Turmeric

Turmeric, King of Spices

Since it is powerful you have to know how to use it.  It is best to balance the heating and drying qualities of Turmeric by cooking it with unctuous and cooling foods - ghee and veggies or lentils, then you get the full benefit of the spice without the negative qualities that would cause imbalances in the Doshas. The drying qualities would aggravate Vata and the heating would aggravate Pitta.

How best to use Turmeric:

Because of it drying and heating qualities turmeric is best taken cooked with foods like veggies, lentils or chicken.  It give the yellow colour to curries.  Then ghee and oil and water can me added to counteract the drying affects and cooling herbs like coriander and fennel can be added to counteract the heating affects.  

Another good way to take turmeric is to add it to milk.  This recipe is often seen online these days. The only precaution I would give is if you have not been using turmeric regularly start slow. Start with 1/8 teaspoonful with 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup water and bring this to a boil and sip slowly before bed. After 2 weeks increase to 1/4 teaspoonful if you do not have any detox symptoms.  Turmeric has powerful detoxification properties on the liver. If the liver is squeezed to hard them the toxins that are safely stored can be pushed into the blood and be deposited in joints or the brain.  Therefore you want to slowly increase the quantity of turmeric.  More is not better. Slow and easy wins the race.

Quality of Turmeric:

The VOC or Volatile Organic Compounds in turmeric are important for its effectiveness.  The roots of the plant must be carefully harvested and stored and used within 3 months of being ground to a powder.  You should be able to smell the aroma of the ground turmeric.  Since this herb has gotten so much press lately it has become very much in demand and some turmeric being sold is just dyed clay with essential oils - not turmeric at all and other turmeric is old and has lots it Pranic strength.

Benefits of Turmeric from ancient texts:

What the ancient Sutras are saying about Turmeric:

Divine spice - used in temples in food and with Sandalwood

Bhav Mishra and Bhav Prakash wrote the following, taught in Ayurvedic colleges:

 It is killing the visible and non-visible bad bacteria (PRIMIAGNA) It kills the bacteria and supports the immune system of the body and even the skin. It purifies the whole body. Powerful purification of body and even thoughts and emotions.  Its slightly pungent and bitter, dry and heating  Pacifying Kapha and Pitta.  If you do to much turmeric without adding cooling and moistening herb and food then the drying and heating values of the turmeric can cause problems. It can dry and heat your liver and channels. Be careful if you have anemia - because of its effect on the liver.

Its good for build muscle and tissue if someone is loosing stamina.  It enhances the complexion.

Scraps out the toxins and supports healing process