3 Essential Benefits of Turmeric


The first alternative 'medicine' I added when I started my pain rehabilitation journey was Turmeric, or Curcumin.

Turmeric comes from Curcuma Longa plant. It grows mainly in Southeast Asia and India. The root of the plant is harvested, dried, and then ground into Turmeric.  It is a very distinctive herb that is used predominantly in curry's and has a beautiful golden yellow color.

3 essential benefits of Turmeric are

1. Turmeric is a natural pain killer.

It was suggested by my neurologist at first to deal with pain.  It is used in wide circles as a pain killer for arthritis.

NSAIDs tear up my stomach and can lead to leaky gut...if you aren't already there like me.

When curcumin was suggested my neurologist said to make sure it was the curcuminoids formulation.  It absorbs into the tissues easier than other formulations.

I tried several versions.

The liquid form killed my stomach, one had additives that gave me the worst heartburn, one didn't make me sick but then I realized it wasn't the curcuminoids version so I had to take twice as much.  On that note, you need to make sure that it is blended with black pepper, otherwise your body will not absorb it.

2. Turmeric is known for keeping tumor growth down.

Who doesn’t need a little help fighting cancerous growth these days?

Cancer runs predominately on the paternal side of my family. I feel personally that eating healthy and taking supplements will hopefully keep me from going down the path that so many members of my family have experienced.

3. Turmeric can help with inflammation.  

My nerve pain?  My nerve pain is caused by neuroinflammation inside the spinal cord. There is no medicine on earth that can target neuroinflammation unless you want to take steroids 24/7/365, and even that can't really target inside the spinal cord.

Well, I take curcumin it 3 times a day at 1000 mg each, which is my maintenance dose, but I was taking 6,000 mg previously.

I started at one a day for a month then increased by 1 pill per month until I was taking 2, 1000 mg pills at every meal. I did this for several months because unlike medicine, supplements take a long time to work.

I have had a lot of success with it...or at least I can tell a difference when I don't take it, so in the world of untreatable nerve pain that’s something.

Also, it has antioxidants which are so much better for you than taking a constant stream of steriods for your medical conditions.  Antioxidants boost your immune system while steroids tear it down.

If you are thinking of taking curcumin talk to your healthcare provider about what is a good amount for you.


Look for a delicious Golden Milk recipe coming up on Treat Yo Self Thursday if you want to try curcumin before buying a whole bottle.