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What’s the most important health benefit of turmeric? That’s hard to say, because there are so many of them. Preventing and/or treating Alzheimer’s is one area of study. Test tube and animal studies have indicated that curcumin, an antioxidant found in turmeric, inhibits the formation of amyloid-beta protein. No one is really sure what causes Alzheimer’s, but the popular theory today has to do with amyloid-beta. As you may know, protein is a major component of all of the cells of the body, but sometimes proteins do not form correctly. Amyloid-beta is a kind of misfolded protein that becomes hard. When it is present in a cell, the cell cannot function properly. Eventually, the cell dies. The plaques that are found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients are composed of amyloid-beta proteins. The theory is that they are the cause of brain cell death that occurs in Alzheimer’s patients. The health benefit of turmeric for treating Alzheimer’s is currently being studied, because curcumin has been shown in lab studies to break up those hard proteins. People that are interested in nutritional supplements that are believed to reduce the risk of the disease are buying the supplements, because they are supposed to prevent amyloid-betas from forming. But, there is a problem. As with many other dietary supplements, if they are not properly formulated, they will have little, if any effect. Plant extracts must be free of contaminants like herbicides, pesticides and lead. They must be standardized to provide an accurate dose of the active ingredient. In the case of curcumin, they must also be protected by an enteric coating and combined with other nutrients that enhance absorption. Alzheimer’s is not the only area of study that is currently ongoing. Researchers are also looking at the health benefit of turmeric for treating and preventing cancer. Like Alzheimer’s, the exact cause of specific types of cancer are not completely understood. It is known that the cells of the body mutate and grow out of control, usually forming tumors that invade adjacent tissues or organs. The tumors can destroy healthy organs and the disease can spread through the blood stream or lymphatic system to other areas of the body. The drugs that we have to kill the cancer cells also do damage to healthy cells. Curcumin has been shown to kill cancer cells, without causing damage to healthy cells or tissues. So, that may be the most important health benefit of turmeric. The studies are not yet complete. One of the things that we do know about cancer is that the risk of most types increases with age. Much focus has been on prevention and early detection. The earlier a cancer is found and treated, the less likely it is to spread. Avoiding carcinogens, such as cigarette smoke and cancer-causing chemicals is recommended for reducing one’s risk, as is a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Taking a multi-nutritional supplement would do you the world of good as well. You might be interested in another health benefit of turmeric. Help with preventing cancer and Alzheimer’s are only two. Visit my website today to learn about a multi-nutritional supplement I've discovered that I'd like to share with you. Gordon Hall is fervent about enabling you and everyone to live a healthy lifestyle, and is an ardent reviewer of herbal, vitamin and mineral extracts. To discover which supplements Gordon recommends after far ranging and extensive research. Visit his website now at : http://www.your-supplement-resource-site.info
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