Turmeric is shown in numerous studies to have huge benefits for the skin, from helping eczema to acne says Charlotte Dormon
What you eat can play a vital role in helping you achieve clear, gorgeous skin that glows with good health. Many foods are known to enhance your skin but not many have the science to back them up and prove their anti-ageing capacity.
Despite being used in Asia for over 4,000 years as a natural beauty remedy to brighten skin and tackle inflammation, super-spice turmeric has now become the ultimate health and beauty tonic for celebrities, make up artists and health gurus around the world.
Get the golden glow with turmeric
You probably know turmeric as being one of the spices used in Indian cooking that adds depth of flavour and a vibrant yellow-orange colour to dishes such as curries. But research shows that it does much more than just make our food taste amazing. In India, turmeric is also known as ‘the Golden Goddess’ and has been used for centuries as a medicinal herb to protect the body, reduce inflammation and increase vitality. Modern studies have shown that this remarkable spice contains a unique range of beneficial compounds that can enhance our skin, from protecting us against premature ageing, to clearing the skin, to supporting skin healing and cell renewal. It’s a true natural beauty all-rounder.
Turmeric is also known as ‘the Golden Goddess’ and has been used for centuries as a medicinal herb to protect the body, reduce inflammation and increase vitality.
So, how can turmeric protect and enhance the appearance of skin?
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It can help keep wrinkles at bay
One of the primary reasons for skin ageing, including wrinkles, is free radical damage. This can come from processes inside the body as our cells make free radicals just from producing energy and from outside the body, such as from UV damage.
As well as protecting our skin from the outside, we can take steps to reduce this damage by consuming plenty of antioxidants in our food. Studies suggest that natural constituents of turmeric, especially curcumin, may possess particularly strong antioxidant activity and may directly reduce skin ageing – including preventing moisture loss and protecting against wrinkles.
The antioxidant activity of turmeric may also help those with skin diseases such psoriasis.
And it’s not only ageing skin that could benefit. The antioxidant activity of turmeric may also help those with skin diseases such psoriasis.
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It can reduce inflammation (aka puffiness)
In addition to free radical damage, inflammation is also a big factor within skin problems like acne, psoriasis and eczema, as it’s what causes the unsightly redness, puffiness and swelling, as well as the soreness and heat. To help soothe and restore the skin, it is vital to reduce the inflammation of the skin.
That’s where turmeric can help. One of this spice’s best-known properties is its anti-inflammatory activity, as shown in numerous research studies.
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It can help you to be pimple free
One of the traditional uses of turmeric in herbal medicine is as a ‘blood purifier’. Modern research suggests that turmeric could actually help to clear toxins from the blood in at least two different ways.
Firstly, it’s thought that turmeric can increase the activity of certain enzymes responsible for removing toxins from the blood known as phase II detoxification enzymes.
Secondly, this wonder spice is thought to stimulate bile flow from the gallbladder into the digestive tract. As well as helping to digest our food, bile is the primary way in which our liver gets rid of fat-soluble toxins and wastes from our blood; it’s made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder, ready to be excreted and of course, turmeric can help with this process.
A build-up of toxins in the body is one of the potential reasons for skin problems,
So how does this apply to maintaining healthy, glowing skin? A build-up of toxins in the body is one of the potential reasons for skin problems, including dull-looking or sallow skin, skin rashes, and even skin ageing. In our modern environment, we’re exposed to many more chemicals and toxins than our bodies are designed to deal with. Chemicals and toxins are in the air, in our food and water, on our furniture and even in the products we use on our skin and in our homes. We need to give our body’s detoxification processes all the help they can get in order to support our general health and vitality, as well as great skin.
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For brighter, healthier skin and better circulation
Good circulation to the skin allows nutrients to be delivered to our skin cells and waste products to be flushed away. With optimal circulation, our skin has all it needs to be healthy and can efficiently get rid of clogging, dullness-producing toxins.
Turmeric may support healthy blood flow and circulation to the skin. Curcuminoids in turmeric have been shown to have ‘anti-platelet’ activity, which basically means they can help to keep our blood flowing more easily. In a clinical trial, giving a curcumin supplement to patients was found to increase their micro-circulation – the circulation to the smallest blood vessels such as those in the skin.
Turmeric may support healthy blood flow and circulation to the skin.
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If your skin needs healing
Collagen is the vital protein that keeps our skin firm, supple and young-looking. It’s also needed for skin healing and renewal.
Our favourite spice could be helpful here too. It’s been found that curcumin in turmeric has skin-healing and wound-healing properties, by increasing collagen deposits in the skin. This can be beneficial not only for reducing skin ageing, but also for supporting repair and recovery for those with problem skin or unpleasant skin conditions.
You can buy your own Pukka Herbs Active – Wholistic Turmeric 30 Caps here.
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