell membranes, making the cells resistant to infection. In the presence of cancer, it causes cancer cells to die.

Skin Protection

• Doctors at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York say cancer patients can protect their skin by eating food containing curry during cancer radiation therapy. Researchers led by Ivan Ding, M.D. in 2002, learned that curcumin dramatically protects the skin of mice during radiation therapy when ingested. A common result during radiation treatment on humans involves blisters and burns on the skin. The study showed 200 mice had only minimal skin damage after given doses of curcumin for five to seven days at three different times. Researchers want more extensive studies before implementing curcumin to patients.

Cell and Wound Health

• Glutathione, an important antioxidant in your body that keeps your cells healthy, appears naturally in your blood and tissues A low dose of curcumin immediately increases glutathione levels in your body and causes your body to generate more.

  Apply a paste of turmeric and water to your wound. As an anti-inflammatory agent and antibiotic, turmeric will soon begin the healing process, easing the pain and reducing swelling. Use turmeric on all types of infections.

Liver Cancer Prevention

• After exposing liver cells to curcumin and iron in the petri dish, the curcumin begins to change the iron, preventing it from causing cancer although how or why this happens remains unknown. In the Bastyr University, 2005 Bastyr Magazine article called, "Unlocking the Mysteries of Nature," pharmacologist Don Messner, Ph.D. who focuses on curcumin and liver cancer says, "There are a lot of hidden secrets in herbal and botanical medicines. There's a need for rigorous evaluation of these in terms of discovering what's going on mechanistically. I enjoy the puzzle part of it, trying to discover what's not yet known."

Head and Neck Cancer Prevention

• After a pre-treatment of curcumin, researchers introduced nicotine to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, a cancerous bump with rough scales and flat, red patches. Curcumin "was able to block the nicotine from activating cancer causing cells, " according to the October 3, 2009 article in Science Daily called, "Curcumin May Inhibit Nicotine-Induced Activation Of Head And Neck Cancers." Since smokers continue to use nicotine after successful treatment for head and neck cancer, causing a high recurrence of these cancers, this 2009 study helped provide a safe food to block nicotine's harmful effects as well as the affects of chemotherapy.