Most of you probably already know that turmeric is a popular and commonly used spice with a strong orange color. But, what you may not have known is its huge healing potential! This plant which can be found in India and Indonesia is a close relative to ginger, another potent spice with a long list of medicinal characteristics.
For a long period of time, turmeric has been a major part of Ayurveda and Chinese Traditional medicine as a natural remedy for a long list of health problems. According to the California College of Ayurveda, turmeric can help with anemia, arthritis, cancer, Alzheimer’s, bronchitis, diabetes, edema, gallstones, diarrhea, inflammation, hemorrhoids, IBS, HIV/AIDS, UTIs, and more.
Of course, there are also a lot of empty claims about the healing power of turmeric. Make sure you use it for those health problems turmeric was researched and found beneficial.
DIY Turmeric Lemonade to Fight Off Anxiety & Stress
You will need:
4 tbsp of turmeric powder
5 cups of water
2 tsp of ginger, grated
3 tbsp of raw honey
½ cup of lemon juice
½ cup of orange juice
Preparation: First, you need to boil the water. In the meantime, in a cup, put the ginger and turmeric. Once the water boils, pour it over into the cup. Cover it and leave it to steep for 10 minutes. Then, remove the cover and add the honey.
Mix until it dissolves. Then, strain the content into another container and add the lemon and orange juice. Wait for the drink to cool down and then drink it. Enjoy!
The Power of Turmeric in Relieving Anxiety & Depression
Excessive inflammation in the nervous system may trigger anxiety and depression. Knowing the anti-inflammatory capacity of curcumin, turmeric’s active ingredient, turmeric may be beneficial in reducing the symptoms.
Moreover, according to a study from 2017, curcumin was able to lower subjective depression symptoms by amazing 35 percent when compared to the placebo group. From a physiological point of view, curcumin appears to increase the level of serotonin and dopamine and this was concluded in a study done in 2018.
The researchers explain that there was a major increase in alpha, and beta-1 and -2, as well as in the theta brain waves in a period of seven days. Alpha waves usually mean a more aware and relaxed mindset, beta indicates an awake and active mindset, whereas theta is a brain wave pattern seen during sleep and meditation.
Clinical depression is known to decrease the frequency at which the brain experiences these brain wave patterns.
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