Ayurvedic healers used turmeric for healing and medicinal uses. Milk boiled with turmeric and sugar was a popular cold remedy. Turmeric juice was used to help heal wounds, bruises, and leech bites. A paste made from turmeric, lime, and salt was commonly applied to sprains and inflamed joints. Smoke made by sprinkling turmeric over burnt charcoal was used to relieve scorpion stings. Inhaling the fumes of burning turmeric was also used commonly to release copious amounts of mucous and provide instant relief from congestion. A pinch of turmeric was also used as an insect repellent in the kitchen. A paste made of turmeric alone or with neem leaves was used for ringworm, itching, eczema, and any other parasitic skin condition. Turmeric was a key ingredient in remedy for jaundice. Pastes of turmeric were used for smallpox, chickenpox, shingles, ulcers, conjunctivitis, skin blemishes, and malaria. This was also applied to the cut placenta after the birth of a child.
Scientific research confirms there are over 250 compounds in turmeric. Of these, it is the volatile oils containing Turmerone and the polyphenolic compounds, collectively known as Curcuminoids that are the key bioactive compounds that make turmeric such a powerful superfood with health and medicinal properties. Curcumin – a key element is a potent anti-oxidant exhibiting anti-parasitic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-skeptic, anti-carcinogenic, and gastrointestinal properties.#turmeric #curcumina #curcumin #superfood
