Take the tram

Could a curry help cure cancer?

With it being cancer awareness month, now seemed to be a good time to bring this up, namely the promising evidence that a simple ingredient many of us have in our cupboards, especially if you love curries, is proving to be an effective tool in treating certain cancers.  The ingredient?  Turmeric

Turmeric is a part of the ginger family and is grown widely in Southern Asia.  It is turmeric's active ingredient, Curcumin, that is causing such excitement.  Used over 1000's of years in Ayurvedic medicine, the modern medical community are cottoning on to the benefits of this golden powder.

Studies have shown that curcumin;
1/ inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria in the stomach that can lead to stomach cancers and ulcers

2/ is an anti-inflammatory.  Inflammation can be a precursor for some cancers

3/ it boosts cellular antioxidants, allowing our cells to operate at optimum levels and reduce stress

4/ it protects the liver by helping it switch off damaging proteins, leading experts to think it would be useful in patients receiving chemo treatments that can be damaging to livers

5/ it may suppress the start of some tumours or stop them as it acts on the signalling system of certain genes that activate cancer formation.

Research continues.  Spiced green tea with added curcumin has been shown to be a double whammy in treating cancerous cells. Studies have shown that the spice can kill entirely some cancer cells.  Research has shown that a constant presence of curcumin in the body is vital in maintaining it's effectiveness.  But it isn't a simple matter of having a curry everyday, as there is insufficient curcumin in an average curry.  Between 3-8 grams of curcumin a day has been shown to be an effective amount to reap the benefits.  Supplements are available on the market, Solgar, I know do a good one.  Research has also shown that using turmeric with black pepper seems to increase it's absorption.

There is a huge excitement over the use and potential advances in cancer treatment that curcumin could bring.  We will have to wait and see what the medical community decides.  

My early morning, under the duvet workout

Good Morning, did you enjoy the weekend weather?  Did you go to Goose Fair?  Although I enjoyed the sun, I was, for the most part, working most of it but it was nice not to have to dodge showers as I did so.

I don't know about you, but the last few weeks, with the darker mornings, getting up and out of bed has really taken an effort and the motivation to do anything takes some finding.  To try and perk myself up, I've begun to perform some under the covers exercise and stretching (no making up your own jokes here, thank you)to rid myself of any post sleepy stiffness.

Firstly, I lie back on the bed and stretch my legs and feet as far as I can to the foot of the bed as well as stretching my arms and hands far into the air, and just hold it and sink into it, feels really good.

Then I sit up, and with my hands on my shoulders, perform shoulder rolls forward and back.  Then try stretching your arm across your chest, repeating both sides, to really loosen up those shoulders.  Warm up your ankles by wiggling your feet about, scrunching and unscrunching your toes, that sort of thing.

Sitting up in bed, straight back, slowly bring yourself forwards, bone by bone towards your legs until you feel a stretch in the back of your legs, hold a few seconds, then slowly return to sitting.  Tilt your head from side to side,slowly, rotate the head, don't be alarmed if you hear lots of creaks and cracks, as your bones and muscles start to come to life again.  These are just an example of things you can do, whilst still in the womb that is your duvet, to prepare your body for what lies ahead, and they need only take a few minutes to complete.

For any enquiries;
Email synergy_therapies@icloud.com