by Dr. David Williams

Last Reviewed 10/23/2013

I obviously have a warm spot in my heart for the Ayurvedic spice turmeric. I’ve been writing about it for years, and included it in my many formulas. As I’ve covered in the past, turmeric has been shown to have remarkable anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral and antioxidant properties. Turmeric helps dilate blood vessels allowing for better air flow, relaxes muscle spasms, restores normal breathing patterns, thins the blood and relieves asthmatic inflammation that causes swelling in the lungs and trouble breathing.

The allergic response in asthma is triggered when T-lymphocytes from your immune system release specific compounds that cause inflammation. Researchers have found that turmeric can block the release of these inflammation-causing compounds.

On top of all that, I’ve recently received reports that curcumin, the yellow pigment of turmeric, can also help control bronchial asthma.

It’s difficult to give an exact dosage that might work for everyone using bulk turmeric powder to improve asthma. This is mainly because the curcumin content of turmeric can vary from one batch to another (0.3 to 5.4%) and when it comes to asthma, curcumin seems to be the active ingredient.

If you decide to try the bulk powder form, start with 1/4 teaspoon taken four times daily. This dosage may need to be doubled if you don’t see any improvement within 10 to 14 days.

Turmeric is a great healer to have around. I personally find it especially helpful for topical skin problems. As I explained in Vol. 5, No. 20, a paste of powder and water works on everything from bug bites to ringworm. And don’t forget to dump a half teaspoon or so into the bowl when you’re mixing up that next batch of tuna. It makes the sandwiches taste great.

Now it’s your turn: What’s your favorite recipe using turmeric?