If you are anything like how I used to be, you are popping far too many ibuprofen tablets (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin & Nurofen) for everything ranging from headache, backache and other muscular aches and pains. Whilst ibuprofen is great at reducing pain and inflammation, there are many adverse effects of long-term use.

The side-effects of long-term ibuprofen (and other NSAIDs) use can include nausea/diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding, hypertension (high blood pressure), increased risk of heart attack, increased risk of kidney cancer, erectile dysfunction and more.

Luckily nature has provided a safer, natural alternative – turmeric.

Turmeric Pain Relief Tea

Ingredients

• 2 cups of water
• 1-inch fresh ginger root, minced
• 2-teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1-teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 lemongrass tea bag
• 6 peppercorns (you can leave these out if you prefer!)
• Pinch of sea salt

How To Make the Tea

• Bring the water to the boil in a small saucepan.
• Add the peeled, minced ginger root, turmeric, cinnamon, peppercorns (remember, these are optional!), sliced oranges, and sea-salt.
• Allow the mixture to simmer on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes.
• Add the lemongrass teabag and allow it to steep for around 3 minutes.
• Remove the teabag and pour the mixture into a mug.

Why Turmeric?

In one study published in 2009 by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, the active compound in turmeric, curcumin, was found to be as effective as ibuprofen in treating arthritis of the knee. More specifically, the study randomly administered either 800mg of ibuprofen or 2000mg of curcumin a day for six weeks to 109 patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis. At the end of the clinical trial, the researchers found that both treatment options had improved pain levels, with no significant difference between their effectiveness.

In a follow-up study conducted in 2014, entitled Efficacy and safety of Curcuma domestica extracts compared with ibuprofen in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a multicenter study,  367 patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis were randomized to receive 1200 mg of ibuprofen or 1500 mg of turmeric extract (curcumin) over 4 weeks. Researchers again found very similar improvements in both treatment types. However, the patients administered ibuprofen were much more likely to report side effects, like stomach pain, than patients administered turmeric extracts.

In other words, turmeric could be as effective as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, when taken in the form of curcumin at a dosage of 1500 mg or higher. Similar benefits may be achieved by including plenty of turmeric in your diet in soups, curries and of course, as turmeric tea!

Health Benefits of Turmeric

1. Turmeric Is the Superman of Spices

Turmeric and, it’s MVP active ingredient curcumin, is one of the cornerstones of South Asian cuisine and it’s also been used medicinally for hundreds of years. More recently in the West, turmeric has been embraced as an anti-inflammatory agent with brain-boosting, anti-aging and heart-supporting effects. It’s also shown to be helpful in reducing pain and fatigue, improving mood by boosting serotonin and dopamine levels, as well as cognitive function by stimulating the production of brain growth hormones. An added bonus: it seems to also inhibit tumor growth. While perhaps not a ‘cure-all’ per se, it is an amazingly powerful antioxidant well worth getting to know better.

2. It’s Also an Instant Nutrition Booster

Interested in packing in as many nutrients as possible into your meals? One no-brainer solution – do it with turmeric! Each sprinkle of this golden powder adds vitamins C, E and K, plus key minerals such as iron, magnesium and zinc and even a little protein and fiber to boot. Turmeric also supports the health of your mitochondria (the power plants inside your cells), so adding it to diet can help your body access more of the energy it needs to function well and keep you feeling powered up.

3. It Tastes Great and Blends Well, While It Cools Inflammation

Add turmeric to your smoothie (don’t worry, it won’t make it taste like curry), scrambled eggs or soups, stews and, of course, curried veggies or grass-fed meats at dinnertime to boost your intake. Doing so can help cut the risk for metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, blood pressure problems and obesity – all of which are driven by systemic inflammation. And remember to top your turmeric with a few shakes of black pepper to significantly boost curcumin absorption.

4. It’s a Fighter of Bacteria, Viruses, Free Radicals and More

In addition to it’s anti-inflammatory effects, turmeric has antiseptic, antifungal, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-tumor properties, so it’s fighting for you on every level. Moreover, it gives free radicals a beat-down by boosting mitochondrial health, reducing the amount of free radicals produced by aging or dying mitochondria. While I encourage patients to add tumeric to their food, for patients over 40, I often also recommend a curcumin supplement, especially if they’ve had a run-in with cancer.

5. It Fights For Your Brain Health

Curcumin has been shown to have positive effects on brain function, memory included, by increasing levels of the brain hormone that boosts neuron growth and fights decay. The curcumin rich diet favored in South Asia may also be a key factor in the region’s relatively low rates of Alzheimer’s compared to the high rate of the disease found in the U.S. Need another reason to dig into a dish of veggie curry? Research indicates that curcumin helps break up the amyloid plaques that form over the course of Alzheimer’s and can prevent them from re-forming, making it a potential game changer in the treatment of the disease.

6. It Loves Your Heart

As with the brain, curcumin’s anti-inflammatory effects are good news for your cardiovascular system as well, helping improve how well the endothelium, the lining of the blood vessels, functions. With the help of curcumin, the endothelium is better able to regulate blood pressure and support healthy vascular function and circulation, while relieving strain on the heart and reducing stroke risk.