Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Much if not all of the turmeric powder in the market will have been processed by boiling or steaming as a first step after washing. This is done to remove the raw odor, gelatinize the starch to produce a more uniform color and reduce drying time by softening the rhizomes, during the boiling/steaming process enzymes are denatured and the value of thermo- sensitive vitamins, oils and vital ingredients decline.

In Thai Freeze Dry’s ”Cellular Fraction-Line Technology” (CFL) the turmeric is not exposed to heat during any part of the process. This is the “Thai Freeze Dry” difference. In addition CFL activated turmeric powder is preserved to maintain the cellular and molecular structure of turmeric as it grows in nature with the highest levels of both bioactivity and bio-availability possible. Our mission is to revive your relationship to nature’s complete foods and we deliver turmeric as a complete whole food as nature designed it. CFL activated turmeric powder has the taste, odor, and health benefits equivalent to eating freshly ground turmeric. High concentrations found in extracts are not necessary and may, in fact, be less effective due to the lack of synergy contained in nature’s design. The healing message is never delivered by one isolated ingredient no matter how concen- trated it may be. The fiber and other essential components are necessary for the full effect and for location-specific delivery. If you use turmeric as part of your daily regimen the accumulated prop- erties will produce the desired results.

Turmeric contains hundreds of chemical species including a variety of curcuminoids working to- gether in synergy. If we isolate one or several curcuminoids we exclude others that contain es- sential oils that help make Turmeric easier for your body to absorb and metabolize. While cu- cumin is the most notable and most important of the curcuminoids in turmeric its benefits are more effective if it is not isolated as a single extract.

Brain Function and Health:

Cucumin crosses the blood-brain barrier to exercise a direct influ- ence in reducing oxidative damage and inflammation in the brain. Thai Freeze Dry’s CFL process also captures bioactive compounds such as aromatic-turmerone which encourages the growth of nerve cells creating the potential to help repair the brain and thereby prevent neurodegenerative problems associated with dementia such as Alzheimer’s. Allegorical support for the benefits of turmeric includes the low incidence of Alzheimer’s in areas such as India where turmeric (contained in their curry) is a staple in their daily diet. Are these folks taking isolated curcumin extracts? Certainly not. They are using the whole turmeric root and we believe that you should do the same and enjoy even greater benefits since our CFL activated turmeric powder is not boiled or cooked.

Neurons form new connections and also grow and multiply in the brain. A growth hormone, es- sential to this process is BDNF ( Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor). This hormone decreases as you grow older. Decreased levels of BDNF are linked to brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s dis- ease, depression (see below) and age-related decreases in cognitive functions. Curcumin has been shown to increase levels of BDNF. (1)

Anti-Inflammation:

Inflammation is part of the body’s natural defense system, repairing damage and fighting foreign invaders, but when short-term inflammation becomes chronic , appropriate therapeutic interventions are needed. 

Turmeric displays powerful anti-inflammatory effects . Given the fact that inflammation is linked to a wide spectrum of health issues including heart disease, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, and de- generative nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and contributes significantly to the aging process, turmeric makes a great daily supplement to your diet.

The protein tangles know as Amyloid plaque are a feature of Alzheimer’s disease that curcumin can help to clear. In doing so, Turmeric may prove to help slow down and even revers of progres- sion of Alzheimer’s.

Curcumin supplementation has shown the ability to effectively improve the symptoms of rheuma- toid arthritis (joint inflammation) due to is anti-inflammatory prowess.

Turmeric is a highly effective anti- inflammatory as powerful as anti-inflammatory drugs that have a long list of negative side effects. Curcumin acts on the molecular level to block NF-kB, a mole- cule that travels into the nuclei of cells and turns on the gene expression for inflammation. This effectively interrupts the inflammation cycle. (2)

Antixodiant Capacity:

A wide range of diseases and effects of aging are associated with free radical imbalance. Excessive free radicals that attack our healthy cells are kept in check by anti- oxidants. Curcumin has a double antioxidant effect. It contains strong antioxidant compounds that neutralize free radicals and, at the same time, boosts the body’s natural ability to synthesize the enzymes that act as our endogenous antioxidants. It acts along both of these metabolic pathways at the same time. (3)

Cancer Protection:

Studies show that curcumin reduces the growth of blood vessels in tumors, reduces metastasis (spread of cancer) and contributes to apoptosis (the death of cancer cells). Proof that curcumin can treat cancer in humans has yet to be proven, however there is evidence that it may prevent some cancers from occurring in the first place, specifically cancers of the di- gestive system (such as colonectal cancer). In a study of 44 men with lesions of the colon that tend to turn cancerous, 4 grams of curcumin per day for 30 days reduced the number of lesions by 40%. (4)

Cardiac Health:

Heart disease, the greatest killer of mankind, is a complicated matter with vari- ous contributing factors. One of the major causes of heart disease is endothelial dysfunction which is the inability of the endothelium to regulate blood pressure, blood clotting and other fac- tors. Studies attribute curcumin with improvements in endothelial function as effective as the drug Atorvastatin. This is in addition to the reduction of inflammation and oxidation which greatly affect cardiac health.

In a study involving 121 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery, the patients were randomized to either placebo or 4 grams of curcumin per day, only a few days before and after the surgery. The curcumin group demonstrated a 65% decreased risk of heart attack in the hospi- tal.

Anti-Depressant:

Curcumin shows promise as an anti-depressant. Depression is linked to re- duced levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BNDF – a brain growth hormone) and a shrinking hippocampus (the area of the brain associated with learning and memory). Curcumin has been shown to boost levels of BNDF and there is evidence that curcumin boosts neurotransmitters in the brain such as serotonin and dopamine. In a study of 60 patients suffering from depression, curcumin was shown to be as effective as Prozac in alleviating symptoms of depression.

Anti-Aging:

Given curcumin’s anti- inflammatory and antioxidant capabilities, support of heart function, and defense and prevention against cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, Turmeric has become known as an anti-aging supplement.

To dramatically increase the absorption of curcumin into the bloodstream it is helpful to consume black pepper (which contains peperine) which enhances the absorption of curumin by up to 20 times.

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