Asthma is a chronic upper respiratory condition caused by mucus or phlegm getting trapped in the airways. This makes breathing difficult and causes inflammation along the linings of the lungs and the airways. According to the American Lung Association, more than 26 million Americans suffer from asthma and 6.1 million of them are children. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for asthma. There are, however, available natural remedies that can alleviate its symptoms and allow people with asthma to live healthy lives. Turmeric is one of those remedies.
In a study published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, researchers from India investigated the efficacy of curcumin as an add-on therapy for patients with bronchial asthma. They asked 77 patients with mild to moderate bronchial asthma to take curcumin supplements alongside their regular medications. The results showed that curcumin supplementation helped relieve airway obstruction, as evidenced by the significant improvement in the participants' mean FEV1 values, which refer to the amount of air they could exhale in a second.
"There was also a significant improvement in the hematological parameters, and [the] absence of any clinically significant adverse events indicates dependable safety profile of curcumin capsules, though there was no apparent clinical efficacy," the researchers wrote in their report.
They concluded that curcumin is a safe and effective add-on therapy for the treatment of bronchial asthma. (Related: Turmeric: This ancient super spice can offer unmatched healing properties.)
Turmeric's anti-asthma effects are often attributed to the potent anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin. This compound is so powerful that its effectiveness is comparable to that of modern-day anti-inflammatory drugs, but without the unwanted side effects. Curcumin works by reducing the production of pro-inflammatory chemicals and preventing the migration of immune cells to the inflammation site. Not only does stopping inflammation help reduce asthma symptoms, it could also prevent other chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.
Other health benefits of turmeric
Aside from its anti-asthma and anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric offers plenty of other benefits. Here are a few of them:
- Rich in antioxidants. One of the main culprits behind the development of serious diseases is oxidative damage. This type of damage is caused by reactive molecules called free radicals, which can harm the cells. Curcumin acts as a potent antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals and reduces their damaging effects.
- Lowers risk of heart disease. Curcumin is found to confer protection against cardiovascular disease. This is attributed to its ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative damage, both of which play major roles in the development of heart disease.
- Prevents cancer. A study published in the journal Cancer Letters suggests that curcumin can affect the growth, spread and development of different types of cancer. These include gastrointestinal cancers, breast cancer, lung cancer and ovarian cancer. Other studies also show that curcumin can kill cancer cells.
Turmeric has many scientifically proven health benefits, thanks to its active component, curcumin. Its anti-inflammatory properties not only justify turmeric's use as a preventive medicine, they also make turmeric a wonderful complementary treatment for bronchial asthma.
Take a gander at Turmeric.news to learn more about this wonderful spice.
Sources include:
NaturalMedicines.TherapeuticResearch.com
InternationalJournalOfCardiology.com
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