As a Naturopathic Doctor I love teaching others about the many modalities I use. Today let’s learn a little botanical medicine and discuss a beautiful yellow root you can find in grocery stores as a fresh root or in powder form called Turmeric. Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow colour. It has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb. The most active compound in turmeric is “Curcumin” which is an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory. Curcumin can help with many conditions such as inflammatory disorders, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, jaundice, liver disorders, ulcerative colitis and many others. It may also help manage exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness. However, ingesting curcumin has poor bioavailability but there are several things that can increase bioavailability, for example, piperine which is the major active compound in black pepper and, when combined in a complex with curcumin, has been shown to increase bioavailability by 2000%. If you would like me to discuss a topic that interests you just let me know. This information is for general educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, assessment and evaluation.