The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Inflammation
Posted by Ann (Duncan, SC) on 08/30/2007
★★★★★
I have been using Turmeric for my inflammation for 2 years now and swear by it. I have an autoimmune disease which causes a lot of inflammation. I take 1 tablespoon a day and it keeps my swelling way down.I am now goiter free and do not need thyroid removal surgery. If I go off of it the swelling picks back up and my goiter returns.I have taken it in capsule form or by mixing it with water and swallowing fast!
Diarrhea
Posted by Michelle (USA) on 08/29/2007
★★★★★
I had the worst case of diarrhea I'd ever experienced, and not sure of the cause -- 48 hours of running to the bathroom every 15 to 30 minutes. I wanted to try a natural cure before resorting to medication, but none of the "cures" I'd read were feasible. I found this site and read the advice to try 1 tsp. of turmeric spice in a glass of warm water (only once a day) and tried it. I could feel my stomach settling down as I slowly downed the drink. For the rest of that evening until the morning I was able to rest and not go to the bathroom at all. In the morning I had some loose stools again but not as bad as they had been. I waited a little while until just before I was set to go on a long drive and then took my 2nd day's dose. That was about 10 hours ago and I haven't had any bowel problems since. I'm still amazed at how effective this was.
Turmeric Side Effects
Posted by KT (Usa) on 08/11/2018
Dear Lynn,
Turmeric is supposed to reduce inflammation. I don't understand why it would cause bleeding. When my fingers cracked and were very sore from eating warmed left-over beef, turmeric reduced the inflammation and soreness on ingestion.
In the Nutrition Almanac ginger is reported to reduce inflammation and is listed as an antibiotic. Ginger also ranks high in anticancer activity. Cayenne pepper will stop bleeding. I would try mixing the two. Maybe 1/4 tsp. ginger to 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper every 3 or 4 hrs. in about 1/2 C water. Just a guess...
I have mixed turmeric and cayenne pepper, depending on what is going on with me at the time. Everyone responds differently.
Wishing you the best...
KT
Broad Benefits
Posted by Lisa T (Fl) on 09/02/2015
★★★★★
I am 53 y/o and tried Turmeric to lose weight and found it has many AMAZING side effects. I have had horrible irritable bowel since I was 7 y/o. I mean horrible. It will bring me to my knees and make me throw up, forcing me to choose which end should be aimed at the toilet. The Turmeric not only assisted in losing weight but stopped my irritable bowel/spastic colitis DEAD IN ITS TRACKS - NONE. I had never experienced a day without pain in my colon. OMG it was amazing.
Anyway, I have a 18y/o Border Collie that has a fatty tumor on his side that is so bad it is making him fall from the extra weight on that side and of course the pain from arthritis/old age. I have checked with 3 vets with no good solutions because of his age, no one wants to perform surgery.
Well, I thought, if Turmeric breaks down fat why not try it on Murphy. So, I looked up on the web if Turmeric was ok for dogs. It was ok but recommended a certain type of Turmeric. I compared the recommended Turmeric online to the type I had purchased. It was the same kind of Turmeric. Great! I researched online for the best Turmeric and I came up with, Curcumin C3 (Turmeric) w/ Bioperine - 2,000 % More Bioavailable 500mg, as the best on the market for Bioavailable for best utilization in body.
My point is maybe the Turmeric would help your doggie with his tummy issues?
Turmeric helped also my arthritis pain, my irritable bowl, brain function, mood and over all pain. It has been identified to be an Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Antioxidant, reduce risk for heart disease, cancer, metabolic syndromes, Alzheimer's and various degenerative conditions as well as improved Brain Function and a Lower Risk of Brain Diseases and a Benefit Against Depression.
I am sold. It has made me feel so much better and Murphy seems to move better and happier. The cheapest place I have found the Turmeric was Amazon. The brand I listed above was what I thought was best after my days of researching it.
Good Luck and I hope it makes Doggie better!
Lisa
How to Take Turmeric
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 08/02/2014
Stephen Buhner, in his book, Herbal Antibiotics, has a ton of information about Piperine (active ingredient in Black Pepper.) He says that it "increases the amount of any substance going into the body, keeps it in its most potent form (unmetabolized) and keeps it in the body longer. It facilitates the movement of substance into the brain, CNS, uterus, testes, adrenals, kidneys, and liver. It also stimulates circulation and increases blood vessel size to that the substances are widely circulated throughout the body very rapidly." (Page 45, Herbal Antibiotics.)
When I am using pepper with turmeric, I usually use about 1/8th teaspoon pepper per teaspoon of turmeric.
Buhner doesn't discuss this (that I have found yet..the book is very extensive) but some fat is also supposed to be taken with turmeric to increase its effectiveness.
Turmeric Side Effects
Posted by Stac3y (Allentown, Pa) on 08/20/2013
I just wanted to share two side effects I have had in trying to use turmeric orally. The first is severe constapation. I would imagine this might benefit someone with Crohn's or IBS, but I definately have a problem.
The second is that it causes my face and scalp tend to break out. After two days, it feels like my face is falling apart with acne. I've tried turmeric on and off again at least six times, and this happens everytime. This happens with just 500 mg a day, so a relatively small amount. I know a lot of people have been trying this for acne, but it tends to make things much, much worse for me.
For some people, the other benefits might be worth the side effect, but it's a bit too much for me, which is disappointing, as I really wanted to like this herb.
FYI: I eat a healthy, low-gluten, low fat diet that incorporates several gentle cleansing herbs daily, so I do not think this is a detox reaction.
Menstrual Cramps
Posted by Clarisse (Los Angeles, Ca) on 03/21/2013
★★★★★
During the first couple days, I get some really bad menstrual cramps. Mine are pretty miserable, to the point where I feel like throwing up and just lying down all day. I remembered that turmeric is used to alleviate menstrual cramps, so I added a tsp of turmeric to some warm milk, along with a bit of flaxseed oil (turmeric is fat-soluble) and some black pepper (increases absorption of curcumin in turmeric). I drank this all before I went to bed. The next morning, no more menstrual cramps! Try it!
How to Take Turmeric
Posted by Debbie (Melbourne, Australia ) on 03/21/2012
I add tumeric to my scrambled eggs while they are cooking and also add black pepper to them. I also sprinkle tumeric on my roast chicken in the oven.. it adds a great taste to it.
Eczema
Posted by Yukoncorleone (Binghamton, NY, United States) on 03/19/2012
★★★★☆
Hello, I was recently diagnosed with folliculitis over my whole body and Eczema on my hands and feet by my dermatoligist and I'm exploring some natural remidies. For a while I thought it was only Eczema over my entire body, but my Dermatoligst seems to think I have two separate conditons. So far I've tried the oral and topical steroids, topical antibiotics, and they seemed to work while I was using it, but as soon as I ran out it got bad again.
I have taken the ACV (apple cider vineager) with the mother in it (when I thought it was just Eczema), but stopped for a while after I got a stomach bug and had diareaha and vomiting and couldn't stomach the AVC. I'm now back on it for two days now (using 1-2 tsp in water 2-3 times a day according to back of the bottle) and now I'm also trying powdered Turmeric 1 tsp in a glass of warm water or sometimes in orange juice 2-3 times a day.
I'm only on day 2 of this, and I think I'm noticing some benfits. I don't itch as bad, the Eczema doesn't seem as raised or as irritated, and the red bumps from my folliculitis are not as pronounced and bright as they can sometimes get.
My question is this; I've read that Turmeric isn't that readily absorbed into the system and that you should take black pepper with it. If I'm taking 1tsp of powdered Turmeric in a glass of warm water how much black pepper should I add to it? Please advise, I want to make sure I'm getting the most out of the Turmeric as I can.
Headache
Posted by Janie (Nj, Usa) on 11/28/2011
★★★★★
Turmeric is great against arthritis pain, but also for headache or other pains.
My spouse and I take daily turmeric with bromelain (2) capsules and experience no symptoms of arthritis. If we run out of them, we notice the difference right away. (450 each combo capsule from nat fac)
When a headache comes along or a sore throat we use 2 capsules, instead of aspirin or ibuprofen (in addition to our daily regimen).
Conventional medical providers acknowledge turmeric is equal to ibuprofen in pain relief. (And lots less side effects to worry about! )
Heartburn
Posted by Sindee (Santa Cruz, Ca) on 10/13/2011
★★★★★
I have taken tumeric with a glass of warm milk for heartburn which I used to get often. Almond milk actually works much better and goat milk is the best.
How to Take Turmeric
Posted by Michelle (Cambridge, Cambs, Uk) on 10/12/2011
Dear 1185d, you could try mixing the turmeric with coconut oil, then chilling it to make a tablet.
I also put it into hot coconut milk with honey.
Fresh Turmeric Vs. Powdered
Posted by Art (San Francisco, Ca) on 09/14/2016
I tried taking powdered turmeric several times in the past, but every time it would cause my hemorrhoids to bleed when going to the bathroom, only after a couple of days of the therapy. Then I tried fresh turmeric root, and for some reason, no matter how much of it I take, it does not cause the bleeding. I use a grater to grate 2-3" of the root, which gives me 2-3 tbsps., I chase it with water, need about a glass of water for the whole amount of grated turmeric. I've been doing it for almost a year, once a day, on empty stomach. It has helped me with abdominal pains.
How to Take Turmeric
Posted by Briana (Chicago, Il) on 11/10/2009
★★★★★
I created the following recipe because I was trying to take several superfoods listed on this site every day and I couldn't stand the taste of the Blackstrap Molasses or the Turmeric. So I drink two cups of Molasses Chai a day:
Start with 8 oz of hot water. Then add one chai tea bag (a tea blend including chai spices). While the tea steeps mix in 1 Tbsp of blackstrap molasses, 1 Tbsp of honey (raw is better), 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 dashes of turmeric. At this point stop to stir in the turmeric to dissolve the water soluble portion. Then add some milk (about 1/4 cup). U can substitute soy/rice milk etc. Mix in the milk and remove the tea bag. Add 1 Tbsp of coconut oil (virgin is better) and mix to dissolve turmeric in CO.
Other than looking kind of funny because it will have a yellow tinted layer of oil on the top it will taste fine. Don't forget the vanilla it masks the flavor of the molasses. If it still tastes bad to you then put in less BSM, turmeric, and/or VCO until you get used to the flavor.
Diarrhea
Posted by Matt (Omaha, NE) on 08/29/2008
★★★★★
I had the worst Diarrhea of my life for two days. Pepto Bismol and Kaeopectate were completely ineffective against the problem. Having used Apple Cider Vineagar prior for various cures based off reccomendations on this site with great success I turned to that. I took 2 Tbls for 2x's a day for a day and a half and while it cured my rumbling stomach instantly it did little if anything to cure the Diarrhea.
So I turned to the Turmeric remedy listed here. Went to the store and paid a whole .99 for a little bottle of the spice. Filled up a small glass of water with 1 teaspoon of the spice, stirred it in and took it down. Insta-cured. It stopped the problem from the moment I took it. Keep stirring or sloshing the spice around in the glass when you drink it so it doesn't build up and get really hard to take down during the bottom of the glass.
As a sidenote, my mom got sick with the same symptoms a day later, and again nothing was working. She took the same stuff as I did and again, she was cured instantly.
I'm amazed!
Boils
Posted by Ang (Auckland, New Zealand) on 02/01/2008
★★★★★
Thank you for your wonderful website! I tried your tumeric cure on my 8 1/2 year old son, who just recently had school sores (impetigo), and then started to develop a boil (which is exactly what happened last time he had school sores at age 5 - he then went on to have boils for about 4 months). I gave him a tsp of tumeric in a chocolate milkshake 3 x per day for two days and the boil totally dried up and didn't get big or painful...and, no more boils have developed after 1 week! Awesome!!
Cold and Flu
Posted by Shireen (Khartoum, Sudan) on 12/13/2007
★★★★★
I am a true believer that every illness has a cure in nature without being tampered with, but I have never heard of turmeric to cure coughs and sinuses.Since I found your website by sheer coincidence, while searching for a natural remedy for my wheezing cough and river-running nose, I thought I'd give turmeric a try( 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp honey with 1 cup of warm milk)VIOLA! I could breathe again. Thank You So Much EC, you're a life saver.
Wounds
Posted by Steph Williams (Danville, VA) on 11/08/2007
★★★★★
I've had great success with turmeric to stop wounds from bleeding. If you catch a slice by the kitchen knife quick enough, the blood will coagulate behind a layer of turmeric. I also add turmeric to a warm water soak with sea salt or epsom salt to draw out infection/inflammation from wounds for my family. I treated our dog's copper head bite with a turmeric poultice. Her leg was swollen and the skin around the 2 puncture wounds was necrotic and oozing and after many soaks and poultices, it healed leaving no scar.
