Inflammation refers to our body’s fighting against something that harms us, be it virus, bacteria, injuries.  When something damages our cell, our body will release antibodies and proteins, as well as increase blood flow to this damage area. It is crucial in the healing process. If the whole process lasts only a few hours or days, it is called acute inflammation. On the other hand, chronic inflammation happens when this condition stays on for a longer period, leaving our body on constant alert all the time. This will negatively impact on our cells, tissues and organs. Over time, this can lead to DNA damage, tissue death, and internal scarring. In fact, chronic inflammation has been shown to be linked to a range of diseases from asthma to cancer.  There are 3 main causes of chronic inflammation in our body:-

1. untreated causes of acute inflammation, such as an infection or injury
2. an autoimmune disease, which involves your immune system mistakenly attacking healthy tissue
3. long-term exposure to irritants, such as industrial chemicals or polluted air

Other contributing factors to chronic inflammation are obesity, chronic stress, smoking and alcohol. 

 

Dousing the Fires Of Inflammation

Chronic inflammation increases your risk of several serious diseases. That is why it is crucial to keep inflammation in check to reverse or improve many health issues. Medication, supplements, and eating an anti-inflammation diet can help you reduce your risk of inflammation. Medications such as  non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen can be effective in the short term to reduce fever, inflammation and relieve pain. However, long-term use is linked to an increased risk of several conditions, including peptic ulcer disease and kidney disease. Steroid or corticosteroids are used to  decrease inflammation and suppress the immune system, which is helpful when it starts attacking healthy tissue. But long-term use of corticosteroids can lead to vision problems, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis. The safest and still effective long term treatment is to use supplements such as turmeric, boswellia, alpha lipoic acid and fish oils. They are all linked to decreased inflammation associated with diseases, including cancer and heart disease .

 

Turmeric: The Golden Spice to Calm Inflammation

Turmeric is a spice that comes from the root of the turmeric plant. It has long been recognized for its medicinal properties and has received tremendous interest from both the scientific world and culinary enthusiasts. Cucurmin, the substance in turmeric, works as the master switch to switch off multiple inflammation in the body through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It helps in the management of metabolic syndrome that increases the risks of heart disease, stroke or diabetes, arthritis, anxiety and hyperlipidemia. It is also beneficial in the management of exercise-induced inflammation, thus enhancing recovery and performance in active people. In other words, curcumin is a “Master Stopper” of the human body damages, stopping the body from continuous internal damages by inflammation and therefore, allowing the body to heal and improve naturally.

Taking cucurmin on its own does not lead to health benefits due to poor absorption. The absorption problem of cucurmin is now a thing in the past, thanks to advancement in technology and innovation.  Theravalues Corporation, a Japanese company, has developed an innovative curcumin formulation called Theracurmin® that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2700%. It can be absorbed rapidly and retained in the body for as long as 24 hours, allowing the body to obtain a fast and longer protection against inflammation. Theracurmin® has the most clinical research done on humans. The studies were done on double-blind randomised placebo basis and  proven to be effective in preventing  and treating diseases involving heart, liver, lungs, muscles, skin and even cancers.