In 2011 just after Julie’s cancer diagnosis we went into hyper drive to get her immune system in tip top condition. This was our own protocol and was born out of the idea that we had to do SOMETHING other than accept the medics grim prescriptions and outlook.

The original rough protocol was basically no sugar, drink only warm water, only organic foods, no dairy etc .

A way of life that we have constantly tweaked and refined ever since. For example, introducing juicing and vitamins as part of our daily regime.

Anyway, …. At some time in the early days someone (and I can’t remember who) said to me

“Did you know that turmeric makes cancer cells commit suicide?”

This was fantastic news. Curry every night and turmeric with everything !!

The kitchen was awash with this yellow stained powder! Our clothes were stained with it. Our hands were stained to the point that it looked like I was smoking 60 Woodbines a day!

If you are not old enough to know what a Woodbine is, then Google it.

Originally, we bought powdered ORGANIC turmeric from Crazy Jacks. Indeed, we still do and put in on our food and into our juices. We have now progressed to buying raw organic turmeric root that we grate and put onto food and into juices.

So, all this is very wonderful. Birds are twitting, gospel choirs appear in the garden giving it full throttle and angels are dancing around the chimney stacks ……!!

Then….. Hang on a minute. I do a bit more research and discover that it’s not turmeric that makes cancer cells commit suicide, but rather its active ingredient CURCURMIN.

Four Canal.

Here’s the science bit ……….

Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, which is a member of the ginger family and has been used by our Asian friends for a couple of thousand years, Goodness Gracious Me.

Some research suggests that it benefits you by:

• inhibiting micro-bacterial activity in the gut
• being an anti inflammatory
• working as a powerful anti oxidant
• preventing and treating cancer and
• boots Glutathione levels

Glutathione, the most important antioxidant in the body. 

The immune system cannot function properly without it and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E rely on it to function properly. The glutathione and cancer connection has been well established.

People with cancer and other chronic illness have reduced glutathione levels. Glutathione plays a specific role in the detoxification of many cell-damaging substances in your body.

Curcumin and Cancers

Curcumin has the most literature supporting its use against cancer of any other nutrient or vitamin. In fact curcumin could be unique in that it appears to be universally useful for just about every type of cancer.

This is odd, considering the fact that cancer consists of a wide variety of different molecular pathologies. One reason for this could be curcumin’s ability to affect multiple molecular targets, via more than 100 multiple pathways.

Moreover, curcumin is non-toxic, and does not adversely affect healthy cells, suggesting it selectively targets cancer cells—all of which are clear benefits in cancer treatment.

Research has even shown that it works synergistically with certain chemotherapy drugs, enhancing the elimination of cancer cells.

Also, various US studies have shown that curcumin can:

• Stop the action of COX-2, an enzyme that produces inflammation of your cells, especially those of the intestine.
• Restrict the formation of vessels supplying blood to tumours.
• Restrict metastases (secondary tumours) in prostate cancer.
• Kill and inhibit B- Lymphoma cells.
• Work better when taken with Green Tea, resveratrol and piperine, the active ingredient in black pepper.

As an aside, the University of Michigan Cancer Centre in 2009 and 2012 found that Curcumin and piperine could each stop the development of breast cancer stem cells and that they inhibited the formation of blood supply to tumours.

Additionally, Piperine and resveratrol were shown to increase tumour sensitivity to radiotherapy. (BMB Report April 2012)

Curcumin and Arthritic Joint Pain

Another common condition that can benefit from curcumin’s anti-inflammatory activity is osteoarthritis. Research from 2011 found that patients who added 200 mg of curcumin a day to their regular medical treatment plan had reduced pain and increased mobility compared to the control group.

Earlier research also found that a turmeric extract blocked inflammatory pathways, effectively restricting a protein that triggers swelling and pain.

Using Turmeric and Curcumin

While turmeric is readily available in the spice section of any grocery store, it’s important to realise that if you’re looking for clinical results, it’s not enough to simply use turmeric in your cooking.

The turmeric root itself contains only about three percent curcumin concentration, and curcumin is poorly absorbed by your body to boot. When taken in its raw form, you’re only absorbing about one percent of the available curcumin.

Even in supplement form it’s unlikely to provide the results shown in various disease studies.

Find a high quality turmeric extract that contains 100 percent certified organic ingredients, with at least 95 percent curcuminoids.

Typical anti-cancer doses are up to three grams of good bio-available curcumin extract, three to four times daily.

After months of research we found a good supplement and a good supplier, because this ingredient has been key to our thinking almost from day one.

Julie takes a supplement called “CURCUMIN X 4000” which is 23 times more powerful than ordinary Curcumin and contains Curcuma longa extract, which is easily absorbed by the body.  She has been taking 1.5 grams three times per day, along with all her other supplements.

We source the supplement tablets from “Goodhealthnaturally”.

So get some good quality organic turmeric either in root or powder form and lob it into your juices stews and curries and smatter over your food. This will keep you ticking over.

If you want a more therapeutic solution to get your immune system into tip top shape then get some CURCUMIN extract (Organic and not puffed up with fillers – so check the label)

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