If you are familiar with Know the Cause, you know that we like to talk about the health benefits of Turmeric. Turmeric contains a number of powerful components known as curcuminoids; the most well known of these phytonutrients is curcumin. Curcumin is what gives curry its color and its flavor. But this spice isn’t just loaded with flavor; science has actually shown that turmeric, and specifically, curcumin, is packed with a host of health-promoting properties.
We know that curcumin is anti-inflammatory. We know that curcumin, itself a powerful antioxidant, can also boost the body’s own antioxidant function in the form of glutathione. It has been shown to be beneficial for heart health and to fight against cancer, both in preventing angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels in tumors) and metastasis (spread of tumor cells throughout the body). It has been shown to causes apoptosis in cancer cells (death of cancer cells). We know, too, that turmeric also may have benefits for brain health, both in maintaining healthy brain function and in preventing brain diseases, ranging from depression to Alzheimer’s disease.
We also like the fact that turmeric and curcumin contain fungus-fighting compounds. In fact, if fungus plays a role in many of the aforementioned diseases such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s or symptoms such as inflammation––something Doug Kaufmann has spent his life researching––it may be this property of curcumin that renders it so useful in the fight against these diseases and symptoms, in the first place.
As it turns out, however, turmeric may have another benefit that we have not discussed before–– its ability to protect against fluoride poisoning.
Fluoride has been added to our water supply and the water supplies of many industrialized nations, ostensibly for the purpose of dental benefits, for many decades now. However, many contend whether fluoride has any real benefit for dental health; they often cite other factors that may have had a greater effect on overall dental health improvement other than fluoride, itself. Instead, many researchers have found evidence that exposure to fluoride may have deleterious health side effects, particularly on the brain.
Turmeric, however, has been shown in Indian studies to protect against damage that may be caused by fluoride. Natural News reports that, “A recent study conducted by a team of Indian researchers found that regular consumption of turmeric helps protect the brain from the neurodegenerative effects of fluoride.” Given turmeric’s known ability to fight against other brain diseases, this comes as no surprise.
If you are not already adding turmeric into your diet, consider trying to include this delicious and flavorful spice into your Kaufmann 1 or Two Diet, if not simply to protect against the potentially dangerous effects of fluoride, but for the legion of other benefits. If you are worried about the effect of fluoride on your health, consider also investing in water filters that will remove fluoride from your drinking water and other in-home water sources.