Turmeric originates from Asia and is common to Indian cuisine. It is also a popular ingredient for middle eastern recipes.
Worried about the side effects of breast cancer recovery drugs, a 44 year old survivor named Vicky Sewart refused to follow medical orders and instead radically altered her diet. One of her secrets? A common spice found in souks across the Middle East – turmeric. Can this ancient savory spice really benefit breast health?
Tumeric is a bright yellow and savory spice traditionally used to make curries. According to Dr. Andrew Weill, an American pioneer in merging holistic and allopathic medicine, “People whose diets are rich in turmeric have lower rates of breast cancer as well as prostate, lung and colon cancers.” In his 2005 article, Dr. Weill also references research that suggests the active component in turmeric, curcumin, may help prevent the spread of breast cancer by stopping the metastasis of the cells in other parts of the body.
He is an advocate for using whole herbs rather than the isolated, active ingredient. “My preference is for whole turmeric rather than isolated curcumin, because I believe in the synergy of all active elements in botanical medicines.”
Naturalsociety.com points to more recent confirmation of turmeric’s health benefits including its ability to slow down the growth of breast cancer cells.
They write:
Studies out of the University of California, San Diego, published in the British Journal, NATURE, have previously discovered a molecule known as RANKL. This molecule is found in aggressive breast cancer cells, which predict more life threatening disease. Aggressive cancer cells predict that the breast cancer will spread throughout the body, putting the body in a state of metatasis. Breast cancer patients often pass after cancer has metastasized to other body parts, ruining the functioning of vital organs such as the liver, lungs or brain.
Curcumin has been found to possess properties that reduce the expression of these deadly molecules within cancer cells, and can potentially slow the spread of breast cancer.
According to their report, several studies indicated that curcumin reduces tumors by 81%, which makes this favorite ingredient in ethnic cuisine a powerful natural anti-cancer tool. In addition to its use in curries, turmeric can be drinken as a tea, writes Dr. Weill. Side effects are minimal and include stomach upset, a small price to pay given the positive evidence for turmeric’s breast health effects.
Image of turmeric powder via Shutterstock
Read more breast health news:
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Are Hormones in the Environment Making Women’s Breasts Bigger?
Natural Breast Enhancement
Author: Tinamarie Bernard
Tinamarie combines her interests in two of her favorite topics – relationships and the environment – for Greenprophet.com. As our eco-sexpert, she explores ways to make our personal lives more sustainable, whether it’s between a couple, the sheets or our ears. While eco-sexuality is a new term and still unfamiliar to many, being conscious about what we use in moments of intimacy is connected to better stewardship of the planet. The idea that green is sexy and sex can be green is one she is thoroughly enjoying discovering. This married mom of two also believes we owe it to our children to teach them to love themselves, each other, and the environment for futures to come. Intimacy isn’t something we are born knowing. Neither is good stewardship of the earth. In her spare time, she muses about sacred sexuality, conscious love, intimacy, feminism and parenting as the top-rated Modern Love column for Examiner.com and several other media outlets. She composes poetry (mostly in her heart), mediates (when time allows), rides horses in the Galilee, and searches for delicious parve dessert recipes. She considers chocolate a righteous sin, and won’t give up a single pair of red shoes. You can find...
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