Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Photo by Jacob Townsend on Unsplash A good nights sleep is the key to all things healthy; everything from your focus to your digestion is impacted by your sleep routine. With our busy schedules, its hard to get the rest that helps us feel refreshed, …
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash Do you feel overwhelming stress at work? A new study published in the journal Lancet Psychiatry set out to research whether or not the intensity of a high-pressured work environment can lead to common mental health issues like anxiety …
Curcumin, or Curcuma longa, is a major ingredient in the Turmeric root. It is a ginger-like plant used for its powerful healing properties in China, the Middle East and India. Turmeric refers to the plants underground stem, rich in a variety of powerful ingredients collectively and generically known as Curcuminoids, with Curcumin being the prominent constituent. Turmeric is widely available as a fine, bright-yellow powder. It is a major constituent in curry, giving it both its color and flavor. Traditional Indian medicine has used Curcumin against biliary disorders like issues with the gall bladder, cold symptoms, and swellings caused by injury. The Himalayan system of medicine recommends turmeric for insect stings, wounds, inflammation, pimples and as a skin tonic. This is why many of today’s DIY face masks and cleansers use Turmeric as the main ingredient to stave off acne, blemishes and discoloration.
Research on this herb today is exploding, with more than 2000 reports presently available. This is because Curcumin has been shown to act on multiple targets in the human body and at multiple levels.
Memory
Over the years, studies have shown that Curcumin, or taking Turmeric itself, specifically improves memory in older individuals. Researchers at UCLA’s Longevity Center 40 older people with mild memory complaints into their study. Their age ranged from 50 to 90. They were randomly given Curcumin or placebo (a sham capsule) twice a day for 18 months. The participants were given cognitive assessment tests at the start of the study and every six months and their blood was tested to make sure they were actually taking the herbal ingredient. Many also received PET scans of their brains at the start of the study and again at the 18 month point.
A new study says Curcumin may also provide support against diabetes!
Results show the individuals who took Curcumin had a 28% improvement in their memory over the 18 month period. The people on the placebo had no improvement. Those taking Curcumin also had a mild improvement in their mood. Their PET scan also showed significantly less evidence of beta-amyloid brain plaques and less of the tangled mess of nerve tissue known as tauopathy which are both found in Alzheimer’s disease; this was in their amygdale and hippocampus – regions of the brain involved with memory and emotional functions. The study is published in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
Mood
A study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research shows BioCurcumin may benefit individuals with depression. In a small study of sixty patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), participants were split into three groups of 20 and given either 500mg capsule of BioCurcumin twice daily, 20mg daily of fluoxetine, or the combination of BioCurcumin with Fluoxetine. All three groups had good improvement in their level of depression. The proportion of responders as measured by the HAM-D17 scale was higher in the combination group (78 %) than in the fluoxetine (65 %) and the Curcumin (63 %) groups.
Click here for Jerry Hickey, R.Ph’s take on Curcumin!
While the benefits of Turmeric extend to inflammation and tenderness, this potent herb can be difficult to absorb. Using Turmeric as a spice adds both flavor and a health-kick, taking Curcumin as a herbal supplement has been shown to produce a more profound effect. Combining Curcumin with 5-Loxin®, a frankincense plant, actually helps in the absorption of the nutrient and with joint discomfort, as it inhibits one of the pathways that cause inflammatory responses throughout the body. Because of this, the combination – called Bio-Curcumin® 5-Loxin® – is a powerful herbal support for joint tissue, brain and intestinal health all in one!
Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash A protein, FKBP51, has been associated with anxiety and diabetes, as it contributes to the regulation of the stress system. Diabetes Diabetes is a life-threatening disease that causes your blood sugar and triglycerides to become continuously and severely elevated. …
Photo by Kim Carpenter on Unsplash What is ALCAR? Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR) is an absorbable form of the amino acid L-Carnitine, a naturally occurring amino acid that is synthesized in the liver and kidney. Like L-Carnitine, ALCAR produces energy in the mitochondria of the cell. …
Depression is a disorder that affects around 6.7% of adults in the United States each year. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that more than 300 million people currently live with the disorder. This disorder is not a normal “up and down” of emotions; this illness greatly affects mood, body, behavior and the mind and commonly interferes with daily function.
An Australia-based not-for-profit group called Black Dog Institute launched a one month campaign, encouraging people to exercise as, their website reports, regular physical activity can help to prevent and treat depression. This report comes out of a study led by Professor Samuel Harvey from the Black Dog Institute, which analyzed data collected from 33,908 Norwegian adults who were followed over a period of 11 years. He explains, “We’ve known for some time that exercise has a role to play in treating symptoms of depression, but this is the first time we have been able to quantify the potential of physical activity in terms of reducing future levels of depression.”
New Study shows that BioCurcumin Improves Depression in Adults. Click here to read more!
By analyzing data collected through the Nord-Trondelag Health Study (one of the largest population studies to date), researchers were able to conclude that just one hour of exercise per week can deliver “significant protection against depression.”
All healthy participants recruited were required to self-assess their physical activity status, including how often they exercise and at what intensity – mild, moderate and intense. Later, participants were given a self-assessment questionnaire to report any states of depression or anxiety. Variables including socioeconomic status, body mass index and alcohol and substance abuse were adjusted to ensure the consistency of the results.
It was found that those who did not engage in any physical exercise to begin with were 44% more likely than their peers who exercised for 1 to 2 hours each week to develop depression.
Also observed were mental health benefits within the first hour undertaken each week. The authors of the study further conclude that around 12% of depression cases might have been prevented if the participants had done at least 1 hour of physical exercise per week. “We are still trying to determine exactly why exercise can have this protective effect, but we believe it is from the combined impact of the various physical and social benefits of physical activity.” He continues, “If we can find ways to increase the population’s level of physical activity even by a small amount, then this is likely to bring substantial physical and mental health benefits.”
The results of this study were published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.