It’s a new year, and everyone insists that means it’s time for a fresh new start. But for many of us, 2022 feels an awful lot like 2021 so far.
If that’s you, and you feel stuck in the past, you’re not alone.
The never-ending pandemic and the surge of the omicron variant has 2021’s stress sticking around in the new year. And our inflammation levels continue to climb and, as a result, chronic health conditions that we had hoped to leave behind are triggered.
The cherry on the New Year’s cake?
If you’re like a lot of folks, the comfort foods you turned to for help coping with yet another tough holiday season have decided to stick around in the form of a few extra pounds.
But new research reveals one simple solution may have the power to help ease all of these issues simultaneously. It’s a potent natural therapy that could help you lose weight, fight inflammation, and dial down your stress levels.
You likely have heard of this spice before. Plus, there’s a good chance you’ve tasted it too. In fact, you might even own a jar of it already.
Golden spice brings big benefits to the table
We rely on spices to add flavor and color to our dishes. But many of those same herbs can have an even bigger impact once inside the human body.
In fact, many of the spices we already love can deliver significant health benefits. And there’s one in particular… an inflammation-fighting superstar… that might be the most powerful on the spice rack.
Turmeric is best known for its use in gorgeous golden-yellow Indian dishes. However, as the spice has increased in popularity, it has also popped up in everything from eggs to coffee.
But these days, it’s turmeric’s medicinal benefits that are really in the spotlight. And in particular, it’s the health-boosting potential of a substance found in the spice called curcumin.
In a new, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, researchers zeroed in on a group of older folks who were generally healthy overall. But the volunteers were also a little overweight and suffering from chronic low-grade inflammation that suggests they were headed for some potential problems.
And it turns out a curcumin extract helped them in several major ways.
When compared to a placebo, the folks given the curcumin supplements enjoyed some impressive health improvements, including:
- SIGNIFICANT reductions in both body weight and body mass
- LOWER levels of CRP, a key marker of inflammation with strong links to chronic disease as well as lowered complement component 3, another major inflammation marker
- BIGGER improvements in mental health scores as measured by two different tests
In other words, a daily dose of the spice extract led to effortless weight loss, lower inflammation, and better mental health.
Other studies have found that curcumin can help fight pain, protect blood vessels, enhance cardiovascular health, improve digestion, and even ease depression as effectively as meds in some cases.
Click here to catch up on the Top 6 health benefits of curcumin.
Ease inflammation and more with curcumin
If you’re interested in trying an inflammation-battling curcumin supplement yourself, there is one small catch. Your body can’t always absorb the spice extract very well by itself.
But the good news is there’s an easy fix.
Piperine, a compound from black pepper, helps us absorb curcumin more easily. In fact, many curcumin formulas already include piperine. So just be sure to check the label before purchasing a supplement.
In addition, fats can help with absorption. So a plain old curcumin capsule can work too. Simply knock it back during a meal with some healthy fats.
And when you do, you should be all set to start dialing down chronic inflammation, easing ongoing stress, and even shedding a few pounds.
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