Northfield Chiropractor Explains Curcumin Article

Today the Huffington Post reported on the fact that tumeric can help people who have had bi-pass surgery. The study is small but very encouraging. The article only touched on why this is working and how you can use this article in everyday life.

To understand this mechanism you must understand NF-kB (nuclear factor light chain enhancer of activated B-cells). This is an intricate part of your immune system that responds to oxidative stress, ultraviolet light irradiation, oxidized LDL (bad cholesterol), and bacterial or viral antigens. Over-activity of NF-kB is linked to inflammatory disease, autoimmune disease, septic shock, cancer, and improper immune development.

How does tumeric get involved? There is an antioxidant in turmeric called curcumin. It was found in 2008 that curcumin blocked the pro-inflammatory pathway of fat tissue. This means that this is a blocker of an inflammatory process. It should be mentioned that this is a chronic process that is given off by excess adipose cells (fat cells), and not just the acute process that happens if you sprain your ankle.

Now we have to take a step back and look at the big picture. The problem is chronic low-grade inflammation. This is from a bad diet made up of simple sugars and processed foods. This causes an increase in fat cells along with oxidative stress due to excess glucose. This is a double edged sword, because both of these processes cause an increase in NF-kB and therefore increased inflammation (more damage to blood vessels).

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Now that there is a bit more information, this needs to be put into a context that is usable. NF-kB can be targeted by supplements including, NOS (nitric oxide), resveratrol, curcumin, and probiotics. All of which are carried at Cannon Pointe Chiropractic. These supplements should be considered if you are susceptible to the conditions previously indicated. However, there should be an end-game to the approach of supplementation. The question “how can I avoid taking these in the future?” should be asked. The answer is to CUT SIMPLE SUGARS and PROCESSED FOODS out of your diet, and to increase the ingestion of fresh fruits and veggies (corn is a grain, not a vegetable). This is a life-style change that can help you avoid chronic inflammation.

Here are a couple of links that can be filled out to check on whether Cannon Pointe Chiropractic can help your!

If you have more questions about this blog or set of conditions please call Cannon Pointe Chiropractic of Northfield, MN, 507-645-8000.