I’ve mentioned in a few previous blogs about the association between increased inflammation in the body and lifestyle factors such as unhealthy diet, drinking alcohol and sugary drinks, and being sedentary/getting little physical activity. There are a few ways you can reduce inflammation, one being consuming curcumin, which is found in the popular spice – turmeric.
Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric which is known for its medicinal/health benefits including:
- It has natural anti-inflammatory properties due the bio active phytochemicals. Western diets are generally quite high in inflammatory foods such as vegetable oils, refined carbs, sugary foods and drinks, alcohol, so taking a curcumin supplement may help to offset the levels of inflammation. Also, it can help with relief of arthritis symptoms.
- It is an antioxidant which means it helps to prevent free radical damage in the body, other foods containing antioxidants include green veg such as kale and spinach, beetroot, dark chocolate, blueberries and raspberries, red cabbage and beans.
- It can help improve blood sugar levels and supports a healthy heart, studies suggest it may improve cholesterol and triglycerides which can reduce risks of cardiovascular disease.
- Some studies have suggested that it may help with depression and anxiety disorders.
- It has been found to boost exercise performance and help with recovery
The most important factors for a healthy lifestyle include exercising or being physically active regularly, eating a healthy balanced diet, improving sleep quality and reducing stress levels. Supplements can be used to enhance this, and for most people I would highly recommend turmeric, Omega 3 and Vitamin D through winter to reduce inflammation and keep your bones and muscles healthy.
Personally I’ve always wanted to explore the benefits of turmeric but have struggled to consume enough in powder form to really notice a difference – I don’t particularly like the taste and it can be very messy! So that’s why I’ve been really happy to discover Zooki supplements which contain 750mg curcumin in each serving (the recommended dose of curcumin per day to get the anti-inflammatory effect is 500-1000mg, one teaspoon of ground curcumin has around 200 milligrams). They taste great (tangerine flavour) and they are so convenient to have on the go. I trialled these supplements every day for a month and definitely felt a general improvement in performance when strength training – more energy during sessions and better recovery in between sessions.
References used –
Delecroix, Barthélémy, et al. “Curcumin and piperine supplementation and recovery following exercise induced muscle damage: A randomized controlled trial.” Journal of sports science & medicine 16.1 (2017): 147.
Hewlings, Susan J., and Douglas S. Kalman. “Curcumin: a review of its effects on human health.” Foods 6.10 (2017): 92.
Sahebkar, Amirhossein, et al. “Effect of curcuminoids on oxidative stress: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” Journal of Functional Foods 18 (2015): 898-909.
