By James Walden
    Nutrition Specialist and Health Consultant
    http://www.theibsmiracle.com
    How To Deal With IBS
    Have you been experiencing abdominal discomfort or pain associated with your
    bowel movements? Do you often experience bloating, frequent diarrhea or
    constipation? Have these symptoms been going on for some time now?
    If so, you may be experiencing Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Irritable Bowel
    Syndrome—or IBS—is a medical condition that’s characterized by various
    gastrointestinal disorders that can make your life very difficult. For example, you
    might experience:
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Painful diarrhea
    Loose or watery stools
    A sense of “urgency” to move your bowels
    Painful constipation
    Bloating
    Lumpy or hard stools
    Abnormal, delayed or infrequent bowel movements
    Alternating diarrhea and constipation
    Gas
    Mucus in your stool
    According to the Mayo Clinic, many people might experience “mild” symptoms of
    IBS, however, sometimes this condition is absolutely disabling. Even worse,
    there are times when your symptoms don’t respond well or at all to medical
    treatment!
    Although IBS is not life threatening, it can be very uncomfortable and reduce your
    overall quality of life. Up to 15% of the population in the entire western world is
    believed to suffer from some form of IBS (International Journal of Clinical
    Practice Jan 2006).
    Everyone experiences digestive problems from time to time. We may eat
    something that upsets our stomach temporarily or we might experience
    gastrointestinal discomfort from exposure to a virus or bacteria. However, some
    people can develop prolonged symptoms that last for months or even years.
    When this happens, IBS may be the culprit.
    IBS can make it difficult to go about your every day life. It’s difficult to go to work
    or school, for example, when you’re experiencing these symptoms. Many
    sufferers of IBS will say that this condition has had a negative effect on their
    lives. They often live in fear that they may be overcome with their symptoms in a
    social environment, for example. This can cause some people to avoid going out
    in public altogether.
    IBS can also make you feel anxious or depressed. This condition can make you
    constantly uncomfortable or worried when you’re in public due to the
    unpredictability of your bowel movements. You might be driving in your car and
    then struck by a sense of urgency to use the bathroom over and over again.
    Obviously, this can take its toll on your personal and professional life.
    Causes of IBS
    Irritable bowel syndrome can be the result of environmental, physiological or
    psychological factors—or a combination of all three. Your gastrointestinal system
    is a complex network of organs that work together to digest food and deliver
    various nutrients into your bloodstream. When the muscles or nerves in this
    system experience distress, the disturbance can develop into IBS.
    Abnormal functioning of the motor nerves can result in painful spasms in your
    gastrointestinal tract and this can also be a cause of the many of the symptoms
    of IBS. Diet changes, certain medications, and several clinical conditions can all
    cause your nervous system to act irregularly.
    Another cause of IBS symptoms may be traced to the bacteria that are naturally
    found within your intestines. The human body has several strains of “friendly”
    bacteria living within it and many of these are found in the intestines. These
    intestinal flora are responsible for helping the body synthesize vitamins, digest
    food, and absorb nutrients (Clinical Nutrition Feb 1997).
    When the bacteria within your gastrointestinal tract are overactive or not working
    correctly, this can cause poor digestion and absorption of food that leads to
    excessive gas production. Gas can lead to the painful cramps and other
    troublesome symptoms that you experience from IBS.
    Should You Seek Medical Help?
    When you’ve been dealing with IBS symptoms for a prolonged period of time,
    you may decide to see a physician to try to identify the problem. Unfortunately,
    there is no single standard test that may be given to diagnose irritable bowel
    syndrome, and the symptoms and causes can vary from person to person.
    Usually, a physician will request a stool sample to confirm that you’re
    experiencing irregular bowel movements. Then, he or she will try to make sure
    that you are not suffering from other G.I. diseases. The doctor may request
    regular blood screenings to rule out celiac disease, for example. Or you may be
    required to undergo a colonoscopy or endoscopy. In some cases, x-rays, CT
    scans, MRIs or ultrasounds may be necessary to confirm that you aren’t suffering
    from specific intestinal diseases.
    Physicians will tell you that Irritable Bowel Syndrome is sometimes very difficult
    to identify and treat, since the specific causes are not always known. To help with
    the symptoms, a doctor may suggest any of the following:
    
    Fiber supplements
    Fiber supplements that contain either psyllium or methylcellulose may be able to
    help relieve constipation.
    
    Anticholinergic medication
    These medicines can sometimes help relieve the painful bowel spasms that you
    experience from IBS-related diarrhea. Unfortunately, they may make constipation
    symptoms worse.
    
    Antibiotics
    If the doctor suspects that the bacteria found in your G.I. system are overgrown,
    then he or she may prescribe antibiotics. At this time, more research is needed to
    determine the effectiveness of this treatment.
    
    Prescription medication
    This is probably the most common treatment that you will receive from your visit
    to the doctor. There are different types of medications that are used to treat IBS.
    The first is Alosetron (Lotronex). This medication works by relaxing the colon
    and slowing movement of waste through your lower bowel (Mayoclinic.com).
    There was a time when the FDA removed this drug from the market due to
    serious complications. Since then, the drug has been re-approved for use in
    treating IBS, although the potential for side effects is quite high.
    Another medication that may be used to treat IBS is Lubiporstone (Amitiza).
    This medication is designed to help adults who struggle with IBS-related
    constipation, and it works by increasing the amount of fluid secreted by your
    small intestine. Unfortunately, there are a number of side effects associated with
    this drug as well, including diarrhea, abdominal pain and nausea.
    Unfortunately, many sufferers will become frustrated and experience feelings of
    helplessness when traditional treatment methods don’t work.
    If you’re suffering from IBS, you should seek out some form of treatment as soon
    as possible. But where do you go when conventional medical treatment doesn’t
    work?
    The answer may be found in holistic therapies.
    The “Holistic” Secret
    There are countless advantages to holistic therapy, including:
    
    Faster relief from pain
    
    Living a more balanced lifestyle
    
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    
    Using non-invasive treatments
    
    Detoxifying your body from harmful substances found in our food
    and the environment
    
    Addressing and eliminating the root cause of your condition, not just the
    symptoms.
    
    No harmful side effects
    
    A healthier immune system
    
    Improved energy level
    
    Better sleep
    
    A more relaxed life—free of overwhelming anxiety, stress, and worry
    
    A better mood
    It’s time to take back your life!
    The IBS Miracle™ is a revolutionary eBook that is changing the way people
    approach their treatment strategy. In this book, I reveal a step-by-step holistic
    approach for curing IBS permanently. The system is 100% safe and natural. All
    the people I've worked with have completely eliminated their symptoms
    within 3 to 8 weeks of beginning this program.
    I have been in shoes before, and I know exactly how living with IBS is like. I
    suffered from IBS for 8 years and was constantly in and out of doctor’s offices as
    I desperately searched for a cure. During this time, I experienced constant pain
    and discomfort, which prevented me from having any sort of social life.
    In fact, I couldn’t go out in public without worrying that I would embarrass myself
    with repeated trips to the toilet. Eating and drinking in public became a
    nightmare, because I never knew if it would trigger my symptoms.
    Eventually, I was so tired and worn out that all I could do was sleep. My immune
    system suffered from this stress-filled lifestyle and I was getting sick all of the
    time. Soon, I began to slip into a depression because I couldn’t find any relief.
    Does any of this sound like what you have experienced with your IBS
    condition?
    The IBS Miracle™ system cured me from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and it can
    do the same for you.
    With the IBS Miracle™, you will discover:
    
    The “hidden” link between your current lifestyle and Irritable Bowel
    Syndrome
    
    What foods to avoid that might trigger symptoms
    
    Secret and powerful herbal remedies for your symptoms that you
    can use right now
    
    Why 99% of people are using the wrong methods to treat their IBS
    IBS Miracle™ readers have saved hundreds of dollars on prescription
    medications, tests, and doctor visits by following this easy-to-use guidebook.
    In fact, many readers have completely changed their lives as a result of the
    IBS Miracle™.
    According to former IBS sufferers, this is a life-changing system that you
    must try if you want to eliminate your condition once and for all. It is up to you
    to take action and discover how the IBS Miracle™ can help you feel like a
    new person—free of the symptoms that have weakened you for so long.
    If you’re looking for immediate relief from the pain, discomfort, and worry of
    IBS, you should consider the IBS Miracle. It’s time to get your life back, and
    the IBS Miracle can help.
    And remember, my system is backed by a 60 day, full, no-questions-asked,
    money back guarantee. I want to give everyone the chance of getting rid of
    their IBS forever, so please try it, and if for any reason you are not satisfied
    with it, simply email me within 60 days of your purchase and I'll refund you
    fully - no questions asked.
    Please note that your purchase and refund policy is fully secured by
    ClickBank, which means that even if I fell off the edge of the earth or aliens
    abducted me - Clickbank would honor your request for a refund...because
    that is their policy.
    Try The IBS Miracle™ Risk-Free Here:
    www.theibsmiracle.com
    Talk soon!
    James Walden
    Nutrition Specialist and Health Consultant
    
    Breakfast IBS Recipe One
    This Breakfast IBS Recipe One is a delightful IBS friendly diet to be served on the first day
    of the 1st week. Spinach & Egg Salad - Serves 1
    Ingredients: 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
    1 scallion; finely chopped
    1/2 red bell pepper; thinly sliced
    1/4 cup plain yogurt
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    salt and freshly ground black pepper; to taste
    1/2 tomato; sliced
    1 hard boiled egg; sliced
    3 black olives
    Preparation: Rinse the spinach thoroughly and drain. Dry with paper towels. Combine with the scallions and
    red bell pepper in a salad bowl. Whisk the yogurt, olive oil, and salt & pepper with a spoon until
    well-blended. Add the tomatoes and eggs. Pour the mixture over the spinach. Mix gently but
    thoroughly, taking care not to mash the eggs. Taste for seasoning. Garnish with the olives. Serve
    Chilled.
    Lunch IBS Recipe One
    This Lunch IBS Recipe One is a delightful IBS friendly diet to be served on the first day of
    the 1st week. Risotto - Serves 1
    Ingredients: 1 ear of fresh corn, kernels removed and cream pressed from cob
    2 cups water
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 teaspoon unsalted butter
    1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
    1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
    1 sprig fresh thyme
    3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
    1/2 cup uncooked regular long grain rice
    1/4 cup finely chopped tomato
    1 green onion, finely chopped
    1/3 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
    2 tablespoons egg white, whipped into cream
    1 tablespoon fresh basil chiffonade
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper; to taste
    Preparation:
    Run down against the cob with the back of a knife pressing out the cream and reserving it with
    the kernels. Add water to cobs and cream, bringing it to a boil. Let it simmer for at about 30
    minutes and thereafter keep water warm.
    Using a saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter with medium-high heat. Combine the bell pepper,
    onion, thyme and corn kernels (withhold the corn stock for later use). Saute for about 5 minutes
    until tender. Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the rice and cook
    while stirring constantly for at least 3 to 4 minutes. Cook until the rice becomes opaque and all
    the liquid has been completely absorbed.
    Start adding your corn stock in 1/4 cup increments, stirring constantly and letting the rice
    completely absorb the liquid with every addition. After 15 minutes add the tomatoes, green
    onions and shrimp. Cook about another 5 minutes, until rice is al dente. Add the whipped cream
    and basil. Stir well. Taste for seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
    Dinner IBS Recipe One
    This Dinner IBS Recipe One is a delightful IBS friendly diet to be served on the first day of
    the 1st week. Apple Cider Chicken - Serves 1
    Ingredients: 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half
    1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    Freshly ground black pepper; to taste
    1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    1/4 cup apple cider
    3 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
    1/4 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
    Preparation: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Preheat a small skillet for about 1 minute over medhigh heat. Add the oil and wait until it sizzles. Place the chicken in the pan. Cook for about 4
    minutes until the meat displays a golden color. Flip over the chicken onto its other side. Lower
    the heat to med and add 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Cook for about 5 minutes until chicken is firm
    to the touch. Remove the chicken and place on a plate.
    Dispose of the remaining liquid from the skillet. Add the vinegar and deglaze over med-high
    heat. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula. Add the cider and the broth. Bring the
    liquid to a boil. Cook for about 4 minutes until the liquid thickens to a sauce texture. Add the
    remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter, lemon juice and thyme leaves. Combine the chicken with the
    sauce in the skillet. Sprinkle additional salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.
    Side Items: Steamed brown rice with green beans and baby carrots
    Breakfast IBS Recipe Two
    This Breakfast IBS Recipe Two is a delightful IBS friendly diet to be served on the second
    day of the 1st week. Salsa Salad - Serves 1
    Ingredients: 1 cup fresh baby romaine leaves
    6 sliced grape tomatoes
    1/2 an ear of fresh corn, kernels removed and cream pressed from cob
    4 sliced black olives
    1 wedge of freshly squeezed lime juice
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    salt and freshly ground black pepper; to taste
    Preparation: Rinse the romaine thoroughly and drain. Pat dry with paper towels. Combine with the tomatoes,
    corn kernels and olives in a salad bowl. Run down against the cob with the back of a knife pressing
    out the cream into a small mixing bowl. Add into the mixing bowl, the lime juice, olive oil and
    salt & pepper. Mix the liquid with a spoon until well-blended. Pour the mixture over the salad.
    Toss lightly but thoroughly. Taste for seasoning. Serve Chilled.
    Lunch IBS Recipe Two
    This Lunch IBS Recipe Two is a delightful IBS friendly diet to be served on the second day
    of the 1st week. Cornmeal Encrusted Chicken with Salsa - Serves 1
    Ingredients: For salsa
    3 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
    1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    1/2 an ear of fresh corn, kernels removed
    1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
    1/4 garlic clove, minced
    1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
    1/2 teaspoon olive oil
    Freshly ground black pepper; to taste
    For chicken
    1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half
    1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
    1 teaspoon unsalted butter
    Freshly ground black pepper; to taste
    Preparation: Make salsa
    Place the tomatoes in a colander. Sprinkle the salt evenly on top before tossing. Let it drain for
    15 minutes. Pour the tomatoes into a bowl. Mix in the corn kernels, cilantro, garlic, lime juice
    and olive oil. Toss well. Taste for seasoning.
    Make chicken
    Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Spread the cornmeal on a plate. Press the chicken into
    the mixture. Coat both sides. Preheat a small skillet for about 1 minute over med-high heat. Add
    the butter, wait until melted and sizzling. Place the chicken into the pan. Sauté chicken for about
    5 minutes on each side until golden and firm to the touch.
    Serve chicken with salsa.
    Side Items: Steamed green beans and a diced yellow bell pepper
    Dinner IBS Recipe Two
    This Dinner IBS Recipe Two is a delightful IBS friendly diet to be served on the second day
    of the 1st week. Dijon Mustard Grilled Pork - Serves 1
    Ingredients: 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    1/2 tablespoon molasses
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper; to taste
    1/4 pork tenderloin (1/4-pound), cut into 1-2 medallions and pressed thin
    2 teaspoons olive oil
    2-4 wooden skewers (6-inch), soaked in cold water for 20 minutes
    Preparation: Preheat grill to high. Mix the mustard and molasses in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
    Skewer 1 piece of pork onto 2 wooden skewers. Ensure meat lies flat. Brush oil on meat. Season
    with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side while brushing on the glaze at every minute
    interval, until cooked through. Remove the meat from the grill. Brush additional glaze. Serve
    immediately.
    Side Items: Steamed broccoli with mashed potato
    Breakfast IBS Recipe Three
    This Breakfast IBS Recipe Three is a delightful IBS friendly diet to be served on the third
    day of the 1st week. Quinoa Salad - Serves 1
    Ingredients: 1/2 cup quinoa
    1 cup water
    1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
    2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
    2 teaspoons olive oil
    1/4 teaspoon grainy mustard
    1 teaspoon corn syrup
    1/4 cup baby carrots, peeled and diced
    1/4 cup fresh iceberg lettuce leaves, chopped
    1/4 cup fresh cucumber, peeled and chopped
    Preparation: Wash the quinoa very thoroughly in a sieve using cold water. Place the quinoa in a small
    skillet. Add the water and cook for about 15 minutes or until soft over low-med heat. Drain
    quinoa. Place on a large plate, spread out evenly and refrigerate for about 10 minutes to cool
    down. Place in a mixing bowl, the mint, lime juice, olive oil, mustard and corn syrup. Whisk
    until blended. Remove quinoa from refrigerator and mix in the carrots, lettuce leaves and
    cucumber. Add the dressing from the mixing bowl to the plate of quinoa. Mix well and serve.
    Lunch IBS Recipe Three
    This Lunch IBS Recipe Three is a delightful IBS friendly diet to be served on the third day
    of the 1st week.
    Dijon Mustard Chicken - Serves 1
    Ingredients: 1/2 tablespoon butter
    1/2 tablespoon olive oil
    1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper; to taste
    1/4 teaspoon herbes de Provence, crumbled
    1/4 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
    2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    2 tablespoons chopped onions
    1 garlic clove, minced
    1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
    Preparation: Pre-heat small skillet over med-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil. Wait until butter melts.
    Season chicken with salt & pepper. Place the chicken into the skillet and sprinkle the herbes de
    Provence. Cook for about 10 minutes until the chicken is light golden brown, turning chicken
    occasionally. In a small mixing bowl, combine the broth, mustard, onions and garlic. Mix well.
    Pour the mixture over the chicken. Cover and simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked
    through. Remove the chicken only and wrap with foil. Boil and stir the mixture in the skillet for
    about 7 minutes until it is reduced to a sauce consistency. Remove the chicken from the foil and
    place on a plate. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle the parsley on top. Serve immediately.
    Side Items: Steamed rice with minced carrots & parsley
    Dinner IBS Recipe Three
    This Dinner IBS Recipe Three is a delightful IBS friendly diet to be served on the third day
    of the 1st week.
    Bloody Mary Flank Steak - Serves 1
    Ingredients: 1/4 cup vegetable juice; V-8
    1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    Freshly ground black pepper; to taste
    1/4 tablespoon lemon juice
    2 teaspoons crushed garlic
    1/4 teaspoon onion powder
    1/4 teaspoon celery seed
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1/4 pound flank steak
    Preparation: Place all ingredients except for the flank steak into a mixing bowl. Mix well. Pour mixture into a
    large zip lock bag. Add the flank steak. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours. Pre-heat the
    grill or skillet over high heat. Remove the flank steak from zip lock and remove excess liquid
    mixture. Grill or pan sear both sides. Lower the heat to medium and cook to medium-rare.
    Remove and let the flank steak sit covered for 5-10 minutes. Cut on the bias against the grain and
    serve immediately.
    Side Items: Steamed wild rice and crinkle cut carrots
    Breakfast IBS Recipe Four
    This Breakfast IBS Recipe Four is a delightful IBS friendly diet to be served on the fourth
    day of the 1st week.
    Minty Pea and Rice Salad with Apples - Serves 1
    Ingredients: 1/2 cup rice, cooked
    1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
    1/2 apple, cut into small pieces
    1/2 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, minced
    1 tablespoon pineapple juice
    1 tablespoon soy cream
    1 wedge of freshly squeezed lemon juice
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper; to taste
    Preparation: Place the cooked rice in the refrigerator to cool. In a mixing bowl add the peas, apple, mint
    leaves, pineapple juice, soy cream and lemon juice. Remove the rice from the fridge and
    combine into mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. Season to taste. Serve chilled.
    Lunch IBS Recipe Four
    This Lunch IBS Recipe Four is a delightful IBS friendly diet to be served on the fourth day
    of the 1st week.
    Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce - Serves 1
    Ingredients: 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
    1/2 tablespoon olive oil
    1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper; to taste
    1/2 shallot, minced
    2 tablespoons chopped & drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
    3 tablespoons whipping cream
    1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
    Preparation: Pre-heat a small skillet over med-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil. Wait until it melts.
    Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Place the chicken into the pan. Sauté for about 3 minutes
    until golden brown or just cooked through. Remove the chicken only and place on a plate. Add
    the shallot to the pan. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, whipping cream and
    basil. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for about 4 minutes until the mixture turns into a sauce
    consistency. Return the chicken to the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes until heated through.
    Season with additional salt & pepper. Serve immediately.
    Side Items: Steamed rice and broccoli
    click “Download Now” button below to
    Get The IBS Miracle System
    Complete Version + Bonuses
    Curcumin
    The 21st Century Cure
    Jan McBarron, M.D., N.D.
    OPTIMAL BODY DEFENSE
    David Lyons with Arnold Schwarzenegger
    Fight Back Against Excess Inflammation
    Contents
    CHAPTER 1:
    What Is Curcumin and How Does
    It Work?, 1
    CHAPTER 2:
    Curcumin and Heart Disease, 7
    CHAPTER 3:
    Curcumin and Cancer, 12
    CHAPTER 4:
    Curcumin, Chronic Pain and Arthritis, 17
    CHAPTER 5:
    Curcumin and Diabetes, 21
    CHAPTER 6:
    Curcumin and Memory: Alzheimer’s
    and Dementia, 26
    CHAPTER 7:
    Curcumin, Depression and Other
    Brain Disorders, 35
    CHAPTER 8:
    Curcumin and Digestive Disorders, 40
    CHAPTER 9:
    Curcumin and Other Diseases, 43
    Scientifically Validated Curcumin, 47
    References, 47
    About the Author, 50
    CHAPTER 1
    What Is Curcumin
    and How Does It Work?
    AN ASIAN SECRET FOR LONGEVITY
    W
    hat if I told you there is a common spice that can give you
    the gift of a long and healthy life? How about an extract of
    this familiar spice that can prevent and even cure heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, joint pain and more?
    Maybe you would think it’s just a bunch of hype, but I can
    assure you there is voluminous scientific research that warrants
    placing curcumin at the pinnacle of all healing herbs.
    If you love curry, you’ll be familiar with turmeric, a popular
    vividly-colored spice. Inside turmeric is a compound called curcumin, which is found in its rhizome (the stem of the plant found
    underground). Curcumin is responsible for the golden orange color
    of turmeric, and is perhaps the most powerful botanical medicine
    in the world today. However, there is very little curcumin in the
    spice turmeric. If you’ve seen cheap turmeric supplements on the
    market, understand that they only contain 2 to 5% curcumin,
    which may or may not be usable by your body, and they’re not
    likely to have any effectiveness in terms of prevention or treatment
    for the diseases we’re talking about. Curcumin is many times more
    powerful than turmeric.
    For centuries, curcumin has given the gift of long life and
    robust health to the people of India, for whom various types of
    curries—always made with turmeric—are a dietary staple.
    1
    2
    r
    CURCUMIN—THE 21ST CENTURY CURE
    Curcumin is an important ingredient in the Ayurvedic medicine
    tradition and a vital part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Now I
    can say without equivocation that it is the cure-all of the 21st
    century, backed by voluminous research that credits its healing
    powers to its exceptional antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
    properties.
    Botanically known as Curcuma longa, the turmeric rhizome is
    a member of the antioxidant-rich ginger family. You might be
    understandably skeptical when you hear that this humble Indian
    spice can prevent, treat and cure a wide variety of serious diseases.
    These include everything from heart attacks to a dozen types of
    cancer, the pain of all types of arthritis and even “incurable” diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Curcumin also soothes depression and the agony of a variety of digestive disorders, including
    Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel
    syndrome.
    WHAT IS CURCUMIN AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
    r
    3
    In this book, I’ll address your skepticism with an in-depth
    examination of each of these conditions and the research supporting curcumin’s role in prevention, treatment and cure.
    CURCUMIN: THE TRIPLE WHAMMY AGAINST
    CHRONIC DISEASE
    Curcumin has proven antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. This takes in most, if not all, of the chronic diseases of aging known to modern science.
    Think about rust on the bumper of a car. Rust is caused by oxidation or damaging oxygen molecules that corrode and eventually
    destroy the structure of metal.
    Those same corrosive oxygen molecules (sometimes called free
    radicals) are found inside the human body, and while they are part
    of the aging process, they are an unpleasant part of it because they
    contribute to the deterioration of cells. When these “rusty” cells
    reproduce, each generation is just a little different from the last and
    a little bit less able to perform its function properly. That, in a nutshell, is how and why we age.
    The oxidative aging process is escalated by environmental factors:
    • Polluted air and water
    • Plastics and other toxic materials that contaminate nearly everything we touch, eat and drink
    • Pesticides and other poisons and hormones in our food and even
    in our clothing
    • Processed foods, smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and other
    unhealthy lifestyle choices
    OXIDATION AND INFLAMMATION CAUSE DISEASE
    So, what happens when we get “rust” or oxidative damage in our
    cells? Our brain cells begin to deteriorate, so memory becomes
    4
    r
    CURCUMIN—THE 21ST CENTURY CURE
    A handful of devastating diseases of aging are all partially or totally
    caused by oxidation:
    ❖ Heart disease
    ❖ Osteoarthritis
    ❖ Cancer
    ❖ Alzheimer’s disease
    ❖ Diabetes
    ❖ Dementia
    fuzzy; our hearts don’t beat as efficiently as they once did; our
    arteries become clogged; our blood sugars spike and cellular division is thrown so far out of whack that our cells begin to divide
    wildly, creating cancers that can kill us.
    This oxidative stress can also cause brain chemistry to malfunction, resulting in depression, one of the most common and
    debilitating diseases of modern times.
    Worst of all, these nasty free radical oxygen molecules cause
    inflammation, with obvious results if you think of arthritis, joint pain
    and other forms of chronic pain, but less obvious ones as underlying causes of all of the degenerative diseases already mentioned.
    In addition, obesity and inflammation go hand-in-hand. Most
    likely, obesity causes inflammation, although the scientific community isn’t quite convinced yet. More than 40% of all Americans
    are obese. When we add in those 30% who are overweight but not
    yet obese, we find that excess weight plagues 70% of all American
    adults. That makes the inflammation associated with obesity a serious contributing factor in all of the diseases of aging.
    THE GOLDEN KNIGHT
    Like a golden knight on a palomino charger, curcumin rides to the
    rescue!
    Curcumin is by far the most powerful antioxidant known to
    science, hundreds of times more powerful than blueberries, which
    have substantial antioxidant capabilities themselves.
    WHAT IS CURCUMIN AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
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    On the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale
    that rates the antioxidant power of foods, only BCM-95® Curcumin rates over 1.5 million per 100 grams, while antioxidantrich blueberries have only a 6,000 ORAC rating per 100 grams!
    This means that just one high-quality curcumin capsule delivers
    more than 25 times the antioxidants as the same amount of blueberries.
    Curcumin literally scrubs the oxidative “rust” from your cells,
    preventing serious disease and reversing diseases you may already
    have. It helps stop cell deterioration and restores the cellular genetic codes to youthful levels, ensuring those cells will reproduce more
    like they did when you were young.
    More important, from the viewpoint of damaged cell division
    found in cancer, curcumin also tells these cells to die when their
    time comes, as ordained by nature, which stops tumor growth.
    And that wonderful yellow curcumin stops inflammation and
    all of its obvious and not-so-obvious damaging effects, relieving
    inflammatory problems like arthritis and joint pain and eliminating the building blocks for heart disease, diabetes and other diseases
    that have a foundation in chronic inflammation.
    In addition, curcumin has a unique ability to cross the bloodbrain barrier, a membrane that protects the brain from invaders
    like bacterial infections and keeps out most other substances as
    well, including those that might be helpful. This gives curcumin the
    ability to deliver its antioxidants and anti-inflammatories directly
    to the brain, which is particularly helpful in cases of dementia and
    depression.
    In the case of cancer, cutting-edge research shows curcumin has
    a variety of ways of stopping abnormal cell growth, including an
    ability to affect cell division on the genetic level.
    If that’s not enough, studies also show that curcumin protects
    the liver and kidneys.
    Curcumin has been compared to pharmaceutical drugs for the
    treatment of a wide variety of diseases, and it has come out on top
    in every case.
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    ANOTHER TRIPLE WHAMMY AGAINST
    INFLAMMATION
    Inflammation is a factor in 80 to 90% of all disease, according to
    curcumin researcher Ajay Goel, Ph.D., director of Epigenetics and
    Cancer Prevention at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.
    What’s not to love?
    “Curcumin demonstrates superior antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and provides liver- and heart-protective benefits as
    well. It is a potent antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-allergenic
    and has antitumor and anti-cancer properties,” says Dr. Goel.
    By knocking out viruses, bacteria and fungi, curcumin offers
    the powerful possibility that we can use it to treat everything from
    colds and flu to pneumonia or even to help with something as serious as AIDS or cancer, effectively and without dangerous side
    effects.
    CHAPTER 2
    Curcumin and
    Heart Disease
    S
    ince heart disease is the #1 killer in the Western world, any
    nutrient, like curcumin, that helps protect your heart and arteries and even reverses heart disease should be most welcome.
    Curcumin’s heart-protective effects become even more important when we add diabetes to the mix. Heart disease is the most
    common complication of diabetes, and the number of newly diagnosed diabetics is increasing dramatically every year, with nearly
    2 million new cases reported among U.S. adults in 2010.
    KEEP ARTERIES CLEAR
    Clogged arteries raise the risk of heart attack and stroke. Fatty
    deposits (called plaque) cause arteries to narrow, reduce blood flow,
    make your heart work harder to move blood through the circulatory system and harden the arteries. In time, cholesterol buildup
    can completely block an artery and cause a heart attack or stroke.
    Curcumin raises the levels of HDL or “good” cholesterol that
    helps move fats out of the cells, including the cells in the arteries.
    It also reduces the stickiness of blood cells, preventing clots.
    With curcumin, cholesterol improvement can happen fast: An
    Indian study showed that human volunteers who took 500 milligrams a day for just a week increased their good (HDL) cholesterol by 29%.
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    In addition, inflammation is a foundational cause of cardiovascular disease and there is abundant evidence that curcumin is
    one of the most potent anti-inflammatory substances known to
    science. Therefore, it stands to reason that reduction of inflammation also reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. Other
    studies suggest that curcumin may actually change the messages
    sent by genes that signal the body to build up those fatty deposits
    in the arteries.
    Image of arteries shows normal flow (top), constricted flow (center)
    and blocked artery (bottom).
    CURCUMIN AND HEART DISEASE
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    REDUCE HOMOCYSTEINE AND CRP LEVELS
    Homocysteine is an amino acid naturally present in the human
    body. When homocysteine starts to build up in the bloodstream, it
    increases the hardening and narrowing of the arteries, may cause
    blood clotting, raises your risk of heart disease and can be predictive of a heart attack, stroke and possibly Alzheimer’s disease.
    CRP (C-Reactive Protein) is a body signal of inflammation. It
    damages the arterial walls, resulting in hardening of the arteries
    and blood clotting. Curcumin helps to relax those arterial wall
    cells, reduces the hardening of the arteries and allows the blood to
    flow more freely, dissolving clots and preventing and even reversing plaque buildup.
    REVERSE HEART FAILURE
    Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart can no longer
    pump enough blood to the rest of the body. It is usually a slow
    process that gets worse over time. As the heart muscle loses its ability to pump oxygen-rich blood throughout the body, it causes
    fluid buildup in the lungs, liver, gastrointestinal tract, arms and
    legs. This lack of oxygen damages vital organs, eventually causing
    death.
    Curcumin prevents the creation of scar tissue in the heart muscle and helps failing hearts return to their normal pumping capacity, according to breakthrough Canadian research published in
    2008. Scientists at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research discovered that curcumin acts directly on the DNA of heart cells, preventing them from unraveling under physical stress. Curcumin was
    shown to switch off the “unraveling switch” in the heart cell DNA
    that keeps scar tissue from developing.
    In the February 2008 edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre of the Toronto General Hospital reported that curcumin may dramatically
    reduce the chance of developing heart failure.
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    “When the herb is given orally, it can actually prevent and
    reverse hypertrophy, restore heart function and reduce scar formation,” researchers wrote.
    PREVENT STROKE AND STOP STROKE DAMAGE
    Strokes have two major causes. The most common is a blood clot
    that travels to the brain and the second is a ruptured blood vessel
    in the brain. As we learned earlier in this chapter, the buildup of
    cholesterol, elevated homocysteine and CRP levels and even congestive heart failure are risk factors for stroke as well as heart
    attack. Since stroke is a cardiovascular disease, a stroke is a “brain
    attack,” if you will, similar to a heart attack. We already know that
    curcumin has powerful preventive and healing properties for all of
    these conditions.
    Strokes almost inevitably damage brain cells. But exciting new
    research shows that curcumin, given intravenously, can minimize
    brain damage while a stroke is in progress because it can cross the
    blood-brain barrier, protecting the mechanisms that help regenerate brain cells. This is effective if it is administered in an emergency
    room within three hours of a stroke.
    SUPER ANTIOXIDANT
    Curcumin’s antioxidant properties are one of its most potent
    weapons against all of the diseases commonly linked with the aging
    process, most notably cardiovascular disease. I like to think of
    antioxidants as “rust removers” of the body because they literally
    remove the “rust” or the foundational causes of the diseases of
    aging connected to excessive free-radical oxygen molecules.
    Cholesterol or even excessive cholesterol in itself does not clog
    arteries. It is the oxidized cholesterol that clogs arteries, restricts
    blood flow to vital organs and eventually breaks away to cause
    heart attacks and strokes.
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    By preventing this oxidation in the first place, curcumin’s
    antioxidant properties keep the arteries clear of that potentially
    fatal oxidized cholesterol or plaque.
    CONCLUSION
    Curcumin’s abilities to protect your heart, brain and cardiovascular system are beyond impressive. Consider the drugs commonly
    used to treat the heart conditions discussed in this chapter. The
    statin drugs alone (Lipitor, Crestor and their cousins) carry with
    them huge health risks from side effects, including causing death
    from sudden heart failure.
    It only makes sense to use substances that are effective as well
    as harmless.
    Curcumin is natural and safe. Only rarely do people taking curcumin get mild stomach upset at dosages of 10 grams per day or
    more. What’s more, even the highest quality products are very
    affordable. Who could ask for more?
    CHAPTER 3
    Curcumin and Cancer
    C
    ancer arouses more fear in the human heart than any other disease. The dread is well placed, even though cancer is not the #1
    killer in the Western world.
    Every year, more than 1.5 million people are diagnosed with
    cancer, not including skin cancers, which are by far the most common cancers. Skin cancers afflict 2 million more people every year.
    Each year, 569,000 of us will die of cancer.
    There is probably not a single one of us who doesn’t know
    someone who has had cancer and who has personally been touched
    by the pain and suffering of this dreaded disease.
    It is not the purpose of this small book to detail the various
    types of cancer and the death tolls they exact, but let it suffice to
    say that lung, colon, prostate and breast cancers kill more Americans than any other forms.
    While most of us think that cancer is an inherited disease, science shows us that fewer than 2% of all cancer is related to genetics (broken or mutated genes). That means 98% of cancer is caused
    by something else.
    That “something else” has opened a whole new science called
    epigenetics, meaning literally “above genetics.”
    The good news is that we have far more control over our epigenetics than genetics.
    Renowned scientist Ajay Goel, Ph.D., of the Gastrointestinal
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    Cancer Research Laboratory at the Baylor Research Institute at
    Dallas, is at the forefront of epigenetic research.
    He explains a complex science in simple terms: “Everything we
    do from the day we are born, everything we eat, drink and are
    exposed to in our environment has an indirect but strong influence
    on our genetics. As we age and grow, it is very natural that some
    of the genes tend to get turned off as a consequence of our eating
    habits, exercise regimens and exposure to toxic environmental
    stresses. Doing the right thing in this regard can help us keep our
    genes healthy.”
    So, when we don’t eat correctly or exercise and are exposed to
    toxins, damage to genes takes place and disease occurs.
    “Fortunately, unlike genetic defects, epigenetic alterations have
    a unique characteristic that these changes are reversible,” says
    Dr. Goel.
    “In other words, although we can do nothing if we are born
    with a defective gene, it is certainly within our reach to keep our
    genomes healthy and we can even reverse some of the epigenetic
    changes by eating right and with regular consumption of healthpromoting natural dietary botanicals and herbals,” he explains.
    Here’s where curcumin comes into the cancer picture.
    “Every cell in our bodies has a finite life span,” says Dr. Goel.
    “We have genes in our bodies that govern this natural process of
    cell death. But sometimes those genes go into a deep slumber, allowing cells to continue to live and reproduce long beyond their time,
    creating cancerous tumors.”
    Curcumin has been scientifically proven to actually “wake up”
    those sleeping genes, telling cancer cells it is time to die and stopping the growth of cancerous tumors.
    Dr. Goel and his team have produced ground-breaking research
    that promises to change the way we think about cancer and how it
    is treated—and curcumin certainly has a strong role in this change.
    It almost goes without saying that the anti-inflammatory and
    antioxidant powers of curcumin are the foundation of its ability
    to prevent and treat cancer, since cancer is caused by inflamma-
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    tion and by oxidative stress, meaning, among other things, that
    DNA has been damaged, impairing the ability of cells to reproduce perfectly.
    The staid and highly
    respected MD Anderson Cancer Center has expressed uncharacteristic enthusiasm about
    curcumin’s anticancer properties in a 2003 statement by
    researchers published in the
    journal Anticancer Research:
    “Extensive research over
    the last 50 years has indicated
    it can prevent and treat cancer
    . . . Curcumin can suppress
    tumor initiation, promotion
    and metastasis.”
    Let’s take a look at the
    Breast cancer cells.
    large body of research that
    proves curcumin’s effectiveness at preventing and fighting cancer:
    Blocks carcinogenic substances: We’re all exposed to carcinogens
    on a daily basis from auto exhausts, air pollution, food packaging,
    pesticides and a broad spectrum of substances with which we cannot avoid contact. Curcumin apparently blocks those carcinogens,
    preventing them from causing the cellular damage that ultimately
    results in cancer.
    Stops invasion: Cancer cells invade normal tissue with the help of
    certain enzymes called matrix metalloproteinase. Curcumin slows
    or stops the activity of this enzyme, helping halt the spread of cancerous cells.
    Cuts off tumor blood supply: Invasive tumors are fed by their own
    specially developed network of blood vessels through a process
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    called angiogenesis. Curcumin slows the ability of these tumors to
    create their blood supply, eventually starving and killing the abnormal clusters of cells.
    Convinces cancerous cells to die: As Dr. Goel points out, “sleeping
    genes” interfere with the cancer cells’ natural life and death cycle
    called apoptosis. Cancer cells quite literally turn off the signal that
    it is time to die. Curcumin actually turns on that signal, telling the
    cancer cells to die, so the tumors eventually die, too. Dr. Goel is currently engaged in more research on the sleeping gene mechanism.
    These are the basic ways that curcumin works to prevent and
    stop cancer. There are literally dozens of studies that show curcumin’s effectiveness against specific types of cancer.
    Here’s a list of types of cancer for which curcumin has been scientifically validated as a preventive or treatment:
    Breast
    Head and neck
    Oral
    Cervical
    Leukemia
    Ovarian
    Colorectal
    Lung
    Prostate
    Gastrointestinal
    Lymphoma
    Sarcoma
    Genitourinary
    Melanoma
    Squamous cell
    As a final word, even the famed Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
    is on the curcumin bandwagon, endorsing an anticancer cocktail
    mixed with another known cancer preventive, green tea.
    As yet unpublished animal studies show strong evidence that
    curcumin, administered in tandem with more traditional anticancer
    drugs, reduces the toxicity of those drugs and improves their effectiveness. Three human studies are now underway combining curcumin with certain types of chemotherapy drugs commonly used to
    treat breast and colon cancers. I’m eagerly awaiting more information on this exciting development. However, there have been several promising studies on the ability of curcumin to improve the
    effectiveness of many types of chemo and radiation therapy by
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    making the cancer cells more sensitive to these treatments. However,
    please discuss with your integrative health professional how best to
    use curcumin if you are currently undergoing cancer treatment.
    CONCLUSION
    While the scientific evidence in favor of curcumin for all of the diseases mentioned in this book is impressive, the quality of proof that
    curcumin prevents and treats a wide variety of cancer is truly exceptional.
    Cancer prevention alone should be a sufficient incentive to
    include curcumin in your daily supplement regimen.
    CHAPTER 4
    Curcumin, Chronic Pain
    and Arthritis
    V
    irtually all of us experience occasional joint and back pain.
    With luck, it goes away with time, rest and perhaps an occasional ice pack. Sometimes it does not.
    Each year, about 30 million of us visit a doctor complaining of
    joint pain. Another 40 million or so visit a doctor looking for relief
    from back pain. Add in 1.5 million people with rheumatoid arthritis, 6.1 million with gout, 5 million with fibromyalgia and 1.5 million broken bones suffered every year by people with osteoporosis
    and you’ll see the magnitude of this painful problem.
    Long-term musculoskeletal pain affects your entire being. It
    drains your energy and contributes to chronic stress, a condition
    that has myriad negative side effects, including obesity, metabolic
    disorders, heart disease and perhaps even cancer. Chronic pain is
    often linked with depression. Who wouldn’t be depressed in the
    face of unrelenting pain?
    Joint pain and back pain are most often caused by deterioration
    of the cartilage that cushion joints (including the spaces between
    the vertebrae, causing back pain), causing bone to rub against bone
    and resulting in inflammation and pain. This can be caused by an
    injury, but most often, it is the result of 40, 50, 60 years or more
    of wear and tear on the joints.
    For most of us, our first remedy is to reach for aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen. That can be a fatal mistake. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like aspirin, ibuprofen and
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    naproxen plus a handful of prescription drugs like Celebrex,
    Anaprox, Feldene and Voltaren can cause serious toxicity problems
    that require hospitalization for as many as 200,000 Americans each
    year and kill over 20,000 people annually. Yet 60 million of us use
    them regularly and doctors still happily prescribe them.
    Exciting new human research confirms that curcumin is as
    effective as some of the most popular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) arthritis drugs, including Voltaren and Celebrex,
    without the potentially life-threatening side effects. A combination
    formula of BCM-95® Curcumin and a special form of the herb
    boswellia called BosPure™ was found to be more effective in pain
    relief and provided better mobility and longer walking times without pain for people with knee osteoarthritis, than the prescription
    drug celecoxib (generic form of Celebrex), the number one prescribed osteoarthritis drug. This study was just published in December of 2011 in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.
    NSAIDs relieve inflammation by inhibiting the activity of an
    inflammation-causing enzyme called COX-2. That’s all well and
    good, but they also inhibit a companion enzyme called COX-1,
    which protects the lining of the digestive tract and blood vessels.
    Therefore, without adequate COX-1 protection, you may have
    ulcers and leaking of the blood vessels.
    THE GOLDEN KNIGHT RIDES AGAIN
    It shouldn’t surprise you that curcumin and its formidable antiinflammatory powers offer an effective and safe alternative to these
    dangerous NSAIDs. Curcumin inhibits the COX-2 enzyme but does
    not affect healthy levels of COX-1.
    Inflammation causes pain, so if you relieve inflammation, you
    relieve pain. Not only does curcumin relieve inflammation and
    pain, it can actually help rebuild worn cartilage, restoring joints
    to their youthful flexibility. Curcumin is also such a potent antioxidant that it can actually help repair the oxidative damage caused
    by inflammation.
    CURCUMIN, CHRONIC PAIN AND ARTHRITIS
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    Medicine Hunter Chris Kilham, who has conducted medical
    research in more than 20 countries, is sometimes called “The Indiana Jones of Natural Medicine.” He says curcumin deserves
    “superstar status” among healing plants.
    “Medicines should heal, not hurt. They should promote life,
    not take it away. In part, due to disappointment with drugs, and
    in part due to a belief that natural remedies are safer than most
    pharmaceuticals, many people seek natural remedies to alleviate
    pain. But where do they look? Enter curcumin, a derivative of
    turmeric root, that literally can erase pain quickly and powerfully,
    without negative effects,” says Kilham.
    The research is very impressive:
    Reduce inflammation: Biological indicators of inflammation were
    reduced by as much as 99% with curcumin, offering almost
    complete relief for chronic pain sufferers and providing a powerful
    promise for prevention and treatment of other diseases caused by
    inflammation.
    Cartilage regeneration: Not only does curcumin help reduce the
    inflammation, it actually helps prevent the breakdown of cartilage
    (the cushions between joints), preventing arthritis from developing
    or worsening, as shown by Canadian researchers. At least one study
    shows that curcumin can help build new cartilage cells, reversing
    what was once thought to be an incurable degenerative disease.
    Pain relief: An Italian study showed that people diagnosed with knee
    osteoarthritis were able to reduce their need for NSAIDs by 63%
    when they took curcumin. As a welcome side effect in this study, it
    was discovered that curcumin produced a 16-fold reduction in participants’ blood levels of CRP, the protein that indicates high levels
    of inflammation, which also predicts a high risk for heart attack.
    Once again curcumin has proven to be superior to commonly
    used pharmaceuticals in relieving joint pain and increasing walking time among people with knee osteoarthritis. In a 2011 study
    published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, patients
    who took a 500 mg blend of BCM-95® Curcumin and BosPure™
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    boswellia twice daily had significantly better pain relief than those
    who took 100 mg of celecoxib (generic form of Celebrex) twice a
    day. The curcumin-boswellia blend equaled celecoxib in improved
    joint flexibility. However, Celebrex has serious negative side effects,
    including irregular heartbeat, depression, increased risk of heart
    attack and stroke, stomach and intestinal bleeding, chest pain,
    ulcers, severe abdominal pain, jaundice, one-sided weakness and
    more. I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would
    take this drug when natural curcumin and boswellia offer better
    results and no serious side effects at all.
    Rheumatoid arthritis: A landmark 2006 study from the University
    of Arizona takes the idea of inflammation a step further with the
    finding that curcumin might prevent rheumatoid arthritis, an
    autoimmune disease. Another study showed that curcumin was at
    least as effective as one commonly prescribed pain reliever for
    rheumatoid arthritis.
    The most recent research published in the journal Phytotherapy
    Research in March 2012 shows that people with rheumatoid arthritis taking 500 mg of BCM-95® Curcumin twice daily had as much
    pain relief and improved mobility as those who received diclofenac
    sodium (generic form of the drug Voltaren, a pharmaceutical commonly prescribed for people with rheumatoid arthritis) with a vastly superior safety profile. Side effects associated with Voltaren
    include ulcers, bleeding in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract,
    life-threatening blood loss, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, fainting
    and many others. No side effects were reported in the patients who
    received BCM-95® Curcumin.
    CONCLUSION
    If you suffer from occasional or continuous joint pain, like most of
    us, you’ll discover that curcumin offers short- and long-term relief.
    You can find the same kind of pain relief as my sister, who has suffered from chronic back pain for decades and found relief with her
    first dose of curcumin.
    CHAPTER 5
    Curcumin and Diabetes
    T
    ype 2 diabetes is the disease of the Western lifestyle. This disease, once known as adult-onset diabetes, was considered the
    province of the over-50 crowd. You know the ones I mean, the ones
    with the potbellies, vegging out in front of the TV, munching on
    Doritos chased with half a gallon of Rocky Road.
    Now it is the disease of teens raised on Big Macs and gallons
    of Coke, 20-somethings with high cholesterol, 30-somethings with
    erectile dysfunction and 40-somethings with coronary bypasses.
    Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and is characterized by a malfunctioning pancreas that does not produce sufficient quantities of the body’s own insulin to properly utilize the
    natural sugars in food.
    Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is a lifestyle disease. Scientifically, it is characterized by the body’s inability to respond to the
    insulin produced by the pancreas. This is called insulin resistance.
    The American Diabetes Association reports that 25.8 million
    Americans suffer from the disease, 7 million of them undiagnosed.
    Another 79 million are considered “prediabetic,” meaning they
    have some blood sugar malfunction.
    It’s important to note that the vast majority of people with type
    2 diabetes are obese. Alarmingly, the number of people with diabetes in the U.S. has increased by 76% in the last 20 years in pace
    with the increase in obesity.
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    Just having to live with blood glucose testing, dietary restrictions and diabetes meds with a wide variety of side effects is only
    the tip of the diabetes iceberg.
    DEADLY COMPLICATIONS
    The complications of diabetes are daunting:
    • Heart disease is reported as a cause of death in 68% of people
    with diabetes aged 65 and over.
    • People with diabetes have a 2 to 4 times greater chance of dying
    of heart disease or stroke than those without the disease.
    • High blood pressure is reported in 67% of those with diabetes.
    • Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in people aged 29 to 74.
    • Kidney failure attributed to diabetes accounts for 44% of all new
    cases. In 2008, the latest year for which statistics are available,
    more than 202,000 people with end-stage kidney disease due to
    diabetes were living on dialysis or with a kidney transplant.
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    • Nerve damage is experienced by 60 to 70% of people with diabetes, often causing erectile dysfunction in men.
    • Diabetes causes circulatory problems that led to 65,700 lower
    limb amputations in diabetics in 2008.
    • Diabetes is listed as a contributing cause of death in more than
    231,000 deaths.
    Science now generally accepts that diabetes is an inflammatory
    condition, as is obesity. As you might well imagine, this is where
    curcumin comes into the picture.
    THE GOLDEN KNIGHT REDUX
    Remember the role of free radical oxygen molecules as underlying
    causes of most disease processes from Chapter 1?
    Curcumin’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are
    especially applicable to diabetes and its complications.
    Here’s what the studies show curcumin can do:
    Reduce glucose production in the liver: A Japanese study shows
    that curcumin has the ability to reduce the liver’s natural production of glucose, which in healthy people is balanced by the pancreas’s production of insulin to keep glucose levels steady.
    Keep glucose out of red blood cells: Scientists treated red blood
    cells to mimic diabetes, then exposed them to curcumin for just 24
    hours. The results: Curcumin normalized the cells in terms of sugar
    processing and prevented the formation of the fatty globules that
    clog arteries.
    Prevent the development of diabetes: A Columbia University study
    showed that mice with a predisposition toward diabetes and obesity given daily doses of curcumin were less likely to develop
    impaired blood sugar, insulin resistance and full-blown diabetes
    than those that did not receive curcumin.
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    Lower blood sugar, increase insulin: Indian researchers found that
    curcumin contains a particularly powerful antioxidant, tetrahydrocurcumin, which lowers blood sugars, increases insulin in the
    bloodstream (meaning existing insulin is being properly used) and
    protects against fatty deposits in the arteries indicative of heart
    disease that is very common in people with diabetes. Through its
    anti-inflammatory action, several studies show that curcumin can
    result in better blood sugar control and, therefore, a small, but
    significant decrease in body weight and fat, potentially reducing
    the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
    Promote wound healing: Curcumin also helps in the process of
    wound healing, something that is especially important to people
    with diabetes since their wound-healing capabilities are often
    impaired, leading to infection and amputations. Curcumin should
    be used at the time when the skin is beginning to re-form around
    the wound and new skin is being laid down.
    Protect kidneys: Curcumin has also been found to protect the kidneys, which we know are vulnerable in people with diabetes, and
    to help prevent glaucoma and cataracts, common complications
    among people with diabetes.
    Reduce liver inflammation: Animal studies show that BCM-95®
    Curcumin actually reduced liver inflammation, making the livers of
    the treated obese animals (cats in this case) behave like the livers of
    non-obese animals. Yes, these are “only” animal studies, but
    experts like Dr. Ajay Goel of Baylor think that it is logical that
    BCM-95® will have similar effects on humans, reducing fatty liver
    and obesity, among the greatest risks for diabetes.
    Reverse diabetes: Probably the most exciting study came from
    Egypt in 2008, when researchers discovered curcumin and a bone
    marrow transplant reversed diabetes in mice with the disease.
    Researchers theorized that the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant
    properties of curcumin enhanced the ability of the bone marrow
    transplant to regenerate insulin-producing cells.
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    CONCLUSION
    The evidence is abundantly clear: Curcumin has profound effects
    against one of the most deadly diseases of our time. Its pathways
    of action are widely varied, and it is effective against a number of
    the complications of diabetes as well. While doctors are not yet
    ready to tell every person with diabetes to take curcumin, they are
    probably behind the research curve. If I had diabetes, wild horses
    couldn’t keep me away from my curcumin. I don’t have diabetes,
    but curcumin is still a staple of my supplement regimen.
    CHAPTER 6
    Curcumin and Memory:
    Alzheimer’s and Dementia
    B
    rain health is at the core of who we are as humans.
    If you have a healthy brain, you have an inquiring mind, you
    are engaged in the world around you, and you communicate clearly with others and form nurturing relationships.
    Brain chemistry malfunctions take place when, for unknown
    reasons, brain cells begin to die, resulting in impaired memory, also
    known as dementia. It is a disease in itself and is not a normal consequence of aging.
    Alzheimer’s disease is probably the best-known form of dementia, accounting for 50 to 70% of all cases of dementia, so the terms
    Alzheimer’s and dementia are often used interchangeably. Many
    people with Alzheimer’s show signs of dementia caused by strokes
    or mini-strokes called transient ischemic accidents (TIAs) as well.
    Dementia can also be caused by chemical exposures, other neurological diseases like Parkinson’s and Creutzfeldt-Jakob (mad cow
    disease), long-term depression, multiple strokes, AIDS, chronic
    drug use, infections and toxic side effects of medications. It can
    also be caused by head injuries, as we’ve learned through recent
    media coverage of compromised brain function in professional
    football players and boxers who are exposed to relentless blows to
    the head. For the most part these, like Alzheimer’s, are incurable
    and irreversible. Conventional medicine has little to offer in terms
    of treatment.
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    There are also forms of dementia that can be treated and potentially reversed, including those caused by a blood clot on the brain,
    a tumor that can be removed, hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia and
    vitamin B12 deficiency.
    It is very difficult to diagnose dementia or to differentiate the
    specific disease called Alzheimer’s, so if you or someone close to
    you is showing signs of memory loss, it is essential to make a thorough investigation to determine if the dementia is caused by one of
    the factors that can be treated and reversed.
    THE LONG GOODBYE
    Over time, Alzheimer’s inevitably affects memory, thinking and
    behavior. People with Alzheimer’s frequently experience personality
    changes, anxiety, anger and may even become combative and violent.
    Alzheimer’s has often been called “The Long Goodbye,”
    because it takes such a terrible physical and emotional toll on its
    victims and their families, usually for years on end.
    Curcumin stimulates electrical communication between brain cells.
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    The downhill memory slide takes its victims from normal competency with occasional memory lapses to the loss of the ability to
    function in the normal world to inevitable death with no apparent
    mindfulness. Sadly, conventional medicine offers no really effective
    treatment. The few pharmaceuticals on the market have minimal
    effects even in slowing the progression of the disease.
    The National Institutes of Health estimates that more than
    5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s. Most of them are over
    60, although there is an increasing rate of early onset Alzheimer’s
    that can begin as early as the 30s. The frightening statistic is that
    if you’re lucky to live to the age of 85, you have a 50-50 chance
    of developing dementia.
    Alzheimer’s is inevitably a fatal disease, but it rarely kills quickly. Mercifully, people with dementia often have other diseases that
    take them away before the terrible onset of late-stage dementia.
    BIOLOGY OF ALZHEIMER’S
    Here’s a little painless biology that explains how normal brain cells
    work:
    I like to think of neurons, dendrites and synapses as an electrical system in the brain through which thought processes and conscious and unconscious biological functions take place. Neurons,
    the brain cells, grow large finger-like projections called dendrites
    that function very much like wiring in an electrical system. Each
    neuron has at least one dendrite in and another out in this electrical grid that sends a charge to the next dendrite across a tiny space
    called a synapse. Scientists once thought that we are born with all
    of the neurons and dendrites we will ever possess, but they’ve
    recently learned that over our lifetimes we can grow new neurons
    and even expand our network of dendrites exponentially in a
    process called neurogenesis. Some neurons may have hundreds or
    even thousands of dendrites.
    Continuing our analogy of the electrical wiring system, you can
    see that if one wire becomes damaged, thousands of alternative
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    “electrical” pathways can allow the system to continue to function
    without impairment.
    How do you grow more dendrites and refresh your neuron supply? No one is really sure, but there is evidence that the more you
    challenge your brain, the more extensive your neuronal network
    will be.
    Another process characteristic of Alzheimer’s is the formation
    of beta-amyloid plaques and tangles. The beta-amyloid plaques
    are made of protein that accumulates around the neurons rather
    than being eliminated by the body, as they are in a healthy person,
    thereby damaging the function of the brain.
    In addition, tangled proteins called tau fibers inside the neuron
    further impair the mental process.
    These plaques and tangles and disrupted neuronal function
    most often occur in the hippocampus, the lower part of the human
    brain that is responsible for memory. For unknown reasons, Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia frequently affect the area of
    the hippocampus that controls short-term memory. That’s why
    Grandma may have no idea what she ate for breakfast, but she can
    recount in great detail the guest list and menu from a dinner party
    30 years ago.
    Alzheimer’s is usually staged in seven levels, the seventh stage
    being inevitably fatal when the neuronal network has failed to the
    extent that bodily functions that require little or no thought (like
    swallowing or coughing) become so impaired that their failure is
    life threatening.
    The average life expectancy for someone with Alzheimer’s is
    8 to 10 years from the onset of symptoms, although it may take
    several years to obtain a diagnosis.
    YES, IT CAN BE INHERITED—OR NOT
    There is a genetic component of Alzheimer’s, both with late onset
    and the increasingly diagnosed early onset. Scientists have identified
    the genetic component, called APOE that can forecast a person’s
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    risk for the disease later in life. But the presence of the APOE gene
    is not at all predictive that the carrier of the gene will develop the
    disease. In fact, many people who do have the APOE gene never
    develop Alzheimer’s, and conversely, many without the genetic
    component do develop it.
    Baby Boomers experiencing the emotionally and financially
    draining farewell of their grandparents and parents are understandably concerned about their own futures.
    Prevention and slowing mental deterioration in the early stages
    of Alzheimer’s is where BCM-95® Curcumin may be the most helpful, according to pioneering Alzheimer’s researcher Ralph Martins,
    head of Australia’s Sir James McCusker Unit for Alzheimer’s Disease Research for more than 20 years.
    For most people, Dr. Martins says, “I think curcumin should
    play an important role in slowing down the disease or possibly preventing it.” He adds, “In terms of curcumin’s ability to slow down
    the progression of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, there is now very
    strong evidence from animal trials that curcumin markedly lowers
    the level of beta-amyloid in the brain and does it primarily by
    affecting its aggregation (clumping of the plaque) and facilitating its
    clearance (elimination from the body). In addition, curcumin is a
    powerful antioxidant and thus plays a significant role in reducing
    brain damage caused by oxidative stress.”
    Dr. Martins is currently engaged in human studies using BCM®
    95 Curcumin to verify this preliminary work.
    OTHER MEANS OF PREVENTION
    Increased physical and mental activities have been shown to keep
    brain cells active, improve circulation and stave off dementia. Stress
    management and what the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention
    Foundation calls “brain aerobics” (challenging your brain to activities outside your norm—think Sudoku or writing haiku) are also
    important elements in preventing dementia.
    Several studies also show the healthy Omega-3 fats from fish
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    are key components in brain health and memory preservation as is
    a healthy diet rich in antioxidants like berries, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and citrus fruits.
    While there are several anti-dementia pharmaceuticals on the
    market, they do not reverse dementia and they have limited effectiveness in slowing its progress.
    THE GOLDEN KNIGHT RIDES AGAIN
    Curcumin’s unique ability to cross the blood-brain barrier means
    that it can affect brain chemistry and the survival mechanisms of
    brain cells (neurons), producing preventive and healing effects that
    few other nutrients can offer.
    Curcumin, and particularly BCM-95® Curcumin, holds great
    promise for those with dementia and particularly for people with a
    history of Alzheimer’s in their families. There has been extensive
    research in this area (a search of curcumin+dementia in the National Institutes of Health database turns up 134 studies). The enthusiasm for the results is becoming intense.
    Compared to the Western world, there is a much lower rate of
    Alzheimer’s disease in India, where curcumin is eaten in large quantities in the curries that are a staple of the Indian diet. In fact, the
    rate of Alzheimer’s in India among people ages 70 to 79 is about
    one-quarter of the rate in the U.S. where curcumin is rarely included in the diet.
    Even eating a small amount of curcumin seems to have an
    effect. One study showed better memory among 60- to 93-yearolds who ate curry just once a month than among those who never
    ate it.
    Here’s a fascinating story about Indian people who tend to eat
    curry two or three times a day, so their dietary intake of curcumin
    is exceptionally high:
    Researchers conducting autopsies on the brains of Indians who
    died of all causes found that there was an unusual yellowish color
    in their brain stem (hippocampus) tissue. This color, not seen in
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    people of other ethnicities, was taken as proof that curcumin indeed
    crosses the blood-brain barrier and that large quantities of it are
    actually absorbed into the brain tissue.
    Here are a few of the most interesting research results on curcumin and the brain:
    Grow new brain cells: Until recently, scientists believed that it was
    impossible to grow new brain cells, but they busted that myth with
    the discovery of neurogenesis, the scientifically validated creation
    of new brain cells. University of Florida researchers have now confirmed that curcumin stimulates the birth of new neurons, particularly in the hippocampus, the seat of memory in the human brain.
    Protect brain cells: Authors of a study published in the journal Current Alzheimer’s Research were enthusiastic about antioxidant
    properties of curcumin to prevent brain cell deterioration and
    death. Inflammatory cells called cytokines have a role in speeding
    up Alzheimer’s, and the abilities of curcumin to inhibit the COX-2
    enzyme can help protect those brain cells.
    Destroy plaques and tangles: Scientists at UCLA called curcumin
    “anti-amyloid” for its ability to overcome the beta-amyloid protein
    that forms the plaques and tangles. They also noted that people
    with Alzheimer’s show signs of inflammation in their brains and
    credit curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties with an ability to
    address that problem. Another UCLA animal study showed curcumin supplements reduced substances believed to cause plaque
    by 43 to 45%. Some researchers have suggested curcumin binds
    directly to plaques and eliminates them.
    The most exciting new research on curcumin, and particularly
    the BCM-95® formulation, suggests that curcumin helps dissolve
    those beta-amyloid plaques that are widely believed in the scientific
    community to cause the neuronal “short-circuit” that results in memory loss indicative of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
    The 34 participants in this study published in the Journal of
    Psychopharmacology had all been diagnosed with probable or
    possible Alzheimer’s disease based on criteria set by the National
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    Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and
    Stroke–Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders Association.
    They were given either a placebo or one or four grams of
    BCM-95® Curcumin. There were few side effects and, interestingly,
    the most side effects occurred in the placebo group.
    Researchers commented on the resulting increased levels of
    beta-amyloid in the bloodstream as indicative that the beta-amyloid
    plaque formations in their brains were dissolving and the bloodstream was carrying them away for waste disposal.
    In addition, BCM-95® has been selected for study in a groundbreaking, exciting, year-long Australian clinical study searching for
    ways to prevent or delay the expected declines of Alzheimer’s disease, being conducted by renowned Australian researcher Ralph
    Martins, Ph.D., who directed the study on beta-amyloid plaque
    mentioned previously on page 30.
    As head of the Sir James McCusker Unit for Alzheimer’s Disease Research for over 20 years, Director of the Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Care, Director and
    Inaugural Chair for Ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease at Edith
    Cowan University in Perth, Australia, Dr. Martins is working to
    develop an early diagnostic blood test in order to effectively prevent
    and/or treat this devastating degenerative brain disease.
    In addition, Dr. Martins and his team are working to substantiate their theory that the presence of curcumin in the retina of the
    eye, when it is bound to the beta-amyloid plaque, may help doctors
    diagnose Alzheimer’s in its earliest stages and perhaps reverse the
    disease process with more curcumin. I am very excited about Dr.
    Martins’ work and look forward to results that will change the face
    of Alzheimer’s disease, prevention, diagnosis and treatment in the
    not-too-distant future.
    Curcumin studies in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease have
    demonstrated that it can play a significant role in the destruction
    of beta-amyloid plaque. It is also a powerful antioxidant, with an
    ORAC value of 1.5 million per 100 grams, as determined by the
    United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Other studies
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    have shown that curcumin plays a role in neuronal regeneration.
    All these properties contribute to its potential utility in addressing
    this brain disease.
    “I chose BCM-95® Curcumin for my human studies because it
    has published human bioavailability data,” says Dr. Martins.
    “Therefore, I can use a reasonable amount and expect that the
    serum levels will achieve a therapeutic range for a significant period of time.”
    Improve memory in people with Alzheimer’s: This exciting Indian
    study explores multiple ways in which curcumin not only prevents
    Alzheimer’s and slows the progression of the disease, but actually
    improves memory in people already diagnosed with the disease.
    Chelating heavy metals: The same Indian study says that curcumin
    helps eliminate heavy metals from brain cells and shields the cells
    from heavy metal contamination. These heavy metals have long
    been implicated in Alzheimer’s and dementia.
    CONCLUSION
    I’m reluctant to use superlatives in a book like this, but I am greatly excited about the power of curcumin to protect the brain and to
    prevent, treat and even reverse dementia and Alzheimer’s through
    a broad network of chemical pathways. Although I would caution
    you that most of these studies are done at the cellular level or on
    animals, and human studies are just getting underway, there are
    ample reasons for encouragement.
    Although doctors are highly unlikely to recommend curcumin
    for the treatment of these brain-related diseases, if I had a loved one
    suffering from one of them, I’d be very eager to give highly
    absorbable BCM-95® Curcumin a try.
    CHAPTER 7
    Curcumin, Depression and
    Other Brain Disorders
    C
    urcumin’s value in treating dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
    opens the door to its considerable value in treating and preventing a variety of other malfunctions of the brain and the neurotransmitter system.
    DEPRESSION
    Over a lifetime, 16.5% of the U.S. adult population (18.8 million
    people) suffers from a major depressive disorder and 30% of those
    cases are so severe that they impair the ability to work or even to
    function in the world in normal terms.
    We know that women are 70% more likely to develop depression, that Caucasians have a 40% higher risk for depression than
    African-Americans and that people between the ages of 18 and 29
    are at much greater risk of major depressive disorders than people
    over 60.
    Depression affects children as well. Government statistics show
    4.7% of 13- to 18-year-olds suffer from severe mood disorders and
    girls are nearly twice as vulnerable as boys. The rate of teen depression is increasing by an alarming 23% per year.
    We’re not talking about the occasional day or even days of
    feeling blue. We’re not talking about the normal ups and downs
    of life, the loss of a relationship, the loss of a job or even the loss
    of a loved one.
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    Depressive disorder is a crushing inability to cope with life and
    the world. Yet only about half of its sufferers get treatment and
    80% of the treatment that conventional medicine offers is completely ineffective.
    Standard medical treatment for depression is usually a series of
    antidepressant pharmaceuticals with a high risk of serious side
    effects and little or no effect. Research shows that antidepressants
    work for only 35 to 45% of the population, and some figures suggest the effectiveness rate is as low as 30%. Worse yet, antidepressants like Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft have been linked to suicide,
    violence, psychosis, abnormal bleeding and brain tumors.
    What causes depression? Certainly short-term depression can
    be the result of life events. Long-term trauma, such as sexual abuse
    and a family history of depression can also be factors.
    Dr. Hyla Cass, a cutting-edge integrative physician with a specialty in psychiatry, believes that the cause of depression is often
    biochemical, an imbalance in brain chemistry.
    The answer, says Dr. Cass in her book Natural Highs: Feel
    Good All the Time, is in “a variety of nutrients that both make
    up and fuel the brain, nervous system and neurotransmitters. So a
    low mood may have less to do with past trauma or a faulty belief
    system than with deficient nutrients.”
    “Mood-lifting serotonin, motivating noradrenaline and sleepenhancing tryptophan are the neurotransmitters most often deficient in people with depression,” says Dr. Cass.
    You guessed it: Here comes the Golden Knight on his charger
    again, offering solutions to brain imbalances that are at the foundation of major depression. Not only does curcumin enhance noradrenaline and tryptophan levels, but it also increases the production
    of dopamine, another neurotransmitter that controls emotional
    response and the ability to experience pleasure and pain.
    Numerous studies underscore curcumin’s ability to improve levels of neurotransmitters and thereby improve mood.
    Many people stumble on curcumin’s antidepressant action
    when they take it for another condition, most typically to address
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    joint pain. The action is so subtle that some users have written
    that they didn’t realize their depression had disappeared until they
    stopped taking curcumin and the depression returned.
    Here are highlights of the research on curcumin and depression:
    Increases serotonin and dopamine levels: Several studies support
    curcumin’s ability to boost mood by increasing levels of moodenhancing neurotransmitters. At least one study adds that curcumin combined with some antidepressant prescription drugs improves
    their effectiveness.
    Acts like pharmaceutical drugs without the risks: Exciting new
    research shows that BCM-95® Curcumin is as effective as the
    popular antidepressant pharmaceuticals Prozac (fluoxetine) and
    Tofranil (imipramine), without the side effects associated with the
    pharmaceutical drugs that include weight gain and loss, increased
    depression and increased suicidal tendencies. Another interesting
    finding published in 2011 showed that BCM-95® Curcumin did
    nothing to increase the effectiveness of the two pharmaceutical
    antidepressants, but did just as well as each of them on its own.
    The bottom line: If you suffer from depression, it is worth a try to
    go with BCM-95® Curcumin, with the permission of your health
    care professional. Please don’t stop taking your antidepressants
    cold turkey because it can cause some serious side effects like dramatic moods swings, a worsening of the underlying depression or
    other condition, extremely vivid dreams, aggression and suicidal
    tendencies.
    Generates new brain cells: Curcumin can actually help in the formation of new nerve cells, called neurogenesis, helping create a
    healthy balance of the numerous neurotransmitters needed for a
    healthy brain, better memory and a positive mood.
    Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mood improvement: Indian
    researchers are clearly enthusiastic about curcumin. Several studies
    further the body of evidence in favor of curcumin’s positive effects
    on mood.
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    OTHER BRAIN-PROTECTIVE FUNCTIONS
    OF CURCUMIN
    Curcumin’s ability to relieve depression and dementia are considerable, but there’s more in the realm of scientific research on curcumin’s brain-protective effects:
    Blocks brain tumor formation: Researchers in New York discovered that injected curcumin blocks the formation of cancerous brain
    tumors in mice.
    Anti-convulsant: An animal study from India found that curcumin
    supplements stop epileptic seizures.
    Protects brain cells from stroke damage: Oxygen deprivation is the
    main cause of post-stroke brain damage and disability. A University of Missouri animal study showed that injected curcumin given
    for two months after a stroke greatly diminished the death of brain
    cells. Another study showed that after a stroke, curcumin helped
    prevent damage to the all-important blood-brain barrier, minimizing the risk of infection and other types of brain damage.
    Counters effects of traumatic brain injury: UCLA animal researchers found that a diet high in curcumin greatly reduced brain damage and cognitive impairment after a traumatic brain injury.
    Treatment for Parkinson’s disease: Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system that includes movement-related impairment, including shaking, slowness of movement
    and rigidity of limbs. In its advanced state, Parkinson’s can include
    dementia and behavioral problems.
    Modern medicine treats the symptoms of Parkinson’s, since
    there is no known cure.
    Inflammation is certainly a part of Parkinson’s, and we already
    know that curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. In addition, 2012 research from the Northeast Ohio Medical University suggests that curcumin has neuroprotective elements
    as well, particularly in containing the protein accumulations like
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    the plaques and tangles found in Alzheimer’s. Researchers in that
    study said, “Curcumin possesses therapeutic potential in the amelioration of a host of neurodegenerative ailments as evidenced by
    its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-protein aggregation
    effects.”
    Who knows what the future holds, but this research may eventually show curcumin’s value in treating other neurodegenerative
    diseases like multiple sclerosis and ALS.
    In another study, Indian researchers concluded that curcumin
    holds therapeutic potential for people with Parkinson’s disease
    because of its antioxidant properties, especially those that help
    rebuild glutathione levels in cells, enhancing nutrient metabolism
    and immune response.
    CONCLUSION
    If you or a loved one suffer from depression, or other brain disorders mentioned in this chapter, run—don’t walk—to your nearest
    health food store and get yourself some BCM-95® Curcumin. You
    have nothing to risk and everything to gain.
    Next step: If you are taking prescription antidepressants, schedule an appointment with your doctor. Show him or her this book
    and ask how to wean yourself from the drugs so you can determine
    if side-effect free curcumin will work better for you.
    CHAPTER 8
    Curcumin and
    Digestive Disorders
    T
    ime after time, curcumin has proven its value in treating a
    wide variety of digestive disorders, largely because of its antiinflammatory effects.
    Digestive disorders range from mild indigestion to life-controlling irritable bowel syndrome to life-threatening diseases like ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer.
    Each year, 62 million Americans are diagnosed with some form
    of digestive disorder.
    Irritable bowel syndrome, a complex and unpredictable basket
    of painful problems ranging from diarrhea to constipation and
    cramping, bloating and pain, goes largely undiagnosed with an estimated 75% of sufferers not getting medical treatment at all.
    Colorectal cancer kills about 150,000 people every year, and
    ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease make life a living hell for
    140,000 Americans.
    Liver disease is included in this category because of the liver’s
    key role in the digestive process.
    HERE COMES THE GOLDEN KNIGHT AGAIN
    Because inflammation is a major factor in all digestive disorders,
    curcumin is predictably very effective in helping prevent, treat and
    heal many digestive problems.
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    Herbalists consider curcumin to be a digestive and a bitter,
    which means it helps ease digestion and aids liver function.
    It also stimulates bile production in the liver and gallbladder
    and improves the ability to digest fats.
    Here’s a listing of various digestive disorders and how curcumin can help:
    Ulcerative colitis: A Japanese
    study, which involved human
    subjects, a rarity in curcumin research to this point, suggests curcumin supplements
    are a safe way of preventing
    recurrences of the disease
    and reducing the side effects,
    which include severe bleeding, ruptured colon, dehydration and liver disease in
    the small intestine.
    Crohn’s disease: Researchers
    at the MD Anderson Cancer
    Center in Houston recommend we “get back to our
    roots” and take advantage of
    the anti-inflammatory effects The human liver (top) and digestive system.
    of curcumin for many diseases, including Crohn’s, an inflammatory disease usually affecting
    the large and small intestines. Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis are
    sometimes called inflammatory bowel disease.
    Colon cancer: We’ve already examined curcumin’s anticancer properties in Chapter 3, but it’s worth mentioning it again here. A landmark study from the American Health Foundation shows that
    curcumin interferes with the process by which malignant colon
    tumors develop, stopping them before they become dangerous.
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    Irritable bowel syndrome: Irritable bowel syndrome is an unpleasant cluster of problems that fluctuate between diarrhea and constipation with abdominal cramps, bloating and gas in the mix. A
    study from the Medical College of Wisconsin helps us understand
    better the anti-inflammatory capabilities of curcumin, which stop
    the growth of additional blood vessels to feed the inflamed area in
    the digestive tract. This process, called angiogenesis, is also part of
    the process by which cancerous tumors get their blood supply,
    enabling them to grow.
    Familial adenomatous polyposis: In a study, published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, five patients with
    an inherited form of precancerous polyps in the lower bowel
    known as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) were treated with
    regular doses of curcumin and quercetin (another powerful antioxidant found in onions and garlic) during an average of six
    months. The average number of polyps dropped 60.4 percent, and
    the average size dropped by 50.9 percent.
    Liver damage: An interesting Finnish animal study involved feeding rats a diet that simulated high alcohol consumption. Animals
    given curcumin at the same time had none of the signs of liver damage normally associated with alcoholism. Researchers theorize that
    curcumin blocks a molecule called NFkB, which is responsible for
    inflammation and tissue death. Another study showed that animals
    with 70% of their livers removed regenerated new liver tissue in as
    little as 24 hours with the help of curcumin.
    CONCLUSION
    Once again, curcumin proves its considerable value in fighting
    inflammation with remarkable results in treating, preventing and
    stopping the progress of a variety of digestive disorders. The results
    in treating and preventing liver disease, a potentially fatal affliction,
    are even more remarkable.
    CHAPTER 9
    Curcumin and Other
    Diseases
    L
    ooking back at the previous chapters, it seems like there is nothing that curcumin can’t prevent or treat. While that’s not exactly true, there are several other diseases for which curcumin is highly
    effective, yet they don’t fall neatly into the categories of the other
    chapters. Nevertheless, they are well worth mentioning.
    So here’s the “grab bag” of other ways curcumin can be enormously helpful in protecting:
    Lungs: Existing drugs have not been shown to be effective in the
    treatment of lung conditions resulting from occupational and
    environmental exposures to mineral dusts, airborne pollutants,
    cigarette smoke, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other causes of
    acute and chronic inflammatory lung disease. Several animal studies show that curcumin minimizes lung injury and fibrosis caused
    by radiation, chemotherapeutic drugs and toxic substances. The
    researchers also note that studies support the conclusion that
    curcumin plays a protective role in chronic obstructive pulmonary
    disease, acute lung injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome
    and allergic asthma. A recent animal study from the United Arab
    Emirates confirms the usefulness of curcumin in protecting against
    the toxic effects of air pollution.
    Kidneys: When Indian researchers artificially induced kidney disease in animals, they found that curcumin protected them from
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    Immune system: white blood cells attack viral invaders.
    the toxic buildup that occurs when kidneys can no longer filter the
    blood. The study also showed that the antioxidants in curcumin
    protected kidneys against injury.
    Eyes: Another Indian study showed that the growth of cataracts in
    animals with diabetes was significantly slowed when the animals
    were given curcumin supplements. Researchers theorize that this
    same protection can be extended to human cataracts that occur
    when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy. It is common in older
    people.
    Want more? Here is a handful of other diseases that curcumin
    may help treat or prevent:
    Obesity: Obesity is such a huge problem that it probably deserves
    its own chapter or even its own book. Two-thirds of Americans are
    overweight, of which one-third are obese. Anything that can help
    with weight control is welcome. Through its anti-inflammatory
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    action, several studies show that curcumin can result in better
    blood sugar control and, therefore, a small but significant decrease
    in body weight and fat. Perhaps more important, it also increases
    levels of a protein called adiponectin that are usually low in obese
    people. By raising adiponectin levels, normal weight can return.
    Curcumin also helps cut off blood supply to excess fat cells, reducing their size and number.
    Recent research published in the British Journal of Nutrition in
    late 2011 showed that BCM-95® Curcumin reduced liver inflammation, neutralizing the risk for a fatty liver associated with obesity. So, not only does curcumin help keep weight and blood sugar
    under control, it can reduce the inflammatory marker for potentially fatal liver disease and lessens the risk for a wide variety of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
    Multiple sclerosis: This progressive neurological disease eventually
    leads to complete disability. Researchers theorize that the same
    properties in curcumin that protect brain cells may also be helpful
    in protecting the muscle fibers that are affected by multiple sclerosis (MS). In a Vanderbilt animal study, animals with an MS-like
    illness showed no signs of the disease after being treated with curcumin while those that did not get curcumin became paralyzed.
    Immune system: In particular, studies on HIV show that curcumin
    slows the ability of the virus to duplicate itself and spread, reducing the viral load on people whose immune systems are already
    severely compromised. This human study reduced the viral load in
    57.8% of the participants. In addition, a Kenyan epidemiological
    study of people of Indian descent (who eat curry) and those of
    African descent (who don’t eat curry) showed that those of African
    descent were far more likely to contract HIV.
    CONCLUSION
    This chapter demonstrates the scope of the potential for curcumin
    to create profound biological changes and enormous benefits to
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    CURCUMIN—THE 21ST CENTURY CURE
    human health. As mentioned in earlier chapters, there are few
    human studies. Most of the studies are lab studies on cells or animals, and it is not certain that they can translate to human benefits. Yet the promise is so great that it is well worth adding
    curcumin, the right kind of curcumin, to your daily supplement
    regimen.
    References
    Chapter 2
    Soni KB, Kuttan R. Effect of oral curcumin administration on serum peroxides and cholesterol levels in human volunteers. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 1992 Oct;36(4):273–275.
    Ramaswami G, Chair H et al. Curcumin blocks homocysteine-induced endothelial dysfunction in porcine coronary arteries. J Vasc Surg. 2004 Dec;40(6): 1216–22.
    Shar BH, Nawaz Z. Inhibitory effect of curcumin, a food spice from turmeric, on plateletactivating factor- and arachidonic acid-mediated platelet aggregation through inhibition
    of thromboxane formation and Ca2+ signaling. Biochem Pharmacol. 1999 Oct 1;58(7):11
    67–72.
    Li HL, Liu C et al. Curcumin prevents and reverses murine cardiac hypertrophy. J Clin
    Invest. 2008 Feb 21.
    Zhao J, Zhao Y et al. Neuroprotective effect of curcumin on transient focal cerebral
    ischemia in rats. Brain Res. 2008 Sep 10;1229:224–32. Epub 2008 Jul 8.
    Chapter 3
    Aggarwal BB, Kumar A et al. Anticancer potential of curcumin: preclinical and clinical
    studies. Anticancer Res. 2003 Jan–Feb;23(1A):363–398.
    Link A, Balaquer F. Cancer chemoprevention by dietary polyphenols: promising role for
    epigenetics. Biochem Pharmacol. 2010 Dec 15;80(12):1771–92. Epub 2010 Jun 26.
    Anand P, Sundaram C. Curcumin and cancer: an “old-age” disease with an “age-old”
    solution. Cancer Lett. 2008 Aug 18;267(1):133–164. Epub 2008 May 6.
    Ireson CR, Jones DJ et al. Metabolism of the cancer chemopreventive agent curcumin in
    human and rat intestine. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2002; 11(1):105–111.
    Cheng AL, Hsu CH et4 al. Phase I clinical trial of curcumin, a chemopreventive agent, in
    patients with high-risk or pre-malignant lesions. Anticancer Res. 2001;21(4B):2895–2900.
    Nanji AA, Jokelainen K et al. Curcumin prevents alcohol-induced liver disease in rats by
    inhibiting the expression of NF-kappa B-dependent genes. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver
    Physiol. 2003 Feb;284(2):G321–7. Epub 2002 Aug 28.
    Chapter 4
    Chandran B, Goel A. A randomized study to assess the efficacy and safety of curcumin in
    patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. Phytother Res. March 9, 2012 doi: 10.1002/
    ptrr.4639.
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    CURCUMIN—THE 21ST CENTURY CURE
    Antony B, Kizhakedath et al. Clinical evaluation of a herbal product (Rhulief™) in the
    management of knee osteoarthritis. Abstract 316. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2011; 19(S1):
    S145-S146
    Rao TS, Basu N et al. Anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin analogues. Indian J Med
    Res. 1982 Apr;75:574–578.
    Funk JL, Ovarzo JN et al. Turmeric extracts containing curcuminoids prevent experimental rheumatoid arthritis. J Nat Prod. 2006 Mar;69(3):351–355.
    Aggarwal BB, Sung B. Pharmacological basis for the role of curcumin in chronic diseases:
    an age-old spice with modern targets. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2009; 30:85–94.
    Liacini A, Sylvester J et al. Induction of matrix metalloproteinase-13 gene expression by
    TNF-alpha is mediated by MAP kinases, AP-1, and NF-kappaB transcription factors in
    articular chondrocytes. J. Exp Cell Res. 2003 Aug 1;288(1): 208–217.
    Chapter 5
    Fujiwara H, Hosokawa M et al. Curcumin inhibits glucose production in isolated mice
    hepatcytes. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2008 May;80(2):185–91. Epub 2008 Jan 24.
    Weisberg SP, Leibel R et al. Dietary Curcumin Significantly Improves Obesity-Associated
    Inflammation and Diabetes in Mouse Models of Diabesity. Endocrinology. 2008
    Jul;149(7):3549–58. Epub 2008 Apr 10.
    Kulkarni SK, Chopra K. Curcumin the active principle of turmeric (Curcuma longa), ameliorates diabetic nephropathy in rats. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2006 Oct;33(10):
    940–945.
    Chapter 6
    Depression
    Sanmukhani J, Anovadiya A et al. Evaluation of antidepressant like activity of curcumin
    and its combination with fluoxetine and imipramine: an acute and chronic study. Acta Pol
    Pharm. 2011 Sep-Oct;68(5):769–75.
    Garcia-Alloza M, Borrelli LA et al. Curcumin labels amyloid pathology in vivo, disrupts
    existing plaques, and partially restores distorted neurites in an Alzheimer mouse model,
    J. Neurochem. 102 (2007) 1095–1104.
    Baker CB. Quantitative Analysis of Sponsorship Bias in Economic Studies of Antidepressants. The British Journal of Psychiatry. 2003, 183: 498–506.
    Kulkarni S, Dhir A et al. Potentials of curcumin as an antidepressant. ScientificWorldJournal. 2009 Nov 1;9:1233–41.
    Kulkarni S, Bhutani MK et al. Antidepressant activity of curcumin: involvement of serotonin and dopamine system. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2008 Dec;201(3): 435–42. Epub
    2008 Sep 3.
    Dementia
    Baum L et al. Six-month randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind, pilot clinical trial
    of curcumin in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. Vol 28, Number 1, Feb 2008 pg 110–114
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    Xu Y, Ku B et al. Curcumin reverses impaired hippocampal neurogenesis and increases
    serotonin receptor 1A mRNA and brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in chronically stressed rats. Brain Res. 2007 Aug 8;1162:9–18. Epub 2007 Jun 21.
    Lim GP, Chu T et al. The curry spice curcumin reduces oxidative damage and amyloid
    pathology in an Alzheimer transgenic mouse. J Neurosci. 2001 Nov 1; 21(21):8370–77.
    Chapter 7
    Bundy R, et al. Turmeric extract may improve irritable bowel syndrome symptomology
    in otherwise healthy adults: a pilot study. J Altern Complement Med. 2004 Dec;10(6):
    1015–18.
    Kawamori T, et al. Chemopreventive effect of curcumin, a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory agent, during the promotion/progression stages of colon cancer. Cancer Res.
    1999;59:597–601.
    Chapter 8
    Uysal KT, Wiesbrock SM et al. Protection from obesity-induced insulin resistance in mice
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    Leray V, Freuchet B et al. Effect of citrus polyphenol and curcumin-supplemented diet on
    inflammatory state in obese cats. Br J Nutr. 2011 Oct;106 Suppl 1:S198–201.]
    Lago F Dieguez C et al. Adipokines as emerging mediators of immune response and
    inflammation. Nat Clin Pract Rhematoll. 2007 3:716–724.
    Awasthi S, Srivatava SK, Piper JT, Singhal SS, Chaubey M, Awasthi YC. Curcumin protects against 4-hydroxy-2-trans-nonenal-induced cataract formation in rat lenses. Am J
    Clin Nutr. 1996 Nov;64(5):761–766.
    Rai D, Yadav D et al. Design and development of curcumin bioconjugates as antiviral
    agents. Nucleic Acids Symp Ser (Oxf). 2008;(52):599–600.
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    Chapter 9
    Benny M, Antony B. Bioavailability of BioCurcumax™ (BCM-95®). Spice India. September, 2006:11–15.
    Merina B, Iyer VS, et al. A pilot cross-over study to evaluate human oral bioavailability
    of BCM-95CG (Biocurcumax), a novel bioenhanced preparation of curcumin. Ind J Pharm
    Sci. 2008;70(4):445–449.
    Poster presentation. Oral Bioavailability of BCM-95® Curcumin in Dogs. 2009 ACVIM
    Forum/Canadian VMA Convention: June 3–6, 2009; Montréal, Québec, Canada.]
    Antony B, Merina B et al. A pilot cross-over study to evaluate human oral bioavailability of BCM-95® CG (Biocurcumax) a novel bioenhanced preparation of curcumin. Ind J
    Pharm Sci. 2008;70(4):445–450.
    Bhardwaj R, Glaeser H et al. Piperine, a Major Constituent of Black Pepper, Inhibits
    Human P-glycoprotein and CYP3A4. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental
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    About the Author
    Dr. Jan McBarron received her M.D. from Hahnemann University
    in Philadelphia and was the fourth woman in the country to
    become board certified in bariatric medicine. She is a member of
    the American Medical Association and the American Society of
    Bariatric Physicians. She volunteered with the 1996 Olympics, has
    been honored by the Girl Scouts as a “Woman of Achievement”
    and the Natural Products Association awarded her the “Clinician
    of the Year” for 2010.
    While practicing bariatric and preventive medicine, Dr. McBarron became disenchanted with the mainstream allopathic medical
    system and its side effects. She subsequently earned a doctorate in
    naturopathic medicine and is one of the elite few to hold both medical and naturopathic degrees. She believes this enables her to see
    the complete picture and offer the best in complementary medicine.
    Dr. McBarron taught at Columbus State University, writes
    for several newspapers and has appeared on numerous radio and
    television interviews. She is the author of several books including
    the best-selling Flavor Without Fat, Being a Woman Naturally,
    Hormonal Harmony and The Peachtree Diet.
    In addition to her private medical practice, Georgia Bariatrics
    in Columbus, GA, Dr. McBarron co-hosts the #1 nationally syndicated health talk radio show “Duke and The Doctor,” with her
    husband, Duke Liberatore. Talkers Magazine has ranked them in
    the top 100 most important radio hosts in America. They are
    broadcast in over 125 markets nationwide. For a list of their radio
    station affiliates visit www.dukeandthedoctor.com.
    50
    OPTIMAL BODY DEFENSE
    David Lyons with Arnold Schwarzenegger
    Fight Back Against Excess Inflammation